When Ethan Goss decides to ease a broken heart by finding a new apartment, he never dreams that he’ll also find the love of his life.
Handsome Luke Kirby loves books, so when he finds boxes of old and beautiful tomes in a dusty shop, he can’t resist buying them. To his delight one of them contains what he hopes will bring an end to his loneliness and heartache. As he prepares to cast an ancient prayer spell to the god of love, across town Ethan Goss decides that moving to a new apartment will ease his broken heart.
With the help of an eccentric real estate agent, who just might be a left over mythical god, gorgeous Ethan goes to a viewing in the block where Luke lives.
When Luke meets Ethan in the lobby, it’s the start of a passionate love affair.
...his elbow caught someone’s arm as the crowd thickened
waiting for their ride to the city.
“Sorry.” Ethan turned to the person he’d jolted.
An older man, his face leathery and lined, nodded at him.
His silver hair fell over his forehead in a curl.
“That’s okay. It’s cold today, don’t you think?” His
pale-blue eyes traced a path over Ethan’s face.
The feeling the old guy was assessing him in some way put a
tiny frown on Ethan’s face. He turned away.
The train arrived, and Ethan boarded with the rest of the
morning commuters. He glanced around. Surprised to find an empty bench seat, he
sat quickly.
The old man he’d bumped took the space beside him. “Lucky,
huh? There’re usually no vacant seats.” He put a walking stick with a strange
looped snake handle between his knees.
Courtesy made Ethan answer, even though he wanted to bring
out his tablet computer and use the time catching up with that day’s real
estate ads. “Yes. It’s good.” He opened his bag and pulled out his machine. A year
ago, he’d bought a SIM card that fit the tiny slot and gave him access to the
internet wherever he was. Ethan kept it topped up with credit. He put the
computer on his bag that sat on his knee and opened the browser. He visited a
few real estate websites and checked the lists of places available.
“You’re looking for a new apartment?”
The man’s voice interrupted Ethan’s scrolling. He smiled at
the old guy. Maybe he’s lonely and just hopes for a little conversation.
Ethan had seen it in grocery stores where the clerk conversed with an old
person who came into the store regularly, as much for company as supplies.
“I am. It’s time I found a place closer to my work in the
city and I need a change.”
“You live alone?”
It was a question, but a statement at the same time, as if
the man already knew, and either was checking his information or didn’t want to
seem as if he knew.
Ethan hesitated. Could the guy be a front for some crew of
burglars? No. He just wants to chat. “I do. I used to have someone in my
life. The place seems empty without their visits.” Some of the loss Ethan
carried lifted from him at this confession.
“Ah, you split with a lover. That’s hard. Boyfriend?”
A grin spread over Ethan’s face in recognition of the old
man’s cool modern-thinking question. Amused and intrigued by this, Ethan
nodded. “Boyfriend.”
A strange expression crossed in the old man’s eyes.
Ethan tried to decipher it. Relief…satisfaction?
Then in a flash, it had gone.
“Do you still care for him?” Kindness shone from the
observant blue eyes, and the old man suddenly gave a glimpse of how he might
have appeared as a young man.
Handsome…caring, enigmatic. Lulled into answering by
the strange thoughts, Ethan spoke. “I don’t know. Probably not. I hurt from how
he left. I’m lonely.”
The man heaved a breath, and a tiny frown appeared between
his eyes.
For a few seconds, Ethan wondered if he’d revealed too much,
and then he recognized concern in the man’s expression.
“Yes, so many people are.” The man fished in the inside
pocket of his overcoat. He brought out a business card. Impressively, he
tumbled it across his knuckles, until he held it out to Ethan. “Victor Mercury.
I’m an agent—real estate and such. Here’s my card. As it happens, I’ve recently
opened a new office in the city. I’d love to show you some of the properties
I’m handling.”
Ethan took the card. Grecian blue with a gold border, like
an early morning summer sky, the card glowed a little. He rapidly scanned the
information printed there.
The Agent Pty., Victor Mercury, 7 Boardwalk.
A phone number followed. There was no mention of real
estate. Ethan glanced up into the ice-blue gaze. His own eyes held a question.
Victor Mercury nodded enthusiastically. His eyes twinkled as
if someone had thrown stardust into a beautiful lake. “I like minimalist
business cards. Call me as soon as you can. As it happens, I have something I
think you’ll love.”
Copyright Elodie Parkes, eXtasy Books
http://www.extasybooks.com/978-1-4874-2304-9-the-romantic
https://www.bookstrand.com/book/cafe-in-the-park
https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-romantic-17
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-romantic-elodie-parkes/1130313991
Amazon http://mybook.to/TheRomantic
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/916564
5 stars Magical.
...a poignant, sexy, awesome, beautiful, and romantic
story. Luke and Ethan are brought together by karma and a touch of magic. Will
fate be the one to pull them apart?
