🌈Happy Pride Month 2024🌈: Top 20 LGBT Rom-Com Reads Part 4

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Here at Padme's Library I feature all genres but followers have probably noticed that 95% of the posts and 99% of my reviews fall under the LGBT genres, so for this year's Pride Month I am showcasing 20 of my favorite M/M Rom Com reads in no particular order.  Most fall into full on romantic comedy, some more dramedy, but there are some where humor is the highlighted emotion and they all generally lead to a perfect blend of romance, drama, healing, and heart, creating unforgettably fun entertaining reads.

One Last Note:
Some of those on my list I have read, reread, & even listened/re-listened so I've included the review posted in my latest read/listen.  Also, those that are read/re-read as a series the latest review may be an overall series review.  If any of the purchase links included here don't work be sure and check the authors' websites/social media for the most recent links as they can change over time for a variety of reasons.

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Part 1  /  Part 2  /  Part 3  /  Part 4

Salem's Wish by Charlie Cochet

Summary:

Magic, mayhem, mates, and... lasagna. Enjoy this fun and free short story from Charlie Cochet.

**Previously published under the title A Caller from Windermere as part of the Heart2Heart: A Charity Anthology, Volume 4. The charity anthology was a limited release and is no longer available.

Original Review October 2022:

I don't think I've ever had so much fun reading a story this short. This review is going to be short so I don't accidentally spoil Salem's Wish for anyone else so don't even get me started on Salem's power.

So many boxes ticked, so few pages, so many laughs, so much chemistry . . .

Magic✅

Shifters✅

Bodyguard/Guarded✅

Best Friend's Brother/Brother's Best Friend✅

Fated Mates✅

Humor✅

Mayhem✅

Chemistry✅

. . . plainly put: entertained to the max!  What I wouldn't give to have further adventures in yet another of Charlie Cochet's brilliantly created universes.

RATING:

Jack Addison vs. A Whole World of Hot Trouble by KA Merikan

Summary:

Any monster is a lover if you’re brave enough.

This collection contains a series of nine books about Jack Addison's adventures.

Jack Addison. Son of a world famous monster hunter. Irresistible jerk. Monster-curious.

Roux Chat-Bonnes. Ginger. Furry. Claws like razors and a tongue to match!

At just nineteen, Jack’s fresh out of a prestigious academy, set to make a name for himself as a monster hunter in a world where people need protection from strange and dangerous creatures. Raised to see nonhumans as monsters to be eradicated, or at the very least—inferior beings, he soon finds out that he’s been taught lies, and his initial distrust of creatures turns into fascination that goes beyond anything his father could imagine.

After an encounter with a giant spider, Jack falls down a rabbit hole of affairs with werewolves, kitsune, a centaur, a merman, a tentacle creature called Nessie, and even a vampire! But all of those dalliances fade in comparison to his one true heart throb—Roux Chat-Bonnes, a cat-like being, and his most vicious rival. As brave as he is infuriating, and as furry as he is sexy, Roux is the moral compass Jack wishes he didn’t have.

If he ever wants to win Roux’s heart, he needs to prove that he’s more than just a handsome jerk sneaking around with any monster he can get his hands on, but a man brave enough to do what’s right, even if it makes him unpopular. Even if that means standing up to his famous father.

★★★★★★★★★★★

Themes: living up to expectations, pride, dreams, self-discovery, tolerance, fame, monster hunting, inter-species relations, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, prejudice, tentacles, centaur, merman, mermaid, kitsune, Siberia, trust, vampire, Transylvania, werewolf, drugs, Paris, deception, secret

Genre: M/M romantic erotica, horror-comedy Contains scorching hot, explicit scenes

Length: ~115,000 words

In this serial, each episode encompasses a single event from Jack Addison’s career, but while they are partially self-contained, the romantic arc and Jack’s personal journey, develop over time, so it’s best to not read the stories out of turn.

