Romance subplot :)

Hiya guys. Yes, that's right. Kaitie is writing a book with a romantic sub plot. And she could use some tips and advice, if y'all've got any. Ooh, see that? She also just used the elusive double contraction! Booyah!

But anyway, in all seriousness, the romance element itself doesn't particularly worry me. And it's going to be more romantic comedy than anything. What's kind of stumping me at the moment is that, in theory, you need to have a desire to see the characters together, right?

Well, this book is going to be a sequel to the one I'm currently working on. That means that a lot of the setup has already happened. My MC starts out kind of dreading being around this woman. She's a mind-reader and has a tendency to make people uncomfortable because of it. Particularly considering she plays up her sexuality to get a reaction from people. They start to work together, though, and he sees more of who she is and what makes her tick, and starts to really understand why she's the way she is. And more than that, starts realizing he actually gives a damn about her.

She's someone who uses her ability to push people away and keep them from getting close to her to keep from being hurt, but by the end of the first book you see her actually opening up and being very real and human with the MC, who is about the only person she's ever like this with.

I think it's clearly heading in that direction in the first book, but the problem is that there just isn't any time to get there. It has all the setup and you at least can see the MC starting to go for her (and hopefully it's obvious that she'd be willing to go for it, too. Well, to anyone but the MC that is).

I know how they end up together and a couple of the specific incidents leading up to it, but what I'm not certain on is how to deal with the fact that most of the setup has already occurred.

I'm thinking of having a scene early on where his best friend is telling him that he's falling for her and it's stupid because he's going to just get himself hurt, and he's basically denying it. I haven't decided if he denies it and then by the end is like, "Okay, but he's right" or if he just stays in denial. I think he gets how he feels at least to an extent, he just doesn't even consider it a real option because he doesn't think she would ever go for him.

I could also put in a scene near the beginning, either of them doing something cute together (like cutting his foster daughter's hair or something) or a scene with her coming back after a really awful day and getting into what's practically a fight with him because she just keeps things inside and he's trying to get her to tell him what's going on. I lean toward the latter.

Wow, this is long, sorry about that! But yeah, basically, would something like just a scene or two like this be okay? The story really doesn't stand alone that well in general, but I'd like it to work even if you didn't know the characters.

Any advice? Tips? Examples?

Actually, I know basically how it plays out that they figure it out. She has a bit of an idea, but I think she probably sees it more as a crush and doesn't take it very seriously. I also think she doesn't expect he has the guts to ever follow through.

See, thing is he manages to usually not think of it around her. So there's going to be a scene where he's thinking to himself, "But surely she already knows how I feel. I mean, she's a mind reader, so she must know. Unless I've never actually been stupid enough to think any of this around her..." and then he's basically embarrassed as hell and gets out of there as fast as he can. She's actually pretty shocked because she never realizes the extent of his feelings.

I also know the scene where he comes out and says he loves her (which is super funny in my head), and essentially the only reason he ever asks her out is because she tells him to. Like I said, it's all going to be very romantic comedy in those early parts.

It's more a question of like...I can't just jump in with this, can I? This stuff all happens relatively early on in the story, and I don't think I can have the first scene with these two be where he randomly kisses her without thinking, can I? Doesn't there have to be some kind of setup first? I'm trying to figure out how to structure the first parts of the novel, and this is something that plays a pretty big role in the first half.

It's more that the groundwork was laid in the first book. I really suck at making sense today. Like, the romance stuff happens in the second book, but I'm not sure what kind of setup I need to show in the second book considering all the groundwork already happened.

It's from his POV, but it should be obvious from his conversation with his friend and what not that he knows nothing's going to come of it. I actually think everyone else thinks the same thing. This woman is considered universally unobtainable.

That's kind of what I was wondering. Something to show them just being friends, pretty much? I actually think I've got a good place to throw something minor like that in there. It'd be really short, but it might work.

Hm...the more I'm thinking the more I have just the spot.

You know what cracks me up most about the last suggestion here? She can totally read his mind if he's doing that lol. Talk about embarrassing!

I think there's going to be a little bit of that in there, but mostly because a lot of guys out there want this girl. Though I don't think my MCs the type to be jealous of it. She's also kind of got this universally unobtainable thing going on. I think that's part of the appeal. She's complicated.

Oh gosh no. This is someone he's known for years, and he spent the entire first book falling for her, and this takes place six months later and he's spent most of that time with her because she's helping him take care of his foster daughter. As his best friend calls it, he's "playing house" with her.

As for why he loves her, yes she's chased around and she has a reputation, but it's all an act, and he's figured that out. She's actually herself around him, and pretty much only around him. And more than that he understands why she is the way she is, and that gives him a different perspective than most people.

Most people are uncomfortable with the mind reading thing, too (reasons for this being completely obvious especially in the first book), but there's a scene in the first one where she's discussing with him why the two children with superpowers are comfortable around him, and she says that it's because he sees them as people and isn't afraid of them. It's pretty clear that she's saying this as a personal opinion as well.

There isn't really a moment like that for him. It's more something that builds up over time. He realizes how much he cares about her in the first book, which really surprises her, but he doesn't call it love. Even later on he definitely has feelings for her, but he's cautious about it and thinks they're not going to matter because she obviously doesn't have feelings for him in return (his thoughts). Like I said, this woman is seen as universally unobtainable in general, and my MC isn't exactly confident around ladies.

For her, it's a little different. She kind of knows he has a crush on her, but doesn't realize to what extent until he without thinking acts on it one day. He's actually about the only guy she's even considered, and I think she's anticipating that if he ever works up the nerve they'll end up together, but once she realizes the true extent of his feelings it kind of blows her away. It's almost like neither of them get how the other feels for awhile.

The journey's already there. That's mostly what I meant before. All the setup has already been happening. In the first book the MC goes from not really liking her to realizing he has definite feelings for her. This happens because he's spending a lot of time with her and she's opening up to him and he's learning about her for the first time. She's opening up to him because she's comfortable with him and wants him basically, but he doesn't get that.

The only thing that's had me concerned is that most of that setup takes place in the first book. The two of them actually ending up together happens in the second. Ugh I just suck at explaining things I think.

These two were never intended to hook up, it's something that just happened. And the two characters are so much fun together I want to explore that aspect in the sequel. Particularly considering how funny the scenes are when he's finally figuring it out. Like I said, romantic comedy is a better way to put it. It fits the characters, though. You'll just have to trust me on that.