by Chelsea Hale
Jenny returned with two pints of ice cream. “Coco has a wedding shoot tomorrow that she’s preparing for. Mandy still has jet lag.”
“You’d think with the amount Mandy travels that she’d be used to jet lag by now.” Mandy was a travel companion and tour guide for elderly women who wanted to see the world.
Jenny handed Liz her favorite. Ben and Jerry’s Salted Caramel Core. “Spill it. What happened? Did Sam pick out a great blind date? You were gone a while.”
Liz scooped some of the center caramel out of the carton, and swirled it around the white ice cream. “Funny thing actually. Sam wasn’t trying to set me up. I spilled my root beer on a hot guy as I headed to my seat. I confessed that you hid my keys, bought myself a shirt and his replacement food, including a root beer for me, come to think of it. Then I went and changed. We hit it off for the few minutes we talked to each other.”
“Liz is back in the dating world? I’m shocked.”
“Hardly. I’m open to dating. He did have gorgeous green eyes though.”
“Did you give him your number?” Jenny sat with her spoon halfway between her carton and her mouth.
“Before or after he ended up being the guy Sam wanted to introduce me to?”
Jenny squealed. “No way! You told him you were avoiding Sam’s friend, and he ends up being Sam’s friend?!”
“Thankfully Tyler isn’t really a friend. He’s Kyle’s biographer, in town to interview all Kyle’s family and friends for the story.”
“Ah. This is perfect.”
“Come again?”
“You’re hesitant to date guys your brothers set you up with,” Jenny said.
“Wouldn’t you be?” Sam meant well, but he’d introduced her to Rick, and after she broke off the engagement, Sam seemed to make up for that introduction with several others who weren’t her type either.
“It’s not your fault Rick,” she said, pausing to make several gagging sounds, “was a jerk, and I can see why you’re hesitant to date your brothers’ friends.” Jenny ate a few more bites of ice cream.
“It’s nice that someone understands,” Liz said. Rick had cared more about becoming a member of her family than he had about marrying her. He’d wanted an automatic ‘in’ to the stardom fame that was the Montgomery legacy. Consequently, she didn’t want to date guys who were already good friends with her brothers.
“Yes, but here’s the thing. Tyler isn’t a friend of Sam’s, so he can hardly be put in the same category. Besides you said he was good-looking, and he sounds nice. Plus he had a sense of humor about the whole root beer spill.”
“He was nice. That only makes the whole thing worse.” The idea of dating Tyler before she knew how he was connected to her family warred with the desire to stay strong on her policy.
“What’s his name? I’m going to google him.” Jenny pulled out her phone.
“Tyler Lakewood. This is his first biography though, so I’m not sure what genre he’s in.”
Jenny scrunched up her nose. “Yeah. I’ll say he doesn’t write biographies.” She scrolled through the screen and mumbled, “Pen name Ty Lake—that’s clever. Best-selling author. Check. Epic fantasy is mostly what he does. He’s published a lot for only a decade in the writing business, but he doesn’t look old. Twenty-six. He published his first book when he was in high school. Wow. You should pick his brain about his writing career. He’d be fascinating to talk to.”
“I’m not going to date someone who is working for my brother. Or someone who is connected to my family.”
Jenny picked up the cartons of ice cream, sweeping them back into the kitchen. “It’s still a funny story. It goes on the list.” She stood in front of the fridge and wrote on the whiteboard.
Liz rolled her eyes. Jenny loved lists and loved to overanalyze. Without the regular schedule of all the roommates swapping stories, creating a list was the easiest way to catch everyone up.
Intrigued by what Jenny read about Tyler, Liz pulled up Tyler’s author page on her phone. She browsed through his different series and clicked on the first one in his newest trilogy. She’d started writing a fantasy novel back in high school, after she stopped cheerleading. Maybe that was why she was interested in Tyler’s book. Before she could think too much, she bought the digital book.
Jenny came back from the kitchen. “So, when’s your interview?”
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Acknowledgments
Writing this book wouldn’t have happened without the loving support of my husband and children. During several moments of crunch time on this book, Dave took the kids so I could have focused time. You’re my Superman, and I’m grateful for all you do!
Thanks to my Beta readers: Ami, Becky, and Jen. Your comments are so helpful. Thanks for letting me hash and re-hash the finer points of writing with you! Seriously. Thank you.
Thanks to my editors. Candice has an eye for story, and Cassie cleaned it up beautifully!
Though I’ve already mentioned him, special thanks to my husband for giving me the insight to the detailed intricacies behind what it takes to be a wedding videographer and professional photographer! And thanks for letting me stay in your shot! I love you.
About the Author
Chelsea Hale can’t remember a time when reading and writing weren’t part of her life. She loves to travel to real and imaginary places, and take others along for the ride.
During the summer she grows a massive garden, and in the winter she enjoys an escape to some place warm.
Chelsea is passionate about writing (of course!), Broadway musicals, singing, and capturing life through a 50 mm lens. She bakes homemade whole wheat bread and blends delicious green smoothies.
She loves her chocolate and her ice cream topped with a mountain of caramel, watches romance movies until she has the words memorized, and loves watching people and characters fall in love.
In elementary school, Chelsea discovered her last name spelled backwards was D’LoveD’Not and said, “If I ever become a romance writer, I’m using this as my pen name!” (Who says that when they’re ten?!). She didn’t follow through with a pen name (yet!), but she’s ecstatic to write and share the characters that have been in her head with others.
She is married to her Prince Charming, and enjoys living her happily ever after on a daily basis. She and her husband have four children and live near the Rocky Mountains.
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