INTRIGUED: A HATE TO LOVE ROMANCE
(Dangerous to Love, Prequel)
ABOUT THE BOOK
Chasing one’s dream of becoming a fashion designer in Manhattan is not for the faint of heart.
You must have:
- a truckload of experience
- a huge network
- a line of investors
- a mentor.
Georgette Cook has nothing but grit and determination.
And a gig to model sexy lingerie.
As long as her housemate takes the photos, posing seductively should be a breeze.
Only her agent has already selected a photographer for the shoot.
She can either decline and lose the gig, or agree and pose in front of a total stranger.
And the stranger is none other than Liam Brently.
Successful former model.
Accomplished fashion photographer.
Survivor of a broken heart.
Intrigued is a novelette that introduces Georgette and Liam, the main characters in the Dangerous to Love series.
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Download Intrigued: A Hate to Love Romance (Dangerous to Love, Prequel) to continue reading. Click HERE to get your copy now.
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Read Chapter One below:
CHAPTER ONE
GEORGETTE
“TODAY’S THE DAY. I’m going to do it.”
Georgette Cook glanced in the mirror. “Not bad,” she muttered, tucking her hair behind the ear. Twirling, she caught a sideways glance of herself. She wore her own designed shirt, and was proud of it. It was sleeveless, in dark green, with a cowl-neck style. Pairing it with her skinny jeans looked perfect.
With one last look in the mirror, she smiled with satisfaction. Sam would be thrilled to see her wearing her latest creation. She grabbed her purse and locked the apartment door.
New York City buzzed with activity on the nice spring day as she stepped down the stairs to the stuffy subway platform. After graduating last fall, she’d been chasing her dreams in this city. Coming from a small town on the Cape, her decision challenged her financial situation and stressed her relationship with her mom and sister.
Thankfully, her dad was supportive both emotionally and financially, serving as the source of her strength. Having Olie for a housemate and Benny as a friend gave her the courage to face any difficulties that came her way. Dating Sam exclusively for four months now helped a lot, too. Learning how to be his girlfriend made her heart race constantly.
The train arrived and hissed to a grinding stop at the platform. Her stomach kept dropping like an empty elevator. She ignored the sensation and took a seat near the door. There were not as many passengers than on weekdays. She sighed with relief for having the huge space all to herself and breathed to collect her thoughts.
Sam had called last night, wanting to meet and talk. She was excited and couldn’t wait to tell him that she was ready to bring their relationship to the next level. She admired him for putting up with excuses upon excuses why she wasn’t ready to sleep with him. “I’m a patient guy,” he’d said.
When she arrived at the café they frequented, Sam was already seated at one of the tables outside. He saw her and stood immediately, smiling at her so sweetly. “Hey!”
She tiptoed to kiss him. “Hey to you, too!” She sat in the chair next to his and smiled back. “Were you waiting long?” Having not seen him for a week, she felt her heart beat excitedly inside her ribcage.
He shrugged. “I just arrived.”
“Oh, okay. So,” she replied, lost for words. He studied her with intense brown eyes, replacing the butterflies in her stomach with a dreadful knot that she tried to ignore. Tucking strands of hair behind her ear, she scanned the tables around them before gazing back at him. “You look serious. This meeting must be important.”
As if realizing he was indeed stiff, he chuckled. His gaze softened. “I have good and bad news.” He paused only to push the salt and pepper set to the side of the table. His phone screen brightened as the light flashed over and over again, seeking his attention. He glanced at it and flipped the device face down, ignoring the incoming messages. “That’s why I want to break this to you face to face.”
His thoughtfulness made her feel special. How did she get so lucky? “Tell me the good news first.” His palm felt cold to her touch, and she could tell he was nervous. Why is he so nervous?
“I got the job”—he grinned, satisfaction showing across his face—“after waiting months for the results of the interview.”
She clutched his hand tighter. “Congrats, Sam!” she said, and then paused, realizing the impact this would have on their relationship. “Wait. Is it here or across the country?”
“At the main office on the West Coast. California.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Oh?” Hearing the word California quieted her for several beats before she nodded to acknowledge his answer. She knew Sam wanted the job so bad. And she would absolutely support him. “I’m glad you got your dream job.” She smiled. Finally, one of them had made it, and she was happy for him.
Her dream job was yet to come. She had secured a job as a salesclerk at one of the boutiques on Fifth Avenue right after she graduated. It wasn’t a permanent position, but it was necessary to get the experience she was looking for, to make her real dream job of being a fashion designer come true.
“So, when are you leaving for Cali?”
“Tonight.”
Georgette stared at him. “Tonight? And you’re just telling me this?” Her jaw dropped. “Why didn’t you let me know about this earlier?”
