The City's HOTTEST Cold War!
WALK OF SHAME
a Love Unexpectedly novel
Lauren Layne
Releasing April 18th, 2017
Loveswept
Sparks
fly between a misunderstood New York socialite and a cynical divorce lawyer in
this lively standalone rom-com from the USA Today bestselling
author of Blurred Lines and Love Story.
Pampered
heiress Georgianna Watkins has a party-girl image to maintain, but all the
shopping and clubbing is starting to feel a little bit hollowand a whole lot
lonely. Though Georgie would never admit it, the highlights of her week are the
mornings when she comes home at the same time as her uptight, workaholic
neighbor is leaving to hit the gym and put in a long day at the office. Teasing
him is the most fun Georgies had in yearsand the fuel for all her naughtiest
daydreams.
Celebrity
divorce attorney Andrew Mulroney doesnt have much time for women, especially
spoiled tabloid princesses who spend more time on Page Six than at an actual
job. Although Georgies drop-dead gorgeous, shes also everything Andrew
resents: the type of girl who inherited her penthouse instead of earning it.
But after Andrew caps one of their predawn sparring sessions with a surprise
kissa kiss thats caught on cameraall of Manhattan is gossiping about whether
theyre a real couple. And nobodys more surprised than Andrew to find that the
answer just might be yes.
Georgie
Lets talk about five a.m. for a second.
Also known as the worst hour of the day, am I right?
Heres why:
If youre awake to see five in the freaking morning, it means one of a few things, all of them heinous.
Scenario one: Youre on your way to the airport for an early morning flight. Heinous.
Scenario two: Youve been out all night, and now your vodka buzz is fading, and youre just sober enough to realize that the rest of your day will likely involve Excedrin, carbs, and indoor voices. Heinous.
Scenario three: Youve got a crap-ton on your mind, and youre lying awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, hating your life. Maybe hating yourself a little bit, I dunno, who am I to judge? Heinous.
Now brace yourself, because scenario four is the most heinous of them all: Youre awake at five a.m. because youre an uptight prick whose schedule is even more rigid than your posture, and your life is an endless string of working out, the corner office, repeat. Youre also likely the type of person who subsists on protein shakes and kale smoothies, and you have been known to utter the phrase the body is a temple, thus solidifying what we already knew about you.
You have no friends.
But wait, Im getting ahead of myself.
See, its five a.m., and I, Georgie Watkins, am . . . kind of excited about it.
I know. I know. Four months ago Id have bet my favorite vintage Chanel bag that there was exactly zero chance Id actually look forward to the ghoulish hour of five in the morning.
And yet here we are.
I guess you could say theres a scenario five on reasons to be up this early.
Good morning, Ramon, I sing, pushing through the revolving doors of the luxury high-rise on 56th and Park, the place I call home.
The concierge/security guard/all-around good guy glances up and gives me a friendly smile. Ms. Watkins. Good morning.
Usually the massive front desk is a bustling, busy affair. Starting at around seven, an army of well-dressed concierges will be smoothly facilitating the needs of impatient residents, as tiny dogs let out sharp, high-pitched barks of greeting from their Louis Vuitton carriers.
But thats later.
Right now, the luxurious lobby is mostly silent, with just the lone overnight guy working the front desk, holding down the fort until the day guys arrive to handle the morning crush.
My new Tory Burch clutch tucked into my armpit, I hold up the box in my hands and waggle my eyebrows. Brought you something.
Ramons smile grows wider, brown eyes lighting. My wife says youre going to make me fat.
Tell Marta that the dad bod is totally in style right now, I say, setting the box of donuts on the counter and lifting the lid. Unless, of course, you dont want a maple bacon donut?
Ramon is already reaching inside the box, shaking his head in reverence as he lifts the sugary treat. Still warm.
Well, technically the shop doesnt open until five, but Im such a loyal customer, they let me in a bit early, I say, surveying the array of donuts and trying to decide if Im in a chocolate kind of mood or if I want to risk the powdered sugar one.
Since my Alexander McQueen minidress is black (the archnemesis of powdered sugar), I reach for the chocolate as I set my clutch on the counter and fish out my phone: 4:58 a.m.
Two more minutes.
Hows Marta dealing with the pregnancy of baby number three? I ask, taking a bite of the donut and shifting attention back to Ramon, whos already polished off his donut and is contemplating a second. I nudge the box toward him.
Shes good, he says. Excited that were finally having a girl.
A girl! I say, reaching across the counter and squeezing his massive forearm. Congratulations, I hadnt heard!
Just found out yesterday, he says with a happy smile, apparently deciding that the occasion calls for another donut.
Oh my gosh, I have the perfect baby gift, I say, nibbling at a piece of my donut. I saw this adorable Burberry onesie in Bergdorfs the other day, with this precious little red bow
Yes, because thats what every infant needs, a low voice interrupts. A four-hundred-dollar piece of fabric that needs to be dry-cleaned. Dont be ridiculous, Georgiana.
I dont have to look at my clock to know what time it is.
Five oclock.
On the dot.
Not even bothering to turn around, I roll my eyes as my red nails tear off another piece of donut and pop it into my mouth. Ramon, do you think you could talk to maintenance about adjusting the temp? It just got a little cold in here.
Ramons been working here long enough to know my request isnt for real. Hes not even paying attention to me. Hes already set his donut aside and has straightened up, practically saluting the newcomer.
Mr. Mulroney. Good morning, sir.
Mr. Ramirez. The voice is low and serious, a touch impatient, although not quite rude.
You know that adage that you catch more flies with honey? Im not so sure its true. I bring donuts to the front desk guys just about every morning, and they adore me. I know they do.
But they respect him.
Giving in to the inevitable, I finally let my eyes flick to the side, my gaze colliding with a stern brown scowl.
I put on my widest, sparkliest smile, only because I know it drives him crazy.
As always, I see a muscle in his jaw twitch as I flutter my eyelashes.
Good morning, Andrew, I say sweetly.
Georgiana.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Only my late grandmother has ever called me that, and Im pretty sure thats because I was her namesake. Everyone else calls me Georgie. Well, okay, not everyone. Ramon and the other guys still insist on calling me Ms. Watkins, but Im working on it. See: daily donuts.
I smile wider and push the box in Andrews direction. Donut?
His lip curls. In case you havent already gotten a read on this guy, hes the type that sneers at donuts.
He lifts a boring black travel mug. Already have my breakfast.
Blended-up quinoa sprinkled with a few bits of spinach and pretension? I ask.
Whey powder protein shake.
Sounds immensely satisfying.
He takes a sip of the nastiness and watches me with cold brown eyes. The body is a temple, Georgiana.
There it is.
Full circle to my above commentary about what sort of people are up and about at five a.m.
Lauren
Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen
romantic comedies.
A former
e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York
City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.
She lives
in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart
romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In
LL's ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry
a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.
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