The Perfect Boyfriend: A Small Town Romantic Comedy: The Perfect Man, #2

By Lynn Dare

Welcome to Cape Kismet, where the neighbors are nosy, the bookstores offer an escape, and epic romances abound.

A hot brother? Try two.
Dating the same person for more than a decade has its pitfalls. Like being dumped out of the blue and realizing you have nowhere to go, no one else to rely on.
Yep, I Kennedy Davis was a fool. It wasn't until Harley said he wanted to chase a big love that I realized what we had wasn't it.
Sleeping in my car outside my favorite bookstore is what I always wanted to do. Really. We'll call it "camping".
When Hadden finds me "camping", he offers me a guest room, no strings attached. But there are always strings.
Because he's my ex-boyfriend's older brother.
An older brother I once thought I'd loved.
Yeah, this will end well.
Did I mention he's a cop who looks great in uniform? It's only a matter of time before I smash the cardinal rules of breakups.
Don't crush on your ex's brother.
And definitely don't fall in love with him.
Oops.

The Perfect Boyfriend is book two in the Perfect Man romantic comedy series. Dive in for plenty of swoons, lots of laughs, and a guaranteed happy ending.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lynn Dare
• Release date: Jul 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201557065

Book preview

Chapter 1

Kennedy

Iwill not cry. I will not cry.

Who was I kidding? The moment I set foot outside this condo I’d shared with my boyfriend of eleven years, there’d be no stopping the torrent of self-defeating tears, followed by the self-pity that would fill the cracks forming in my heart.

Cracks I didn’t think would ever heal. Okay, dramatic. But I had a right to be dramatic.

Harley. I held back another sob. Don’t do this.

His face twisted in genuine anguish. That beautiful face I’d spent so much time studying, admiring.

Kennedy. He reached toward me, and when his fingertips grazed my cheek, I closed my eyes. I’m sorry.

At his words, my eyes popped open. I thought… I sucked in a breath. I thought you loved me. Damn, I sounded pathetic, but I couldn’t help it. I was pathetic.

His face softened. I do.

But his earlier words overrode that statement.

I think it’s time for us to move on.

Move on? To what?

Harley was my person, my best friend. He always had been. Ever since the day my family moved in next to his when I was six years old, it was like our future was written for us. We didn’t know it at the time, of course, but we’d become closer than friends were ever supposed to be.

He’d been there when my mom died and I, as a naïve teenager, thought it meant the end of the world. Maybe it had been. The end of my world at least. After I lost the best parent I had ever known, it seemed like whatever life threw my way, I’d handle it because I had Harley by my side.

Yet, we’d remained friends, just friends, until our last year of high school when too much was changing.

A tear slipped down my cheek as I remembered the first time he kissed me, the way I’d fought him and told him our friendship was more important than his love for me.

I’d been wrong.

Except now, as I watched that friendship slip away, as I listened to my best friend break my heart, all I could think was that the girl who’d been so afraid back then… she’d seen this coming. She’d seen the moment the ground shifted underneath my feet.

I stumbled back, and Harley reached for me. I saw it in his eyes, the need to comfort me, to take back anything he’d said that caused me pain. He’d never intentionally hurt me; I did believe that. But intentional or not, the knife sliding through my heart belonged to him.

You had to have seen this coming. He tried to step forward, but I held up a hand, warning him about coming closer.

I thought we were having issues, Harley. Issues every normal couple has. I even tried to make myself believe my words.

He shook his head. That’s what you say, but I know it’s not true. Ken, I can barely get you away from that computer of yours lately to have a full conversation with me.

I hugged my arms across my stomach. I’m an author. That’s my job. It’s not like you’re any different with your camera.

Harley was a freelance photographer, sometimes going on trips that took him away for weeks or months at a time. "I leave, but when I’m here, I’m here. I don’t check out on you."

I don’t check out.

Kennedy, you’re making your dreams come true. He stepped closer. I know that. I’m so damn proud of you. I don’t think I’ve ever been as proud of anyone, but you don’t love me. Not anymore.

Of course I love you. I couldn’t remember a time not loving this man, even before there were any romantic feelings. The truth was, I didn’t know what my life looked like without him in it.

"But you’re not in love with me. Baby blue eyes met mine, and I couldn’t look away. He brushed a strand of my fire-red hair behind my ear and lowered his voice. Sometimes, Ken, I wonder if we hold on to each other so tightly we can’t see anything else."

We’ve never wanted to see anything else.

Maybe that’s the problem. I’m terrified of not having you by my side, but I need to stand on my own for a little while.

