A Rare Find
How does a rule-abiding, accomplished woman fall for a rebel college dropout? It's something rare-books curator Penelope Bigelow is still trying to figure out! Regardless of what logic she tries to use, the proof remains that when celebrity chef Nicholas Rheinhardt is around, her composure takes a vacation.With all the reunion festivities, it's hard to avoid him…especially since he needs her expertise in antiquities for an upcoming episode of his cable travel show.Too bad the past isn't what Penelope's focusing on when she's with Nick. There's more to him than his infamous reputation–and that intrigues her. Penelope isn't looking for perfection…even though Nick's coming very close!
Читать A Rare Find онлайн беплатно
Sheâs always lived her life by the bookâ¦
How does a rule-abiding, accomplished woman fall for a rebel college dropout? Itâs something rare-books curator Penelope Bigelow is still trying to figure out! Regardless of what logic she tries to use, the proof remains that when celebrity chef Nicholas Rheinhardt is around, her composure takes a vacation. With all the reunion festivities, itâs hard to avoid himâ¦especially since he needs her expertise in antiquities for an upcoming episode of his cable travel show.
Too bad the past isnât what Penelopeâs focusing on when sheâs with Nick. Thereâs more to him than his infamous reputationâand that intrigues her. Penelope isnât looking for perfectionâ¦even though Nickâs coming very close!
âWhat is it you really want?â
Nick took a step closer. It wasnât a threatening move, but definitely allowed him to enter Penelopeâs personal space.
Penelope didnât retreat. Instead, she raised her head to look him directly in the eye.
He noticed the throb of that vein in her forehead again and felt an irresistible urge to stroke it. But he didnât.
He wet his lips and said in a low voice, âWell, now that you mention it, I want you to come to Hoagie Palace with us tonight.â
She tilted her head. âWhy?â
âItâll be fun.â
âAnd after tonight?â
He searched her eyes to try to figure out what she was thinking, but he found himself distracted, confusedâ¦more than confused. But in a very good way.
Dear Reader,
Confession time: After graduating from Yale University with a degree in history, I had a fellowship to study in Rome, Italy. When I wasnât practicing my Italian and exploring the city, I did research on early-medieval manuscripts in the Vatican Library. Ever since then, Iâve wanted to incorporate the fascinating world of rare books and manuscripts into a contemporary romance. Well, now I finally get my chance.
My heroine, Penelope Bigelow, is the curator at Grantham Universityâs Rare Book Library, and she gets to educate my hero, Nicholas Rheinhardt, on the wonders of old handwriting and the timeless beauty of historic documents. Nick is a Grantham dropout whoâs achieved celebrity and notoriety as a chef and travel-show host. Heâs in town to give a Class Day speech for the graduates and film an episode of his show. Can you say yin and yang? Oil and water? Total attraction?
The question is, how do you know when someone or something is the genuine article? When do the heart and the mind come together to trust that something so unique can exist in ways you never even dared to dream?
In this case, the answerâs not written in the stars, but on the folios.
As always, I love to hear from my readers. Just email me at [email protected].
Tracy Kelleher
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tracy sold her first story to a childrenâs magazine when she was ten years old. Writing was clearly in her blood, though fiction was put on hold while she received degrees from Yale and Cornell, traveled the world, worked in advertising, became a staff reporter and later a magazine editor. She also managed to raise a family. Is it any surprise she escapes to the world of fiction?
This book is dedicated to my great friend and fabulous cook Inkyung Yi.
Only you could have two sets of twins and somehow look so terrific.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
September
A Former Country of the Soviet UnionâFar, Far Off the Grid
NICHOLAS RHEINHARDT©LAY©on the hard stone table, belly-side down, and hoped like hell that the moisture on the towel beneath him came from his own sweat. He gritted his teeth to stifle a groan as a seminaked and thoroughly oiled masseur squatted above him and frog-hopped down the length of his spine.
The humiliation would have verged on the comedic if the pain werenât so excruciating. He couldnât imagine anything worse, not even a root canalâtwo root canalsâwithout Novocain. But he refused to whimper and beg for mercy.
After all, the cameras were rolling.
Whose idea had it been anyway to shoot several episodes of his travel-and-food show in this country so far off the beaten track?
Up until this point, the whole television thing had been a pretty good gig.
Now life had turned into a high-definition hellhole as recorded by a sardonic cameraman and a highly sensitive soundman. Was it any wonder that Frommerâs, Michelin or Lonely Planet guidebooks had failed to extol the wonders of this remote village, let alone the bathhouse?
