by Andy Gallo
“We can worry about where we live in ten years, nine years from now. For now, I have a job in Philly, you have a job in Philly, and we have a place in Philly.”
“What about the second-rate farmers’ markets?”
“Love is more important?”
“And your made-up Brooklyn language? Are you prepared to give that up?”
“I view this as an opportunity to spread diversity and teach Philly a few things.”
Luke snorted. “You’re okay living in a cozy one-bedroom with an inadequately stocked kitchen?”
“Nope. But we’re not living in the apartment. CJ is.”
“CJ’s going to live in our apartment with us?”
“Interesting choice of words, our apartment.” Nico found the picture of Mrs. R’s house and flipped it over.
“It’s for sale?”
“No. It’s been sold already.”
Luke stared at the page for a moment. A thought bubbled up. “Wait. You bought it?”
Nico chuckled. “I wish. My parents bought it. We’ll be renting from them. They said we could buy it from them once we get settled.”
Luke drew Nico against him. “I can’t make you give up everything for me. I’m sure I’ll find a job in New York.”
“I’m not giving up anything for you. This is for us. Plus, how many twenty-two-year-olds are going to be running a multi-million-dollar business right out of college? If we went to New York, I’d be in Papà’s shadow until he retires. This gives me time to shine.”
Luke bumped their foreheads together.
“A lot can happen in ten years,” Nico said. “You might hate working for a firm, you may find a new job, we may love Philly and not want to move, we might hate Philly and both want to move. The only constant in that is we’ll do it together.”
Luke caressed Nico’s face. This was happening. They were happening. “Together?”
Nico kissed him. “Together.”
~ The End ~
Better To Believe
We’re working on new installment(s) in the Harrison Campus Series. Next up is Luke’s roommate, Coury Henderson.
You met Coury before Luke and Nico left for Philadelphia, and got to know him a bit through his texts to Luke. This will be his story.
[Note: This snippet is not final and is a subject to change. ]
Chapter One
Coury
Balls zipped across the field house floor and smacked into well-oiled leather, and Coury Henderson breathed it all in from the bleachers.
Baseball.
It should be him down there practicing.
His roommate Luke jumped up for a ball way over his head and yelled lighthearted smack for the errant throw.
That curse should have been directed at Coury.
Since that first awkward practice freshman year, they’d warmed up together. They’d talked up today all last semester. They’d been impatient to slip their fingers into the well-worn groves of their gloves.
Coury closed his eyes and felt the ache in his side—and the heavier one in his chest.
Luke had warned him not to go snowboarding . . .
The metal bleacher rattled and jounced at the arrival of another spectator.
“Here you are.” Nico set a travel mug of coffee next to Coury’s leg. “Two sugars and a splash of cream.”
Coury smiled as he tapped fists with Luke’s boyfriend. “Thanks, Nero.”
“Anytime, Cokey.” Nico sat and stretched his long legs onto the bench below. He eyed the phone Coury gripped in his good hand. “Please tell me you’re not texting that awful being.”
“Nope, I took your advice and deleted her from my phone and unfollowed her on social media.” Hailey dumping him had hurt, but it was nothing to the prospect of not playing baseball this season . . . “I don’t even know that she and mister richy pants just got back from the South of France yesterday.”
Nico snorted. “Forgot one?”
“Twitter.” He’d blocked her right after he saw all the happy photos.
His phone dinged. “Finally.” At Nico’s suspicious brow, Coury grinned. “Not Hailey, Liam.”
“Oh him, your best friend.” Nico pouted, and Coury rolled his eyes.
“Best and longest friend.”
“Go on then, bemuse yourself with him.”
{Liam: Seriously, Bro? It’s the middle of the night.}
Coury smiled at the goofy bed hair his best friend probably sported as his sleepy eyes read his message. Served him right for sending drunken, cryptic texts at 2:00 a.m. The real middle of the night.
{Coury: Be glad I didn’t call.}
{Liam: Why are you up at 7 fucking 30 on a SUNDAY!}
{Coury: First practice.}
Not a real practice, just a bunch of guys working the rust off before the university officially allowed to start. But, unofficial meant scheduling fieldhouse time that no one else wanted.
{Liam: You’re playing?}
{Coury: Just watching.}
{Coury: Now that you’re up, what did you need to tell me?}
{Liam: Dude! Why are you watching?}
{Coury: News or I’m putting the phone away.}
{Liam: Beckett’s come home from Texas and is living near Harrison.}
Beckett? Tall, dark, brooding Beckett who’d set his twelve-year-old hormones on fire, Beckett? Beckett who’d clued him in that he was bisexual?
Huh.
“Are you all right, darling?” Nico leaned over and read Coury’s screen. “Who’s this Beckett that has you all hot and bothered?”
Coury snatched his phone away. “Didn’t anyone tell you it’s bad manners to read people’s messages?”
“Tons, but I do it anyway.” He leaned back and took a sip. “One can’t gossip properly without accurate information.”
Coury pointed warningly at his friend. “Don’t you fuckin dare.”
A ball clanked in the bleacher below. Luke jogged toward them it was Nico’s turn to flush. God those two were in love.