Stand on his own? It was the classic, It’s not you, it’s me brush-off. Only, I couldn’t help feeling like it was very much me.

Yet… I’m scared, too, Harley.

He leaned down, pressing his forehead to mine. I don’t want us to hold each other back. I will always love you, but, Ken, don’t you want to see if there’s something bigger out there? A big love that provides more than comfort, familiarity, and friendship?

A big love.

Once upon a time, I’d thought that was what we had, but over the years, I’d come to accept something smaller, something safer. Not being with Harley scared me more than anything else in my life.

A big love, I whispered, swallowing heavily.

You write about romance. What we have is something special, but it’s not true love. Tell me you understand.

I wished I didn’t. I wished I could hate him for doing this to me, to us. But I couldn’t.

Instead, I stepped away from him. That’s what hurts so much, Harley. I do understand.

Harley was more than a friend, more than a significant other. He was family. And right then, it was like losing my family all over again. Except, unlike my mom, he chose to go.

I looked around the condo that had been my oasis until the moment Harley came home from his trip with these fanciful ideas of a bigger love. It looked foreign to me now, like the life that had been lived here was over. I supposed it was.

I turned on my heel and walked across the beige carpet to the bedroom, where a king-sized bed sat waiting for the two people who’d loved curling up together under its teal comforter, wrapping in fluffy blankets as the world turned outside.

Those people were gone.

I pulled a duffel bag out of the walk-in closet and started shoving clothes in, yanking them from hangers in my haste.

Harley leaned in the doorway. You don’t have to go. I can find another place to stay. But we both knew the truth.

With only two books published and underperforming, I couldn’t exactly afford the mortgage alone on our Clearwater condo with its magnificent ocean views and white sand beaches steps away. I quit my job as a nurse three months ago to pursue my author dream.

I didn’t respond to Harley as I grabbed my running shoes and yanked them on.

Kennedy, talk to me.

I wicked away tears that refused to stop rolling down my cheeks. I think we’ve done enough talking.

Do you need financial help?

I froze. You just broke up with me, Harley. So, no, I don’t need your money. I will be fine on my own. I always am. Though, being on my own usually still meant having Harley.

After Mom died, I had no one. I never knew my dad. At fifteen, there was only one person left in this world who loved me—Harley.

His parents took me in. I lived with their family for three years before getting a college scholarship. It wasn’t only Harley looking out for me. He had an older brother, Hadden, who was always there.

I hadn’t seen Hadden in years. He and Harley weren’t exactly close. I didn’t even know where he lived. Some friend I was.

I’d let Harley consume me for so long I forgot about everything else, everyone else. Where was I going to go?

I shouldered the duffel and walked by him to slip my laptop into another bag. Stopping in front of the door, I couldn’t make myself turn the doorknob.

Kennedy. Harley’s strangled voice reached me, and the bags slid from my shoulders as I turned and ran into his arms.

He rested his chin on my head. It’s still you and me. I’m still here.

As tightly as I held on, I knew I had to let go. Because he was wrong. It couldn’t be him and me. Not anymore. I straightened and pulled back, meeting his eyes. Bye, Harley.

He offered me a weak smile, and I gathered my bags once again. Harley opened the door and held it until I was through. I couldn’t stop, instead walking down the hall without looking back. I didn’t hear the door shut, so I knew Harley watched me go.

It wasn’t until I reached the elevator and the door slid closed, cutting me off from my old life, that I let out another cry.

There once was a girl who didn’t realize she had no friends until she needed them most. Me. That girl was me.

I had no one to call, no couch to crash on.

Harley’s parents would let me stay if I drove the hour and a half to Venice, but that seemed wrong somehow. Had I lost them, too?

So, what did I do? Instead of booking a hotel room I couldn’t afford, I drove to the one place I felt safe. The little bookshop was an hour away in the small town of Cape Kismet, Florida. I found it when I was on the hunt for indie bookstores rather than the mega shops that never felt cozy and welcoming. I hadn’t minded the hour drive when it meant finding a cute place I could write.

Plus, my favorite author was a regular, and I’d never been above a little stalking.

I pulled down the mirror in my old Ford Escape. It had taken most of the drive, but the tears had dried. I wiped my thumbs under my eyes, trying to get rid of the remnants of mascara. Running a hand through my wild curls to tame them, I caught sight of my bag in the back seat, and it all came flooding back to me.

Harley and I were over.

I was alone.

Maybe I could sleep in my car tonight. Then, tomorrow, I could figure out the rest of my life. Right?

