by Christi Snow
“Well?” He looked toward Austin, but caught the fond look on his face as he watched Daniel fuss over Luke’s injury.
God, he loved his two men. He’d gotten beyond lucky when a snowstorm trapped them all together.
“Come here.” He motioned for Austin to join them and then kissed him, too. “What’s your news?”
Austin ran his fingers worriedly along the edge of his puffy eye. “It’s still several years in the future, but I announced my replacement as CEO at Hodges Media today.”
“What? Why in the world did you do that?” Austin hadn’t even hinted that was in the works. “Did something happen?”
Austin chuckled. “Nothing like what you’re thinking. What happened was that I fell in love with two amazing men. By the time this goes into full effect, I’ll be getting close to fifty. I want to enjoy my time with the two of you. We all have more than enough money. And with Veiled Lies going on permanent touring hiatus, it seemed like the time.”
All four members of the band had fallen into serious relationships in the last five years that made touring less and less desirable. While the band was more popular than ever, they’d decided as a group that they could release albums and make a few public appearances a year rather than the huge tours that were so exhausting to everyone involved.
Austin cupped Luke’s cheek. “So, how about you do your part and leave the dangerous assignments to your staff so that the three of us can grow old together?”
Luke nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good.” He looked between both men. “I love you. Both of you so much. The best thing to ever happen to me was a snowstorm in the middle of Colorado that brought me both of you.”
“Oh, and that’s the other thing,” Austin said. “I bought that cabin from Hodges Media. We’re flying in there tomorrow for a few days—and nights—alone before we have to head to the Gresham Compound.”
“Merry Christmas to us,” Daniel said.
“Hell, yeah,” Luke said and pulled the men toward him. He’d gotten so incredibly lucky to find not one true love, but two. “Now I think someone mentioned something about watching...”
THE END
THANK YOU...
THANK YOU FOR READING Found At the Rock Concert. I always underestimate how difficult it is going to be to tell a story from three different points of view. I hope I was successful.
I owe two amazing ladies for helping me get this done...
Kelly Apple who beta read the book twice in record time to make sure the story worked in every way.
And Mande Matthews who pushed me every day to meet my word count goals when I was really struggling.
There was so much history between these three men that I also hope you forgive me for the unconventional format of having 1/3 of the book set in the past. But those past events shaped how these three individual men worked as a single triad and that’s the heart of their story.
I hope you agree and fell in love with Luke, Austin, and Daniel the same way that I did. I truly love them.
The Found Series and all the amazingly broken characters have a special place in my heart. I adore these books and am very proud of the stories within them. If you haven’t read the entire series, I hope you’ll take the opportunity to catch up on them now. Each story works as a standalone, but the characters interconnect and events in book #3 and #4 overlap a bit.
Found at the Library
Found at the Bookstore
Found at the Jazz Club
Found at the Rock Concert
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IF YOU LIKED THIS BOOK, I have several other books in different genres available and coming soon.
Found at the Library Story Description:
They met, they connected, and then they imploded...all within ten minutes. But those ten minutes changed their lives...
His entire life, Tommy Garrett has dealt with self-doubts. He thought he’d conquered the majority of them until a chance meeting with an author brought his illiteracy to the forefront...again. Growing up with un-diagnosed dyslexia has left Tommy barely able to read, but books are his Nirvana. Now he spends his life creating art dedicated to the love of those “untouchable” items.
Robert McIntyre, Mac, is a best-selling, highly celebrated author. But his point of view has become a little bit too narrow...until Tommy opens his eyes. That chance meeting has changed everything about his world. He has no idea how to find the beautiful man he met, and offended, at the library book sale. But when he does, Tommy’s life is in crisis-mode. It’s the holidays and Mac can’t just standby when Tommy needs help, whether Tommy wants it or not.
Two artistic men. One shared passion for books.
Life is hard, and sometimes when conflict arises you have to write your own plot twist to pull yourself out of the fray.
Book #1 in the Found Series.
.
Found at the Bookstore Story Description
THEY BOTH THINK THEY’RE too broken to make this work. But what if they’re wrong?
After suffering a traumatic brain injury the final football game his senior year in high school, Ryder Garrett’s life was never normal again. Most days he’s happy when he can remember the way home. There’s no room in his life for romance or love, which means he’s destined to die a virgin.
Stig Minton doesn’t remember what virginity felt like. Twelve years older than Ryder, he’s been around the block too many times to count and has the scars to prove it...both physically and mentally.
But as these two men come together to help with a wedding, they forge a friendship, a friendship they both desperately need. As their relationship evolves, feelings go deeper. But is it stupid to risk this new—and, yes necessary—bond in pursuit of something that’s doomed to fail?
Two broken souls may just be able to find reparation in one another...
Book #2 in the Found Series.
Found At the Jazz Club Story Description:
SOMEHOW THEIR DRUNKEN hook-up turned into a wedding that neither one of them can remember or explain.
