The Sixty/Forty Rule
2022
Ellie Wilde
Jude Holland has slogged it for years at her commercial design firm for a chance to land a coveted job designing the cityโs trendiest restaurants and nightclubs. As an assistant, sheโs done her fair share of grunt work and covering the asses of less-than-competant lead designers, all in the name of one day joining their rank.
When a spot suddenly opens up on the firmโs design team, Judeโs boss makes her a deal: design Theo Jordanโthe firmโs biggest clientโa new, breathtaking restaurant, convince him to renew his contract with the company, and the job is hers.
If only heโd play along.
Theo is infamous for three very specific things: heโs a hot-shot young chef-turned-restaurateur, a thorn-in-your-side client, and the kind of attractive that makes you wonder which kind of psychedelics the great maker was taking when he created him. Not that Jude notices. Sheโs too busy sticking to the plan, and it helps that heโs a total ass, anyway.
That is, until a steamy business trip leads to a very different deal between the two, who suddenly canโt seem to keep their hands off each other. Sixty percent of the time, theyโd indulge those funny, fluttering feelings that seem to manifest whenever theyโre together. The rest of the time? Theyโd be nothing but professional.
It doesnโt take Theo long to realize thatโs easier said than done. But with a restaurant launch and Judeโs dream promotion on the lineโnot to mention a workplace rival hell-bent on ruining her careerโTheo only has a handful of weeks to convince Jude to make that sixty percent full time.