Finding Chemistry | SGU Book 3: Harper & Brian

Christmas in New York. Boys to spare. What’s a girl to do?
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​Harper expected a boring winter break until her mother announced they were off to New York. Updating her social media status results in an even better surprise: her secret crush asking to see her. But Christmas at the far end of Long Island turns out to have quite a few perks: namely Brian.

Can Harper handle two guys?

​Finding Chemistry is the third of five books in the Smith & Guy University series. While able to be read as a standalone story, the experience will be better if read in sequence. The SGU series follows the lives of Edee, Harper, and Watzi as they fall in love. Remember to pick up your copy today.

Available at the following locations:

Excerpts from Finding Chemistry:

THE SNOW BALL MEET CUTE
​“Don’t be a coward.” Pretending I wasn’t already freezing, I headed down the shoveled path toward the tree I’d seen out my window. A spot conveniently away from the kitchen window.
Trudging over the ground was daunting. I had no idea where anything was. Watching the ground lost it’s appeal fast, along with being outside. “Make your snowball. It’s too darn cold to stay out here.”
Before I could bend down, I heard Richie yell, “Incoming!”
An unknown voice answered, “You’ll never take me alive.”
Turning in a circle, I looked for either person.
Suddenly, the unknown voice yelled, “Duck!”
​Too late. Splat!
The snow ball hit my left cheek, knocking my head back, and sending me to the ground on my butt. I was blinking snow out of my eyes, when a tall guy in a puffy red jacket ran up.
“I’m so sorry.” His was the unknown voice. He brushed the snow off me.
Well, off my face and shoulders. I handled the snow on my rear all by myself. “It’s ok. You tried to warn me.”
“Incoming!” Richie yelled again.
The guy jumped in front of me, blocking the snowball. “Richie, stop! We have a casualty.”
I followed his gaze, now seeing a mound of snowballs forming a wall to the side of the tree I had planned to visit.
“Casualty?” Richie’s head popped up from behind the wall. He pointed at me. “That’s Harper. Her mom’s marrying Paul.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Brian Moore. I live next door.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the next house. “When I’m home.”
Richie threw another snow ball, nailing Brian in the back of his head. His hat flopped on to the ground at my feet.
“Richie, we’re having a cease fire right now,” Brian explained calmly as he retrieved his hat. Then he grinned.
I felt my heart skip a beat then ramp up. Being in the middle of a snowball fight was less intense than what I felt now just looking at Brian. “Wowza.”
THE FRENEMY CALL FOR HELP
The ringing of my cell phone directly into my ear jerked me awake. I didn’t remember falling asleep. Groaning, I pushed my head up and away from the noise. Glancing across the room, I saw that Mom’s bed was empty, the comforter undisturbed.
My teeth ground together. “Gross.” I looked at the screen. No caller ID. “Rather talk to a wrong number than think.” I flicked my thumb across the lock screen. “Hello?”
“Harper?”
I kind of recognized the voice, but no way was I going to answer “yes” at two fifty-five in the morning. “Who’s this?”
“It’s Watzi. I’m, ah, in some trouble. Could I come stay at your place for the night?” Her words were a tumbled rush but it sounded like she’d been crying.
“Watzi? It’s really late. What’s wrong?”
“My father found out I’m pregnant and,” a rustling, like she wiped her nose, “I can’t stay there anymore.”
“Oh my God! Seriously? He kicked you out?” I sat up in bed. Shocked and worried. I was over a thousand miles away. How could I even help Watzi?
“He doesn’t know I’ve left and, trust me, it’s better this way.”
I opened my mouth to argue that when she added, “My mom helped me pack.”

Fun Facts:

ONE:
​Montauk, NY is a summer tourist destination at the far end of Long Island. Finding out about what it's like during the winter required several phone calls to the Montauk Chamber of Commerce. The hardest thing was figuring out where someone without a winter coat would rush off to to get one. Those summer clothing stores just aren't gonna cut it in winter!
TWO:
There are a lot of state parks in Montauk, NY. Think I'm wrong? Check out the list...
  1. Montauk Point State Park--out at the Eastern tip of Long Island complete with a lighthouse built in 1796!
  2. Camp Hero State Park--a former military base has WWII bunkers and a radar tower
  3. Montauk Downs State Park Golf Course
  4. Montauk Point State Park
  5. Hither Hills State Park

Montauk is ONLY 19.77 square miles (51.2 square km)! Seriously. That's not big.
THREE:
Speaking of BIG... The following COUNTRIES are SMALLER than Montauk, NY:
  1. Tuvalu at 10 sq. miles
  2. Macau at 9 sq. miles
  3. Nauru at 8 sq. miles
  4. Tokelau at 4.7 sq. miles
  5. Monaco at 0.75 sq. miles
 Sourced from Nation Master
FOUR:
Montauk is known for its surfing. It was ranked #8 by Surfer Magazine.  Ditch Plains is the location that keeps showing up due to a strong Atlantic current.
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​Granted, not a winter activity. Still pretty cool to know. Not that I can even stand up on a board. Everything I "know" about surfing comes for the original Point Break starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze.

Cool Seven Degrees of Separation Fact: In college I was friends with Patrick Swayze's surfing double's mother, Nina. She was pretty darn proud of her kiddo. And rightly so. 
FIVE:
Montauk has America's oldest operating cattle ranch. Deep Hollow Ranch is the place to go for horse riding and the like.

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