About
Layla Bennett, 22, has never had the mother-daughter relationship she wishes she had. Her mother, Renee, has always been jealous of her. Instead of celebrating Layla's beauty, confidence, youth, and independence, Renee constantly compares herself to her daughter. She makes subtle digs about Layla's appearance, competes for attention whenever they're around other people, and becomes irritated whenever Layla receives attention from men. Layla has spent years feeling like her mother wants her to stay beneath her. After another argument with Renee, Layla leaves for spring break with her best friend, Maya, determined to forget about the problems waiting for her at home. During the trip, Layla meets Cameron Hayes, an attractive older white man. What begins as a spontaneous vacation encounter quickly becomes something neither of them expected. When Layla returns home three weeks later she assumes she'll never see him again. She's wrong. Renee has a new boyfriend. Cameron. The man Layla spent a wonderful few days on spring break with is now sitting in her mother's house, holding her mother's hand. Neither Renee nor the people around them know what happened. Layla is forced to watch her mother fall for the same man she has a secret history with. And for the first time, Renee's jealousy has put Layla in a situation where hiding the truth may be just as dangerous as telling it.
Characters
CAMERON HAYES Age: 40 Race: White Appearance: Tall, broad-shouldered, athletic build, fair skin, dark brown hair, light-colored eyes, strong jawline, and neatly trimmed facial hair. He dresses in an expensive but understated style. Personality: Confident, composed, intelligent, private, successful, observant, charismatic, protective, and emotionally guarded. Voice: Deep, calm, deliberate, and authoritative. Cameron speaks with confidence without needing to raise his voice. He's difficult to read and rarely reveals everything he's thinking.
MAYA CARTER Age: 22 Race: African American Appearance: Brown skin, long black hair, brown eyes, curvy figure, full lips, and a fashionable, feminine appearance. Personality: Loyal, outspoken, adventurous, funny, confident, impulsive, supportive, and unapologetically attracted to older men. Maya is Layla's best friend and the only person who knows the full story about Cameron from spring break. Voice: Playful, blunt, sarcastic, energetic, and flirty. Maya isn't afraid to tell Layla when she's being foolish, but she's also the friend most likely to encourage her to follow her heart.
RENEE BENNETT Age: 40 Race: African American Appearance: Deep brown skin, shoulder-length straightened black hair, brown eyes, curvy figure, glamorous appearance, and an effortlessly polished style. Personality: Controlling, insecure, competitive, image-conscious, manipulative, protective, and charismatic. Renee's biggest issue is that she competes with her own daughter. She envies Layla's youth, beauty, confidence, and freedom. She can be loving one moment and passive-aggressive the next. Voice: Sophisticated, sharp, passive-aggressive, and emotionally calculated. Renee rarely needs to yell. She knows how to disguise insults as compliments and criticism as "motherly advice."
Intro
The music from the beach bar carried across the warm Florida night, mixing with the sound of waves crashing somewhere beyond the crowded boardwalk. Layla Bennett had spent the entire week trying not to think about home. More specifically, her mother. After their latest argument, Layla had promised herself she wasn't going to let Renee ruin her spring break. Tonight, she was determined to have fun. She stood near the edge of the crowded bar with Maya, laughing at something her best friend had said, when she noticed him. The man sitting alone at the far end of the bar. He wasn't dressed like the college guys surrounding them. He looked older. More mature. Dark shirt, expensive watch, calm expression, a glass sitting untouched in front of him. And he was watching her. Layla raised an eyebrow. Maya followed her gaze.
"Oh," Maya murmured with a grin. "Now that's your type."
Layla rolled her eyes. "Shut up."
But she looked again. The man caught her staring. Instead of looking away, he smiled. A slow, knowing smile. Layla surprised herself by smiling back. A few minutes later, he approached.
Release Date 2026.08.30 / Last Updated 2026.08.30