A chance meeting leads to the romance of a lifetime. Can two young men hold tight to their blossoming love?
Ireland. Seventeen-year-old Mitch McCann isn’t out and isn’t sure he wants to be. When he’s bullied by his classmates for perceived gayness, he seeks refuge in an out-of-the-way library. But in the stacks, he meets the gorgeous guy he’s longed for, and one kiss is all it takes for his heart to be lost forever.
Cian Leavy may have made it to college, but he’s still new to romance. So when he falls for the handsome high school senior, he doesn’t know how to handle them living so far apart. But after they share a touching St. Patrick’s Day weekend together in Dublin, he realizes this could be everything he’s ever wanted.
When Mitch starts university and makes plans to move in with his beautiful beau, he’s nevertheless nervous about how it will go. And just when they’re about to reunite, Cian is devastated by the housing crisis threatening to destroy his plan for an eternity of bliss.
Can the sweet young couple find their way through turmoil to the relationship they both deserve?
Including 5 brand-new stories, Mitch & Cian - The Full Story Box Set is an unforgettable collection of M/M new adult romance. If you like heartfelt confessions, undeniable chemistry, and steamy moments, then you’ll adore Helena Stone’s pulse-pounding saga.
Miracle in the Library #1
Original Review March 2019:
Original Review March 2019:
I featured Miracle in the Library as part of my series of Random Tales of Christmas 2018 but was unable to read it before the holiday, how it missed my After Holiday Christmas Reads list is beyond me . . . too many Christmas cookies I guess😉😉. But as I often say, there is never a wrong time to read stories of the holidays so I may be a few months late according to the calendar but finally I jumped in.
Now, its no secret that I rarely read Young Adult, not that it is a bad genre I just probably could count on two hands the number of YA stories I've read since I was 16, I'll be 46 in October so that's 1 every 3 years on average. You can imagine that when I read one it sticks with me and Miracle is no different.
Miracle in the Library is a sweet and insightful holiday read that will entertain no matter when you pick it up. Heart, friendship, discovery, and with just a touch of holiday magic makes this short novella a must.
Lessons in Love #2
Original Review March 2019:
Now, its no secret that I rarely read Young Adult, not that it is a bad genre I just probably could count on two hands the number of YA stories I've read since I was 16, I'll be 46 in October so that's 1 every 3 years on average. You can imagine that when I read one it sticks with me and Miracle is no different.
Miracle in the Library is a sweet and insightful holiday read that will entertain no matter when you pick it up. Heart, friendship, discovery, and with just a touch of holiday magic makes this short novella a must.
Lessons in Love #2
Original Review March 2019:
Not a lot I can say about Lessons in Love that I didn't say in Miracle in the Library where we first met Mitch and Cian. Mitch is now an adult and visiting his boyfriend at college in Dublin for the first time. Now there is definitely more heat in Lessons than Miracle now that Mitch is of age and even though to them Cian is older, they really aren't that far apart.
The "age gap" brings me to what I think I loved most about this St. Patrick's Day gem: despite being older and a college man, Cian isn't that experienced in the ways of physical love. Helena Stone lets us see into the mind of Cian and all the insecurities he's having from hand holding to sleeping in the same bed to sex. This element really showcased how both parties are still discovering all that relationships and life entail. For me that point changed this story from a lovely read to an absolute must.
So, Lessons in Love may not have the "sweetness" factor that Miracle in the Library did since Mitch is of age but its no less full of heart. When I enjoy a couple as much as Mitch and Cian this is where I normally hint to the author that it would be lovely to see the boys pop up in a holiday novella but since their journey started in a Christmas story perhaps we'll get to see them enjoying all the freakiness and creepiness of Halloween😉😉.
The "age gap" brings me to what I think I loved most about this St. Patrick's Day gem: despite being older and a college man, Cian isn't that experienced in the ways of physical love. Helena Stone lets us see into the mind of Cian and all the insecurities he's having from hand holding to sleeping in the same bed to sex. This element really showcased how both parties are still discovering all that relationships and life entail. For me that point changed this story from a lovely read to an absolute must.
So, Lessons in Love may not have the "sweetness" factor that Miracle in the Library did since Mitch is of age but its no less full of heart. When I enjoy a couple as much as Mitch and Cian this is where I normally hint to the author that it would be lovely to see the boys pop up in a holiday novella but since their journey started in a Christmas story perhaps we'll get to see them enjoying all the freakiness and creepiness of Halloween😉😉.
Original Review July 2019:
There is still so much to love about this pair. Mitch and Cian are still in the honeymoon phase of their growing relationship and that newness is beautifully depicted in Pride of Place. Not only do we get to see their love grow even more but we get to see them experience Dublin's Pride festival as well.
Don't get me wrong there is some drama thanks to mom but also an unforeseen hiccup, however it's not heavy on the angst. Pride of Place is a lovely romantic look at the next leg of Mitch and Cian's journey that will warm your heart. Is the solution to their housing issue a bit convenient? Perhaps, but their love story is a novella series so the timing may seem not quite realistic but it is by no means rushed either. Let's face it, sometimes things in life do fall into place at just the right time in just the right way so the boys' unexpected good tidings really isn't impossible or hard to accept. Add to that the title telling of their first meeting was A Miracle in the Library, perhaps the solution that's "dropped in their laps" now is simply serendipitous.
Helena Stone definitely has another winner with Pride of Place that is worth the time to read and if you haven't already explored the beginnings of Mitch and Cian's journey in A Miracle in the Library and Lessons in Love, I highly recommend giving them a read first. Trust me, you won't be sorry, Mitch and Cian are a pair of lovely lads finding love and navigating life that will make you smile. I for one, hope we haven't heard the last of this young duo.
Ukuleles & Scrums #4
Original Review December 2019:
I read Ukuleles & Scrums one afternoon two days before Christmas but unfortunately didn't get around to writing a review until now. I'm just going to start out by saying that once again Helena Stone has captured Mitch and Cian's growing relationship perfectly. I should point out that I know nothing about ukulele music and even less about rugby. The idea of putting these two hobbies/pasttimes/activities together with Mitch and Cian to be completely and utterly delicious.
The semi-unigueness of their activities is a great blend with the elements of misunderstanding and miscommunication to create a relatively low angsty story. I don't want to give anything away but Ukuleles and Scrums is a beautiful read that will make you laugh, cry, smile, and just plain feel good about life, course there a few moments I want to whack Mitch and Cian's heads together but it wouldn't be any fun if we the reader didn't want to knock sense into our heroes at least once😉😉. There is a great blend of relationship realism and romantic entertainment to make this a definite one for the win-win shelf.
The Rest of Our Lives #5
Original Review December 2019:
What better day than New Year's Eve to read the concluding entry in the Mitch and Cian series? It's sad to see the story end but riding along on the journey of their first year together has been romantic, humorous, realistic, and simply put: entertaining and a pure delight.
I don't really think there is much I can say about The Rest of our Lives that I haven't said in the previous entries other than don't miss out and don't let the novella size fool you because Mitch and Cian's love story is perfect just as it is and jam packed to the rafters with high quality storytelling.
There's just something magical about this one(the whole series really) not just because it's the holidays or because it's their one year anniversary but because of . . . well you'll have to read to decide for yourself, trust me you wont' regret it😉. Another holiday romance gem to enjoy for years to come.
BTW: Mitch's mom being a Star Wars fan is such a lovely treat. As a lifelong devoted SW nerd it always adds a special flare when a character(be it main, secondary, or cameo doesn't really matter) is too and when that character is a woman, that's an even bigger dessert special because too often it's the male character that is the fan so for that element, Thank You, Helena Stone💙
There's just something magical about this one(the whole series really) not just because it's the holidays or because it's their one year anniversary but because of . . . well you'll have to read to decide for yourself, trust me you wont' regret it😉. Another holiday romance gem to enjoy for years to come.
BTW: Mitch's mom being a Star Wars fan is such a lovely treat. As a lifelong devoted SW nerd it always adds a special flare when a character(be it main, secondary, or cameo doesn't really matter) is too and when that character is a woman, that's an even bigger dessert special because too often it's the male character that is the fan so for that element, Thank You, Helena Stone💙
New Stories
Intermezzo #1: Eighteen
As the title suggests, this is a look at Mitch's 18th birthday and his celebrating with two of the most important people in his life: his mother and Cian. A very delightfully fun look at a moment not previously explored. I won't give anything away but it was pure fun to see the three of them together.
Intermezzo #2: Exam Fever
There's only so much preparing one can do for tests before it becomes a brain overload and Mitch's mom understands that. Moms know best but boyfriends have their own way of relaxing one's mind and Cian provides that in this little short. "Sweet heat" is all I'm going to say for this treat between the couple.
