Steel Beauty Now Live

Love like this doesn't come easy.
It’s messy, and it hurts.
But at least it’s real.

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Fall in Love with Alex and Magnolia

Enjoy Chapter One

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“First of all, I’m not looking for a man. So let’s start there.”

Joy––my coworker and hopeless romantic who fancies herself a matchmaker––leans back in her chair. She eyes me like I’ve said the most absurd thing she’s ever heard. “Not looking for a man? Magnolia, that’s like saying you don’t want sunshine in your life.”

I fold my arms across my chest. “Sunshine? Puh-lease. Men are not sunshine. They’re more like passing clouds—here one minute, gone the next. Some of them are full-on thunderstorms, leaving nothing but chaos and destruction in their wake. Thanks, but I can live without that kind of sunshine in my life.”

Joy takes out her phone and turns the screen toward me, displaying a picture. “My brother is perfect for you. He’s tall, handsome, successful, and he has hair. Not just hair--magnificent hair. Do you realize how many men in this world are bald? Ethan is as rare as rocking-horse manure.”

Not every woman’s out here building a dream man from a checklist. Looks aren’t everything—God knows some of the best-looking men have taught me the hardest lessons. Great hair won’t hold you when you’re falling apart. A sharp jawline doesn’t make you feel safe. And charming smiles? Those fade fast when the truth comes out. Some of us have learned to want more. A man who listens. Who shows up. Who stays when it’s hard, not just when it’s easy.

“You compared your brother to manure.”

“Fitting since he can be a little shit sometimes. But otherwise, he’s great. You’d love him.”

I glance at the photo. Ethan isn’t fugly—in fact, he’s good-looking—but he’s a little too pretty. He looks like he spends more time on his hair than I spend on mine.


“Yeah, well, I’m sure Ethan is fantastic, as is his hair, but I’m not in the market for a man.”

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