Maybe he’d go home with someone. Maybe he wouldn’t. He’d lost it eventually, of course, once he left Gage — he played the dentist in Little Shop of Horrors, and hooked up with Seymour inside in the goddamn plant, of all places. He never exactly came out but he didn’t really need to.
Amory discovered that if you could smile and twist your mouth, break into song and make fun of yourself, no one looked too closely. If you started your sentences with “Aw, fuck me …” you handed people a reason to laugh before they discovered one themselves. No one in theater cared who you fucked, mostly, as long as you didn’t do it in the plant.
He’d gotten so much mileage outta that story.
So he fucked guys and he even fucked some girls but he never stuck around, or they never stuck around, or whatever. Nothing dramatic or ridiculous. Just nothing.
He drank more Modelo. This grimy little bar didn’t carry much, but he’d had cash and the bartender with the weird star tats had handed him a beer. Amory had flipped him his ID, the guy hadn’t even asked but Amory thought he might get lucky. The bartender looked and said it was on the house. Amory got lucky like that a lot. He’d looked in a mirror. People liked to give Amory things.
Maybe that would work for him tonight.
If nothing else, he could forget. He wouldn’t remember the yellow candles they used for everyone’s birthday until they burned to nubs. He wouldn’t remember the taste of his mother’s cake, the shine of those small birthday flames in the winter dark. He wouldn’t remember that last card the littles had made him, the long-lost childish writing on red construction paper, the balloon-shapes Melanie had carefully cut out and asked them each to label with their names. We love you always, it had read.
That night he wore lace-up leather pants. The laces made it easier to take his cock out. He’d check his black T-shirt at the door and show off his chest. Happy fuckin’ birthday to me, amirite, he’d smile, a smile not quite stapled straight. The Modelo calmed him, its taste familiar from a hundred other nights in a hundred other bars. They’d stare at his cock tonight — Amory had a great cock, big and thick and smooth with a perfect head to it, the kind of cock other guys wanted to suck or jerk. He’d like them looking. He did theater. He liked everyone looking at him, liked the stage, the center of attention, standing alone in the bright light. When they looked at you, when you had them with you, hanging, living and dying on your word and gesture, on the flicker and play of emotion on your face, you were no longer alone.
He wanted, suddenly and violently, to crush the can of beer in his hand.
So what if you hurt in the quiet? So what if you laid in the dark and the silence and wished for something you’d never have again? You could make a sort of life, if you tried hard enough. You had nothing so you started from nothing. You made yourself up as you went along, and it made you free.
But it could choke you, some days, if you turned around too quickly. It could rise in your chest and squeeze your heart dry. Amory had lost his family. He touched the gold cross and he touched the loss of his god. He had lost home itself, and he spun, fell, tumbled without even the gift of a ground to catch him.
Amory still had himself. That was something.
He chugged the rest of his beer and stood. As he walked out, he saw a flash of Barbie-blond hair, the real thing, not a dye job. He’d only seen that color once before. God, if only. Amory had always wanted to fuck him. He got lucky a lot of the time. Never that lucky. But tonight was his birthday, and without anything to hold, an endless maybe stretched in front of him. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.
About the Author
Julia McBryant lives in the prettiest city in the whole world with her roving nebula of German Shepherds. Southern born, Southern bred, and when she dies, she’ll be Southern dead, Julia loves gold glitter, brand-new pens her children haven’t stolen, and notebooks full of character details. She also enjoys unicorns, caffeine, and unicorns on caffeine. When she isn’t writing she’s writing.
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Also by Julia McBryant
Julia McBryant’s interconnected series chronicle the lives of a group of well-off, high society young adults in Savannah, Georgia, most of whom have known each other since kindergarten. Their complicated relationships (and unconventional sexcapades) form the meat of the series, along with a careful attention to chronology, character, and prose. More than romantic erotica, they detail a fully realized world of drama, theme, and most of all, memorable characters.
While they can be read in any order, and are probably best read by series, chronologically, they take place in the following order: Remember All the Things We Don’t Want to Forget, For I Have Sinned, It’s Enough, Like Sunshine, Slow Dance/Hurricane Dreams, I Wish I Were Special/Neon Saturday Night, Beautiful Boys, All the Little Lights, and What Christmas Means/Learning to Love Christmas/Christmas Cousins.
It’s Enough: Crispin and Wills 1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S3KR3LR
Southern Seduction, #1
#1 Gay Erotica
Crispin and Wills went from best friends to lovers in eleventh grade. Since then, their lives have taken radically different paths: Wills headed off to college at the University of Georgia, and Crispin stayed in Savannah to become a carpenter like his father. When Wills returns home for Christmas break, Crispin’s still madly in love with him, and questions whether his best friend shares the same feelings. Neither Wills nor Crispin knows if their romance has survives the long-distance relationship, and if it can still grow in the stifling anti-gay atmosphere of uppercrust Savannah.