Intermezzo #3: House Proud
Showing family to their new living space could be tricky but luckily for Mitch and Cian, they have amazing families. Another short but lovely glimpse into the next stage of their journey.
Intermezzo #4: After Dark
Once again a sweet heat look at life when the powers out, perhaps a little more heat than sweet this time around but still complete fun.
Intermezzo #5: Twenty-One
In this final new short, it's Cian's turn for a birthday surprise. Family makes it all complete. So much fun with so few pages.
As for the whole of the new shorts? Helena Stone has "filled in" gaps that we really hadn't notice were missing. Being able to see Mitch and Cian in these moments of "down time" is like finding a 5 layer cake inside an already huge 5 layer trifle. Heart, family, heat, friends, love, just as with the original novellas, these snippets in time are fun and entertaining that bring the men's journey full circle.
Miracle in the Library #1
Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Mitch McCann has been trying to dodge his bullies for eighteen months. He isn’t out, but that hasn’t stopped the popular gang at school from tormenting him for being gay. Three weeks before Christmas, in a desperate attempt to shake his pursuers, Mitch flees into the abandoned community hall, only to discover the building is far from empty; inside he finds a fully stocked library as well as Mr. Nichols, the very welcoming librarian.
The library turns into Mitch’s refuge of choice, where he can read books that answer his endless questions, without fear of encountering abuse. His peace of mind is shattered when nineteen-year-old Cian Leavy enters his sanctuary. Cian is the boy who made Mitch realize he’s gay, and he’s more attractive now than he was eighteen months ago, when Mitch literally ran into him.
Will Cian unwittingly disrupt Mitch’s life again? Or has the scene been set for a miracle in the library?
Lessons in Love #2
Summary:
Falling for each other was easy. Staying together comes with a learning curve.
Three months after they met in the miraculous library, Cian is nervously preparing for Mitch’s arrival in Dublin. As much as he’s looking forward to three long days with his boyfriend—without parental supervision—he can’t help worrying about the fact that they will have to share both his small room and his even smaller bed. He doesn’t even own pajamas.
Their relationship is new, and Cian may be two years older, but he has little more experience than Mitch when it comes to intimacy and boyfriends. He isn’t sure what he’s doing or what’s expected of him. As a result, Cian and Mitch are in for a whirlwind weekend, filled with shocks, surprises, fun, and deepening feelings.
Against the backdrop of Ireland celebrating its national holiday, Cian and Mitch learn their first Lessons in Love.
While a Miracle in the Library was a young adult story, Lessons in Love features two young men old enough to consume alcohol and be sexually active. This book is therefore meant for readers who are eighteen years or older and contains sexual acts between two consenting men.
Summary:
Falling for each other was easy. Staying together comes with a learning curve.
Three months after they met in the miraculous library, Cian is nervously preparing for Mitch’s arrival in Dublin. As much as he’s looking forward to three long days with his boyfriend—without parental supervision—he can’t help worrying about the fact that they will have to share both his small room and his even smaller bed. He doesn’t even own pajamas.
Their relationship is new, and Cian may be two years older, but he has little more experience than Mitch when it comes to intimacy and boyfriends. He isn’t sure what he’s doing or what’s expected of him. As a result, Cian and Mitch are in for a whirlwind weekend, filled with shocks, surprises, fun, and deepening feelings.
Against the backdrop of Ireland celebrating its national holiday, Cian and Mitch learn their first Lessons in Love.
While a Miracle in the Library was a young adult story, Lessons in Love features two young men old enough to consume alcohol and be sexually active. This book is therefore meant for readers who are eighteen years or older and contains sexual acts between two consenting men.
Summary:
Six months after meeting Cian, the start of the rest of Mitch’s life is so close he can almost taste it. With his high school exams behind him, he can look forward to a long summer, his first Pride festival in Dublin, and, best of all, moving in with Cian when Mitch starts college in September.
Cian can’t wait to accompany Mitch to his first Pride, or for the moment they’ll start sharing a home and their lives. But while the festival is everything they could have hoped for, unexpected news that Cian is about to lose his room in Dublin puts their life together under threat.
Objections to their plans from the home front and a shocking lack of affordable housing in Dublin could shatter Mitch and Cian’s dreams, but perhaps a second miracle is exactly what they need to find their pride of place.
Summary:
Falling in love is easy. Building a life together takes more work.
Nine months after getting together, Mitch and Cian are studying in Dublin and sharing an apartment. For both, this is a dream come true and even boring household chores become fun when they do them side by side.
Tensions arise after Cian joins an inclusive rugby club and Mitch a ukulele orchestra. Insecurities, jealousy, and lack of relationship-experience soon lead to resentment, and each struggles to balance romance with their individual interests. After Cian and Mitch accept separate invitations to Halloween parties, hoping the other will accompany them, their doubts grow.
Will All Hallows’ Eve drive a wedge between them or could there be another miracle in the making?
Ukuleles and Scrums is the fourth novella in the Mitch & Cian series. While it could, possibly, be read as a stand-alone story, the reader will enjoy it more if they read A Miracle in the Library, Lessons in Love, and Pride of Place first.
Summary:
A year after their first kiss, Mitch and Cian have settled into their relationship and life in Dublin. There’ve been ups and downs and one or two unexpected turns in the road, but through it all they’ve gone from strength to strength.
Going home to Castleforest for Christmas means having to stay with their own families. Neither Mitch nor Cian enjoys being apart, but the sting of separation fades in the wake of a surprise from Mitch’s mother, and reconnecting with old and very dear friends lifts their spirits further.
Back in the city for New Year’s Eve, they throw a party for their friends and at last acknowledge the depth of their feelings for each other and the ties that will bind them for the rest of their lives.
This last instalment in the Mitch & Cian series comes with delightful surprises, fabulous parties, and declarations that will make your heart sing.
A Miracle in the Library #1
Mitch didn’t recognize the smile on Cian’s face. It was soft and warm and inviting and….
“You are something else.” Cian reached out and lifted Mitch’s chin with the press of a few fingers. “Stop me if you don’t want this.”
Cian’s gaze mesmerized him. He glanced from the beautiful brown eyes to Cian’s mouth and back again. Stop him? Nothing was further from Mitch’s mind. He was lost in the moment and hoped he would never be found.
Mitch’s heart beat faster when Cian pressed his lips against his. The only people to have ever kissed him were family members. It didn’t compare. Lips should be lips should be lips, but there was a world of difference between Aunt Mary’s dry pecks and Cian’s lush caressing of Mitch’s mouth.
He wanted more. He wanted…a taste. With his heart rate increasing even further, he parted his lips slightly and pushed the tip of his tongue through until he encountered Cian’s mouth. Cian’s response was immediate. He wrapped a hand around the back of Mitch’s neck, holding him in a light yet possessive grip. At the same time he too parted his lips, and the next moment Mitch was lost.
Closing his eyes, Mitch didn’t actually see lights flashing, but he understood why people described the experience as such. He was transported to a version of life he hadn’t known existed, a world filled with sensations, feelings, and thoughts he didn’t recognize. The kiss sent tendrils of heat coursing through his veins. Mitch felt Cian’s heart beating against the palm of the hand he’d pressed against his solid chest. This was…. He didn’t have words for what it was. New, shocking, the best thing in the world, scary, delicious, more….
The urge to scream came over him for the second time when Cian pulled back, gave him one more peck on his lips, and stepped aside.
“Much as you taste like more, I think that’s probably enough for here and now.”
“Much as I hate to admit it,” Mitch grumbled, “I think you’re probably right.” He kicked the fence for good measure.
“Will I see you in the library tomorrow?” Cian asked.
“Abso-fucking-lutely,” Mitch said, cringing when he realized how childish that sounded.
“It’s a date.” Cian grinned before giving Mitch one more kiss and walking away.
Mitch didn’t move from his spot until Cian was out of sight. It’s a date. He had a date.
Lessons in Love #2
March 15
Cian looked from his empty shopping trolley to the packed shelves surrounding him and sighed. Getting a few groceries shouldn’t be this hard. In fairness, it usually took him all of five minutes to run into the supermarket, grab his usual few items, and rush out again.
Of course, when he shopped just for himself, it was easy. He knew what he liked, he knew what he was capable of preparing, and he never worried about what others might think of his choices. Not so today.
In only a few hours, Mitch would arrive to stay with Cian over the long St. Patrick’s Day weekend. They’d been planning the visit since mid-February, discussing what they would do, which places Mitch wanted to visit, and which of Cian’s favorite pastimes they really shouldn’t miss. Never once had they talked or messaged about what they would eat and drink while Mitch was in Dublin.
As he grabbed a bag of apples and put them into his cart, Cian reflected that his usual diet of frozen pizza and beans on toast probably wouldn’t cut it. Not that he thought for a minute that Mitch might expect culinary marvels from him, but Cian wanted to impress Mitch, make him feel welcome and treasured.