Jack Addison vs. Man-Ravishing Spider #1
Original Review January 2019:

I just want to say right away that this won't be a long review or even very in-depth as far as the plot as this is an ongoing short story serial and I don't really want to give anything away.  However, I do want to express just how much I absolutely and completely LOVE it!  This first came to my attention around Thanksgiving time but I was already neck-deep in holiday reads so I set it aside to read later and now "later" arrived😉 and boy am I glad it didn't get lost in my always growing TBR list because . . . well just WOW!

Jack Addison wants to make a name for himself by capturing Nessie AKA the Loch Ness Monster but his eagerness gets him into a bit of a pickle that is equally intriguing and disturbing.  Fun, oddly erotic, incredibly different, and attention-grabbing from the start Jack Addison vs Man-Ravishing Spider is probably not for everyone but if you already love the workings of KA Merikan than this is a must and if you like "out there" entertainment than this is also a must.  Just be sure to go in with an open mind because as I said it is definitely "out there".

Jack Addison vs. Nessie's Tentacles #2
Original Review January 2019:

What can I say about Jack Addison vs. Nessie's Tentacles that I didn't say in Man-Ravishing Spider?  Probably nothing.  Once again you need to be open to the weirdness factor, the intriguing yet oddly erotic nature, and Jack's overall bad(or good depending on your take of the scenario) luck.  I will add that the author's ability to set a scene and to make the "out there" real is what really makes Jack Addison vs A Whole World of Hot Trouble series a winner.  I don't know how many are planned for this series but I know I'll be reading every single one.

Jack Addison vs. A Pack of Horny Werewolves #3
Original Review February 2019:

Jack Addison has definitely found his calling, okay he might not be the best or most serious monster hunter out there but he certainly knows what he wants.  As he continues to set out and taste the "forbidden" side of the monster world(or at least forbidden in terms as his family would define) the one he truly wants to sample, fellow venator and rival Roux Chat-Bonnes, continues to resist his flirting.  With A Pack of Horny Werewolves we finally begin to see that perhaps there is more to Jack than just his lust and desire to bed all creatures when he rescues Roux from the werewolves.  Then again, afterwards he sticks his foot in it and Jack finds himself back to square one when it comes to Roux.  Will Jack never learn?

I should add that this series(or serial however you choose to label it) may not be for everyone, I would certainly label it "out there" but personally I find Jack Addison vs. A Whole World of Hot Trouble to be an oddly but incredibly erotic and fun series of adventures that I am so glad I stumbled upon.

I have been a fan of the old serials of the 30s & 40s and though Jack Addison vs A Whole World of Hot Trouble doesn't have the "cliffhangers" and is very today instead of yesteryear in the sizzle area, I just want to take a minute to thank the authors for reminding me of the fun factor those old weekly serials bring to my growing DVD collection.

Jack Addison vs. Centaur Pimps #4
Original Review February 2019:

Jack Addison vs. Centaur Pimps pretty much says it all😉😉.  Once again Jack continues his conquest to bed anything and everything in the monster world.  I think we begin to see a slightly different side of Jack in Pimps, oh don't get me wrong he is still insatiable when it comes to his desires but we see his heart start to shine through.  If only Roux would see it too.  I can't wait to see where Jack goes next and if he will do it alone or has he found his place?  So much goodness packed into so few pages.

As usual, this series is not for everyone but if you don't mind the "out there" side of Jack's lust than I'm sure you'll love Jack Addison vs A Whole World of Hot Trouble as much as I do.  As he "tackles" a different creature in each entry technically you could start anywhere but I highly recommend reading the series in order, I personally can't imagine discovering the journey in any other order than as its written.

Jack Addison vs. Merman Seduction #5
Original Review April 2019:

When we last saw Jack Addison, he found himself becoming attached to Calix the centaur, well Calix is gone and moved on to the next being with a bigger wallet leaving Jack heart and pocket broken.  Just when needed as if fate was at work, Roux Chat-Bonnes comes to town needing Jack's help.  I loved watching Jack continue to evolve, he has gone from a sex-driven monster hunter out to prove he's worth the family name to a sex-driven monster hunter who wants the fame of his family name but he also values his growing friendship with Roux.  Sure Jack has a way to go before he finds his place in the world but he's getting there.