With a sigh, I climbed out of the car and crossed the street. It was late afternoon, almost dinner, and I was craving some of the tacos this bookstore was known for. I know, books and tacos, a weird combination, but it worked.

Except, when I stepped through the front door, the telltale smell didn’t hit me.

The familiarity of the shop soothed my fraying nerves. It had been over a month since I’d come, when Harley had been home from one of his trips. When he was home, I had to find places to write where he wouldn’t bug me. But when he was gone, I’d had our place to myself.

Our place.

Not anymore.

Kennedy. The older woman who owned the shop smiled brightly. It’s good to see you again. She wrapped me in a warm hug, the kind of hug that could make me feel like everything was okay. Or that it would be.

Hi, Lovern. I tried to smile, knowing by the concern in Lovern’s gaze I failed. No tacos tonight?

Oh, dear, you haven’t been in lately. My Cruz has left us.

I didn’t know what to say. Oh no, I’m so sorry. What happened to him? He was young, probably my age, and every time I came here, he greeted me with a smile as he served his famous tacos.

Oh, he’s not dead. Lovern laughed. Honey, he just opened his own restaurant. I’m so proud of him.

Air rushed back into my lungs. I barely knew Cruz, but I was relieved he was okay. That’s good.

Don’t you worry though, Kennedy. I still have pastries. You look like you could use one. On the house.

This woman was too good. Yeah, okay. Thanks, Lovern.

Lovern bustled away to get the pastry as the door at the back opened and a young woman walked through, a woman I recognized from her book jackets and my own stalking. My face heated. Ellie Amore.

For someone like me, who was lucky to sell a handful of books a month, she was a celebrity. Even that handful I sold were mostly to Harley and his mom.

Now, would I sell any at all?

Tears welled in my eyes again as it hit me all the ways Harley and I had been everything to each other. Cheerleaders. Therapists. And so much more.

I was too lost in my own thoughts to notice Ellie walking toward me. Hey, are you okay?

Through all the times I’d watched her write or let my gaze follow her through the store, I’d never spoken to the other author. Her voice was quieter than I expected, less commanding for one so accomplished.

I never expected the compassion in her gaze.

Wiping my eyes dry, I nodded. I-I’m okay. I had to get out of there. B-bye. Lovern started toward me, but I couldn’t be here, I couldn’t talk to people.

It was time for wallowing, and to do that, I had to be on my own.

I opened the door to bolt out and slammed into someone. Strong hands gripped my arms to keep me from falling.

I couldn’t speak as my gaze traveled up long legs clad in a police officer’s uniform, up over a broad chest, to a face I knew well, one that looked too much like the man I’d left behind. But this wasn’t Harley. That was my one saving grace.

Recognition sparked in his eyes. Kennedy?

I tried to force a smile, but my lips wouldn’t obey. Hi, Hadden.

Chapter 2

Hadden

This day was long and not yet over. My dumb ass thought it would be smart to go on a dating app to find someone. Not a hookup app. They are very different things. I wasn’t after a hookup. I could hit a bar and find someone to sleep with. I wanted more than that. I wanted to date the same person. I wanted to find the one .

Sure, it wasn’t something most guys admitted to, but I wasn’t like everyone else. There was no fear of commitment in me. I was actively searching for it. Of course, when one looked for something, they couldn’t find it.

The Cape Kismet police force was small. Our 9-1-1 calls were fielded through the county dispatch to us. Or rather to me, Mike, and Teagan. We, along with Doris, who worked in the office, and Rob, our chief, made up the little group of law enforcement in our small town. Luckily, next to nothing happened here, and it was rare there was more than one of us on duty at a time.

Since I had seniority over the others and had worked my way up to sergeant, I got first pick of the patrol shifts, and that meant days. Yes, in our force, the sergeant patrols. I wasn’t going to find the love of my life if I spent everyone else’s waking hours passed out from the night shift. That didn’t mean I didn’t step in when help was needed and work late. Like when Teagan went on maternity leave, or when Mike got married and took two weeks off for his destination wedding and honeymoon in the Caribbean.

Plus, I was leaving very soon to go to New York with Grey to help him pack up his belongings. I was due for a vacation, even if this was one where I had to do some manual labor.

The September sun beat down on me as I walked to my apartment over the yoga studio. Some days, I drove to work. Others, I liked to take a stroll and talk with the people who lived here. Today, I got a nice view of the very flexible women doing a yoga pose I didn’t know the name of.

I only stopped for a moment, not wanting to come off as a creeper. Who could resist gorgeous women in tight clothes bending and moving in all kinds of positions? Not me, that was for sure.

