by Beth Bolden
“Ew,” Ren complained. “I thought I said no disgusting or sappy displays of affection.”
“You said it,” Gabriel said with a lighthearted smile, “but that doesn’t mean it’s gonna happen.”
“What’s the plan for this dish?” Sean said, deciding that he might as well help, because like Gabe had said, three sets of hands were better than two. And he already knew what would happen if he ended up dragging Gabriel by his dick back to his bedroom.
Ren would make his life hell, for the near and the foreseeable future. And since he wanted to spend that foreseeable future with Gabriel, pissing off his cousin and best friend didn’t seem like the best plan.
“It’s a play on Swedish meatballs, but in a sandwich,” Gabriel said, shooting him a grateful look, clearly pleased that Sean had changed the subject. “The meatballs, plus a savory gravy, and lingonberry jam mayo, and picked cucumbers and radishes to add crunch. All piled up on a potato roll.”
Sean’s mouth watered. “Uh, that sounds awesome.”
“Thanks,” Ren said. “You really think so?”
“Uh yeah,” Sean said. “This whole concept is brilliant. Using Nonna’s meatballs to experiment with other dishes? It’s awesome.”
“It’s partially thanks to you it happened at all,” Gabriel said, shooting a particularly mushy glance Sean’s way.
“What he really wants is to beg you to put the Thai wrap on his menu,” Ren inserted.
“You showed me what was possible,” Gabriel said, and sounded apologetic. Like he shouldn’t take what had been undeniably a great idea and use it.
“I don’t own that idea,” Sean said. He’d moved into the kitchen now, and had taken the knife Ren had given him, and started slicing the cucumbers and the radishes for pickling. “We came up with it together.”
“Yeah, but if we’d kept to my ideas, we’d have some kind of weird soggy wrap,” Gabriel said, and the expression on his face—gratitude and admiration and love—made Sean weak in the knees.
Ren must have caught it too, because he growled a little. “What did I tell you two?”
“We weren’t even touching,” Gabe protested.
“Yeah, except you looked like you wanted to be,” Ren insisted, and he was not wrong.
“I’m sorry,” Sean said, even though he didn’t feel all that sorry. But he saw enough of himself in Ren that he thought he might understand a little of what he felt. “We’ll try to keep it under wraps.”
Ren sighed, and set down his flat whisk, where he’d been prepping to make the gravy. “You don’t need to apologize.” He hesitated, like he knew he needed to be the one making the apology, but wasn’t sure where to begin. “I’m really happy for you two, honestly.”
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Really.” Ren sounded certain now. “You two . . . it’s kind of beautiful, actually.”
Sean’s gaze met Gabriel’s and he couldn’t disagree, because while there was weight there, and shared history, and a thousand ways they’d needled each other over the years, he knew that Gabe would never stop fighting for him. Or cooking with him.
“See,” Ren continued, gesturing with the whisk, “that sort of shit is why I can’t even be angry. You’re so . . . so . . .”
“Adorable? Heart-warming? Wonderfully in love?”
Ren turned back towards the stove. “Sure,” he said carelessly, casually, but Sean knew he didn’t feel that way at all. The tense line of his neck said everything he didn’t. “Really,” he added, “I’m just glad you put poor Gabe out of his misery, because he was so far up his own ass, it was getting annoying.”
Sean chuckled, and nudged Gabriel with his elbow. “I was pretty miserable without you, too. Missed you even when I didn’t want to be missing you.”
“If that’s the cost of you being here with me now, then I’m glad you were,” Gabriel said, and Sean couldn’t resist anymore. He tilted his head and Gabe’s lips met his.
“Ugh,” Ren said, his word punctuated by a sharp rap on the front door.
Gabe lifted his head from Sean’s slowly. “Who’s that?” he asked.
“Probably the Girl Scouts selling cookies,” Ren said, flicking the stove off under his pan of gravy and heading towards the front door.
“I’d like three boxes of Samoas and four of Thin Mints,” Gabriel called out.
But then Sean tugged his mouth down towards his again, and for a second, they both got lost in the kiss.
There was no better evidence of this than the fact it took a very wry, very frustrated voice to jerk them out of it.