“I just received the news last Friday. Sorry, G.” He picked up his phone from the table. “I’m stoked to get this job. Can’t wait to start. Not going to mess this up. So, this leads me to the bad news . . .”
“Oops, sorry! I was so happy with the good news, I completely forgot about the bad. What is it?”
Sam didn’t answer right away, as if he wanted to choose his words carefully. She picked up the negative vibe from his silence, and something sharp stabbed her in the heart. This bad news must be something to do about us as a couple. Or about me. “Spell it out, Sam.” Doubt and worry overcame her excitement.
“This means we won’t be able to see each other often. I’m afraid the distance will do us no good, G.”
“How?” she asked, confused. “We can text every day, right? I can come and visit you, or you can come to the East on holidays to visit me and your parents in Upstate New York.”
He sighed, toying with his phone. “Georgette . . . I’m afraid I don’t do long distance.”
“Okay . . .” Sensing where this conversation was going, she leaned back in her chair. “So, what’s your decision?” she asked. She’d never expected this would be the topic of their meeting. She always thought if one were in a serious relationship with someone, they would discuss everything with their significant other before deciding something important. And now, after what Sam just did, she felt deceived for holding on to this belief. The wisdom behind this mindset didn’t ring true anymore and created a hollow feeling inside. “I thought . . .” She didn’t know what to think anymore.
He flicked a glance at her before lowering his gaze. “I think it’s better for us to break up.”
The words he said morphed into a spear and stabbed her in the heart. She experienced a strange feeling of rejection and identified the sensation as an oncoming panic attack. Georgette hadn’t seen it coming. Sam wants to break off our relationship. “Are you sure?” she asked, trying to calm down. The man, who she thought would be an important member of her support system in this unforgiving city, nodded without hesitation. His eyes looked certain and confident. He was no longer nervous, but calm and collected, while she was in chaos.
Suddenly, her eyes burnt with hot tears. He was hers, but now . . . not anymore. Not after what he had just said. “Well, if this is what you want, what can I say?” She looked away, hoping tears wouldn’t be running down her cheeks. They were. She wiped them with her hand.
“I’m sorry, G. I don’t think a long-distance relationship is right for either of us.”
“How do you know that?” She stabbed him with a sharp glance. “Because I’ve no problem with it. To you, it is. Not me.” She sighed and continued. “Too bad, though. But yeah, okay.” She chuckled. “I understand. Wish you all the best.” She forced a smile while her chin trembled to restrain herself from sobbing.
“Thank you for understanding,” Sam said, smiling cautiously. “I feel like shit for breaking up with you. But I don’t want to ghost you either.”
Georgette nodded. “So,” she said, wiping her clammy palms on her jeans, “this is it, then. Goodbye, Sam.” There was no point for her to beg him to change his mind. He had made the decision for them, for her—without asking first for her opinion. Her heart squeezed as she stood. No need to stay and spend any more time with him.
Sam seemed reluctant to stand up, as if he wanted to say more, but her body screamed, wanting to get away and be alone. He finally stood, reached out, and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her hard. “We’ll keep in touch.”
His embrace felt like barbed wire. There was no goodbye kiss, and she didn’t want to offer any. She didn’t know how to face him and not get angry with his decision to dump her like this. He walked with her for a few yards before he stopped, while she continued to walk away. Dazed with what had happened, Georgette walked briskly. She felt numb.
It felt surreal.
It felt like a bad dream.
Well, what a short relationship they’d had. Now I know. The discomfort she’d felt in her stomach earlier was a warning to the bad news, but being clueless to her intuition, she’d ignored it.
Now, relief flooded her entire body. Not from the breakup, but because she didn’t have to lie to herself anymore. She was done being in denial, thinking she could have a boyfriend while simultaneously creating a career and finding herself along the way. But Sam’s decision had cut her heart open, and she was bleeding in pain. She’d allowed her feelings for him to grow within a short period of dating. That was what made it hurt the most.
Georgette was stunned with Sam’s decision without even asking for her opinion or discussing any options. How could he do this? Clearly, his plans for the future didn’t include her. The confusion hit her hard, and her feet brought her inside a department store. Her knees weakened, and if she continued walking, she would stumble.
Afraid of falling on the tile floor, she made a beeline to the nearest bench and slumped down. The spring weekend was busy, with stores packed with shoppers. And yet, she’d never felt so alone.
Her instinct was to call her roommate, Olie. But her freelance photographer friend was on an assignment. Olie’s time was important, and she didn’t want to be selfish. Her other friend Benny was probably with his boyfriend since it was Sunday. Leila, her childhood best friend, was far away, working at a bank in Los Angeles. So, she stared at nothing in particular, absorbing the emotional turmoil that spread through her body. Her mind froze from thinking about Sam’s decision; she could hardly breathe.
