"Caper Crush"

A feel-good, opposites-attract, slow burn romantic comedy “Weeping Willow” is what the press calls me. I cried—yes, ugly-cried—at an event celebrating single moms that I was attending on behalf of the Manhattan Borough President (my stepfather). To this day, the media still claims my one sort-of-successful art show was a nepotism benefit—as if my parents actually support my artist career. I’m determined to make it on my own. And I’ve finally got my shot—my artwork is selected for the career-defining Vertex Art Show. But then my painting is stolen. I have mere weeks to find it or lose my artist dream forever—but it's going to mean working with William. William Haruki Matsumura. Good-looking, if you like the Secret Service type. You know, law-abiding, protector of women and children. That’s all good, but he’s so buttoned-up, he must think I’m an emotional minefield. He insists on investigating the theft with me. For my protection. That’s what he says, but what he means is: to protect myself from me. As if "accidentally" wandering into certain “off-limit” areas is "breaking and entering.” If there's one takeaway from my parents' divorce, it's that opposites might attract, but don’t last. Detecting with William is kind of fun--and fluttery. But if there's one takeaway from my parents' divorce, it's that opposites might attract, but don’t last. I can't trust these feelings. However this caper ends, I worry this may be more than a crush.