“I see you both finally did what you were supposed to.”
Sean opened his eyes and pulled away from Gabriel.
Tony was standing in the living room, flushed, like he’d run the few blocks here. His blue eyes were twinkling with amusement, but his expression was flat. Emotionless.
“Yeah, about that . . .” Gabriel started to say, but Tony lifted his hand.
“Do you remember that contract you signed?” he asked.
Gabriel reached beneath the counter and gripped Sean’s hand. “Yeah, I do.”
“Do you remember,” Tony said, beginning to pace, “that there was a clause about requiring approval for any and all name and branding changes?”
“Uh, sure?” Sean said, speaking up this time. If Gabriel was in trouble, he was in just as much trouble—because he’d changed his name, too.
Now he hadn’t changed his to something that was guaranteed to make Tony’s blood pressure rise, but he’d still done it without any approval whatsoever.
Tony’s glare shifted, and then suddenly, he was grinning like he couldn’t ever stop.
“You’re both in trouble,” he said, “but you, Gabriel Moretti, are a real pain in my ass. At least Sean picked something that won’t have the family groups picketing me.”
“What?” Gabriel asked innocently. “Is there something dirty about it? I’m serving balls and buns.”
Tony threw up his hands. “You’re lucky that I think it’s absolutely hilarious and it’s not like the family groups are coming around, anyway.”
“Really?” Ren sounded just as surprised as Sean felt. He was sure that Tony was going to be way more pissed.
“Hey, fuck it, you guys are family, and it’s absolutely brilliant. You’re gonna have a line around the block.” Tony paused, thinking about this for the first time. “Maybe I’ll even end up hating you for outselling the rest of us.”
“No way,” Gabe said.
“Really?” Tony raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“You said it,” Gabriel said, but he wasn’t looking at Tony. He was looking straight at Sean. “We’re family. And even when family drives you crazy, you love them anyway.”
“Damn straight,” Tony said, but his voice had already faded away, because Sean realized he was right.
When he’d moved here, he hadn’t had anything anymore. He’d felt empty and alone and unmoored. He hadn’t even realized that had begun to change, but it had, and then when he’d woken up and opened his eyes to what was happening between him and Gabriel, it was impossible to miss what else had happened.
He’d found another family.
“I love you,” he murmured to Gabe, and ignoring Ren’s outraged squawk, reached up to kiss him again.
———
Preorder the final Food Truck Warriors novel, Ash and Lennox’s book, Full Speed Ahead, here.
———
Want another fun dose of Gabriel and Sean? Check out the bonus scene here, where Lennox orders from Balls and Buns for the very first time.
Make sure you don’t miss any of the Food Truck Warriors books!
Drive Me Crazy - Lucas is just looking for some summer fun while Tony wants it all. But when their undeniable chemistry heats up the food truck kitchen, all bets are off.
Kiss & Tell - a New Year’s Eve novella set in the Food Truck Warriors universe. Jackson lives to work, but what happens wh
en he runs into Greek food truck owner, Alexis? When midnight strikes, sparks fly, and two lives change forever.
Hit the Brakes - Tate has had a crush on famous football player Chase since high school. But what happens when Chase suggests they fake a relationship to give Tate’s food truck a much-needed boost?
On a Roll - Sean and Gabriel accidentally named their food truck the exact same thing. Can they stop arguing about it long enough to fall in love?
Full Speed Ahead - In the final Food Truck Warriors book, Lennox isn’t the only one keeping secrets. A stalker has discovered one about Ash, and isn’t willing to leave him alone. When Lennox intervenes, the electric chemistry between him and Ash erupts into something very much like love. Releasing June 3, 2021.
Beth’s Books
KITCHEN GODS - Available on audio
Complete Box Set - including all four novels, and additional bonus content.
Bite Me - Miles’ and Evan’s story. They were sure they were enemies . . . until they were sure they weren’t.
Catch Me - Wyatt and Ryan’s story. Their relationship is completely fake . . . until it isn’t.
Worship Me - a short story about Matt and Alex from Catch Me.
Savor Me - Xander and Damon’s story. They’re partners in a new restuarant . . . until they’re so much more.
