Summer Love in the City (Summer Instalove)

around a bit for cute guys the entire time was definitely going to put a new shine on all of

my favorite spots. Even if I was still a bit nervous, there was no harm in browsing.

CHAPTER ONE

* Kim *

I didn’t want to tell my coworkers that I was going to be in the city for my vacation. I knew

that if it got busy, they would be calling, emailing, and texting me at all hours if they thought I was within reach. I’d spent the last two weeks giving them all the notes they could

possibly need on my files, resources, and projects.

So I implied that I was going away, by mentioning my limited access to cell service, and

they should only call if it was an emergency. That sounded a bit shady, but I was fairly

certain they would forgive me if they found me out. Everyone deserves a break, and they

did mention work-life balance at the last big meeting.

Besides, almost everyone at this particular little media company worked in the west end.

They also lived there, went to the restaurants and bars there, and pretty much never left. If

I stayed right downtown, checking out the museums and galleries and artsy restaurants on

Queen Street, they would never run into me.

It was absolute bliss waking up the first Monday morning of my vacation, and having

nowhere in particular to be. Although I had a mental list of things I would like to see and do

this week, nothing was carved in stone.

As I showered, did my makeup, and put on one of my favorite summer dresses, I thought

about how hilarious it was to leave at approximately the same time as I would to get to the

office, but to go instead to a café with a giant patio.

Coffee, Eggs Benedict, and a good book kept me company for an hour and a half. There

was just enough breeze to ruffle my hair, and just enough sunlight flickering through the tree

above me to warm my face. Then I simply strolled west and south, looking in shop

windows, popping into little gift stores, and enjoying my morning.

By one in the afternoon, I had wandered near the financial district. There was a lovely

restaurant with another big patio. It was absolutely swarmed with business people having

important lunches, but there was one tiny table in the corner free.

As soon as I got the menu, I realized I should have checked the reviews of this place before

I sat down. It was unbelievably expensive. On the other hand, it was the first day of my