He slowly made his way through the shop, grabbing a few essentials as he went but still having no idea what to do about dinners. He’d made up his mind to eat out that evening. Mitch wouldn’t arrive until half past seven. Far too late to start cooking after they’d made their way to the apartment Cian shared with two other lads. But neither of them could afford multiple trips to restaurants, so he needed a plan for the other three evenings.
Ten minutes later, he was ready to give up. He’d added bread, biscuits, beer, eggs, Coke, and crisps to the apples. He chuckled softly. It was the perfect representation of a student’s larder, but until he’d talked to Mitch, he really didn’t know what else to add.
Mitch. A colony of butterflies took flight in his stomach. No matter how much he was looking forward to his boyfriend’s arrival, he couldn’t deny that the nerves swirling through his body got stronger with every passing minute. Adding both tissues and baby wipes to his groceries did nothing to settle his nerves. Their dietary preferences weren’t the only thing they’d neglected to talk about.
This was new. They’d only met three months earlier, and with Cian spending his weekdays in Dublin and Mitch preparing for his high school leaving exams, they didn’t get to spend much time together. Cian made it home most weekends, and they’d managed to spend Valentine’s Day together, but this would be the first time they’d be together twenty-four seven, without interruptions.
The cue for the till was long, which meant Cian’s wait started while he was still in one of the isles. He gazed at the shelves beside him, and his breath hitched.
Fuck. Right in front of him was a stark reminder of what they’d failed to discuss. Or rather, of something he’d avoided thinking about. Condoms. Lube. To stock up or not to stock up, that was the question. With the people ahead of him not moving at all, Cian had all the time in the world, all the time he didn’t really want, to think about that part of the upcoming few days.
Since he rented one room in an apartment with three bedrooms and the other two were occupied, Mitch would have to share with him, and not only that tiny space either. The one bed in his room fell somewhere between a single and a double in size, so their nights promised to be cozy.
At last one person paid for their truckload worth of shopping, and the line shuffled forward, but not far enough to take Cian away from the proof of how unprepared he was for the weekend.
He knew he was Mitch’s first boyfriend, that he had been the first person to kiss him, which meant that whatever intimacies he and Mitch might get up to over the next few days, they would be further firsts for Mitch.
His stomach tightened as Cian wondered whether or not Mitch expected him to be in charge, to have all the answers. The truth of the matter was that Cian wasn’t all that much more experienced. Sure, he’d indulged in a hookup or two, but even without having anything to compare it to, Cian had no doubt those rushed encounters bore no resemblance to what happened between two men who were in a relationship.
When the line moved again, Cian grabbed both condoms and two small bottles of lube. It wasn’t as if he had to put them out on display. This way he’d have them should the need arise, and Mitch would be none the wiser if it didn’t. The fact that Cian didn’t know what he was hoping for meant he had a rueful smile on his face by the time he paid for his few groceries. Who knew that it was easier to decide to stock up for the eventuality of sex than it was to decide what they would be eating?
An hour later, after he’d put away—or hidden, as the case might be—his shopping, Cian’s nerves still hadn’t settled. If anything, they’d gotten worse.
Am I mad? Until that morning, he’d looked forward to Mitch’s arrival with excited anticipation. Now he couldn’t help wondering whether or not his room was too small to accommodate both him and a guest. He couldn’t for the life of him remember if he’d even told Mitch they’d be sharing both a room and a bed. Then he shrugged. It was too late now. Mitch would have boarded the bus to Dublin about ninety minutes earlier and was scheduled to arrive in less than an hour. Whatever happened next, the moment to stop this visit—an option he’d never seriously considered— had come and gone. He’d have to console himself with the knowledge that his room was cleaner than it had been since he’d first moved in and the bed had been made with fresh sheets.
Cian looked from his empty shopping trolley to the packed shelves surrounding him and sighed. Getting a few groceries shouldn’t be this hard. In fairness, it usually took him all of five minutes to run into the supermarket, grab his usual few items, and rush out again.
Of course, when he shopped just for himself, it was easy. He knew what he liked, he knew what he was capable of preparing, and he never worried about what others might think of his choices. Not so today.
In only a few hours, Mitch would arrive to stay with Cian over the long St. Patrick’s Day weekend. They’d been planning the visit since mid-February, discussing what they would do, which places Mitch wanted to visit, and which of Cian’s favorite pastimes they really shouldn’t miss. Never once had they talked or messaged about what they would eat and drink while Mitch was in Dublin.
As he grabbed a bag of apples and put them into his cart, Cian reflected that his usual diet of frozen pizza and beans on toast probably wouldn’t cut it. Not that he thought for a minute that Mitch might expect culinary marvels from him, but Cian wanted to impress Mitch, make him feel welcome and treasured.
He slowly made his way through the shop, grabbing a few essentials as he went but still having no idea what to do about dinners. He’d made up his mind to eat out that evening. Mitch wouldn’t arrive until half past seven. Far too late to start cooking after they’d made their way to the apartment Cian shared with two other lads. But neither of them could afford multiple trips to restaurants, so he needed a plan for the other three evenings.
Ten minutes later, he was ready to give up. He’d added bread, biscuits, beer, eggs, Coke, and crisps to the apples. He chuckled softly. It was the perfect representation of a student’s larder, but until he’d talked to Mitch, he really didn’t know what else to add.
Mitch. A colony of butterflies took flight in his stomach. No matter how much he was looking forward to his boyfriend’s arrival, he couldn’t deny that the nerves swirling through his body got stronger with every passing minute. Adding both tissues and baby wipes to his groceries did nothing to settle his nerves. Their dietary preferences weren’t the only thing they’d neglected to talk about.
This was new. They’d only met three months earlier, and with Cian spending his weekdays in Dublin and Mitch preparing for his high school leaving exams, they didn’t get to spend much time together. Cian made it home most weekends, and they’d managed to spend Valentine’s Day together, but this would be the first time they’d be together twenty-four seven, without interruptions.
The cue for the till was long, which meant Cian’s wait started while he was still in one of the isles. He gazed at the shelves beside him, and his breath hitched.
Fuck. Right in front of him was a stark reminder of what they’d failed to discuss. Or rather, of something he’d avoided thinking about. Condoms. Lube. To stock up or not to stock up, that was the question. With the people ahead of him not moving at all, Cian had all the time in the world, all the time he didn’t really want, to think about that part of the upcoming few days.
Since he rented one room in an apartment with three bedrooms and the other two were occupied, Mitch would have to share with him, and not only that tiny space either. The one bed in his room fell somewhere between a single and a double in size, so their nights promised to be cozy.
At last one person paid for their truckload worth of shopping, and the line shuffled forward, but not far enough to take Cian away from the proof of how unprepared he was for the weekend.
He knew he was Mitch’s first boyfriend, that he had been the first person to kiss him, which meant that whatever intimacies he and Mitch might get up to over the next few days, they would be further firsts for Mitch.
His stomach tightened as Cian wondered whether or not Mitch expected him to be in charge, to have all the answers. The truth of the matter was that Cian wasn’t all that much more experienced. Sure, he’d indulged in a hookup or two, but even without having anything to compare it to, Cian had no doubt those rushed encounters bore no resemblance to what happened between two men who were in a relationship.
When the line moved again, Cian grabbed both condoms and two small bottles of lube. It wasn’t as if he had to put them out on display. This way he’d have them should the need arise, and Mitch would be none the wiser if it didn’t. The fact that Cian didn’t know what he was hoping for meant he had a rueful smile on his face by the time he paid for his few groceries. Who knew that it was easier to decide to stock up for the eventuality of sex than it was to decide what they would be eating?
An hour later, after he’d put away—or hidden, as the case might be—his shopping, Cian’s nerves still hadn’t settled. If anything, they’d gotten worse.
Am I mad? Until that morning, he’d looked forward to Mitch’s arrival with excited anticipation. Now he couldn’t help wondering whether or not his room was too small to accommodate both him and a guest. He couldn’t for the life of him remember if he’d even told Mitch they’d be sharing both a room and a bed. Then he shrugged. It was too late now. Mitch would have boarded the bus to Dublin about ninety minutes earlier and was scheduled to arrive in less than an hour. Whatever happened next, the moment to stop this visit—an option he’d never seriously considered— had come and gone. He’d have to console himself with the knowledge that his room was cleaner than it had been since he’d first moved in and the bed had been made with fresh sheets.
Hoping to distract himself, Cian made his way to the shared living room, studying the space for what was probably the first time in months. Also for the first time, he silently lamented the fact that the furniture they had was mismatched, old, practically decrepit really, and not all too fresh looking. He picked up a jumper one of his housemates had dropped on the floor and placed it over the back of a chair.