Set in the same staid ballrooms, these three coming-of-age, first-love shorts showcase Julia McBryant’s lyrical prose and memorable characters, alongside a high heat level and an unforgettable setting.
Spin-offs to the Southern Seduction universe include the both the Low Country Lovers and Southern Scandal series.
Like Sunshine: Crispin and Wills 2
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SD5V7XL
Southern Seduction, #2
#1 Gay Erotica
After their time in Savannah, Wills and Crispin have decided to give it a try for real this time, and Crispin visits his best friend-turned-lover in the liberal college town of Athens, Georgia — four hours from the anti-gay strictures of uppercrust Savannah society. He worries their relationship won’t have changed much from the secretive encounters they shared over Christmas break. But without the homophobia surrounding their repressive upbringings, Crispin and Wills find an entirely different kind of romance.
The two shorts in Like Sunshine show two memorable characters in a sweet, coming-of-age, first-love story with high heat through the lyrical prose of Julia McBryant.
Spin-offs of the Southern Seduction universe include both the Low Country Lovers and Southern Scandal series.
Slow Dance: Crispin and Wills 3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T2SZ8CZ
Southern Seduction, #3
Crispin and Wills have been best friends since kindergarten, and became lovers in eleventh grade. It’s taken a year for them to negotiate their relationship through Wills’s first year of college, and now they’ve decided to move in together during the summer after Wills’s freshman year. Four hours away from the homophobia and prejudice of uppercrust Savannah society, neither can wait for three months of new adult freedom — and the freedom to live publicly as a gay cou
ple. But nothing goes as planned, and their romance falters. They worked as boyfriends. Now they’re desperate for their teenage love to turn the corner into the real world.
The novella Slow Dance shows two memorable characters in a sweet, coming-of-age, first-love story with high heat through the lyrical prose of Julia McBryant.
Spin-offs of the Southern Seduction universe include both the Low Country Lovers and Southern Scandal series.
What Christmas Means: Crispin and Wills 4
https://www.amazon.com/What-Christmas-Means-Southern-Seduction-ebook/dp/B07ZKT7J52
Southern Seduction, #4
Wills and his twin Henry decide to throw a massive, three-day Christmas blowout at their beach house on Tybee. But a Christmas party needs decorations. And cookies. And pie. Wills decides it’s his sworn duty to provide them all — including Santa hats with everyone’s name fabric-painted onto them — and drags Crispin along in his tinsel-strewn wake. But Christmas is more than sticking black Santa in the corner and baking (obscene) sugar cookies. And Wills has to figure that out before his party goes to hell.
Part of the Southern Seduction series, the novella “What Christmas Means” will hook you with the comedy and give you that warm Christmas glow you’re looking for in a holiday tale.
“What Christmas Means” tells story of the same holiday party, from a different perspective, of the one in Low Country Lovers’ “Learning to Love Christmas” and Southern Scandal’s “Christmas Cousins.” The stories can all be read as stand-alones in the context of their series, but differ enough in details to be read together.
Hurricane Dreams: Audie and Calhoun 1
https://www.amazon.com/Hurricane-Dreams-Calhoun-Southern-Seduction-ebook/dp/B07TTK2J8R
Low Country Lovers, #1
#1 LGBT Literary Fiction
#1 LGBT 90-Minute Short Reads
#1 Bisexual Romance
Ranked #1 LGBT Literary Fiction
Ranked #1 Gay Fiction
Ranked #1 LGBT 90-Minute Short Reads
“Ms. McBryant beautifully shows the reader how a first, youthful “true” love can grow and reach beyond the mere physical. Wow!” — Gay Book Reviews
Audie Currell, the only son of one of the richest families in Charleston, spent a childhood brutally abused for his sexuality. During his parents’ wine tasting, he runs off into the night with Calhoun Chatterton, and the two begin dating in secret. But Audie’s abusive childhood stands in the way of an authentic relationship — as does their families’ homophobia. Two naive teenagers, they have to hide their romance while coping with Audie’s trauma.
An insta-love romance filled with lyrical prose from Julia McBryant, author of I Wish I Were Special and Beautiful Boys, the short story collection Hurricane Dreams is a coming-of-age, first-love story with plenty of hurt/comfort, angst, and high heat.
A spin-off of the Southern Seduction series, the Low Country Lovers, like McBryant’s Southern Scandal series, can be read as a stand-alone.
Neon Saturday Night: Audie and Calhoun 2
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XM48SW7
Low Country Lovers, #2
Audie and Calhoun have been hiding their clandestine relationship from their parents throughout college. But Audie’s traumatic history of abuse at their hands leaves him with the idea that he has little to offer a committed relationship. Audie feels stuck in an inescapable narrative: he hurts, and Calhoun saves him. He’s tired of always feeling like the drama queen, tired of always playing the traumatized boyfriend. He wants something real to give Calhoun — if only he can figure out what that is. And if only Calhoun will let him.
