Secret Admirer

By Ally Hayes

Andi’s new to town and looking for a fresh start in the dating department. She’s attracted to the guy she sees each morning, but begins flirting via text with Garrett, a friend of her new co-workers. Despite many attempts and determination, she misses opportunities to introduce herself to Cute Coffee Shop Guy or actually meet Garrett in person. With Valentine’s Day approaching she succumbs to the sugar rush of Candy Hearts and when ‘Secret Admirer’ continues to appear in the messages, she takes it as a sign to decide which guy is her real Secret Admirer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Jan 4, 2016
• ISBN: 9781509206087

Ally Hayes

Ally is the author of several books with the Wild Rose Press. While all involve romance, they span from Women’s Fiction to New Adult and Young Adult. Originally from Massachusetts, Ally has lived in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and three daughters for over 25 years but still considers herself a Red Sox girl living in a White Sox world. When not writing, she’s reading or playing tennis.

Book preview

Inc.

I pulled my sporty hybrid into a spot

right in front of the aptly named Fresh Start Café. The irony did not escape me. A loud overhead door chime announced my entrance. Though still not quite perky, I gave a weak smile to the few people who instinctively turned. I ordered a large cup to go and walked past the glass case of pastries toward the counter along the far wall offering the requisite sugars, creamers, stirrers, and lids. I only needed a lid, but that proved to be more challenging than I could’ve imagined. I struggled to secure it while avoiding a spill, but I couldn’t produce a seal.

They are a bit tricky, but the upside is once they’re on, they’re on for good.

Upon hearing a sexy, yet friendly, male voice, I looked up and blushed upon discovering the face matched the voice. He had medium length, messy, brown hair and soft blue eyes framed by amazing eyelashes. I caught myself staring and quickly looked away and resumed my mission with a renewed effort.

Yes, snug I guess. You’re right. Thankfully the lid made a satisfying pop at that moment indicating my victory in the lid battle. I quickly straightened, my hands shaking in time with my racing heart. I wasn’t expecting to meet a cute guy first thing in the morning. The combination of surprise and attraction woke me better than any cup of French Roast could.

Praise for Ally Hayes

"Ms Hayes has created a beautiful written story [in REALITY RE-DO] that I literally could not put down. I needed answers to the questions that had me biting my nails right up to the last sentence."

~Long and Short Reviews

Secret Admirer

by

Ally Hayes

A Candy Hearts Romance

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Secret Admirer

COPYRIGHT © 2016 by Ally Hayes

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by RJ Morris

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Sweetheart Rose Edition, 2016

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-0608-7

A Candy Hearts Romance

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

For Dan,

my Valentine since 1992

Chapter One

My footfall echoed in the damp concrete stairwell leading to the private garage below my new apartment. Thankfully, I didn’t have to de-ice my car like when I lived in Rhode Island, but I still rushed to turn up the heater, combating the early morning January air before setting off on my maiden commute. The day before, I’d driven around my new town of Hartford, Connecticut to get an idea of the travel time and to search for coffee shops, grocery stores, and a dry cleaner. I was thrilled to find a small, non-franchise coffee and sandwich shop along the route to the office. I left what I hoped would be enough time to stop in for a cup on Monday. The first day was too important to risk my caffeine addiction on the unknown coffee situation at work.

I pulled my sporty hybrid into a spot right in front of the aptly named Fresh Start Café. The irony did not escape me. A loud overhead door chime announced my entrance. Though still not quite perky, I gave a weak smile to the few people who instinctively turned. I ordered a large cup to go and walked past the glass case of pastries toward the counter along the far wall offering the requisite sugars, creamers, stirrers, and lids. I only needed a lid, but that proved to be more challenging than I could’ve imagined. I struggled to secure it while avoiding a spill, but I couldn’t produce a seal.

They are a bit tricky, but the upside is once they’re on, they’re on for good.

Upon hearing a sexy—yet friendly—male voice, I looked up and blushed upon discovering the face matched the voice. He had medium length, messy, brown hair and soft blue eyes framed by amazing eyelashes. I caught myself staring and quickly looked away and resumed my mission with a renewed effort.

Yes, snug I guess. You’re right. Thankfully the lid made a satisfying pop at that moment indicating my victory in the lid battle. I quickly straightened, my hands shaking in time with my racing heart. I wasn’t expecting to run into a cute guy first thing in the morning. The combination of surprise and attraction woke me better than any cup of French Roast could.

The cute guy finished preparing his coffee and tossed his wooden stir stick into the open trash can. Have a good one. He walked away, humming an upbeat tune.

I envied him. I wanted to be a happy, humming morning person too. Maybe if I saw his welcoming face at the start of each day I could be. I hoped this was part of his usual morning routine; buying coffee at the Fresh Start would certainly be mine. A cute guy like that could do wonders for my mood. I imagined seeing him again and kept grinning during the remainder of