Romeo for Real

by Markus Harwood-Jones

Bridget Liang, your collaboration and comradeship made writing so much richer! I know you will continue to make amazing things.

  Much love to all the Phoenix Nest — past, present, and future! Thank you for taking care of each other, laughing together, and living out all that real love can be.

  Thanks to all my holos back in the day in Winnipeg. You were the best friends a messed up teen like me could ever ask for. And special shout out to Ariyanna — you’ll always be my big sister.

  Thank you, Iris Robin, for all your comments, questions, ideas, and enthusiasm! You’re a truly fabulous friend.

  Many thanks to Kate Welsh, your brainstorming sessions and helpful ideas are all over this work.

  Sienna Rachelle — many thanks to you, and all your family, for being absolutely weird and wonderful.

  All my love to Andrew McAllister — your companionship means the world to me. And to Hannah Dees — I can’t wait for us to start our family together.

  Finally, Bill & Cheryl Telford, Tony Harwood-Jones, and Heather Dixon. You have both literally and figuratively made me who I am today. Thank you for everything.

  Copyright © 2018 by Markus Harwood-Jones

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers acknowledges funding support from the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), an agency of the Government of Ontario. We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $153 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country. This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada and with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation.

  We acknowledge the [financial] support of the Government of Canada.

  Nous reconnaissons l’appui [financier] du gouvernement du Canada.

  Cover design: Shabnam Safari

  Cover image: Shutterstock

  Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

  Star, 1991-, author Romeo for real / Markus Harwood-Jones.

  (Real love)

  Issued in print and electronic formats.

  ISBN 978-1-4594-1296-5 (softcover).--ISBN 978-1-4594-1297-2 (EPUB)

  I. Title. II. Series: Real love (Series)

  PS8637.T3635R66 2018 jC813’.6 C2017-906499-1 C2017-906500-9

  This digital edition first published in 2018 as 978-1-4594-1297-2

  Originally published in 2018 as 978-1-4594-1296-5

  James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers

  117 Peter Street, Suite 304

  Toronto, ON, Canada

  M5V 0M3

  www.lorimer.ca