Showing results by author "Kayley Loring" in All Categories

The first time I saw Chase McKay at a bar, I thought I’d met the man of my dreams—I just didn’t recall the man of my dreams looking like the lead singer of a grunge band. Then as soon his friend showed up, Chase bolted like I was his worst nightmare. The second time I see him in a bar, I can tell by the look in his eyes that we both regretted his choice that first night. He has no idea that I’ll be showing up at his office tomorrow. I don’t want to make things any more complicated than they already are, but I do want him like nobody’s business.

She serves me coffee late at night when I come around to write lyrics, but it’s not the caffeine I’ve gotten addicted to. We’ve got the spark, but she’s the only woman in town who seems to be immune to my charms. When it’s time for me to leave for my cross-country tour, I just can’t imagine not seeing her for months. So I offer her a job on the road with me.

I thought the most annoying thing about being a single dad was that my friends were always trying to find me a date. Until a sassy British ray of sunshine bumps into me at a bookstore. One accidental butt grab, a viral photo, and a lot of misunderstandings later, I find myself in a fake relationship with a movie star.

Dear grouchy neighbor: I’m considering your offer and need clarification before proceeding. Despite being an artist, I think you know that as a busy New Yorker, I am also practical and straightforward. That said, I need to make sure you know that this could never turn into anything serious. I don’t care if you’re trying to get over your ex-girlfriend or hoping she’ll eventually want to get back together with you - just don’t project your messy feelings about her onto me.

My ex-wife and husband number two are filming in Poland for three months, so I’m turning down movie parts to focus on the most important role of my life—impossibly charming and somewhat capable young single dad. My son won't stop asking questions. My daughter won't brush her teeth unless I sing her showtunes. Our regular nanny quit. The only person I could trust to hire as a temp nanny is my best friend’s sister. If Mary Poppins and Bill Murray had a baby it would be Willa. Fresh out of grad school and beautifully weird. She hates my movies, and my kids adore her.

What’s the actual last thing you’d ever want your spouse to see you doing when you’ve been trying to get it on for weeks? Dancing around your baby’s room to “Come and Get Your Love” like Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy—in an Elmo costume? Yeah. Me too.

There are bad ideas, and there are good bad ideas. My former fiancé banging someone else—that was a bad idea. A good girl having her first-ever one-night stand with the bad-boy stranger she just met in a liquor store? Awesome bad idea. When I find out my one-night stand was looking for revenge, I should run—far away. But I don’t...because rebounding with Vince is the most awesome bad idea ever. Do I want to help him get back at our exes? Oh. Hell. Yes.

Everyone on Main Street has been talking about Evan Hunter, the British movie star who’ll be filming on location in our small Pacific Northwest town for a couple of months, and all I have to say about that is: “Who?” When he shows up two weeks early to escape the London paparazzi after breaking up with some starlet, all I want to know is: “So?” When he walks into the gym that I manage for my dad and brothers, to start training for the action scenes in his movie, I’ll admit I do say to myself: “Hmmm...”

Dear Mr. Vega: I felt it necessary to follow up on today’s meeting, since we weren’t able to speak candidly in front of your son. I was shocked to discover that you are Ryder’s dad. I think it would be best if we just pretend that we met in person for the first time today. Your son is a very bright (flirtatious and talkative) student and since his education is a top priority for both of us, I hope I can count on you to respectfully refrain from grinning at me, using that sexy tone of voice, and undressing me with your annoyingly beautiful brown eyes....

What’s the actual last thing you’d ever want your celebrity crush to see you doing when you finally come face-to-excruciatingly-handsome-face with him? Singing and dancing around by yourself to “Dreams” by The Cranberries while drinking straight from a bottle of champagne? While you’re wearing some wedding gown you just found in a closet? Yeah. Me too. And yet, here we are. At a mountain cabin I was sent to by the awfully pretty actress/pretty awful human I work for to get things ready for her romantic New Year’s Eve getaway with him.

Finally, find time to get some with your grumpy husband on Father’s Day. Fix up a secret millionaire neighbor while placating a ghost on Halloween. Get snowed-in with a broody movie star on New Year’s Eve. Every day is a hot and hilarious holiday with this family.

Dear Fiona: I hope this letter finds you well—and by well, I mean significantly less infuriated than you were yesterday. I’ve wanted to continue our conversation from the night we met, but there are so many things I can’t say or do, now that I’m your professor. As an anonymous letter writer, I can give you some idea of what I have planned for us, once the year is over. As an author, I can share my work in progress with you. Not for you to critique but to show you how much you mean to me.

When I was a kid, my dad was the gardener for the richest man in town. His daughter, Lily Barnes, told me she could never like a guy like me. Then she kissed me and told me it would never happen again. When it happened again, she told me she could never love me because she was going to leave this place, and I would never leave my dad. We were never quite friends, not exactly enemies, and we could never quite stop secretly kissing each other. She never said goodbye before running off to try to make it as an actress. That was her dream, and I wanted her to chase it.

When he walked into my restaurant, I thought he was the hottest man I’d ever seen in person. And then he spoke. And I realized who he was. The world now knows him as John Brandt - the ridiculously wealthy, handsome, genius workaholic startup founder and tech entrepreneur. I will always think of him as the annoying geek who's my older brother’s best friend.

This is a story about a cabin in a small town, a workaholic New Yorker who hates the holidays, and a hot-nerd local doctor who loves Christmas...and flirting. It starts to snow. There is also a dog.