Once again Jack's adventures are a bit on the "out there" side and probably not for everyone but if you've made it this far in the series then you'll love Merman Seduction too.  If you're still questioning whether to give this series(serial really) a chance, all I'll say is that the borderline beastiality in this erotic fantasy serial isn't usually my sub-genre of choice but I love the writing of KA Merikan so I gave it a go and instantly fell in love with Jack, Roux, and the cast of creatures they come across.  The blend of humor, erotica, fantasy, mythology, and horror really works and is attention grabbing from beginning to end.

Jack Addison vs. Asexual Vampires #6
Original Review April 2019:

Something is up with Roux Chat-Bonnes but will he let Jack in or continue to push his adversary/friend away?  I don't know what I can say that I haven't already touched on with the other entries in Jack Addison vs. A Whole World of Hot Trouble, but I'll try.

Asexual Vampires is definitely worthy of the "out there" sub-genre we've come to expect from Jack Addison but it really is so much more.  The growing friendship between Jack and Roux is finally moving forward but whether Jack continues to put his foot in it to set it back is something you'll have to read for yourself. 

Again the blend of erotica, humor, horror, fantasy, and friendship is spot on.  This serial isn't for everyone but I highly recommend giving it a try because I fell in love with Jack, Roux, and the bed of growing creatures quickly even though its not my goto brand of "out there".  And if you think Jack Addison is all about the bedding of the creature world then think again because with each new entry you see a new facet of his personality emerging and that his heart has more than just sex in mind, don't get me wrong,  sex is still a driving force in Jack's world but we start to see its not the only factor.

One last note: if you are wondering if this is a series/serial you need to read in order then I definitely say yes!  Sure each entry has Jack seeking a new creature but as I hinted at above, Jack is maturing and to fully appreciate that side of him as well as his adversarial bromance with Roux, A Whole World of Hot Trouble should be experienced in the order written.

Jack Addison vs. Foxy Lies #7

Original Review July 2019:

This serial just keeps getting better and better with each new entry and that's not something that often gets said.  Whether you classify Jack Addison vs. A Whole World of Hot Trouble a serial or series doesn't really matter, yes by definition the speed & regularity of release is serial but personally I feel its more of a series because despite facing a new "enemy" in each entry it really is an ongoing series.  And before you say it, a serial is also ongoing which is actually one of the things I love about these tales and that is it reminds me of the film serials from the 30s & 40s that my parents collect on DVD.  So as I first said, it doesn't really matter what label you give it, the greatness of Jack Addison is how he keeps growing in character and realizing what is truly important in life.

Now, as far as vs. Foxy Lies, we get to see Jack and Roux deal with the morning after if you will.  There's regret but there is also a realization that maybe opening his heart to Jack isn't so bad afterall.  Now as I've said before, this isn't a series for everyone, there are taboos that might not be upto everyone's tastes but if you like the "out there" kind of heat and characters that grow in strength but still never lose the ability of foot-in-mouth speak, then these are definitely for you.

Jack Addison vs. Catnip Dealers #8

Original Review July 2019:

vs. Catnip Dealers may be the shortest entry in this series so far but it's the one I've been afraid of from the very beginning.  Jack's father comes to town and Jack is trying to appease both sides.  Jack no longer agrees with his father's growing anti-creature views, in fact if father's behavior is bordering on fanatic, but he may not be quite strong enough to stand up to him yet.  I'm afraid the next one is the one that will really tell the tale of Jack's strength of character, you know where his heart is but going against family can be the hardest decision a person faces.