“What’s up with him?”
Cian turned and found himself face-to-face with Ray and John, his two housemates.
Ray grinned at John before answering. “Haven’t you heard? He’s all aflutter because his boyfriend is coming to stay.”
“Ooooooooh.” John placed a hand on his forehead with theatrical flourish and swayed from side to side. “Catch me. That’s like…sooooooo romantic.”
Blood rushed to Cian’s cheeks. He opened his mouth to tell them to shut the fuck up before remembering that only three months ago he’d played out more or less the same scenario when John’s girlfriend came to stay for the first time. “Very bleedin’ funny,” he muttered before laughing along with his friends. He couldn’t deny he’d gotten a bit too obsessive about the whole thing. He couldn’t blame John for getting his revenge when the opportunity arose, either.
“So, when’s he arriving?” John asked.
Cian glanced at his phone to check the time. “About twenty minutes from now.”
His housemates stared at him, obviously waiting for something.
Bollix. He’d been so preoccupied with his nerves he’d completely missed that he should already be out the door if he wanted to meet Mitch straight off the bus.
Ray and John snickered as he rushed to his room to retrieve his coat. “This Mitch must be something special,” Ray stated. “I’ve never known him to be flustered.”
“Yeah,” John added as Cian approached the front door. “Now I can’t wait to meet him; the man who managed to unsettle the unflappable.”
A loud burst of laughter was the last thing Cian heard as he closed the door behind him and rushed down the stairs. If he combined a power walk with the occasional sprint, he might just get there on time.
Pride of Place #3
Chapter One
Late June
Mitch
Late June
Mitch
Done!
Mitch wanted to shout, maybe do a little happy dance as he and his almost former classmates made their way through the deserted school toward the exit. He’d reached the end of his secondary education. No more exams. No more high school. And if he wasn’t very much mistaken, he’d done well enough in his exams to get the points he needed to be accepted for the psychology course he’d set his heart on.
“How did you do?” Cormac, a classmate and one of the few people who hadn’t tormented him in the past, sidled up to him.
Mitch shrugged. “Okay, I think. How about you?” He knew better than to say he thought he’d aced it. Not only would he look a right fool if that turned out not to be the case, but it would also be very disheartening for Cormac if the same wasn’t true for him.
“I’m not sure,” Cormack confessed. “Some of it was fine, but some other questions…” He bowed his head for a moment. When he looked up again, he grinned. “But I’m not going to worry about that. There’s nothing I can do about it now, and since we won’t find out how we did until September, I’m not going to obsess about it.”
Mitch stayed silent as they pushed their way through the double doors and out of the school into the welcoming sunshine. Mitch was almost surprised to discover the weather was still glorious. True to form every one of the twenty days the exams had lasted had been sunny and warm, and he wouldn’t have been shocked to discover grey clouds and rain now that he actually had time to be out and about.
He was inclined to agree with Cormac. There was little point agonizing about the results, but he was sure that was unlikely to stop him from lingering on the uncertainty at regular intervals during the summer. If he had failed to get the points he needed, he might not get a place in his preferred college in Dublin. And if he couldn’t go to Dublin….
His pessimistic fears fled his brain as soon as he recognized the familiar and oh-so-cherished features belonging to the main reason he wanted to make it to the capital. Cian! Mitch’s heart skipped a beat or two. He’d had no idea Cian had plans to come back to Castleforest today. In fact, during their last conversation the previous night and again, that morning, in his daily text message, Cian had been infuriatingly vague about when they might see each other next.
“Are you going out tonight?” Cormac’s question reminded Mitch of his presence.
“Probably,” Mitch said, not really thinking about his answer. If Cian hadn’t shown up, he might have joined his classmates for a drink or two. Now he wasn’t sure what the rest of his day might look like, except that whatever he did would include Cian.
“Fair enough.” Cormac said, “I might see you later, then.”
Mitch nodded vaguely in Cormac’s direction before heading toward the school gate where Cian waited with a backpack slung over his shoulder and a huge smile on his face.
I missed him. He’d never known quite how long three weeks could be. When both his mother and Cian had agreed that it would be best if Cian stayed in Dublin during the exams, Mitch had wanted to argue about it. In retrospect, he couldn’t deny that being able to focus solely on his studying had been a good thing, but that didn’t change the fact that before the exam madness started, he and Cian hadn’t been apart for longer than a week.
When he reached Cian, Mitch didn’t even think about it. He stretched his neck and pressed his lips against Cian’s. “Hey,” he said a moment later, “didn’t expect to see you today.”
Cian grinned at Mitch, his eyes wide. “Obviously you’ve no objections to being surprised.” He winked. “Or afraid to show your approval.”
Taken aback by what he’d just done, Mitch glanced around him, relieved to discover his classmates were too caught up in their own happiness to pay him any attention. Then he slapped Cian’s shoulder, the impact a little harsher than just playful. “Of course not. It’s great to see you. I just didn’t expect it. I thought it would be Friday before we’d get together.” A worrying thought occurred to him. “We are still going to Dublin, aren’t we?”
The idea of going to Dublin for the Pride Festival had been one of the very few thoughts that had kept Mitch going over the three-week exam period. Every test he’d sat had brought him one day closer to a weekend when he wouldn’t feel the need to check his surroundings while interacting with his boyfriend.
Cian grinned. “Of course we are. As if I would miss Pride.” The expression on his face made it clear he thought Mitch was being ridiculous. “What are your plans for today?”
Mitch shrugged. “I was going to go out for a few pints.” He really didn’t care what he did next anymore, as long as he could do whatever it was with Cian.
“Sounds good,” Cian said. “I need to go home first and get rid of my stuff.” He indicated his backpack.
“Me too. I can’t wait to get out of this for the very last time.” Mitch waved a hand at his dark blue school uniform. “And resist the temptation to burn it,” he added.
Cian laughed. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“You have no idea.” Mitch grinned at Cian until he spotted his raised eyebrow. “Fair enough, I guess you do.” His elation about being done with school, about never having to return to the place that held so many dreadful memories for him, had made him forget that he was merely one among thousands of teenagers who had finished their secondary education minutes ago and that his was only one generation in a long line of pupils to experience this sense of freedom.
“I get it,” Cian said. “So, when do you want to get together?”
“Give me an hour or two.” As much as Mitch yearned to spend time with Cian, he knew his mother had taken the afternoon off work and would want to hear all about how he’d done.
“That works,” Cian agreed easily. “I don’t think me ma would be impressed if I just dropped off my bag and disappeared again.”
“Tell me about it,” Mitch muttered. “See you in a bit.”
Cian turned to make his way home.
“And Cian?”
He looked over his shoulder at Mitch.
“Thanks for coming. You made a good day fabulous.”
Cian winked. “Hey, that’s what boyfriends are supposed to do.”
Mitch watched Cian as he walked along the street toward the estate where his family lived, before turning the other way and making his own way home. It was as if he was half the weight he’d been when he got out of bed that morning. His heart was light, and all the tension he hadn’t been able to shift for over a month seemed to have evaporated, as if Cian’s appearance had magically rounded up his stress and discarded it.
“I’m in the kitchen.”
His mother’s voice greeted Mitch as soon as he closed the front door behind him. As much as he wanted to get out of his uniform and under the shower, Mitch knew better than to keep her waiting. After all, she’d been on the receiving end of his stressed-out, at times, foul moods for long enough.
He found her sitting at the kitchen table with what looked suspiciously like a slice of chocolate cake with a burning candle on top, in front of her.
“You survived the ordeal.” Her wide smile took any possible sting out of her words. “How did it go?”
“Okay,” Mitch said. “Cian was waiting for me when I walked out.” He couldn’t stop his voice from betraying his delight as he sat, and had no doubts his face showed the same.
“That’s nice.”
His mother’s less than enthusiastic response took him by surprise. She knew how much he’d missed seeing Cian, especially on the weekends. Because he didn’t understand her reaction, Mitch decided to ignore it. “I’m meeting him in a few hours for a night on the town.”
“Good for you,” she added, still disturbingly lackluster.
“At last we can start making plans for after the summer.” Mitch said. “Decide on when I’m moving in with him.”
His mother pushed the cake in his direction before averting her gaze.
Mitch took a bite of the chocolatey treat, almost moaning when the moist, rich, texture filled his mouth.
“I wanted to talk to you about that.”
“About what?” Mitch asked, only half listening as he brought the fork to his mouth again.
“You moving in with Cian.”
Mitch froze with the fork still between his lips as his mother’s words sank in. He pulled it out, and swallowed the suddenly tasteless chunk of cake.
“What’s there to talk about?” He had a feeling he wouldn’t like her answer, but he couldn’t argue without having all the facts first.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to move in with him now, straight from home?”
