Rumor Has It
What happens when a type-A journalist meets the baddest boy around…
“No one writes big-hearted bad boys like Jessica Lemmon! Rumor Has It is laugh-out-loud fun.”
“Lemmon delivers purely delicious fun in this lighthearted contemporary.”
This is one bad boy who’s fit to print.
A notorious jock tackles life—and love—after football with a type-A journalist in this sexy bad-boy romcom.
As a former pro football star, Barrett Fox is used to playing the field. After injuries cut his NFL career short, his second act as a broadcaster ended after hot mic moment got him cancelled. But this latest publicity stunt might just land him back on top—much to the chagrin of Catarina Everhart, the uptight, beautiful journalist who’s been assigned to date a “bad boy” and tell the tale. She swears he’ll never touch her, let alone kiss her, which is exactly the kind of challenge Barrett is up for…
The cocky egomaniac assigned to partner with Catarina on this project seems to be doing everything in his power to make her hate him. Barrett is infamous for his bad behavior, and now, thanks to her boss’s harebrained schemes, he’s apparently Catarina’s problem. As one fake date leads to another, she starts to see a different side of him the public doesn’t know about. He’s close with his family. He does volunteer work. He kisses like a dream. Risking her hard-won reputation is one thing, but risking her heart is a whole other ballgame…
“Lemmon delivers purely delicious fun in this lighthearted contemporary…. Hot interludes and a Cinderella-worthy ending ensure this story will capture hearts.”—Publishers Weekly
Series Info
Book 4, Real Love book 4, featuring Barrett Fox & Catarina Everhart
Awards
The Real Love Series
Praise for Rumor Has It
“RUMOR HAS IT is fresh, fun, and flirty—a must read!”
“A delightful book! I loved every moment. If you like witty banter, romance that sparks, and enemies-to-lovers stories, then this book is for you!”
“Genuine sizzle.”
“The best kind of romantic comedy, with charming characters and whip-smart dialogue.”
“Contemporary romance perfection, with just the right amount of witty banter and stomach-flip romantic moments.”
“Barrett Fox is the perfect bad boy with a golden heart. (Among other things.) I loved this book!”
Extras
Dear Reader,
Think: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but with a Lemmon spin...
Catarina has a problem. Over six feet of smart ass, former defensive lineman, Barrett Fox. She's a type-A rule-follower, and he's the notorious "Bad Boy of the NFL," who lives up to his name in every imaginable way. When Catarina's boss assigns her to date Fox for a column that's a publicity stunt-slash-advertising money grab, Catarina remains the consummate professional and does as she's told, but as she spends more time with Barrett, she learns that he's much more than a bad boy out to reclaim his former job as a field reporter. Barrett learns something unexpected as well: as much fun as it is to be a cad, being on Catarina's to-do list is even better.
Rumor Has It is a true enemies-to-lovers tale, and as a result was incredibly fun to write! I'm making the very careful statement that Barrett Fox might be my favorite hero ever?! Can I say that? He's bad in all the great ways and good in all the right ones. RHI hits the scene in May which feels like light years away, but it'll be here before you know it! In the mean time, feel free to check out the teasers on this page.
Enjoy!
Jessica
Excerpt
Catarina
This time when Barrett rounds the corner, I’m ready for him. I arrived an hour early and set up my desk to ensure I’ll see Fox coming.
“Morning, Kitty Cat.” He surveys my new setup. I turned my desk 180 degrees so that it faces the window. “You do this by your pretty little self?”
“You can’t sneak up behind me and I don’t have to look at you while you’re in your cubicle. Win-win.” I shoot him a sardonic smirk.
“Yes, but you also have your back to the rest of the office. Which means if Mills says anything funny, you’ll miss the joke.”
“I don’t find Mills funny.”
“Do you find anyone funny?” Before I can get offended he adds, “Is North’s middle name East? ’Cause that’d be funny. Something like that might manage to crack that façade of seriousness you wear like a second skin. Especially if his last name is Southwest.”
I tongue my cheek, not quite laughing, but decently amused since North isn’t my favorite person of late.
With a satisfied smile, Barrett heads to his cubicle. I realize my mistake as I sit down at my desk—now not facing his. I can’t keep an eye on him. Yet I feel the weight of his stare on my profile.
I whip around, prepared to admonish him. He’s bent over his laptop and ignoring me completely. Seems to be a pattern with the men in my life. Sigh.
Well, whatever. I have a job to do.
I finalize our reservations at La Petit France, which is a fancy French restaurant. According to their website they require a jacket, only serve dinner, and every menu item is pricey and à la carte. Fine by me. Mia is paying.
I’m scrolling through the menu when Guess Who walks up and blurts, “Do they have French fries? It’s a staple of my diet.”
“I highly doubt your chiseled body sees an ounce of saturated fat.”
“You think I’m chiseled?” He pulls a hand over his button-down white shirt and stands taller, puffing out his (very well-built) chest.
“You know you are.”
“Judging by those legs, Kitty Cat, you do your fair share of working out.” He glances down at my legs, crossed beneath a modest black skirt. I practically feel his gaze like a touch before his blue eyes snap up to mind.
“Runner?” he asks.
“Sometimes,” I answer, willing myself not to feel flattered.
“Those are some seriously hot shoes. How come you aren’t wearing them?” He’s referring to my Jimmy Choos—the same pair I wore for my date with North last night. The shoes lay on their sides under my desk as per my habit to kick them off while I’m working.
“They’re terribly uncomfortable, so I always take them off. I’m not even aware of it when I do it.”
“You have attractive toes, so it works. The Tiffany blue polish is a nice touch. What time is our first date?” he asks.
I’m still reeling from comments like “hot shoes” and “attractive toes” and “Tiffany blue” which, if I’m not hallucinating, just came out of the mouth of Barrett Fox.
“Uh, eight o’clock Saturday night.”
“Cliché but I’ll allow it. You sure South by Southwest is okay with us sharing an intimate dinner?”
“North isn’t the least bit intimidated by you. He has your number, Fox.”
Barrett only smiles. “Okay, but no phone calls after midnight. A guy’s got to get his beauty sleep.”