For Julian Vane, a high-stakes architect who views life through the lens of load-bearing walls and stress fractures, the upcoming seasonal festival in the Ironrail Market District is just another job. Tasked with retrofitting the aging, industrial-chic stalls for a rigorous municipal licensing inspection, Julian is focused on one thing: efficiency. He doesn't expect to be paired with Mireille “Remy” St. Claire, a kinetic, improvisational artist and market coordinator whose vision for the district involves flow, whimsy, and, most annoyingly, human connection. As the two clash over the technical requirements of the site, a confidential, high-stakes proposal to rezone the entire district is leaked to them prematurely. The document threatens the livelihood of every merchant in the Market—and it’s signed by a firm Julian’s former mentor controls. To save the district they’ve both grown to love, Julian must learn that not every crack in a foundation needs sealing, and that sometimes, the most important structures aren’t made of steel. Forced into an impossible collaboration, Julian and Remy find that the friction between their worldviews is starting to look a lot like chemistry. But can Julian abandon his rigid professional armor to choose a life that is messy, unpredictable, and entirely theirs?
For Julian Vane, a high-stakes architect who views life through the lens of load-bearing walls and stress fractures, the upcoming seasonal festival in the Ironrail Market District is just another job. Tasked with retrofitting the aging, industrial-chic stalls for a rigorous municipal licensing in...