Title: The Proposal
Series: Flavors of the Month, Book Three
Author: Penny McLean
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: 06/10/2024
Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Female, Female/Female
Length: 59700
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, contemporary, humor, menage/multiple partners, bisexual, ice cream parlor, marriage proposal, Paris
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Description
Cynthia Blake has a problem. She was sure dating twelve people in one year and then marrying one at the end was a great way to find a partner, but with six suitors down and six to go, her little experiment has gotten out of hand.
Someone clearly has it out for her and is doing their best to trash her reputation, threatening to take down her beloved chain of ice cream stores in the process. And even though she’s having fun (a LOT of fun) with each of her Flavors, choosing one is going to be harder than she ever imagined.
In the final installment to this sexy, funny, and riveting trilogy, follow Cynthia from summer through December as she makes the biggest decision of her life. Can she get things back on track before her dream of love melts away?
The Proposal
Penny McLean © 2024
All Rights Reserved
We’re over halfway through July when I offer to make dinner to join Clark at the firehouse one night. I have avoided seeing him at work, partly because I can’t remember whose sister Sarah was, and also because I know I’m going to geek out like a little kid at the station. Can’t help it. Just who I am.
I decide Clark’s gotten to know me enough to see me be a little nerdy, which is good because I do get excited as he gives me the tour. What is it about firemen and all their equipment? So fun.
As he introduces me to the guys on his shift, I look around to see if any of them are looking at me weird. It’s hard to tell, actually, because they’re all kind of looking at me weird, but then I remember that everyone here has probably seen the sex tape. I’ve still never admitted or denied it’s me, but most people just assume it is.
In fact, Gossip A to Z has been posting a steady stream of pictures showing me out and about with Clark. I am doing a decent job of ignoring it, but I did ask Sam to send me mini-summaries whenever they go up in case it’s anything too awful. So far, it just shows us out at local bars and around town, but as we’re both careful not to drink and drive and happen to be consenting adults, the buzz is dying down a bit. Like I predicted, protestors have been scared away by the 115-degree days we’ve been having, and customers love ice cream in the summer, so we seem to be doing okay.
I get interview requests from bigger outlets all the time, but I’m ignoring those, too, for the time being. Between drinking with Clark or hitting happy hour with Kim, I’m still riding my wave of forced numbness and don’t think I’m in any shape to talk about my life on camera or in front of any reporter at the moment.
I shake off all these feelings as Clark and I head into the shared kitchen to have the dinner I brought.
“I brought plenty,” I say, noticing the crowd of firemen who have joined us there. “Help yourselves.”
“Better make your plate first,” says Clark. “These guys will finish this in no time.”
He’s absolutely right, and our quiet dinner turns into me and ten men finishing off my entire dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and cornbread. Luckily, I also brought a lot of ice cream, which they also devour in record time.
“Here, Cyn,” one of the guys says, handing me a beer. “Least we can do.”
I smile and take the drink, which turns into two, then three, then I’m not sure how many. I’m suddenly really drunk around a bunch of sober men, and the conversation gets sillier and sillier.
“No, no,” I say. “Backdraft is way too scary. I don’t know how any of you guys do this job.”
“Backdraft is what made me want to become a firefighter,” calls out someone from the next table. Scott, I think his name is.
“It scarred me for life,” I say. “I even said I could never date a fireman.”
“Oops,” says Clark, playfully nudging me.
“Well, I obviously made an inception. Acceptance. Exception,” I say, finally landing on the right word.
“Okay, tipsy girl,” Clark says, helping me to my feet. “We should get you home.”
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Penny McLean is a careerwoman by day, writer by night, mother at all times to three incredible children, and wife to a loving husband. Born in San Diego, California, she now hails from Gilbert, Arizona where she especially enjoys giving back to her community by volunteering at schools and libraries, with Girl Scouts, and for any causes that benefit marginalized communities, especially LGBTQIA+ youth. She began her career as a writer at the age of 17 when she was hired to cover movies, arts, and features for a youth-oriented page in the Arizona Republic. With twenty years of writing experience for magazines, newspapers, social media, and more, she is thrilled to have her first novel out in the world. Find out more about Penny on her Website.
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