Flirting with Forever: A Hot Romantic Comedy(94)

But we’d been different people, then. Young. Rebellious and wild. Idiots, really. We’d thought teenage hormones had been the real thing. Maybe they had, in their own way. But that hadn’t been enough.

It hurt to look at it, and I wondered why I did this to myself. I didn’t pull it out very often. Once when I’d randomly remembered it was her birthday. Another time on what had been our anniversary. Occasionally, thoughts of her would creep into my mind and refuse to let go, and I’d find myself right here. Nursing a glass of Scotch and staring at the cheap piece of shit I couldn’t bring myself to throw away.

I closed the box and put it back on the shelf. Maybe I’d get rid of it for good someday. A colleague of mine had proudly flushed his ex-wife’s ring down a public toilet. Another guy I knew had taken his ring off and dropped it in a garbage can in a park near his office.

I didn’t have my ring anymore. I’d lost it a few years after we’d gotten married. Zoe and I had been visiting my family for Christmas, and it had snowed. We’d been outside, embroiled in an impromptu snowball fight with my brothers. None of us had been dressed for the cold—no coats, hats, or gloves. Just a bunch of dumbass kids tossing snow at each other until our bare hands hurt. Back inside, I’d realized my ring had come off. We’d looked, but never found it.

It had been prophetic, in a way.

But I was past that now. Zoe and I hadn’t worked out. She hadn’t been happy, so she’d left. Moved back to Echo Creek. Started working for my parents. She was fine, and so was I.

In fact, I was more than fine. I was at the top of my game. Whether or not my family could appreciate it, my life was pretty fucking good.

I would do what I had to do. Spend a few days at home, look at their books, probably find a few errors. Argue with my dad. Talk shit with my brothers. Let my mom fuss over me a little. Then I’d be right back here, where I belonged.



Continue reading Broken Miles





DEAR READER





Dear Reader,



It’s been so much fun to return to our group of (sometimes reluctant) runners. I have LOVED writing about a group of women who are so unique, yet such fantastic friends. They’re not the likeliest group of gal pals, but their fierce loyalty to each other is one of my favorite things in the series.

It probably didn’t surprise you that Nora’s story was last. I planned it that way from the beginning. It just made sense for her character. Unlike Everly, she wasn’t hoping to find her Prince Charming. She was content to live her life on her own terms, letting men in as it suited (and pleased) her.

Interestingly, I had a very different story in mind for Nora when I originally outlined this series. I had what amounted to a synopsis for each book, a brief idea of what it would be about. And hers was not the book you just read.

What was it, you might be wondering? It involved her meeting a “men’s expert” who teaches men how to score, essentially. He wouldn’t have been any more interested in forever than she was, until a night with her.

It doesn’t sound bad on the surface. Turning the tables on a serial manwhore is pretty fun, both from where I’m sitting behind the keyboard and as a reader. But honestly? The character I envisioned was kind of a male version of Nora. And there was something about that I just didn’t like.

I find, as a writer and a reader, that pairing characters who are too similar can create a story that lacks intensity. Sure, it can have a fun/cute/interesting plot, but there’s something missing.

Now, don’t go emailing me with every WONDERFUL book you’ve read with a couple who are basically the male/female versions of each other. I know those books are out there!

But in this case, Nora didn’t need a man who was similar to her. She needed the WRONG man. A guy who was nothing like the men she usually dated. Gruff, tattooed, a little rough around the edges. A far cry from the sleek, sophisticated men in suits she usually gravitated toward.

And low and behold, once upon a time, I wrote about a very handsome tattoo artist. If you didn’t make the connection already, Dex appears as a side character in Hot Single Dad.

The truth behind that? When I wrote Hot Single Dad, I thought I might continue the series, so I added Dex as a side character, intending to use him as a future hero. I wound up moving onto other projects and never went back to that series. But apparently that was meant to be, because Dex was perfect for Nora.

And pairing Nora with a single dad has to be one of my favorite things ever. I just love how Nora and Riley’s friendship blossomed and Nora was just what that sweet girl needed.

I hope you enjoyed this, and the rest of the Dirty Martini Running Club. It’s been a fun ride!

Love,

Claire





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS





Thank you to everyone who helped make this book a reality!

Thank you Eliza for another great editing job. And to Erma for your proofreading skills!

To Lori for the absolutely adorable covers for this series. You’ve outdone yourself, my friend!

To my team for keeping things running so I can have writing time, for listening to my dramatic laments when I’m stuck, helping me brainstorm, and generally being the awesomest.

And definitely not least, to my readers. Y’all waited a while for our girl Nora, and I hope she was worth the wait. Your love and support continue to amaze me and I’m humbled and so grateful that I can share my stories with you.