Another true-love romance filled with lyrical prose from author Julia McBryant, the short story collection Neon Saturday Night uses humor, angst, high heat, and hurt/comfort to draw two young lovers closer together than ever.
The Low Country Lovers series is a spin-off of the Southern Seduction series and takes place in the same universe; Low Country Lovers can be read on its own.
Learning to Love Christmas: Audie and Calhoun 3
https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Love-Christmas-Calhoun-Country-ebook/dp/B07ZKX4NFS
Low Country Lovers, #3
Note: while this book takes place AFTER Low Country Lovers #4, it contains no spoilers.
Audie Currell hates Christmas, which he’s always spent with his abusive family. But his boyfriend Calhoun drags him to the Culliver twins’ three-day Christmas blow-out at their beach house on Tybee, where “it looks like Macy’s holiday department has vomited its entire contents.” While the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, the hot tub bubbles, and the Goldschlager passes from hand to hand, Calhoun has to teach Audie that Christmas isn’t all bad — in a big way.
Full of hilarious moments, tenderness, and the touch of angst you’d expect from Audie, the novella “Learning to Love Christmas” will leave you with the warm holiday glow (literally) that’s the real reason for the season.
Low Country Lovers’ “Learning to Love Christmas” tells the story of the same party featured in Southern Seduction’s “The Meaning of Christmas” and Southern Scandal’s “Christmas Cousins” from a different perspective. Each novella can be read separately in the context of its series, or all three fit together to create a full picture of everything that happens at one party.
All the Little Lights: Audie and Calhoun 4
Low Country Lovers, #4: Available Feb. 2020
Note: while this book takes place BEFORE Low Country Lovers #3, Low Country Lovers #3 contains no spoilers.
Audie’s finally escaped the hell of his parents’ homophobic home in Charleston to build a real, lasting romance with Calhoun in Savannah. But Charleston suddenly shows up on his doorstep when the couple are forced into playing parents to Audie’s gay cousin, beaten bloody and disowned for his sexuality. Audie has to confront his demons head-on — with a misbehaving, committed hedonist of a cousin in tow. Calhoun’s tired of acting like the mean dad. Audie’s breaking into pieces. For the sake of Audie’s cousin, their relationship — and some very unwelcome news from Audie’s father — they have to untangle this miserable knot. Somehow.
Another true-love romance filled with lyrical prose from author Julia McBryant, All the Little Lights brings the angst, hurt/comfort, high heat, and eventual HEA Audie and Calhoun deserve.
I Wish I Were Special
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XWT4MN9
Southern Scandal, #1
The youngest of five, Quinn is known throughout Savannah as the Rutledge oops baby and an inveterate party boy — but his wham, bam, thank you, ma’am philosophy covers a deep well of loneliness. Architect Ellis Ashford has shunted his daddy kink off onto a “savior complex” for years. Can they resist the magnetic pull between them, despite their age difference? Or will the Greek chorus of Savannah gossip tear them apart?
Part of the interconnected Southern Seduction and Low Country Lovers universe, this spin-off series stands alone.
Beautiful Boys: Quinn, Ellis, and Amory
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y8HNGGC
Southern Scandal, #2
Quinn and Ellis have settled into a happy daddy boy relationship when they find themselves smitten with talented, smart-mouthed — and sexy — actor Amory Reed. Amory has a daddy kink. Amory wants a boy. Quinn and Ellis want Amory. But Amory’s lower-class background makes him wary of these rich Savannahians, as does a scary secret he’s keeping. They want to make the romance work. But their jealousy threatens to leave them with nothing but empty arms and broken hearts.
Full of memorable characters, including a bratty boy, a smart-mouthed switch, and a strict-but-indulgent daddy, Beautiful Boys will hook you with a good plot — and keep you reading for the high heat.
A spinoff of the Southern Seduction and Low Country Lovers universe, the Southern Scandal series can be read on its own.
Christmas Cousins: Quinn, Ellis and Amory
https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Cousins-Quinn-Southern-Scan
dal-ebook/dp/B07ZTNBH84
Southern Scandal, #3
The Rutledge family Christmas always sucks, but Quinn has his beloved cousins, Delia and Baylor: all three same-age, look-alike blond partners in crime who always have each other’s backs, whether it’s saving Baylor from Grandfather’s ire or telling off the roving gang of brats. Baylor once chopped off her hair to make Quinn feel better. Delia punched people in the face for him. Quinn picked Delia up from parties at 3 am. They’re tight as tight can be.
Quinn, Ellis, and Amory are all settled in for the Hallmark family Christmas before the boys leave for the Culliver twins’ three-day Christmas party on Tybee — Quinn’s cousin Baylor in tow, and Delia soon to meet them. Ellis only tells his boys one thing: BEHAVE WHILE YOU’RE GONE.
Remember All the Things You Don't Want to Forget: The Prequels: Quinn, Ellis, and Amory (Southern Scandal Book 4) Page 3
