A Clover Park Novel
Jazz singer Zoe Davis is facing eviction due to a teensy, ill-advised fling with her landlord, so when Gabe Reynolds offers the apartment over his garage, Zoe knows better than to get involved with her landlord again. No matter how smoking hot he is.
Former shark lawyer Gabe returns to Clover Park for the stress-free lifestyle only to corner the market on ridiculous “legal” cases. When Zoe comes to him asking for legal advice, Gabe’s solution is a shock even to him.
Gabe’s got good reason to avoid anything permanent, so when Zoe tells him she’ll only be staying a month, he figures it’s the perfect situation. But when passion flares this hot, someone is bound to get burned.
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EXCERPT
Gabe heard the door open and then Mrs. Peters exclaimed, “How are you, Zoe, dear?”
He stood abruptly, then sat again, not wanting to appear too eager. The two women chatted, then Mrs. Peters left, and Zoe was in his office.
“Hey,” he said. Brilliant opening line.
She beamed. God, he loved that sunny smile. “Hey there,” she said. “Got the key?”
He fished it out of his pocket and handed it to her.
She stared down at it for a long moment and then tucked it into her tiny pink purse with a purple flower on it. He loved that she was so girly. He grew up in a house filled with testosterone.
“So, Gabe,” she said hesitantly, “I thought maybe we should talk about the rent. I don’t feel right not paying anything. Just tell me what you think is fair so I’m not caught by surprise. I mean, maybe we should sign a rental agreement.” She warmed to her topic. “A legal contract that spells out exactly what’s expected. I dunno, you’re the lawyer. What do you think?”
“No need,” he said. “It’s still free, and you can stay as long as you need to. At least someone can get some use out of the space.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Is this one of those deals where I think I’m getting it for free, but you really want—” she lowered her voice and leaned forward “—services rendered?”
He chuckled. “What kind of services?”
She straightened and raised her brows. “You know.”
He folded his fingers together on top of the desk. She stared at his fingers. “What would your trumpet player say about that?”
She tore her gaze from his fingers and stared at him with wide eyes. “Jordan? He’d be mad as hell.”
He leaned forward, really needing a straight answer on this guy. “Why is that, Zoe?”
She shifted in her seat. “We go way back,” she said, neatly avoiding the question again. “So you don’t want…” She looked side to side in case anyone was listening in, which made him smile, given that it was his private office, and they were very much alone. “You know what.”
He chuckled.
She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Um, you have to actually answer the question.”
“Do I, Counselor?” he asked in his best intimidating lawyer voice.
She shook her finger at him. “I’ve been warned about you and your lawyerly ways. You’re like a shark.”
His lips twitched. “Daisy told you that.”
“Yeah.”
He smiled. “That’s mighty nice of her to say.”
“Oh, so you don’t deny it? Proud of our sharkiness, are we?”
“It helped me win cases, so yes. That was courtroom Gabe.”
“And who are you now?”
“Just a guy helping out in the community.” She just sat there, studying him across the table, so he added, “Who do you want me to be?”
“Never mind.” She pushed up from the chair, and he snagged her hand.
“Sit.” When she just stood there, looking pissed off, he added, “Please.”
She sat.
“I was just joking around,” he said. “I want you to feel comfortable. I really and truly want to help. That’s all.” He raised a brow, curious if his innocent act worked. Because there was no question that while he did want to help her, he also wanted her. Badly.
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4 stars
Here we have the story of Gabe, a lawyer from the bog city. Now practicing law in small town, a bis change in the cases he had grown accustomed to.
His past has been gloom, by death of those he loved.
Zoe had dreams, big ones. Dreams of taking her music to the next level. She wanted something outside of what the small town had to offer and she worked hard to get there.
Waitress jobs and playing gigs here and there to makes ends meets, hoping to one day gain something bigger. A big break so to speak.
When things with Zoe's current landlord backfire and she needs a place to stay, Gabe offers the apartment above his garage. Zoe swore she would never again get involved with her landlord, but life has a way of hitting you when you least expect it.
The pace of this book moves right along. Gabe falls hard and Zoe is a little more resistant of what she feels she should be allowing herself.
When she gets the big break she has been hoping for, Gabe's actions go a little haywire. An uncontrollable jealousy and a need to make it know that Zoe is his, it becomes the most important thing in his world.
Will Zoe give in to the wants and needs of Gabe? Will she finally realize she desires the same things? Or will she decide her dream of making it big outweigh everything else in her life?
Kylie Gilmore
USA Today Bestselling Author
I’m not one of those writers who always dreamed of being a writer. In fact, I found English class a little too subjective and slightly suspicious—did all those writers really mean to have the initials J.C. secretly hidden in their stories? Poetry baffled me.
But romance made perfect sense.
Love, hope, a happy ending. The best.
Lucky for me, my mother was an avid reader and left romance novels all over the house. I picked one up at fifteen and fell in love. My all-time favorite romance to this day is Julie Garwood’s The Bride, which has not only a love story, but also witty, smart banter that had me laughing out loud. (In fact I sent Ms. Garwood a fan letter asking how she did it. She responded personally telling me to join Romance Writers of America. Smart lady).
I live in New York with my family, two cats, a nutso dog, and a whole lotta chocolate, wine, and books.
Happy reading!
Kylie
Thanks for reading! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
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