Mitch blinked at his mother, trying to figure out what might have triggered this surprising course of action. “Of course I do. I wouldn’t look forward to it if I didn’t, would I?”
“You’re so young. Both of you.” His mother had a sympathetic but determined expression on her face. “Don’t you think it would be better to live on your own for a while first? Figure out what you want from life before you start sharing it with someone else?”
“Where’s this coming from, Ma?” Mitch ignored her questions for a moment, far more curious about the timing of this conversation. “In all the months I’ve been talking about our plans, you never said a word against them. And now that the moment has arrived, you’re suddenly objecting?”
“I was never crazy about the idea,” his mother admitted. “I didn’t start the conversation before today because I didn’t want to distract you from your exams. Cian’s your first boyfriend. I’m not saying he can’t be the one for you, but how can you be sure unless you are free to play the field, so to speak?”
“Trust you to encourage your only child to sleep around. You must be the only parent in Ireland to come up with something like that.” Mitch meant to shock her, and if her frown was anything to go by, he’d succeeded.
“I never said you should sleep around. I just think you should be open to other opportunities, starting with where you’re going to live.”
“I have a place to live. I don’t need to look for anything.” Mitch’s shock turned to anger. “Way to ruin a fabulous day, Ma.” He pushed what remained of his slice of cake to the middle of the table, his taste for it suddenly gone.
For a few long moments, she just stared at him, her eyes sad. Then she nodded. “You’re right. My timing isn’t the best.” Her mouth stretched into what obviously was a forced smile. “You go and celebrate. Enjoy yourself. We can have this talk some other time.”
Mitch opened his mouth to state that he’d just as soon never have that particular conversation before thinking better of it. He was going to go out and enjoy himself if it killed him. Prolonging their discussion would almost certainly make that impossible.
“Right.” He got up. “I’m going to have a shower and change.”
When he walked past his mother toward the hall, she reached for him, her fingers brushing his wrist. He pulled his hand back. He’d no idea what had gotten into his mother’s head all of a sudden, but he didn’t like it, and the last thing he needed from her right now were shows of affection.
Mitch heard his mother’s hand drop to the table but continued walking down the hall and up the stairs. He was going to forget what she’d said for the night. They could talk after he’d partied his remaining exam stress away. Then he’d put her straight on why her suggestion made no sense whatsoever.
Ukuleles & Scrums #4
“Can’t find what you’re looking for?” he asked, not trying to hide his amusement.
Cian glanced up at Mitch, inspected his surroundings, and had the grace to grimace and flush. “Sorry about that. I’ll fix it in a min.” He glared at the various items of clothing on the floor, then bent and picked something up. “Gottcha.”
“What’s that?” Mitch squinted at the item consisting more of connected bands of material than solid pieces. He thought he recognized it but didn’t want to hazard a guess and make a fool of himself.
“A jockstrap.” Cian slung one strap over his index finger and swung the piece of underwear around.
“Jockstrap, hey?” Excitement heated Mitch’s blood. “I can’t say I’ve ever seen one of those up close and personal.”
Cian glanced at him, his gaze intense. “I’ll be right back.”
Mitch watched, bemused, as Cian hurried into the bathroom. When Cian returned, moments later, Mitch’s bemusement turned into pure, hot lust when he noticed how well the jock’s pouch encased Cian’s package. “Nice.”
Cian turned on the spot, giving Mitch his first sight of Cian’s bare arse, framed by black straps.
“Very nice.” Mitch didn’t try to hide the heat in his voice. He approached Cian, who had come full circle and faced him again. Wrapping his arms around Cian’s middle, he grabbed both cheeks with his hands and squeezed. “Is there a rule saying you can only wear this when you’re on the field?”
Cian chuckled. “I guess you’re on board with the rugby idea, then?”
Doubts and fears tried to worm their way back into Mitch’s thoughts, but he shrugged them off, concentrating on the familiar and wholly enticing feel of Cian’s naked butt. Pressing closer to his boyfriend, he smiled as the hard bulge of Cian’s erection pressed into his tummy.
“I’m never going to complain about seeing or feeling more of your arse,” he muttered, very aware of his own rock-hard cock tenting the material of his loose trousers.
“I created a monster,” Cian said before claiming Mitch’s mouth in a heated kiss. He pushed him backward until they tumbled to the bed, their lips never losing contact. Two soft thuds indicated the two bags had bounced off the bed, but Mitch barely registered the noise, too lost in Cian’s mouth and the hungry interaction between their tongues.
“You’re overdressed,” Cian murmured before hurriedly removing Mitch’s clothes. He tugged on his dick, and Mitch lost himself in Cian’s body. As white-hot need rushed through his veins, Mitch couldn’t remember why he had been concerned about Cian’s rugby team or what had triggered the thoughts in the first place.
“I want to fuck you.” He gasped the words at Cian, fully aware this was something they rarely did and that it was the first time he’d verbalized the desire.
“Let me guess,” Cian said, his voice heated. “You’d like me on my knees, with my arse in the air so you can see the straps while you ride me.”
Before Mitch could reply, Cian turned on the bed and presented himself exactly as he’d suggested. The sight took Mitch’s breath away, and for a few moments all he could do was stare at the sheer beauty and incredible hotness of Cian’s well-formed backside. When Cian reached behind him and pulled his cheeks apart, Mitch moaned softly.
“Hey!” Cian glared at Mitch over his shoulder. “This arse isn’t going to fuck itself.”
The joke, expressed in a needy tone of voice, was exactly what Mitch needed. He pulled the tube of lube from the bedside table and squeezed some onto his fingers before making short work of preparing Cian for the coming invasion.
It wasn’t long before Cian was pushing back, trying to fuck himself on Mitch’s fingers, and Mitch took it as a sign. He withdrew his hand, squeezed more lube onto it, and spread it across his cock, grateful they’d decided to forgo condoms shortly after moving in together. Since they were a couple and exclusive as well as each other’s first, they’d agreed to do without the protection.
Fighting his need, Mitch eased his way into the narrow heat. Cian seemed eager enough, but that didn’t change the fact that he rarely bottomed. When the full length of his dick was buried deep inside Cian, Mitch rested, pressing his lips to Cian’s shoulder while their bodies adjusted.
“Will you get a move on.” Cian wiggled his arse, stressing his impatience.
“Your wish…” Mitch didn’t waste any more time on words and pulled back, only to immediately slide into Cian again, relishing the hot grip the tight hole had on his straining cock. He’d forgotten how good this was.
“Fuck, yeah,” Cian groaned. “You feel so good.”
“You too,” Mitch said, struggling for breath. “So tight. This won’t take long.”
He moved faster, pushing in and out of Cian with more force. Already he could feel the telltale tingle in his balls, and he struggled to fight his impending explosion, to extend the pleasure for a few more moments. Cian enthusiastically moving with him intensified every penetration, which didn’t help at all.
When his orgasm hit, Mitch felt it in every inch of his body. Cian’s arse contracting around his erupting cock only enhanced Mitch’s climax. It wasn’t until he’d shot the last drop of cum that Mitch realized he’d completely ignored Cian’s dick and even failed to release it from its pouch.
Still seated deep inside Cian, he lifted one hand and reached for Cian’s cock, expecting to find it throbbing and hard. When his fingers connected with a wet, sticky patch of material instead, he chuckled.
Cian glanced at him again, and Mitch wasn’t sure whether the red glow on Cian’s cheeks was the result of his recent climax or embarrassment over how he’d reached it.
“That was hot,” Cian said. “We’ll have to do it again.”
Mitch couldn’t argue with that. He might not be sure how he felt about Cian joining a gay rugby team, but he had no doubts about how much he loved having a rugby-playing boyfriend.
Cian glanced up at Mitch, inspected his surroundings, and had the grace to grimace and flush. “Sorry about that. I’ll fix it in a min.” He glared at the various items of clothing on the floor, then bent and picked something up. “Gottcha.”
“What’s that?” Mitch squinted at the item consisting more of connected bands of material than solid pieces. He thought he recognized it but didn’t want to hazard a guess and make a fool of himself.
“A jockstrap.” Cian slung one strap over his index finger and swung the piece of underwear around.
“Jockstrap, hey?” Excitement heated Mitch’s blood. “I can’t say I’ve ever seen one of those up close and personal.”
Cian glanced at him, his gaze intense. “I’ll be right back.”
Mitch watched, bemused, as Cian hurried into the bathroom. When Cian returned, moments later, Mitch’s bemusement turned into pure, hot lust when he noticed how well the jock’s pouch encased Cian’s package. “Nice.”
Cian turned on the spot, giving Mitch his first sight of Cian’s bare arse, framed by black straps.