I often talk about how Jack has grown from the vain and egotistical venator we first met back in vs. Man-ravishing Spider but Roux has changed as well.  He opens his heart to let Jack in but will Jack break it?  You have to read for yourself to find that out but trust me, if you like the "out there" taboo-ness that this series delves into then this is a must for your TBR list.  We also get to learn a little about Roux's past and it certainly helps to understand his fear of getting to close to Jack.  As I said Jack Addison vs. A Whole World of Hot Trouble keeps getting better and better.

Jack Addison vs. Doing the Right Thing #9

Original Review August 2019:

I am completely and 100% twisted up inside warring between "YAY!" and "BOO!".  Now before you ask, I'm not conflicted between YAYs and BOOs over the quality of Jack Addison's latest adventure, oh no, I'm conflicted because Doing the Right Thing is the final Jack Addison vs A Whole World of Hot Trouble adventure.  As the saying goes, "All good things must come to an end" but the beauty of books is they never truly end because you can always go back and re-read them and though Jack Addison may not make my annual re-read list I will definitely be re-visiting him, Roux, and all the heated craziness they found themselves in again.

Now as for Doing the Right Thing, this entry picks up pretty much right where Catnip Dealers ended and as the title suggests, Jack has a big decision to make, to do what's right or do what his family expects.  Can he say some words to placate his father and then continue on living his life as he has all the while risking everything he's found or will he make a stand and as the title suggests "do the right thing"?  What he decides is something you'll have to discover for yourself😉 but trust me if you've been reading Jack's adventures you'll want to see what path he chooses and if you're new to the series, what better time to begin than when you have them all.

I won't go so far as to say Jack has changed from the man he was in Man-Ravishing Spider(book 1) but he has certainly grown into the man he wanted to be, even if he didn't see it wayback when.  Roux too has grown though for him it might be more subtle but he's not the chat he was in Spider either.  There is definitely things we could learn about ourselves and our fellow man from Jack and Roux but don't think this reads as a life lesson.  Jack Addison vs. is a brilliantly and uniquely written series that is pure fun from beginning to end.  I stumbled onto this series by accident but I fell in love with it immediately.  There's romance, friendship, heart, danger, and plenty of heat.  It should be mentioned that the heat might be considered taboo or at the very least a little "out there" so this series might not be for everyone but if you're open to the "out there" heat that can come with paranormal/fantasy then I say "what are you waiting for?"

RATING:  

A Light in the Darkness by Alice Winters

Summary:
In Darkness #2

Felix and Lane are trying out their new normal. Normal means no more car chases, no more drug lords, and definitely no more kidnapping bad guys. All of that is a thing of the past in this new, normal(ish) life style filled with family get-togethers, torturous jogs through the park, and the occasional romp in the parking lot. Felix is done stealing (all but for the cat). He is actually enjoying the boring side of life, especially with Lane by his side doing what he does best: looking handsome. But when Felix’s brother wants to repair their relationship, he brings with him a secret that could cost all of them their lives. Lane isn’t complaining because the thrills of life-threatening situations are right up his alley. They may think they have a handle on the situation, but what they do not know is that someone has been working them from the shadows. Forcing them to do exactly what he wants as he drives them closer to his sick game of life and death.

Join Felix and Lane in a race against time, their only weapons being their humor and their wit.

Original Review February Book of the Month 2020:
Felix and Lane just keep getting better and better.  From navigating their ongoing love, the drama of Felix's brother, the the complete awesomeness of Lane's family, Felix's penchant for finding trouble, and of course their wicked banter there is absolutely nothing to not love.

It is characters and stories like Felix and Lane that I've come to classify as "snark and cuddle".  By snark and cuddle I mean they pull no punches in their banter and dialogue but you never doubt for even a split second that it comes 150% from the heart.  They appear to fight and get on each other's nerves but it's done with such deliberate tones of love that it's just a part of who they are, without the banter the love wouldn't be there.  To some people it comes across as mean and spiteful but as someone who grew up in a household with that kind of banter(on a much smaller scale of course) I can spot it a mile away which is why I loved these two men from the very beginning.