Turning, I walked to the bookstore. I liked checking on Lovern and making sure she was doing well. It was also convenient to go from the inside of her store through the back where I could easily access my apartment. Yes, I could walk down the alleyway that separated the two stores, but then I wouldn’t get to smell the pastries Lovern sold until she found someone to take over the space where Cruz used to serve his tacos.

I was about to open the door when it was flung toward me and someone slammed into me. Not just anyone. Kennedy Davis.

Kennedy? I asked, not believing my eyes.

Her red hair was tucked behind her ears, but her eyes were what drew me in. The brilliant hazel of them was dulled, and they were bloodshot. Was it from tears or lack of sleep?

Hi, Hadden.

Hey, what are you doing here? I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve seen you. I couldn’t even remember the last time. Years, maybe? Had it really been years since my brother and I saw each other last—which meant also not seeing Kennedy?

Oh, just some shopping. She motioned back to the bookstore and ducked her head. I’ve gotta go. It was nice seeing you. She rushed to her SUV before I could say anything else.

Kennedy shopping here was nothing new. I’d seen her around but never worked up the courage to approach her. Something felt off about her just now. I wasn’t sure what it was and didn’t have time to dissect it at the moment. I had to get ready for my date.

I walked through the bookstore, waving to Ellie and Lovern as I went. They were deep in conversation, and I didn’t want to interrupt them.

In my apartment, I stripped and jumped into the shower. My mind kept wandering to Kennedy.

I loved Kennedy like a sister. She’d been a part of our family for a long time. She and Harley were the epitome of friends to lovers. They had such a strong bond growing up that when they finally realized they had feelings for each other, it was natural for them to go to the next level.

Back in high school, before they were dating, Harley used to stand up for Kennedy when one of the guys broke her heart. And he wasn’t the only one. I had quite a few talks with some of the jackasses in my class. My brother and Kennedy were freshmen when I was a senior. I played the big brother card whenever it was needed. Harley hated it. He didn’t really start filling out until his senior year. By the time he graduated, he officially had the Hardwick broad shoulders and chest.

As I rinsed the soap out of my hair, I remembered how angry he used to get that I was so much bigger than him. Dad and I kept telling him he’d get there, but he didn’t believe us. On countless occasions, I caught him flexing those scrawny, barely-there muscles. I felt bad for him back then. Now, I could look back and laugh.

Whereas I bulked up during college and then the police academy, Harley exercised by running and swimming. He was still broad, but his muscles were lean. He didn’t have the mass I did, though he was still strong.

After my shower, I got dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a short-sleeved, white polo shirt. The date wasn’t fancy tonight. I planned on meeting her at a restaurant on the beach. I loved relaxing by the ocean. The sounds of the waves always put me at ease.

Grabbing my keys, phone, and wallet, I locked my door and walked down the stairs to my car. I had a five-year-old, metallic gray Dodge Charger. Yes, it was a muscle car, and yes, I loved it. I bought it brand-new and had babied it ever since. With the minimal commute I had, it still looked like I just drove it off the lot. I saved and saved to pay for it in full.

Since then, I’d been saving for a house. I knew I wouldn’t be able to pay for that all at once like I did the Charger, but I wanted a decent down payment. Besides, I was living in an apartment with few expenses. It was easy to save.

I arrived at the restaurant five minutes early. The hostess took me to the table where my date was already waiting. Fortunately, she looked just like her picture did on the app. I always dreaded showing up and finding someone who was the complete opposite of the photo they used.

Long, blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a dazzling smile, Maria looked good. But I wasn’t stupid enough to be fooled by appearances. I’d been on some wild dates, and I fully braced myself for this one, not knowing what could happen. I had some really good dates as well that went on to second and third dates but ultimately led nowhere. I was stuck on the dating merry-go-round. I didn’t want to jump off until I had the right partner by my side.

Walking over, I hugged and kissed Maria on the cheek. It’s a pleasure to meet you.

She smiled. Likewise.

Sitting down, the hostess left and our waitress appeared before Maria and I got a chance to talk. The waitress went over the specials and asked us what we’d like to drink.

Maria was all too eager to order hers. I’d like a glass of sparkling water with a hint of raspberry. I don’t want it drowning in the berry flavor. Just a little bit to give it something extra. And a wedge of lemon on the side of the glass, seedless. I’d also like a glass of ice water. But I’d like the ice cubed, not chipped.

The waitress stared at her for a moment, saying nothing, just blinking. Then, she finally turned