“Very nice.” Mitch didn’t try to hide the heat in his voice. He approached Cian, who had come full circle and faced him again. Wrapping his arms around Cian’s middle, he grabbed both cheeks with his hands and squeezed. “Is there a rule saying you can only wear this when you’re on the field?”
Cian chuckled. “I guess you’re on board with the rugby idea, then?”
Doubts and fears tried to worm their way back into Mitch’s thoughts, but he shrugged them off, concentrating on the familiar and wholly enticing feel of Cian’s naked butt. Pressing closer to his boyfriend, he smiled as the hard bulge of Cian’s erection pressed into his tummy.
“I’m never going to complain about seeing or feeling more of your arse,” he muttered, very aware of his own rock-hard cock tenting the material of his loose trousers.
“I created a monster,” Cian said before claiming Mitch’s mouth in a heated kiss. He pushed him backward until they tumbled to the bed, their lips never losing contact. Two soft thuds indicated the two bags had bounced off the bed, but Mitch barely registered the noise, too lost in Cian’s mouth and the hungry interaction between their tongues.
“You’re overdressed,” Cian murmured before hurriedly removing Mitch’s clothes. He tugged on his dick, and Mitch lost himself in Cian’s body. As white-hot need rushed through his veins, Mitch couldn’t remember why he had been concerned about Cian’s rugby team or what had triggered the thoughts in the first place.
“I want to fuck you.” He gasped the words at Cian, fully aware this was something they rarely did and that it was the first time he’d verbalized the desire.
“Let me guess,” Cian said, his voice heated. “You’d like me on my knees, with my arse in the air so you can see the straps while you ride me.”
Before Mitch could reply, Cian turned on the bed and presented himself exactly as he’d suggested. The sight took Mitch’s breath away, and for a few moments all he could do was stare at the sheer beauty and incredible hotness of Cian’s well-formed backside. When Cian reached behind him and pulled his cheeks apart, Mitch moaned softly.
“Hey!” Cian glared at Mitch over his shoulder. “This arse isn’t going to fuck itself.”
The joke, expressed in a needy tone of voice, was exactly what Mitch needed. He pulled the tube of lube from the bedside table and squeezed some onto his fingers before making short work of preparing Cian for the coming invasion.
It wasn’t long before Cian was pushing back, trying to fuck himself on Mitch’s fingers, and Mitch took it as a sign. He withdrew his hand, squeezed more lube onto it, and spread it across his cock, grateful they’d decided to forgo condoms shortly after moving in together. Since they were a couple and exclusive as well as each other’s first, they’d agreed to do without the protection.
Fighting his need, Mitch eased his way into the narrow heat. Cian seemed eager enough, but that didn’t change the fact that he rarely bottomed. When the full length of his dick was buried deep inside Cian, Mitch rested, pressing his lips to Cian’s shoulder while their bodies adjusted.
“Will you get a move on.” Cian wiggled his arse, stressing his impatience.
“Your wish…” Mitch didn’t waste any more time on words and pulled back, only to immediately slide into Cian again, relishing the hot grip the tight hole had on his straining cock. He’d forgotten how good this was.
“Fuck, yeah,” Cian groaned. “You feel so good.”
“You too,” Mitch said, struggling for breath. “So tight. This won’t take long.”
He moved faster, pushing in and out of Cian with more force. Already he could feel the telltale tingle in his balls, and he struggled to fight his impending explosion, to extend the pleasure for a few more moments. Cian enthusiastically moving with him intensified every penetration, which didn’t help at all.
When his orgasm hit, Mitch felt it in every inch of his body. Cian’s arse contracting around his erupting cock only enhanced Mitch’s climax. It wasn’t until he’d shot the last drop of cum that Mitch realized he’d completely ignored Cian’s dick and even failed to release it from its pouch.
Still seated deep inside Cian, he lifted one hand and reached for Cian’s cock, expecting to find it throbbing and hard. When his fingers connected with a wet, sticky patch of material instead, he chuckled.
Cian glanced at him again, and Mitch wasn’t sure whether the red glow on Cian’s cheeks was the result of his recent climax or embarrassment over how he’d reached it.
“That was hot,” Cian said. “We’ll have to do it again.”
Mitch couldn’t argue with that. He might not be sure how he felt about Cian joining a gay rugby team, but he had no doubts about how much he loved having a rugby-playing boyfriend.
The Rest of Our Lives #5
Chapter One
“This is going to be weird.” Mitch looked out of the bus window. It was after five in the afternoon, and night had fallen. The bus’s headlights lit up a road sign, and Mitch knew they were less than half an hour from Castleforest.
“Not being together for a week, you mean?” Cian sounded about as enthusiastic about the idea as Mitch felt.
“Yeah,” Mitch concurred. “Do you think our families will ever get so comfortable with us being a couple that they’ll allow us to share a room while visiting?”
The reflection of Cian’s gaze caught Mitch’s in the dark glass, and for a moment, they kept each other captive there.
“I don’t think it’s us being a couple they’re having an issue with,” Cian eventually said. “The idea of us actually sleeping together, never mind having sex, is probably easier to deal with on a ‘what I can’t see doesn’t exist’ sorta level.”
“Do you reckon it would be the same if one of us was a girl?”
“Probably not.” Cian frowned. “Having said that, we’re together less than a year, and they probably still see us as children rather than adults, so who knows?”
It wasn’t the end of the world of course. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d spend time apart since they’d moved in together, four months earlier. On more than one occasion, Mitch had gone back to Castleforest on his own for a weekend when Cian had had a match, just as Cian sometimes went home without Mitch to make up for the times he couldn’t make it. This felt different, though. Being alone because they were in different parts of the country was unavoidable. A separation due to parental overprotectiveness or prejudice—Mitch wasn’t sure what to call it—stung.
“Oh, well,” Mitch said, deciding to keep things in perspective and not ruin their week home before it even started. “It’s only for a week, and it’s not as if we won’t see each other during the day. It could be worse. Imagine if your family lived in Cork. We’d be half the country away from each other.”
Cian’s fingers brushed across Mitch’s hand, which rested on his thigh. Mitch relished the intimacy of the gesture, no matter how fleeting. At the same time, he resented that they couldn’t just hold hands for the duration of the journey. Surely one day they would be able to be as affectionate in public as heterosexual couples without the fear of offending people? He had to believe that; anything else would be too frustrating.
“Have you any idea what plans your mother has made?” Cian asked. “Because my parents have been rather vague, apart from telling me that we’ll be celebrating Christmas day as we’ve always done in the past.”
Mitch thought back to his last conversation with his mother. He hadn’t given it much thought at the time, but now that Cian mentioned it, he remembered she’d been rather circumspect when it came to details.
“She asked me what I wanted to eat for Christmas and made some vague references to surprises.” He chuckled. “Maybe I should remind her I’m legally an adult. She hasn’t teased me with secrecy since I stopped believing in Santa.” He turned to Cian, fully expecting him to laugh along or at least smile. Instead, he encountered a thoughtful expression.
“I wonder what they’re up to?” Cian mused.
“Up to?”
“It’s too much of a coincidence otherwise.” Cian focused on Mitch, his eyes gleaming. “My mother used almost the exact same words with me, last time we spoke.”
For a moment Mitch turned into the boy he’d been when he was seven and still firmly believed in the magic of Christmas, reindeer, and Santa Claus. Excitement rushed through him as he tried to figure out what their parents might be planning.
Something bright illuminated the darkness as they drove into town.
“Are those new?” Cian nodded in the direction of the lights that stretched in rows running across the main street at regular intervals, creating an illusion of ice and snow.
“I think so.” Mitch hadn’t paid much attention to Castleforest’s Christmas decorations in the past. They were there for a few weeks before disappearing again for a year, in the same way leaves came and went on trees.
Two minutes later, as the bus drove on without them, Mitch stared down the street and reconsidered. “It does look better. More festive, I guess.” He focused on Cian, reluctant to take the next step on his journey home.
“What are we like?” Cian grinned ruefully. “Our families aren’t so bad that we have to worry about going to different homes.”
Mitch smiled, unable to deny that they were being silly. “Where do you want to meet tomorrow?”
“At the library?” Cian suggested. “For old times’ sake?”
“Works for me,” Mitch said calmly while pushing down a burst of excitement because Cian had picked the place where they’d first met, almost exactly a year earlier.
He looked up and down the street, finding it mostly deserted. Given that it was dinner time on a Sunday in December, that was hardly surprising, but it served his purpose perfectly. He leaned forward, angled his head, and pressed his lips against Cian’s. If anybody did see the kiss, tough. In a town as small as Castleforest, their relationship had to be common knowledge. He wasn’t inclined to force public displays of intimacy on unsuspecting passers-by, but he refused to hide who he was or, more importantly, who he was with any longer.
Cian returned the far too short kiss, smirking when he pulled back. “What a difference a year makes.” He fixed the strap of his backpack on his shoulder and took a step. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Ten-ish?"
