by Jayci Lee
“Corny,” she teased, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
“Does that mean you’re pink goo right now?”
“Yes, and I have hearts in my eyes.”
“God, you’re adorable.”
“I know. And I’m all yours,” she said with love glowing brilliantly in her heart. “Lucky you.”
“Yes,” he said, looking at her as though she was the greatest piece of art in the world. “Lucky me.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Dating Dare is my pandemic baby. At times, it was difficult to write. Who am I kidding? It was hard—really hard—to write on most days. Yet, this book has been my escape and my anchor through these incomprehensible, heartbreaking times. Tara and Seth warmed my heart, made me laugh, and moved me to tears. Writing their story gave me a purpose that helped me forge ahead. It kept me whole.
To Sarah Younger, literary agent extraordinaire. Your voice of reason and sound advice—which kept me sane through four releases and two new contracts during the pandemic—allowed me to center myself and write this book. Thank you for having my back, my friend.
To Mara Delgado Sánchez, my wonderful editor, thank you for loving my book. It made me deliriously happy to hear that I made you laugh and cry! Thank you for believing in me even when I couldn’t and working so hard to make The Dating Dare shine. I’m so happy we got to work together on this book.
And to my marketing manager, DJ DeSmyter, my publicist, Mary Moates, and the rest of the incredible team at St. Martin’s Griffin. Thank you so much for your support and dedication. As I so often said, you guys rock.
Thank you to Gwen Hernandez for being my friend and critique partner. Your support and candid insights helped me see this book with a clearer eye and a kinder heart. And to Christin Britton, thank you so much for holding my hand through this whole process and steadying me through the bumps and jolts. You gave me the strength to give The Dating Dare my everything until the very end.
To my husband and my boys. Thank you for your love and support as I wrote this book while all of us spent way more time with each other than usual. It was challenging at times, but you never lost your sense of humor. And your interest in my work always makes me so proud of myself. Your support means everything.
To Mom, Dad, and my brother, Eugene, you guys are my biggest cheerleaders. You lift me up so I can reach higher, and you’re ready to catch me if I fall. Your love sustains me. I’m so lucky to have a family like you.
More than ever, we need love, hope, and laughter in our lives. I hope this book brings you, my dear readers, all that and more. And I will always strive to deserve your love and support. Thank you with all my heart.
ALSO BY JAYCI LEE
A Sweet Mess
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JAYCI LEE writes poignant, sexy, and laugh-out-loud romance every free second she can scavenge and is semi-retired from her fifteen-year career as a defense litigator. She loves food, wine, and traveling, and incidentally so do her characters. Jayci lives in sunny California with her tall-dark-and-handsome husband, two amazing boys with boundless energy, and a fluffy rescue whose cuteness is a major distraction. You can sign up for email updates here.
Thank you for buying this
St. Martin’s Press ebook.
To receive special offers, bonus content,
and info on new releases and other great reads,
sign up for our newsletters.
Or visit us online at
us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup
For email updates on the author, click here.
CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter SIX
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Also by Jayci Lee
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
First published in the United States by St. Martin’s Griffin, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group
THE DATING DARE. Copyright © 2021 by Judith J. Yi. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
www.stmartins.com
Cover design and illustration by Vikki Chu
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Names: Lee, Jayci, author.
Title: The dating dare: a novel / Jayci Lee.
Description: First edition. | New York : St. Martin’s Griffin, 2021. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2021008143 | ISBN 9781250621122 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781250621139 (ebook)
Classification: LCC PS3612.E2239 D38 2021 | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021008143
eISBN 9781250621139
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at [email protected].
First Edition: 2021