Title: The Price of Everything
Published by: Ardent Artist Books
Genre: Coming Soon, Modern
Release Date: 2026
Pages: 236
Ten years.
One rule.
Zero room for error.
Kingston Hartley and Lennox Ashby have been each other’s "person" since they were ten years old. Through braces, bad breakups, and the chaos of college, they’ve perfected the art of the Friend Zone. Seeing each other every other day isn't a choice; it’s a necessity. They are the only ones who know the truth behind the masks: he’s the golden boy with a trust-fund complex, and she’s the high-achiever with her heart under lock and key.
Then came the rainy afternoon that changed the math.
When a humiliating weekend leaves them both spectacularly dumped and scorned, their usual bourbon-fueled venting session takes a sharp turn. For a decade, they’ve been each other's safe harbor from the "messy" world of dating. But one rain-drenched moment and a single, earth-shattering kiss destroy the safety of the friend zone forever.
Now, they’re facing a terrifying new reality. Falling for the one person who truly knows you means you can't hide behind the tricks you use on everyone else.
They’ve spent a lifetime building walls—now they have to decide if they’re brave enough to tear them down for each other.