“Hey, sweetie.” Luke bounced up the aluminum bleachers and gave Nico a peck on the lips. He gently pried the coffee from his hand and took a sip, “How’d you get Mr. Cranky here to smile?” Luke said with a nod to Coury.
“Not my charms, sadly. Some guy called Beckett did that.”
“Beckett?” Luke took another drink and gave it back to his boyfriend. “Who’s Beckett?”
“Liam’s older brother,” Coury said. “He played in the Houston Astro organization?” He rolled his eyes at Nico and Luke’s unsubtle grinning exchange. “Please, he’s straight and he’s Liam’s brother.”
“Right because no one ever lusted after their best friend’s older brother,” Nico said, and gestured Luke toward the field. “You need to go, babe. Someone’s getting his jock in a bunch.”
Luke winked and ran off, leaving Coury staring wistfully after him.
Nico patted Coury’s arm. “You’ll be out there soon.”
“Right.” Hopefully.
“When can you start again?”
“I see the doctor Wednesday. Assuming things are good, I go to rehab for four weeks.”
“So . . . you had a thing for this Beckett?” Nico asked.
“When I was twelve. He was the best player to come from our town that anyone could remember. More like I idolized him and wanted to be like him. Haven’t seen him in nine years.”
“Gotcha.”
Someone yelled on the field and Coury looked up.
“Whomever Luke is warming up with can’t hit the side of the barn from inside,” Nico said.
“Look at you,” Coury said with a big grin. “Six months with Luke and your Mr. Baseball now.”
“As much time as I’ve spent listening to you two talk, what did you expect?”
He bumped shoulders. Nico made Luke happy. Happier than Coury had ever seen. That alone made him good people.
{Liam: Hello! You better not ditch me after waking me up.}
{Coury: Sorry, was t
alking to someone. That’s cool your bro is coming back.}
{Liam: He’s stayin with g-pa. I gave him your number.}
{Coury: My number?}
{Liam: Because he doesn’t know anyone under 75. Figured you two could hang out in between my visits.}
{Coury: So you’ll visit B, but not me?}
Three seconds later his phone rang. Liam’s name flashed on the screen.
Nico slapped the bench and stood. “Be right back. Gonna use the men’s room.”
“Hello?”
“He needs a friend, bro,” Liam said. “Last few years were rough for him. You’re a familiar face until he gets settled.”
“I mean, he probably doesn’t remember me.”
“Probably a good thing. You really filled out with age.”
Coury rolled his eyes.
“So you’ll hang with him?” Liam asked.
“Sure.”
Luke fielded a sharp ground ball and zinged it to the first baseman. It hit the guys outstretched mitt with a snap.
God he ached to be out there.
“Stop torturing yourself,” Liam said softly. “And, thanks. You’re the best, C-man.”
About Andy
Andy Gallo prefers mountains over the beach, coffee over tea, and regardless if you shake it or stir it, he isn’t drinking a martini. He remembers his “good old days” as filled with mullets, disco music, too-short shorts, and too-high socks. Thanks to good shredders and a lack of social media, there is no proof he ever descended into any of those evils.
Married and living his own happy every after, Andy helps others find their happy endings in the pages of his stories. No living or deceased ex-boyfriends appear on the pages of his stories.
Andy and his husband of more than twenty-five years spend their days raising their daughter and rubbing elbows with other parents. Embracing his status as the gay dad, Andy sometimes has to remind others that one does want a hint of color even when chasing after their child.
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About Anyta
A bit about me: I'm a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.
Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.
I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy.
My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, and Thai.
Contact: http://www.anytasunday.com/about-anyta/
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Also by Anyta Sunday
Taboo For You
Sam:
He’s solid, kind, and he’s back. Luke. My next door neighbor. My best friend. My unofficial co-parent.
God, I’ve missed him. Really, deeply missed him.
Now he’s around again? Maybe he’ll help me tick my way through my Must Do List . . .
Swim with the great whites?
Get into crazy, nasty shape. Lift weights before work!
Date someone ten years older.
Flirt, have fun, don’t fall in love.
Do something sexually taboo. (Or just have sex again.)
I mean, I’m straight, so Luke doesn’t have to help me with the last three points.
But, what . . . what if he does?
Luke:
He’s the guy I’m in love with. He doesn’t even know I’m gay.
God, I’m screwed.
"Taboo For You" is a slow burn, Friends To Lovers, boy-next-door, bi-awakening story with HEA. A sweet & cozy M/M romance. This is the first book in the "Love & Family" series, set in Wellington, New Zealand.
The books in the Love & Family series are standalone romances, and can be read in any order.
Leo Loves Aries
Leo loves Aries. If only Leo’s clueless ass could see it.
Theo Wallace—fun, lazy, Leo—needs a friendship that sticks. That thrives. That helps him leave past pains behind and look toward the Bright Future.
Mr. Jamie Cooper—level-headed, motivated, Aries—seems to be a possible and convenient match. Real convenient. Like written-in-the-stars, he’s-his-newest-roommate convenient.
Things are fun.
Things are better than fun.
But what’s with those long looks Jamie keeps giving Theo?
And what’s with the quivery feelings in Theo’s stomach?
Clueless Leo will need a clever Aries to figure it out.
