I Forgot How Much I Love Aria

I sat down this week to do a light proofing pass on Authors and Sudden Bonds before it goes off for audiobook narration — just me, a red pen, and a chapter I hadn’t looked at in a while.

I forgot how much I love Aria.

Not just because she’s relatable (though — mid-meltdown over a writing competition entry, hurling a crumpled page across the room because even her rubbish won’t cooperate? Same, honestly). It’s that she’s quietly ambitious in a way I don’t see enough — she’s already written a whole novel and told almost no one, she’s building a following in secret while she waits, and she still doesn’t think of herself as someone who “does romantic.” Watching her bristle at Elijah’s patience while clearly not hating the attention was such a joy to write, and it was just as much a joy to read back this week.

So instead of telling you about the book, I thought I’d just show you the opening.

With a growl, I crumpled the page and hurled it at the bin by the water cooler. It landed on a large sneaker. I couldn’t even properly throw out the rubbish I was coming up with.

With a chuckle, the owner of said sneaker picked it up and dropped it in.

I knew that laugh.

Elijah.

We’d grown up together in kindergarten and at school. Then he’d gone away to university, stayed away, and come back hot. Who was I kidding? He was always gorgeous. And now, wherever I went, there he was—Moonglen’s personal Justin Hartley. Yes, I’d been re-watching Smallville. Sue me.

“What’s this done to annoy you?” Elijah’s voice was deep and gruff; he was growing a beard, and the effect on my ovaries was devastating. A dark blonde scruffy beard on tanned skin was a chef’s kiss.

“Uh, not cooperating.” I forced myself to meet his deep brown eyes.

“What are you trying to do?” He leaned on the counter, sweat beading on his biceps. I had to force myself to look away, at anything else. I grabbed the drink bottle on the desk to distract myself and keep my hands busy.

“There’s a writing competition. I was trying to formulate an idea. But it’s ridiculous.”

“I’m gonna need more here.”

I narrowed my eyes, but he had this way of making everyone feel like they had his full attention. His eyes watched my fidgeting hands patiently. I knew he wasn’t leaving until he knew.

“There’s a competition. Writing a short romance. The first four prizes would be enough for me to afford an editor for my novel.”

His eyes widened. “You wrote a novel?”

“Yeah, a cozy mystery. Set in a town like Moonglen.”

“That’s incredible, Aria.”

“Thanks.” It had felt incredible until I realised the costs associated with self-publishing. So I was quietly building a social media following and waiting.

“You wrote an entire novel and a short has you baffled?”

I sighed, “I have the outline, the things that have to happen- but I’m not like romantic or something.”

He laughed, and I glared at him.

“I’ll help you brainstorm.”

“You will?”

“Yeah. When are you due for a break?”

“She can go anytime now.” Ash, my boss’s, voice broke in, and I looked up to see him effortlessly carrying boxes of supplies.

“Cool. I’ll shower, and we can head over to the cafe.”

I watched him go. I guessed that was the plan.

Authors and Sudden Bonds is in Kindle Unlimited for now (enrollment’s time-limited, so if you’ve got KU, this is the window), and it’s also part of the Fated Mates But Cozy collection in ebook, paperback, and hardcover.

If Aria’s the kind of heroine who makes you want to yell at your rubbish bin in solidarity, I’d love to know — what’s the last thing you threw across a room over a creative project that wasn’t cooperating?

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