“Hello, beautiful,” a male voice greeted her. She lifted her head and frowned at the stranger a few feet away in front of her. He wore jeans and a vest. With a camera in his hand she recognized his job—a talent scout. She’d encountered several of them before. “You have an expressive face, do you know that?” he said, stepping closer to the bench.
Georgette ignored his compliment, wishing he’d approached on her best day. “I’m sorry, but I’m not in a friendly mood right now,” she said, dismissing him politely. It wasn’t unusual for her to be greeted by men when she walked on the street. While in college, she’d been scouted for modeling several times, but she couldn’t do it due to the nature of her study that required a tremendous amount of focus. But men were constantly asking her for a date, and when she said no, they would obnoxiously ask why not. Their persistence annoyed her. That was another reason she’d agreed to date Sam in the first place. So she wouldn’t have to deal with this kind of attention.
“I work for SAL Modeling Agency. I noticed you right away when you came through the door.”
She smiled tightly at the man now standing in front of her. Strut and Lenses Agency, or SAL, was on her short list of agencies to approach, but she didn’t want to tell him that. “Oh, cool. SAL’s well respected.”
“SAL’s looking for a fresh face, and yours matches their requirement.” He took the lens cap off and turned on the camera. “Mind if I take your picture?”
His action woke her up from her daze. “Wait a minute.” She lifted her hand with her palm outward to make him stop from taking her picture. “How do I know you’re serious?”
He pulled out a business card and handed it to her. “I’m Louis,” he said. “What’s your name?”
She read the name on the card. Louis Michael. “Georgette Cook.”
He extended his hand, and she took it. “Nice to meet you, Georgette.” He studied her face. “Your style is fresh and unique. Matching black pants with a dark-green top usually is a big no, but you pull it off without a problem. Nice. Finn’ll love this. You got the perfect measurements for what she’s looking for. And she has a client who’s looking for a model like you.”
This guy knows what he’s talking about. She smiled back at him and reflected upon what she was wearing. This man had noticed her latest designer top, while Sam hadn’t. Realizing that at least someone had acknowledged her sense of fashion brought an immense sense of pride inside. Her heart swelled.
The pain from losing a boyfriend was temporarily forgotten, and she stood, stepping back before taking a catwalk in front of him. Well, what do I have to lose? “What do you think?” she asked, smiling. Just like that, she’d returned to her old self again.
“Have you modeled before? Looks like you know what you’re doing.”
“Not professionally, but I’ve posed for a photographer friend.” She continued to pose in front of him.
“Keep doing it,” he said while the sound of clicking continued rapidly. “Gorgeous. You’re gorgeous.”
People stopped to watch them, and Georgette twirled and laughed when she almost stumbled into one of the gawking shoppers. “Whoops! Sorry.”
She returned to her seat, and Louis came over and sat down next to her. He showed the pictures he had taken on the three-inch camera monitor. Usually she wasn’t this responsive to any stranger, but Louis seemed like a nice guy, and the SAL Agency was on her radar.
“I’m going to show your pictures to the company’s principal. Expect a call from them as soon as next week.”
“Are you serious?” she asked, doubting what he’d said and yet wanting it desperately to happen. “Why me?”
“You have a story to tell through your facial expressions. You showed a deep sadness when I first caught your eyes, and now, you’re cackling away.”
“Oh . . .” She was speechless. Should I tell him that I was just freshly dumped by my boyfriend? Maybe not. And she didn’t know if what he had just said was real or if he was just trying to be nice. “Can I friend you on social media?” she asked.
He pulled out his cell phone and opened his social media profile. “Let me find you,” he said, typing her name to search. “Aha! Is this you?”
“Yup.” She nodded and tapped her profile and accepted his friend request. “Great! Thank you, Louis. This seems strange to me, but if SAL contacts me, I’ll die and go to heaven.”
“They will. They need a face like yours. It’s distinctive.” He scanned her up and down. “Do you have a comp card? Don’t forget to bring it when SAL calls you.”
She’d been quietly attending several open castings right after she’d graduated, and had been carrying the composite card with information of her height, weight, and other important profile info, as well as headshot pictures.
After Louis shared a couple of the pictures he had taken, he said goodbye. And just like that, the sadness in Georgette lifted and she had something to look forward to. But wait. How would SAL contact her? He hadn’t bothered to ask for her phone number. She read his business card, and he had his number and social media handles.
Well, it wasn’t worth worrying about. If this Louis guy was really serious about what he’d said, he would know how to reach her. And now she was back to square one. The sadness and disappointment crept back to grip her heart.
How can I get rid of these negative feelings?
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Download Intrigued: A Hate to Love Romance (Dangerous to Love, Prequel) to continue reading. Click HERE to get your copy now.