Emily Hodges went to Vegas for her best friend’s wedding. She was NOT looking for a husband. Been there, done that, never doing it again. She has enough scars on her heart, and doesn’t need or want any more.
Brady Gresham went to Vegas to find his musical voice again. Instead he found an inspiring muse in the form of Emily. But right now his musical career is his focus. He’s too young to want or need to be tied down.
But the sex is good, the music even better...what harm can a little more time together do?
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...or does it?
Book #3 in the Found Series.
Chapter One from Found at the Library...
Chapter One
When life throws you conflict, sometimes you have to create your own plot twist.
Do Epic Shit.
-Observations from Tommy
EARLY OCTOBER
There was nothing better than this smell.
Robert McIntyre, or Mac as all his friends knew him, picked his way around the hundreds of tables piled high with books. He inhaled and picked up a tome. The aroma of paper and ink permeated his senses like nothing else in this world. Being in the midst of all this literary brilliance was honestly his favorite time of the year. Writing was an art he appreciated with every single segment of his soul.
He volunteered at the Denver Friends of the Library public sale every year. It was at this event that anyone, wealthy or poor, had the ability to enrich their world through the power of books. Hardbacks that normally sold for twenty-five to thirty dollars
were sold here for only three. Paperbacks sold for only fifty cents. The frugal reader could come in and buy their reading material for a year for just a few dollars.
For these three days, he provided pack-mule service for purveyors who purchased more than they could carry. The elderly volunteers wanted him for his muscle, not his own literary genius. His reward was three days surrounded by more books than he could ever read in his lifetime and the people who loved them as much as him. At every turn, there was a wonderful new bookish discovery, waiting to be found.
As he reached for another beautiful leather-bound tome that caught his eye, his walkie-talkie buzzed on his waistband. “Mac, we need you at register four.”
“I’ll be right there, Agnes.” He set off with a skip in his walk. Mac grinned to himself. This was his favorite part. He hoped the customer was a sci fi reader. True bibliophiles knew him and were always so excited to find him there...just like a regular person.
He rounded the last table and the registers came into sight.
The man in the Colorado Rockies hoodie stood at the end of the makeshift counters. From a distance he looked a little bit taller than Mac...probably six foot two or three. He had dark brown, curly hair that looked several months past when it probably should have been cut. It was the kind of hair a guy could grab a hold of and hang onto during a vigorous round of sex.
But what caught his attention most was the gorgeous man’s easy, happy smile. It lit up his entire face, and it was a beautiful face. Mac’s breath caught in his chest at the sight of those straight teeth shining out between full lips shrouded in dark scruff. It had been a couple of days since the guy had last shaved. That beard would scrape across Mac’s nipples, leaving a buzz across his skin in its wake.
The man leaned against a pile of boxes overflowing with books, his delectable bulge shown off to perfection in those Levi’s that had been worn so many times, they molded to his incredible thighs. He was all tall, lean, and ropey with muscle. Mac’s mouth watered.
Wow, had it been that long since he’d had sex? Rarely did he have this kind of immediate visceral reaction to a man.
The man in question unashamedly flirted with the ladies running the registers, and they were eating it up. It was too early in the day for any of them to have much to do yet, and they were easily charmed. Mac knew that from experience.
Mac approached with an easy smile. “Someone called for added muscle up here?” Mac winked at Agnes and turned to the man as he grabbed the handles on the loaded dolly. “I’m Mac. I’m here to help you with your book transport.”
The man’s eyes widened with frank appreciation as he gazed at Mac, and Mac preened internally. Aw, someone who recognized him.
“Hi, I’m Tommy.” His voice sounded deep, husky, and just a hint away from sensual. “I told them I could handle the boxes all on my own, but they insisted you needed something to do. I think I’m okay with that.” He winked at Mac.
Damn, this was good.
“Yeah, they know me too well. If I don’t stay busy, I’ll buy all the choice stock, which everyone knows I don’t need. I have too many books already.” He tilted the full dolly onto its wheels. “I’ll follow you out. Just lead the way.” That way he could watch that nice ass flex as they walked.
Tommy hefted two boxes off the counter and Mac rolled the dolly loaded up with another five boxes behind him as they went through the doors. They crossed the parking lot and headed toward an old forties, kelly green, delivery truck.
“Wow,” Mac said when Tommy stopped beside it. “I didn’t think anything this old still ran.”
Tommy grinned at him. “Unfortunately, the old girl would rather not. I spend as much time under her working out her kinks as I do driving her, but she’s perfect for my needs.”
You could work on my kinks. Mac cocked an eyebrow. “Her?” He groaned. “You’re one of those guys, aren’t you? A car guy. What’s her name?”
Tommy blushed as he opened the double doors on the back of the vehicle. That blush made him even more attractive than he’d been before, if possible. Mac had to get this cutie’s number.