“See you then.”
Watching Cian walk away toward the estate where he lived, Mitch wondered if he’d ever get tired of looking at his boyfriend. He’d been attracted to Cian long before they’d exchanged their first words, and far from lessening, the feeling had only strengthened over time. Cian’s training regime since he’d taken up rugby again helped to make an always tantalizing physique even more irresistible too.
Only after Cian turned a corner and disappeared from sight did Mitch set off in the opposite direction. He resisted the temptation to walk by the old community center on his way home. He’d meet Cian there tomorrow, and it would be the long way around. He had no doubt his mother was eagerly awaiting his arrival, and if he were honest, he looked forward to seeing her too.
The front door to the house he’d grown up in opened before Mitch had a chance to put his key in the lock. His mother’s beaming face welcomed him home, and his answering smile was almost certainly just as delighted. Yes, Mitch would miss Cian, especially at night, when he’d have to settle for sleeping on his own, without a warm body to wrap himself around. However, he couldn’t deny that his mother’s joy whenever he visited made him feel warm and loved.
“There you are.” His mother pulled him into a tight hug before scrutinizing his face. “You look well.” She released him and walked into the house. “Do you want to eat now or later?”
“I have a choice?” Mitch snickered. This was new. His whole life his mother had told him what time dinner would be ready, and it had been up to him to make sure he was present at the appointed hour.
“Sure.” She grinned at him as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. She probably does.
“I’m having takeaway delivered. I was thinking fish and chips?”
Mitch’s mouth watered, but he was surprised. “Delivered? I’m impressed. Castleforest is moving up in the world.”
“Oh, stop it. We’re not that much of a backwater.” But his mother smiled at him, taking the sting out of her words.
“I’ll just put my stuff away,” Mitch said. “Then I’m good with whatever you want to do.”
An hour later Mitch settled on the couch in the living room with a full belly. “That was great.”
“Good. Does it make up for having to share a living space with your old ma for a few days?”
Mitch didn’t need mind-reading powers to recognize the question wasn’t only meant as a joke. He sighed.
“Living with you has never been hard,” he said honestly. “It isn’t difficult now either. It’s just…” Mitch didn’t want to upset his mother so soon after arriving, but he didn’t want to lie to her either.
“What?”
He shrugged. “It’s a bit frustrating that nobody minds that Cian and I live together in Dublin, but at the same time won’t allow us to sleep in the same house when we’re here.”
His mother gave him a look he knew all too well. This stare indicated that, in her opinion, he hadn’t thought hard enough before opening his mouth. Unfortunately, recognizing her expression didn’t mean he knew the reason behind it.
“Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Cian’s parents would like to have him to themselves for a few days to catch up? Or that I might like spending some time with my son without having to share his attention?” Mitch gaped at his mother, disinclined to tell her that the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind.
She sighed. “We’re not stupid. We know you two are all grown up and living your own life together. But it feels like only yesterday you came running to me because you’d fallen off your bike and hurt yourself. Give an old woman a chance to adjust to the fact that you’re no longer a child.”
Mitch got up and crossed the room. When he reached his ma in her comfortable chair, he leaned forward and hugged her. “You’re not an old woman,” he whispered while relaxing into her embrace. He allowed himself to revisit the younger version of himself she’d described, surprised to find he welcomed the security her arms offered as much now as he always had.
“I’m sorry.” Mitch murmured the words against her shoulder. He hadn’t meant to upset his mother. “It’s just that I’m so used to being together with Cian it feels a bit weird when we’re not. Especially since for once we’re home at the same time.” He straightened and sat on the armrest of his mother’s chair.
“It’s okay.” She patted his leg. “I do understand, you know. I used to be young once, a long, long time ago.” She looked up at him with a cheeky glint in her eye. “Did I mention I have a surprise for you?”
“You did.” The sudden change in subject caught Mitch off guard. “I thought you’d keep me in suspense until Christmas.”
“That would defeat the purpose.”
The plot thickened, and Mitch was still none the wiser. “Well then, don’t keep me hanging.”
“We had a raffle in work,” his mother said, at first glance apropos of nothing. “I won the first prize.”
“Congratulations?” Mitch had no idea why his mother made such a big deal about having won a box of chocolates or something similar, but he was willing to wait her out.
“I’ve now got two tickets to see the Symphony Orchestra perform the music from Star Wars. Tomorrow night, actually.”
“Nice one.” Mitch was delighted for her. His mother was a huge Star Wars fan. In fact, she’d watched the movies so often over the years Mitch knew large chunks of them off by heart. “But what has that got to do with me?” Surely, she hadn’t made him come all the way home today, only to travel back to Dublin tomorrow?
“I was wondering if you’d let us use your apartment for the night.” Her gaze bored into him as if she was expecting a certain reaction. “Marian is coming with me, and neither of us fancies driving all the way home at midnight. Since your place will be empty...”
Mitch chuckled. “We have two bedrooms, remember? There’s no reason you can’t stay with us, even when we’re there.” He sobered as he tried to remember what state they’d left the place in before leaving, suppressing a sigh of relief when he recalled they’d done a rather thorough cleanup because they didn’t want to return to chaos. “Of course, you can stay there.” But how is that a surprise for me? He kept that thought to himself.
“And now you’re wondering how me winning concert tickets constitutes a surprise for you.”
Mitch blinked at his mother, shocked to discover that four months after he’d moved out, she could still read his mind with ease.
“I’m disappointed.” The sparkle in his mother’s eyes belied her words. “I thought you would have recognized your opportunity by now.”
The beginnings of an idea formed in Mitch’s mind. Surely, she doesn’t mean...?
“How did I manage to raise such an eejit?” The sigh she expelled was obviously exaggerated. “Why don’t you get on your phone and see if Cian wants to spend tomorrow evening and night here?”
“Really?”
His mother gave him a blank stare. “Really.” She reached for the remote. “Now, either settle or go and do your own thing. I’m watching The Empire Strikes Back tonight.
Mitch reached for his mother, hugging her again and placing a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks. That’s the best surprise ever.” He got up. “Enjoy your movie. I’m going up to my room.”
He was texting Cian before he was halfway up the stairs.
“This is going to be weird.” Mitch looked out of the bus window. It was after five in the afternoon, and night had fallen. The bus’s headlights lit up a road sign, and Mitch knew they were less than half an hour from Castleforest.
“Not being together for a week, you mean?” Cian sounded about as enthusiastic about the idea as Mitch felt.
“Yeah,” Mitch concurred. “Do you think our families will ever get so comfortable with us being a couple that they’ll allow us to share a room while visiting?”
The reflection of Cian’s gaze caught Mitch’s in the dark glass, and for a moment, they kept each other captive there.
“I don’t think it’s us being a couple they’re having an issue with,” Cian eventually said. “The idea of us actually sleeping together, never mind having sex, is probably easier to deal with on a ‘what I can’t see doesn’t exist’ sorta level.”
“Do you reckon it would be the same if one of us was a girl?”
“Probably not.” Cian frowned. “Having said that, we’re together less than a year, and they probably still see us as children rather than adults, so who knows?”
It wasn’t the end of the world of course. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d spend time apart since they’d moved in together, four months earlier. On more than one occasion, Mitch had gone back to Castleforest on his own for a weekend when Cian had had a match, just as Cian sometimes went home without Mitch to make up for the times he couldn’t make it. This felt different, though. Being alone because they were in different parts of the country was unavoidable. A separation due to parental overprotectiveness or prejudice—Mitch wasn’t sure what to call it—stung.
“Oh, well,” Mitch said, deciding to keep things in perspective and not ruin their week home before it even started. “It’s only for a week, and it’s not as if we won’t see each other during the day. It could be worse. Imagine if your family lived in Cork. We’d be half the country away from each other.”
Cian’s fingers brushed across Mitch’s hand, which rested on his thigh. Mitch relished the intimacy of the gesture, no matter how fleeting. At the same time, he resented that they couldn’t just hold hands for the duration of the journey. Surely one day they would be able to be as affectionate in public as heterosexual couples without the fear of offending people? He had to believe that; anything else would be too frustrating.
“Have you any idea what plans your mother has made?” Cian asked. “Because my parents have been rather vague, apart from telling me that we’ll be celebrating Christmas day as we’ve always done in the past.”
Mitch thought back to his last conversation with his mother. He hadn’t given it much thought at the time, but now that Cian mentioned it, he remembered she’d been rather circumspect when it came to details.
“She asked me what I wanted to eat for Christmas and made some vague references to surprises.” He chuckled. “Maybe I should remind her I’m legally an adult. She hasn’t teased me with secrecy since I stopped believing in Santa.” He turned to Cian, fully expecting him to laugh along or at least smile. Instead, he encountered a thoughtful expression.