As for Felix's brother, well the less I say about him is probably better because Darius is the kind of character you have to experience to understand.  Don't get me wrong, I wanted to hate him, I wanted Felix to get Lane to "work his magic" but I couldn't help but feel there was more going on then what the author was letting us see and boy was there more going on!  That's it! No more in that department you'll get from me other than: when you thought it was over it is so not done. #sorrynotsorry😉😉

I had been hearing great things about Alice Winters' work from friends who's opinions mattered to me and I respected but I never took the plunge until this past November when book 1 came up in 2 different posts I made in a FB rec group.  I absolutely LOVED IT!!!!  Because of the holiday I only read book 1 but 2 & 3 were at the top of my 2020 list.  Now I'm off to read book 3, can't wait to see what's next for Felix and Lane.

Original Audiobook Review September 2020:

I really loved this series, such fun characters, I can't imagine Felix and Lane behaving any differently. Their connection is brilliant and just jumps off the page at you, I won't say any more to the plot but I will that Joel Leslie really makes their snark and cuddle moments even more of a delight. I don't know what the author's plans are for the pair as to future installments and more zany suspense but I know that I will definitely be reading and listening to them all.

RATING:

Script by RJ Scott & VL Locey

Summary:
LA Storm #1

Hollywood A-lister Finn might be Canadian, but he needs Cameron to show him how to hockey.

Actor Finn Kerrigan is at a crossroads. After growing up a soap star, then starring in a hugely successful trilogy of action movies, he's finally given the chance to read a heartfelt and passionate script that could change his life forever. The role would be enough for people to see him as a serious actor, and maybe even win him an award or two (and no, a golden raspberry award for his action movies doesn't count). Once established as a serious actor he’s sure he can come out of the closet and finally live his truth. When he lies to get the part of a hockey player on a struggling team, he suddenly has nowhere to hide. He might be Canadian, but the last time he skated he was ten, and no, he doesn't have hockey in his blood. With only a month until filming starts, he about to be exposed, but partnered with a player who’s supposed to be giving him tips, he doesn’t realize how many of his secrets will come to light. Falling in lust, one heated kiss at a time, is inevitable, but giving Cameron up at the end of the shoot could break his heart.

Cameron Chavkin is the face of the LA Storm. And the body, and the hair, and the smile. He’s at the prime of his career, men and women want to be with him, and he’s skating better than he ever has before. His house sits next to a famous rock star's mansion, his garage is filled with expensive cars, and he’s even been asked to mentor a once-famous actor in a new hockey movie. Life is pretty sweet. Until the bad boy of hockey meets Finn, a man on the edge with more secrets than Cameron has endorsements. Knowing better than to get involved, Cameron is swept up despite himself, and when it's time to say goodbye to the Storm’s most eligible bachelor is finding it hard to follow the script.

Original Review August 2023:

I'm not Canadian(though my Irish ancestors did settle there for a time before coming to America but no Canadian blood in my veins) but I am from Wisconsin, the frozen tundra, perhaps we're more of a football state than hockey but as I live so close to the WI/MN border and only get MN sports coverage, hockey is everywhere.  Never been a hockey fan, don't hate it just never piqued my interest so I get the way Finn feels when he talks about hockey should be in his blood but not really flowing😉.  

Truth is: again like Finn, I don't skate, haven't had a pair of ice skates on since 6th grade and the last winter our elementary school made an ice rink in a huge dug out hole for recess.  So I completely get Finn's need for assistance as well as the pains(and the hoorays when succeeding) he feels trying to just master standing😉. 

I want to wrap Finn so tight in a bone-crushing Mama Bear Hug to let him know that everything will work out, that his fans will accept his true self but in truth not everyone will.  In fiction so many things work out in HEA, which is a great thing because we all need HEAs to brighten our days and to give us hope, but sometimes that makes the hate in the real world uglier.  Hate may not be in the majority but there are times when it seems to have the louder voice.  So again I understand Finn's reluctance to be open about who he is and what is driving him to master this upcoming role because it's more than just what it can do for his career it's about what it can do for him as a member of the LGBTQ community.  I definitely teared up more than once during Finn's part of Script.