Tommy raised a flirtatious eyebrow at Mac. “I don’t know if you earned the right to her name if you’re just going to diss her. She deserves more respect than that.”
Mac laughed. “God forbid, I can’t insult your girl here. How about I make it up to her by taking her owner out for dinner? I think I need to know more about a guy who’s such a reader.”
They were loading the books into the back of the van, but Tommy visibly hesitated, and his shoulders stiffened. Had Mac misread his signals? He was sure the guy was gay from the way he’d been eyeing and flirting with him.
Tommy grabbed another box, but didn’t meet Mac’s gaze this time. “Um, thanks, but I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” he mumbled with a hard edge to his tone that hadn’t been there before.
But Mac wasn’t ready to give in that easily. “What? Dinner is always a good idea. We can eat, drink, and talk books, my personal favorite subject.”
Tommy shook his head. “No, I don’t think that would work. Thanks, though. I appreciate all the help getting them loaded.”
“No problem.” Mac really didn’t understand the issue here. He’d been turned down for dates before, although it admittedly had been a while, but never had he experienced such a one-eighty in a conversation before. He decided to give it one more try. “With this many books, you should have plenty of reading to keep you warm for the coming winter. Unless, you have someone at home for that job.” Maybe that’s what the issue was...he had a boyfriend.
“No, no one at home and I don’t read.”
Relief swamped Mac. Okay, the guy wasn’t taken so he still had a chance here. But then the rest of what he said registered. “Wait, what?” Mac sputtered. “You don’t read? How is that even possible? Why would you buy all these books then?”
Tommy’s eyes flashed with hurt and then anger. “I repurpose them into art.”
“You destroy books?” Mac whispered as the horror of what this man said sunk in. He wanted to yank those van doors open and pull all those precious pages away from this man. How could he have been attracted to him?
“No, I don’t destroy them. I give them new life. I gotta go.” Tommy climbed into the old derelict van, while Mac’s brain spun with outrage.
TOMMY GARRETT OPENED the old paned French door that led into the front of his store and studio space to load the boxes of books inside. His stomach still roiled with embarrassment and anger from the scene at the book sale. He’d been so happy to find such a successful haul and to have a good-looking guy flirt with him afterward had been the icing on the cake.
Then the conversation had turned ugly. And now he felt dirty and stupid. A sick feeling settled into the pit of his stomach. He’d sworn years ago he would never give someone else the power to make him feel that way ever again. He strode back to his truck, frustration dogging his heels.
He pulled open the double back doors of Maude. Yes, he’d named his truck Maude, and he felt somewhat vindicated that he’d never shared that with the pompous ass that had helped him load the boxes. That jerk sure as hell didn’t deserve to know.
He examined the books as he placed them on the wall of bookshelves in his old warehouse studio. He may not read them, but when he looked at that brick wall of custom bookshelves that ran two stories high, they made him happy. Each of those books would be lovingly treasured and repurposed into something beautiful. No, it may not be their original purpose, but he liked to think he respected the books by taking the old worn out pieces and preserving their beauty in a different way.
While in the process of emptying the third box and removing dust jackets, he saw it. On the back flap of the dust jacket, the photo of the author mocked him. The face of the same man who had stared at him in such horror this morning. His name was Robert McIntyre.
Tommy flipped the book over and examined it more closely. This hardcover was a nice specimen. Under
the dust jacket the hardback was embossed with some sort of futuristic symbol. The binding was stitch bound and the publisher used a really high quality paper. They only did these things with their best selling novelists. He looked at the cover again.
He’d heard of this series, but hadn’t listened to it yet. No, he may not read books, but he did devour audiobooks. He stood and carried the book over to his worktable. He didn’t know why he singled out the book. The author had turned out to be a judgmental prick. But before he’d shown his true nature, Tommy had been intrigued. The question though...Was his writing good enough to qualify him as judge and jury?
Robert McIntyre wrote sci fi, not a genre that Tommy normally enjoyed, so this would be a true test to see if the author could convert him.
His musings were interrupted by the sound of his cell phone in his jeans pocket. He fumbled for it and didn’t recognize the number, so he answered using his professional script. “You’ve reached Typecast. This is Tommy. How can I help you?”
“Thomas Garrett?”
“Speaking.”
“Hello, this is Lola Barnes. I’m calling on behalf of the Minton Galleries.”
“Um, hi.” His heart sped up at the mention of the premiere art gallery in Denver.
“As you may be aware, Stig Minton is the proprietor of the Minton galleries. Recently, he saw some of your work. I’m calling to see if we can set up an appointment to discuss a possible showing for our galleries for the upcoming Christmas season.”
Tommy sucked in a breath. Fuck a duck. Christmas was just over two months away. Tommy did a frantic calculation in his head of what he had ready to show and how quickly he could pull together a portfolio. This could be just what he needed to send him to the next level of his art. “Yes, I would love to meet with Mr. Minton. Tell me when, and I’ll make sure it happens.”
