Page 11 of How to Write a Rom-Com

“She has me so paranoid about this book idea that I just accosted her in-laws’ neighbor!”

“I have to say, that sounds more likeyourfault than Anne’s. Why did you accost said neighbor?”

“Because he’s my love interest. Right there, directly across the street. How convenient is that?”

“Hmm, so he’s cute?”

“Fucking gorgeous.” I sigh.

“Richard Madden cute?”

“His eyes are bluer.”

“Idris Elba gorgeous?”

“Absolutely.”

“God, it’s like Anne planted him there.”

“That’s what I said! So, I basically accused him of that.”

“Lucy!”

“It was fine. I rolled with it. He might think I’m nuts, but it’s not like he’s myactuallove interest. I’m meant to be outlining a romance, not starring in one!”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Elle murmurs, her voice teasing, but I do my best to ignore her comment. I’m here to do a job, and the blue eyes of the man across the street are not going to distract me from that.

If preparing for this trip the past few weeks has taught me anything, it’s that the idea of love is a dream. It’s something we chase because fairy tales and movies and books push us to look for it in our daily lives. Isn’t that why I love romance novels so much? Because they’re an escape? They take me away from the ordinary and let me live in the world ofextraordinaryfor a little while—a world where Prince Charming exists, or at the very least a charming neighbor in a small town. But despite the situation I find myself in, that’s not real. That’s why it’s called fiction.

“Tell me about the house!” Elle pleads in my ear.

“I just walked in,” I reply, closing the door behind me and taking in the impressive foyer. “I’ll call you later and we’ll FaceTime.”

When I hang up with Elle, I decide I need to make a plan. Arriving has me feeling a bit overwhelmed, and so I press my hand to my heart to try to steady it. I’m alone. I try to remember the last time I wastrulyalone. Maybe at the gym in the early morning, but only for a few minutes before other people trickled in? Maybe when Elle visited her mom for Christmas before I headed to my parents’ place? But that wasn’t for more than a few hours.

This is crazy!

Would it be more exciting if I was renting a penthouse apartment on the Upper East Side with a view of the park and the entire city as my domain? Yes. But for now, Main Street U.S.A. will have to do.

When I finally make it more than two steps through the doorway, I realize I can see straight through to the back of the house, which is lined with floor-to-ceiling windows providing a gorgeous view of the lake. The kitchen is a small, galley-style with retro blue appliances. The countertop is a taupe linoleum, and a small bar top opens up to the living area. While the house clearly hasn’t been updated since the seventies, it has a unique charm and vintage vibe that feels incredibly inviting.

I step outside to the raised back deck with a long staircase that leads down to the lake. There’s a rickety dock at the bottom of the hill, and a swing hanging from a large tree on the downward slope.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. And just like that, I feel peaceful. Five minutes in the country and I already feel rejuvenated. Not least of all because when I close my eyes, I hear nothing. Perhaps in the distance a child is screeching with excitement or a boat’s motor is running, but other than the soft hum of the wind through the trees, I’m alone with my breath.

I take a photo of the view and forgo the filter before I quickly post it to my Instagram.

Away from the city for a few weeks doing something super exciting for @HeartwarmingRomance. More info to come, but a more pressing question: Do we think the merman of my dreams will emerge from this gorgeous lake any minute? I’ll keep you posted!

I started posting about books when I first came to the city and was trying to “explore” or whatnot, as opposed to being curled up in my apartment with a book. So, I wandered around taking photos of what I was reading. It was a great accompaniment for my hopeful publishing career, and even caught the attention of my now-employer. Since then, I’ve kept posting about Heartwarming books along with others. I’ve reached about five thousand followers and counting as @lucyloveslove.

Back inside the house, I find a small bedroom and bathroom off the foyer. Behind the kitchen is the master suite, with a large king-size bed and a bathroom with a soaker tub. That’s my evening sorted. But first, snacks. I Google the closest supermarket and find that the small convenience store I passed earlier is my best bet.

So back down the Highway to Hurling I go.

The main street of Hudson Hollow is quainter than I originally gave it credit for. I’d say the storefronts run about the same length as eight city blocks, and they are all covered in beautiful red brick. The name of each establishment matches one another in muted gold lettering. It looks like a scene from a catalogue.

Or an episode ofVirgin River.

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