Problematic Summer Romance (Not in Love, #2)(106)

My eyes burn. And Conor must notice the shine in them, because he kneels in front of me. “Look, you don’t have to say that you’ll marry me. You’re going through lots of changes, and I’m going to have to do the same. The ring, it can just mean…It can just be a reminder for you that I love you. That I want to marry you. That I’m a constant, never-ending yes. And that whenever you’re ready, in two years or in twenty, I’m here. In the meantime, we can be more…casual, and…”

My laugh is watery. “You’re the least casual person I know.”

“Yeah, well. That is, unfortunately, true.”

I hold my hand out to him. Watch the unique, vintage ring in his palm, the pearl and diamonds set against the rose gold metal, and—of course, he would find the perfect ring. This asshole.

“You once said, a year ago, that I put Minami on a pedestal. Do you remember that?”

I nod.

“You’re right. Not just her—everyone else, I was always able to put them places. Out of sight, out of mind. But with you…I have to follow your lead.” He looks the opposite of resigned. Like I’m the most calamitous accident to have befallen him, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I can’t arrange you to my liking. It’s brutal. It’s terrifying. But I no longer care to live without this, so—”

“Conor?” I cup his face.

“Yeah?”

I let myself smile. “You haven’t even asked me the question yet.”

A short while later, I fall asleep with his ring on my finger.





Author’s Note


Sicily is my favorite region of Italy, and I hope my unbridled love came across in the book. I adore everything about it—the food, the people, the accent, the landscapes, the music, and the archaeological sites. Yes, the first time I visited and saw its flag I had nightmares for a couple of days, but the triskelion has since grown on me, and now I think of it very fondly.

Unfortunately, there is no Villa Fedra in Taormina. The villa described in the book is a cobbled amalgamation of some of my favorite things about the town, and I’ve taken some liberties with its placement on the coast, as I have with the caves of Isola Bella, and with the likelihood of these places ever not being crowded. Another poetic license: Mount Etna does erupt quite regularly, though usually it doesn’t disrupt flights for quite as many days as it did during Eli and Rue’s wedding.

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Italy, I guarantee you that Sicily will be the trip of a lifetime. And make sure to have a granita for me, too.





Acknowledgments


This book was, at once, two years in the making and a whirlwind. It took me a while to get to a final product that I was happy with, but I began writing parts of it right after I turned in Not in Love, in 2023, when my friend Jen told me that she wanted Hark and Maya’s story. And let’s be honest: I mostly write to impress you, Kennifer.

Originally, I planned on a short novella, but as you can probably guess by this totally normal-length book, it didn’t super work out, and that’s why I’m so grateful to my publisher for stepping in and helping me, and to my agent, Thao Le, for making Problematic Summer Romance happen. In particular, thank you to my team at Berkley: my editor Sarah Blumenstock (many of you have asked, and yes, she did unblock my number once she came back from sabbatical; at least, I think so?); my co-parenting editors Liz Sellers and Cindy Hwang; my production editor Jennifer Myers; my managing editor Christine Legon; my marketers Bridget O’Toole and Kim-Salina I; my publicists, with whom I am feuding, Kristin Cipolla and Tara O’Connor; my interior designer Daniel Brount; my brilliant cover artist lilithsaur, and my cover designer Vikki Chu; my subrights agent Tawanna Sullivan; my publisher Christine Ball; my copy editor Randie Lipkin; my proofreader; and cold reader Yvette Grant.

Many thanks to S. and C. for the patience while I was on deadline, and to C. for the chocolate that fueled me. As usual, I couldn’t have done this without my publishing friends and their support. In particular, I am so grateful to my fellow Texas romance and fantasy authors for being an amazing, supportive community.

Above all: Happy birthday, Jen. I hope we get to be weird together for many more years.