“I wonder what they’re up to?” Cian mused.
“Up to?”
“It’s too much of a coincidence otherwise.” Cian focused on Mitch, his eyes gleaming. “My mother used almost the exact same words with me, last time we spoke.”
For a moment Mitch turned into the boy he’d been when he was seven and still firmly believed in the magic of Christmas, reindeer, and Santa Claus. Excitement rushed through him as he tried to figure out what their parents might be planning.
Something bright illuminated the darkness as they drove into town.
“Are those new?” Cian nodded in the direction of the lights that stretched in rows running across the main street at regular intervals, creating an illusion of ice and snow.
“I think so.” Mitch hadn’t paid much attention to Castleforest’s Christmas decorations in the past. They were there for a few weeks before disappearing again for a year, in the same way leaves came and went on trees.
Two minutes later, as the bus drove on without them, Mitch stared down the street and reconsidered. “It does look better. More festive, I guess.” He focused on Cian, reluctant to take the next step on his journey home.
“What are we like?” Cian grinned ruefully. “Our families aren’t so bad that we have to worry about going to different homes.”
Mitch smiled, unable to deny that they were being silly. “Where do you want to meet tomorrow?”
“At the library?” Cian suggested. “For old times’ sake?”
“Works for me,” Mitch said calmly while pushing down a burst of excitement because Cian had picked the place where they’d first met, almost exactly a year earlier.
He looked up and down the street, finding it mostly deserted. Given that it was dinner time on a Sunday in December, that was hardly surprising, but it served his purpose perfectly. He leaned forward, angled his head, and pressed his lips against Cian’s. If anybody did see the kiss, tough. In a town as small as Castleforest, their relationship had to be common knowledge. He wasn’t inclined to force public displays of intimacy on unsuspecting passers-by, but he refused to hide who he was or, more importantly, who he was with any longer.
Cian returned the far too short kiss, smirking when he pulled back. “What a difference a year makes.” He fixed the strap of his backpack on his shoulder and took a step. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Ten-ish?"
“See you then.”
Watching Cian walk away toward the estate where he lived, Mitch wondered if he’d ever get tired of looking at his boyfriend. He’d been attracted to Cian long before they’d exchanged their first words, and far from lessening, the feeling had only strengthened over time. Cian’s training regime since he’d taken up rugby again helped to make an always tantalizing physique even more irresistible too.
Only after Cian turned a corner and disappeared from sight did Mitch set off in the opposite direction. He resisted the temptation to walk by the old community center on his way home. He’d meet Cian there tomorrow, and it would be the long way around. He had no doubt his mother was eagerly awaiting his arrival, and if he were honest, he looked forward to seeing her too.
The front door to the house he’d grown up in opened before Mitch had a chance to put his key in the lock. His mother’s beaming face welcomed him home, and his answering smile was almost certainly just as delighted. Yes, Mitch would miss Cian, especially at night, when he’d have to settle for sleeping on his own, without a warm body to wrap himself around. However, he couldn’t deny that his mother’s joy whenever he visited made him feel warm and loved.
“There you are.” His mother pulled him into a tight hug before scrutinizing his face. “You look well.” She released him and walked into the house. “Do you want to eat now or later?”
“I have a choice?” Mitch snickered. This was new. His whole life his mother had told him what time dinner would be ready, and it had been up to him to make sure he was present at the appointed hour.
“Sure.” She grinned at him as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. She probably does.
“I’m having takeaway delivered. I was thinking fish and chips?”
Mitch’s mouth watered, but he was surprised. “Delivered? I’m impressed. Castleforest is moving up in the world.”
“Oh, stop it. We’re not that much of a backwater.” But his mother smiled at him, taking the sting out of her words.
“I’ll just put my stuff away,” Mitch said. “Then I’m good with whatever you want to do.”
An hour later Mitch settled on the couch in the living room with a full belly. “That was great.”
“Good. Does it make up for having to share a living space with your old ma for a few days?”
Mitch didn’t need mind-reading powers to recognize the question wasn’t only meant as a joke. He sighed.
“Living with you has never been hard,” he said honestly. “It isn’t difficult now either. It’s just…” Mitch didn’t want to upset his mother so soon after arriving, but he didn’t want to lie to her either.
“What?”
He shrugged. “It’s a bit frustrating that nobody minds that Cian and I live together in Dublin, but at the same time won’t allow us to sleep in the same house when we’re here.”
His mother gave him a look he knew all too well. This stare indicated that, in her opinion, he hadn’t thought hard enough before opening his mouth. Unfortunately, recognizing her expression didn’t mean he knew the reason behind it.
“Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Cian’s parents would like to have him to themselves for a few days to catch up? Or that I might like spending some time with my son without having to share his attention?” Mitch gaped at his mother, disinclined to tell her that the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind.
She sighed. “We’re not stupid. We know you two are all grown up and living your own life together. But it feels like only yesterday you came running to me because you’d fallen off your bike and hurt yourself. Give an old woman a chance to adjust to the fact that you’re no longer a child.”
Mitch got up and crossed the room. When he reached his ma in her comfortable chair, he leaned forward and hugged her. “You’re not an old woman,” he whispered while relaxing into her embrace. He allowed himself to revisit the younger version of himself she’d described, surprised to find he welcomed the security her arms offered as much now as he always had.
“I’m sorry.” Mitch murmured the words against her shoulder. He hadn’t meant to upset his mother. “It’s just that I’m so used to being together with Cian it feels a bit weird when we’re not. Especially since for once we’re home at the same time.” He straightened and sat on the armrest of his mother’s chair.
“It’s okay.” She patted his leg. “I do understand, you know. I used to be young once, a long, long time ago.” She looked up at him with a cheeky glint in her eye. “Did I mention I have a surprise for you?”
“You did.” The sudden change in subject caught Mitch off guard. “I thought you’d keep me in suspense until Christmas.”
“That would defeat the purpose.”
The plot thickened, and Mitch was still none the wiser. “Well then, don’t keep me hanging.”
“We had a raffle in work,” his mother said, at first glance apropos of nothing. “I won the first prize.”
“Congratulations?” Mitch had no idea why his mother made such a big deal about having won a box of chocolates or something similar, but he was willing to wait her out.
“I’ve now got two tickets to see the Symphony Orchestra perform the music from Star Wars. Tomorrow night, actually.”
“Nice one.” Mitch was delighted for her. His mother was a huge Star Wars fan. In fact, she’d watched the movies so often over the years Mitch knew large chunks of them off by heart. “But what has that got to do with me?” Surely, she hadn’t made him come all the way home today, only to travel back to Dublin tomorrow?
“I was wondering if you’d let us use your apartment for the night.” Her gaze bored into him as if she was expecting a certain reaction. “Marian is coming with me, and neither of us fancies driving all the way home at midnight. Since your place will be empty...”
Mitch chuckled. “We have two bedrooms, remember? There’s no reason you can’t stay with us, even when we’re there.” He sobered as he tried to remember what state they’d left the place in before leaving, suppressing a sigh of relief when he recalled they’d done a rather thorough cleanup because they didn’t want to return to chaos. “Of course, you can stay there.” But how is that a surprise for me? He kept that thought to himself.
“And now you’re wondering how me winning concert tickets constitutes a surprise for you.”
Mitch blinked at his mother, shocked to discover that four months after he’d moved out, she could still read his mind with ease.
“I’m disappointed.” The sparkle in his mother’s eyes belied her words. “I thought you would have recognized your opportunity by now.”
The beginnings of an idea formed in Mitch’s mind. Surely, she doesn’t mean...?
“How did I manage to raise such an eejit?” The sigh she expelled was obviously exaggerated. “Why don’t you get on your phone and see if Cian wants to spend tomorrow evening and night here?”
“Really?”
His mother gave him a blank stare. “Really.” She reached for the remote. “Now, either settle or go and do your own thing. I’m watching The Empire Strikes Back tonight.
Mitch reached for his mother, hugging her again and placing a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks. That’s the best surprise ever.” He got up. “Enjoy your movie. I’m going up to my room.”
He was texting Cian before he was halfway up the stairs.
Helena Stone can’t remember a life before words and reading. After growing up in a household where no holiday or festivity was complete without at least one new book, it’s hardly surprising she now owns more books than shelf space while her Kindle is about to explode.
The urge to write came as a surprise. The realisation that people might enjoy her words was a shock to say the least. Now that the writing bug has well and truly taken hold, Helena can no longer imagine not sharing the characters in her head and heart with the rest of the world.
Having left the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam for the peace and quiet of the Irish Country side she divides her time between reading, writing, long and often wet walks with the dog, her part-time job in a library, a grown-up daughter and her ever loving and patient husband.
EMAIL: helenastoneauthor@gmail.com