Okay, that got a little maudlin and preachy, I apologize for that.  Don't let my above sentiment bring you down or steer you away from this first entry in Scott & Locey's new LA Storm series.  Despite my emotional thoughts on Finn, Script is very fun, very entertaining, very dramedy bordering on rom-comy at times, and oh so very Scott & Locey.

I'll briefly mention Cameron(and it really will be brief unlike previous points), he is a player who is dealt the blow that no athlete or fan wants and yet 150% find themselves in at some point in their career/life.  Falling short of that brass ring or silver trophy as in this case.  Not everyone can win, somebody has to lose it's just the name of the game, if you can't accept that then you are in the wrong profession/fangirling-or-guying. Cameron understands that, doesn't mean he likes it but it's part of being in that life.  Let's face it Finn couldn't have chosen a more perfect athlete to seek out for lessons in the art of hockey, skating, and losing considering the role he's training for.

On the ice and off, Finn and Cameron are a wonderfully matched pair and I can't think of a scenario for a more powerful chemistry-fueled start to this newest Scott/Locey Hockey Universe series.  Spot on, Ladies, SPOT ON!

Was I ready to say goodbye(at least as a front and center team) to the Boston Rebels?  No.  But then I wasn't ready to move away from the Raptors when Rebels started, Owatonna when Raptors came, and certainly not the Railers when Owatonna began.  As the Railers are the cornerstone of the Scott/Locey Hockey Universe we still get the occasional holiday/lifetime milestone novella though.  Truth is we never really say goodbye to any of the players in the authors' universe as it's the same league and returning favorites tend to pop up here and there.  And when LA Storm ends and a new team emerges, I'll be sad to say goodbye to them as well, but when you're a sports fan there is always the sadness of the offseason which is kinda what going from one team series to the next feels like, one ends but a new fresh start begins and the adrenaline rush of a clean slate is wildly addictive and seductive.

I don't know just how many stories the Scott/Locey Hockey Universe has to tell but long as they keep creating them, I'll keep reading them.  Not too bad for a not-really-a-hockey-kind-of-gal, guess loving these stories despite of my non-fanness speaks more volume to the greatness of these stories more than anything I've said above. Keep 'em coming, ladies, KEEP 'EM COMING!!!

RATING:

Plane, Trains, and Hurricanes by Eli Easton

Summary:

Joe knows where he is going in life. But one crazy road trip just might change everything.

Joe Blankenship knows where he’s going. He’s on track to marry the boss’s daughter and become heir apparent to a multi-million dollar medical supply business. The financial security he never had growing up is within his grasp along with a glitzy Manhattan lifestyle. All he has to do is get to New York by Christmas Eve for his engagement party.

Joe didn’t count on getting grounded in Florida thanks to a hurricane. He couldn’t have anticipated having to rent a broken-down car for the long drive north. And he certainly never foresaw being stuck with a passenger like Remy Guidry, a sweet-natured Cajun boy, social worker at a children’s home, and free spirit. Remy is the opposite of everything Joe has worked for. But he just might teach Joe, not only the spirit of Christmas, but what’s truly of value in life.

Planes, Trains, and Hurricanes is a Christmas road trip, forced proximity, opposites attract romance.

Original Review January 2024:

I look forward to Eli Easton's Christmas story every year, she just has a way of bringing all the holiday fun blended with just the right amount of drama to make for a very enjoyable reading experience.  Planes, Trains, & Hurricanes is yet another delicious Easton holiday yummy.

