Hopeless Romantic

Lyla Dupree
She’s a bubbly, sugary sweet pastry chef. Living her best life in the Big Apple. Luxury apartment. Successful patisserie. Everything is great–better than great. It's absolutely perfect.

Raleigh Jacobs
He’s grumbly and growly–and so very out of his element–working on a temporary assignment in NYC. He wants to do his job and get out. Back to the clean air in the mountains near Denver.

Throw them together.
Mix things up.
Turn up the heat and what you get is, quite simply, alarming.

After all, 425 Madison is the perfect place to fall in love.

 

Copyright @ KC Enders 2020


The door next to me swings open, and a giant of lean muscle, scruffy cheeks, and deep dark brown scowling eyes steps out into the hallway, startling me.
With a really unladylike gasp, I stumble backward until my back hits the doorjamb. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” I squeak. “You scared me. Welcome. Kent emailed me that he’d sublet his place for a couple of months, though he didn’t tell me anything about you. Not that he needed to, I mean, it’s none of my business, really. I’m Lyla Dupree, it’s lovely to meet you.” I thrust my hand out to shake, but he just stares, so I let it fall back to my side.
I’m rambling, and I can’t seem to stop. It’s my thing when I’m nervous, but my roommate Sasha tells me it comes off as bubbly and kind of sweet. From the look on this guy’s face, though, I wonder if she’s just been blowing sunshine up my butt because he looks pissed. And that just makes me even more nervous, so the bubbly word vomit continues.
“You picked an amazing place to live while you’re here in the city. Where are you from? Somewhere out west, maybe? I mean, not that I know. I already told you that, so it’s just a guess, but with the flannel and the beanie…” Dear Jesus, now would be a perfect time for me to shut up. “Anyway, I just finished testing a new recipe, I’m a chef. I don’t know if Kent mentioned that when you talked about the sublet, but he should have. I mean, I do pastries, and my roommate Sasha does more of the real food. Oh my God, she makes the best mac and cheese, truly she’s amazing. Kent said it was a good thing he had to leave for this temporary assignment in London. Something about gaining weight if he lived next to us for too much longer. I don’t know, though, I think something might have happened between him and Sasha, you know? They both kind of started acting funny and then the next thing I know he’s taking a job in England for a year. But, whatever. Do you like sweets? Cakes, cookies, pastries? Any food allergies I should know about?”
And, cue uncomfortable silence.

 

 

REVIEW: SWEET ON YOU (425 MADISON) BY KC ENDERS