How to Survive Your Next Relationship Disaster 101
Step 1: Get pumped. Your new house, in your new town, comes with a sexy and shirtless man next door. Score!
Step 2: Don’t let your freak-out show when Mr. OMG Shirtless turns around—and it’s your old crush.
Step 3: Hold your head high when you run into him again on the first day of your new job—literally—and spill coffee all over yourself.
Step 4: Stay calm when he introduces himself as your new boss…and then announces that your first assignment is to go on a fake honeymoon together.
Step 5: Keep your $h*t locked tight when the new boss/old crush and you are forced to sleep in the same room…with one bed.
Step 6: Try to ignore just how freaking hot he is, and how much you want to touch him…
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More pounding. “Saw you. Know you’re in
there, Lucy.”
She drew the curtain back again.
He pointed to the handle and mouthed,
“Open.”
She shook her head and planted her hand
on her hip.
He rattled the door handle.
Fine.
Safety chain in place, she opened the
door a crack. When he pressed to enter, the chain caught.
“Lucy, I need to talk to you,” he said
through the thin opening.
“It’s too early for conversation.” She
ran a hand over her obnoxious morning hair.
“I need your help.”
“You said I’m not supposed to help
you.” She tried to close the door, but he stopped it before the latch caught.
“Bridgett’s in the hospital.”
A knot formed in Lucy’s belly. She
released the safety chain and opened the door. “What happened?”
“We’re supposed to leave for Twin Lakes
today, but she ate something with peaches, and apparently she’s allergic. I
just came from the hospital. She’s all puffed up.”
Peaches? That sounded awful. “Will she
be okay?”
“They say she’ll be fine, but she needs
monitoring. You have to be my wife.”
The knot in her belly tightened, and
she stepped backward into the living room. “It is way too early to discuss
marriage.”
He followed her inside. His gaze
traveled over her, and the edges of his lips ticked up. “Please, Lucy. I need a
favor. And you look like you need caffeine. Where do you keep the coffee?”
She crossed her arms across her chest.
“At Starbucks.”
He
tossed her an annoyed look and brushed past her to the kitchen.
Ugh. “Fine. To the coffee. Not the
marriage.” She followed him into her kitchen where he snagged the tin of blonde
roast off the counter.
“Coffee liners?” he asked.
“Use your sock,” she replied sweetly.
She didn’t do controlling. Not with men. Not in life.
He dug through her cupboards. “You
always this grumpy in the morning?”
She grumbled under her breath.
“I’ll tell you what. You go do whatever
you do to wake up.” He turned and stepped toward her to trace his fingers
intimately along her arms, leaving a trail of goose bumps behind.
Unable to move, she stared at his warm
hands against her bare flesh.
He leaned into her, all sexy stubble
and man. “I’ll make coffee.” His gaze rested on her mouth, which at some point
had parted against her will. She promptly shut it.
“Then we can talk about our trip to
Twin Lakes.” He gave a squeeze and released her.
Full-bodied with an extra shot of
persistence was apparently on her menu this morning. “I have to work, I’ve got
a cat, and there are three thousand other reasons I’m not going with you.”
“Let’s talk after you resurrect Happy
Lucy. Shower, meditate, whatever you usually do…then coffee.” He returned to
rummaging through her cupboards.
She stared at him, scruffy, delicious,
and in her kitchen. The universe had a messed up sense of humor.
“You getting that shower going or are
you waiting for me to take one with you?” he asked without turning around.
She scowled at his ridiculously
attractive back for a beat. It wasn’t fair that even his back was sexy. Her
gaze traveled lower to his shorts. Over his ass. His legs. His calves.
He cleared his throat. She glanced up
quickly to meet his…dimples.
“I’ll come, too, then?” His lips formed
the husky words, mesmerizing her.
He took a step forward, the tin of
coffee still in his grip.
She froze, certain the look on her face
must’ve mirrored an early-morning deer meeting the headlights of a Ferrari.
Like, if she was gonna get hit by a car, might as well be a good one.
Oh boy, was she about to get run over.
She licked at her lips.
His gaze fell to them, mouth parted,
eyes flared.
Next, please.
She noped right out of there. Turned
and bolted for the bathroom, ensuring the lock on the door clicked behind her.
Head in her hands, she slumped against
the thin wood panel on the wall beside the cracked tub.
She was officially hiding from William
in her bathroom. Not because he recommended she shower. Nope, she needed to
wake up. Her hair needed shampoo. And she had lusty irritation to rinse down
the drain.
I found Lucy and Will's story to be sweet, fun and a little hot. Even though the timeline is relatively short, I didn't feel like their story was rushed. I loved the way he stood up for her and didn't give up on her. I do wish they would have spent even more time together and that the issue about her past had been addressed more deeply.
I received an ARC via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own.
Christina Hovland lives her own version of a fairy tale—an artisan chocolatier by day and romance writer by night. Born in Colorado, Christina received a degree in journalism from Colorado State University. Before opening her chocolate company, Christina’s career spanned from the television newsroom to managing an award-winning public relations firm. She’s a recovering overachiever and perfectionist with a love of cupcakes and dinner she doesn’t have to cook herself. A 2017 Golden Heart® finalist, she lives in Colorado with her first-boyfriend-turned-husband, four children, and the sweetest dog around.
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