Planes has a definite Hallmark Holiday Movie feel and as someone who has seen more Hallmark holiday movies than I care to admit due to my mom's love of them, I can honestly say it is 10X better.  I love it when an author creates characters that you not only love to cheer for but also want to know.  I couldn't help but want to wrap Joe in a huge Mama Bear Hug and tell him to follow his heart's wants and not the journey he thinks he needs.  As for Remy, well I want to also squeeze the life out of him in a tight motherly hug because he's just so darn adorable.  How could I not want to know both of these amazing characters?

I love the whole hurricane obstacle too.  Born, raised, and still living in the upper Midwest I have never lived through a hurricane but I certainly understand Mother Nature being in control and not being able to get to where you need to be.  Can't say I would push myself to try and get ahead of the storm but then again I have never quite been in either man's position.  Gotta love Remy's optimistic approach to everything though, also something I'm not sure I could have shared.

The author says Planes is an opposites attract, forced proximity, road trip journey.  Road trip? Definitely.  Forced proximity? Certainly. Opposites attract? On the surface.  I say "on the surface" because to look at them then obviously opposites but I think the more we learn about Joe, or more precise the more he learns about himself, then maybe they aren't quite as opposite as originally thought.  Whatever label you choose, Planes, Trains, and Hurricanes is a holiday reading must proving once again that Eli Easton is definitely the Queen of Christmas.   If you're looking for man against Mother Nature stories than I highly recommend this story for that as well.

RATING:

Salem's Wish by Charlie Cochet

One 

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” 

Salem paced from one end of his yard to the other, cell phone pressed to his ear as he wiped the sweat from his brow— sweat that had nothing to do with the Florida weather attempting to bake him. Despite the magnolia trees planted around his yard, it was still eighty-five degrees with ninety percent humidity in the shade. Yet nothing was more stifling and uncomfortable than the reminder that had popped up on his calendar half an hour ago, prompting this sudden bout of desperation. 

“It’s not that I don’t love them, I do. They’re my family, but Goddess above, I can’t do this again!” Was he really about to pour his heart out to a voicemail? “It’s fine. I mean, not really, but most of the time it’s fine. No, it’s fine. I’m fine. Not a big deal. I don’t even know why I called.” Oh Goddess, he was going to hyperventilate. Breathe. Just breathe. 

“I mean, you probably have listeners calling in with real problems, right? And you’re like, ‘This dude is calling in with his daddy issues? That’s sad.’ I know. It is sad, and don’t get me wrong, I love my dad, but when your father is one of the most powerful mages around, and you’re… me, it sucks. And not in a good way. Shit, can I say that on here? Shit! Can I say shit?” Salem groaned and dropped down onto the comfy chaise lounge where he spent hours daydreaming rather than reading the book he’d intended to read. 

“Every year I sit there pretending not to notice my family’s pitying glances or the way my dad acts like I’m not the biggest disappointment of his life. Then there’s the questions, followed by appetizers and more pity, a lovely dinner of chicken or fish before dessert and a light side of patronizing, and at the end of the night, the elders take turns patting my head or ruffling my hair and assuring me I’ll grow out of it. I’m two hundred years old! There’s no growing out of it.” Ugh, why was he so pitiful? 

“If that wasn’t bad enough, everyone will ask me if I’ve found my mate, knowing I haven’t, because if I had, everyone in existence would know— even my ancestors would know because my mother would make sure of it. I’m the only one in my family who doesn’t have a mate, but that’s probably a good thing, right? I mean, who wants to be tied to a mage who’s only capable of conjuring up lasagna? Yeah, you heard that correctly. Lasagna. My nickname in high school was Garfield. That’s right. I’ve been a hot mess from the moment I could walk.” He let out a heavy sigh. 

“There’s no way any person in their right mind would want to be stuck with me. I mean, how embarrassing would that be? ‘Hey, this is Salem, my mate. Yep, he’s a mage. Nope, he can’t manipulate the elements, but he makes a mean lasagna!’ With my luck, my mate will be lactose intolerant. I just wish… I wish someone would love me for me.” He fell back onto the chair, eyes lifting to the clear blue sky. “Anyway, thanks for listening. I’m sorry for wasting your time.” Salem hung up the phone and closed his eyes, letting the peaceful quiet of a beautiful spring day wash over him. 

