Without Benefits
By Nicole Tone
Genre: NA / Contemporary Romance
Emma will always be a New Yorker at heart, even though she has a perfect life in Seattle. She has a prestigious job fundraising for the Seattle Symphony, a handsome boyfriend who adores her, and a Belltown apartment with views of the Sound. It should be more than enough to keep her pain from not playing the piano, and her 9/11 nightmares, away.
But when her old college crush, Owen, comes back into her life, it’s more than just spending time with him that’s causing cracks in her picture-perfect life. As she steps back on stage, and back into the spotlight, her connection with Owen and his world, dredges up old memories that Emma worked hard to forget.
Emma’s past comes back to haunt her, forcing her to face the truth about more than just her fears of returning back to New York. As her once perfect life begins to burn down, Emma is forced to figure out what she really wants: her fundraiser and cocktail party-filled life with her boyfriend, or forging a new future with the one thing, and one person, she’s ever loved–even if it means returning to New York.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Without-Benefits-Nicole-Tone/dp/0692629858/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465233030&sr=8-1&keywords=WITHOUT+BENEFITS
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/without-benefits-nicole-tone/1123872668?ean=9780692629857
But when her old college crush, Owen, comes back into her life, it’s more than just spending time with him that’s causing cracks in her picture-perfect life. As she steps back on stage, and back into the spotlight, her connection with Owen and his world, dredges up old memories that Emma worked hard to forget.
Emma’s past comes back to haunt her, forcing her to face the truth about more than just her fears of returning back to New York. As her once perfect life begins to burn down, Emma is forced to figure out what she really wants: her fundraiser and cocktail party-filled life with her boyfriend, or forging a new future with the one thing, and one person, she’s ever loved–even if it means returning to New York.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Without-Benefits-Nicole-Tone/dp/0692629858/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465233030&sr=8-1&keywords=WITHOUT+BENEFITS
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/without-benefits-nicole-tone/1123872668?ean=9780692629857
Emma reached up at the cupboard to grab plates on tiptoes, but Connor grabbed them first.
“I got it. You just worry about dinner.”
He kissed her cheek and put them on the kitchen counter. He'd already set the table, complete with placemats and candles. The flowers he bought her were already in a vase in the center. In the background, music played — instrumental and indie, something she knew he liked.
The vegetables sizzled in olive oil on the stove while water boiled, cooking angel hair pasta. The menu had changed from her original idea, but the smell of chicken cooking in the oven made her glad she decided to this instead of the stir-fry.
“If you insist,” Emma said, smiling. For a moment, she could see this — their future, them cooking together, going on like this forever. It wasn’t what she’d wished for when she was younger and more idealistic. But this was what her life was shaping up to be and she was happy with it.
“So, I was thinking,” Connor started, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. “I know we've been waiting to pick a date to get married.”
“Yes?”
“And I thought about this fall. September.”
Emma didn't look back at him. “I don't want to take the attention away from Danielle and Zach.”
“I know, I know. Which is why, I was thinking spring, like I mentioned at the Market.”
“You mentioned it last week, too.”
“So April 22nd? It's a Saturday.”
“Are you sure you want to get married that quick?” Emma turned towards him, one hand on her hip. She brushed her hair behind her ear with the other hand.
He nodded. “It's either that, or we're waiting a few more years before the date falls on a Friday or Saturday again.”
“And you already spent money on the ring. Might as well not have a long engagement,” Emma joked. Getting married on their anniversary was a cute idea but she wasn't sure how realistic it would be.
“Exactly,” Connor said, picking up the pan of pasta and dumping it in the colander Emma had put in the sink. “We could pawn it, go on a really nice vacation instead.”
“And continue living in sin?” Emma teased back.
“Might as well. We've gone this long.”
“Well, if we're going to hell anyway, what's another few years?” Emma pulled the vegetables off the burner and poured them into a bowl.
“I don't think I want to wait much longer before being able to call you Mrs. Dolan.”
“I got it. You just worry about dinner.”
He kissed her cheek and put them on the kitchen counter. He'd already set the table, complete with placemats and candles. The flowers he bought her were already in a vase in the center. In the background, music played — instrumental and indie, something she knew he liked.
The vegetables sizzled in olive oil on the stove while water boiled, cooking angel hair pasta. The menu had changed from her original idea, but the smell of chicken cooking in the oven made her glad she decided to this instead of the stir-fry.
“If you insist,” Emma said, smiling. For a moment, she could see this — their future, them cooking together, going on like this forever. It wasn’t what she’d wished for when she was younger and more idealistic. But this was what her life was shaping up to be and she was happy with it.
“So, I was thinking,” Connor started, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. “I know we've been waiting to pick a date to get married.”
“Yes?”
“And I thought about this fall. September.”
Emma didn't look back at him. “I don't want to take the attention away from Danielle and Zach.”
“I know, I know. Which is why, I was thinking spring, like I mentioned at the Market.”
“You mentioned it last week, too.”
“So April 22nd? It's a Saturday.”
“Are you sure you want to get married that quick?” Emma turned towards him, one hand on her hip. She brushed her hair behind her ear with the other hand.
He nodded. “It's either that, or we're waiting a few more years before the date falls on a Friday or Saturday again.”
“And you already spent money on the ring. Might as well not have a long engagement,” Emma joked. Getting married on their anniversary was a cute idea but she wasn't sure how realistic it would be.
“Exactly,” Connor said, picking up the pan of pasta and dumping it in the colander Emma had put in the sink. “We could pawn it, go on a really nice vacation instead.”
“And continue living in sin?” Emma teased back.
“Might as well. We've gone this long.”
“Well, if we're going to hell anyway, what's another few years?” Emma pulled the vegetables off the burner and poured them into a bowl.
“I don't think I want to wait much longer before being able to call you Mrs. Dolan.”
Nicole Tone is a freelance editor, MFA student, traveller, pet collector, binge-watcher, and a self-proclaimed coffee snob. She lives in Buffalo, NY with her husband, three cats, and two very large dogs. She cheats on Buffalo with Seattle as often as she can.
Links:
http://www.twitter.com/nicoleatone
http://www.facebook.com/authornicoletone
http://www.instagram.com/n_tone11
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Links:
http://www.twitter.com/nicoleatone
http://www.facebook.com/authornicoletone
http://www.instagram.com/n_tone11
http://www.pinterest.com/nicoleatone