Indulge Me - Kian and Bastian’s story. Working together is a necessity, but their mutual love? It’s every bit an unnecessary indulgence.
LOS ANGELES RIPTIDE
Rough Contact - Their romance is forbidden. Their love is a secret. Neal and Jamie are the Romeo and Juliet of football - with all the feels, and much less tragedy.
The Rivalry - Rival. Enemy. Teammate. Friend. Lover. Two very different quarterbacks end up playing for the same team, fighting for the same starting spot - and end up fighting for each other, too. Available on audio.
STAR SHADOW
Complete Box Set - including all four novels, and an exclusive short story.
Terrible Things - a little grittier, a little darker, a little more terrible. A rock star romance. Available on audio.
Impossible Things - Benji & Diego’s story, and the sequel to Terrible Things. Available on audio.
Hazardous Things - Felix’s had a crush on Max forever. But he’s straight. Ish. Right?
Extraordinary Things - The final book of the Star Shadow series. Revisits Leo & Caleb’s love story.
STANDALONES
The Rainbow Clause - Shy NFL quarterback meets immovable object AKA the journalist assigned to write his coming out profile. Sparks are definitely gonna fly. Available on audio.
All Screwed Up - David is Griffin’s annoying contractor. So why does Griffin want David to nail him? An enemies to lovers romantic comedy co-authored with Brittany Cournoyer.
Snow Job - Micah & Jake have always been enemies. They used to be stepbrothers. But they could be so much more.
Taste on my Tongue - Kitchen Wars is the hottest new reality show on TV, but pop star Landon can’t even turn an oven on. Will baker Quentin be able to give him a culinary education so they can win?
Wrapped with Love - Losing Jordan is the biggest regret of Reed’s life. Will holiday magic and a little Secret Santa be able to repair what was broken?
Fairytale of LaGuardia - Once upon a holiday season, a hockey player and a baseball player walked into a bar . . .and the rest is history. A Christmas story co-written with A.E. Wasp.
Musical Notes - two teachers with nothing in common, except a high school musical that’s only three weeks away from Opening Night.
FANTASY
Yours, Forever After - a lost Prince, a lonely bookworm and a suprisingly chatty unicorn go on the quest of a lifetime to save their kingdoms from an evil sorceress. Now the Complete Edition, featuring an epilogue novella.
About Beth
A lifelong Pacific Northwester, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.
Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published twenty-four novels and seven novellas.
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www.bethbolden.com
Acknowledgements
Some books just about kill you coming out, others just flow out as naturally as you could ever imagine. This book was the latter. I enjoyed every second of writing Sean and Gabriel’s story, just as much as I hope you enjoyed reading it.
Jacki continues to be my most invaluable sounding board, never being afraid to tell me, “yeah, no, you can’t write it that way.” There is nothing more important than people who will always tell you the truth. And she always does. I could not write the books I do without her.
Gwen—trading cat pics with you shouldn’t be as fun as it is, but it often makes my day. Thank you for all your fantastic cheerleading and encouragement.
My sprint group always keeps me on my toes. Thank you to everyone for forcing me to continue getting up too early, just so I can get my words in.
My beta readers—Angela, Emily, Louise, and Megan—do so much for me. They never fail to help me write the best book I can.
Judy is my most staunch editor. Sam of AngstyG continues to design beautiful covers for me.
Much gratitude and all the apologies to my husband, who tolerates the house getting dusty and the laundry not done and me face-deep in another manuscript. I could not ask for a more understanding or supportive partner.
Last but not least, my readers. I love all of you, more than I can possibly express. You’ve made this career possible for me, and there are no words I can use to express my appreciation and gratitude.
Copyright © 2021 Beth Bolden.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, at the address below.
Beth Bolden Books
[email protected]
www.bethbolden.com
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Book Layout © 2021 Beth Bolden
Book Cover © 2020 AngstyG Book Cover and Media Design
The people in the images are models and should not be connected to the characters in the book. Any resemblance is incidental.
Ordering Information:
Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact Beth Bolden at the address above.
On a Roll/ Beth Bolden. -- 1st ed.