Calling the podcast made him feel a little better. Maybe he’d needed to vent. The popular new show was run by a couple of mysterious guys who’d quickly earned themselves a huge following. No one knew whether there was any real magic behind it, but there’d been rumors of wishes coming true for callers. It wasn’t like he believed his wish would come true, because let’s face it, that was a tall order. He should have come into his powers when he hit puberty, but nope. Well, he had come into his powers; his powers were just… an embarrassment. Time to face the hard truth. He’d never find his mate. 

“Found you.” 

“Merlin’s pants!” Salem gave such a start he fell off the lounge chair and hit the cool, crisp grass. 

“Shit, Salem. Are you okay?” Izzie’s huge form looming over Salem blocked out the sun. 

“Yep, um, looking for my phone. I dropped it. Found it!” Salem let Izzie help him to his feet. He waved the phone at Izzie in case he doubted Salem’s retrieval skills. “See?” 

Izzie’s lips quirked up in the corner. “I see.” 

“I guess you’re here to pick me up. What am I saying? Of course you are. Why else would you be here?” He really needed to get over his crush on his big brother’s best friend. Not an easy feat, especially when Izzie looked at him with those intense near-black eyes, like he could see right through Salem and unearth his deepest, darkest secrets. Not that Salem had any deep, dark secrets, other than his crush on Izzie. Even if Izzie weren’t Hugo’s best friend, he’d still be off-limits. Salem’s father had several bodyguards on staff for the family, and over the years, Izzie had quickly become one of their most loyal and trusted. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Izzie asked, his voice gentle as he placed his fingers under Salem’s chin and lifted his face so their eyes could meet. 

Salem melted a little. Despite Izzie’s size and gruff exterior, he’d always been so gentle with Salem. Boy, was he handsome. All six and a half feet of him. From his chiseled, dark-stubbled jaw, thick eyebrows, and ruffled chestnut-colored hair with the sexy silver streak on one side, to his tanned skin and firm muscles. 

“Salem?” 

“Hm?” Snickerdoodles! Izzie had been talking to him, and Salem hadn’t heard a word. Smooth. But then that was Salem in a nutshell. 

The amusement that lit up Izzie’s eyes and the way his full lips tugged up at the corners had Salem’s pulse jumping all over the place. 

“I was saying that we should go.” Izzie released him, and with a groan, Salem let his head fall against Izzie’s chest. 

“Do we have to?” 

“It’s going to be okay.” He patted Salem’s back, then rubbed his hand in a circle, which helped Salem breathe a little better. 

“Stay with me?” 

Izzie stiffened beneath him, and Salem took a step back to gaze up at him, confused by Izzie’s startled expression. 

“What?” Izzie murmured, sounding a little breathless. 

Maybe the humidity was getting to him. It was like a sauna out here, without the benefit of being naked. Really? Because being naked was clearly something he should be thinking about while standing this close to Izzie.

Salem cleared his throat. “At the party. Will you stay with me? My family tends to give me less shit when you’re around.” They might be powerful mages, but they respected Izzie. Also, all Izzie had to do was narrow his eyes and everyone around him pretty much got gone. Except for Salem. He’d never been intimidated by Izzie. 

“Of course. Ganon assigned me to you for today’s event.” 

Salem frowned at that. “Me? Why would my dad assign you to me? I’m going to be the least important person there.” He headed toward the house with Izzie at his side. 

“That’s not true.” 

Salem wrinkled his nose as he pulled open the sliding glass door. Ah, glorious air-conditioning. “That’s sweet of you to say.” 

Izzie stepped inside, a deep frown on his face. He opened his mouth to say something, probably attempt to placate him, but Salem didn’t want to hear it. He was all too familiar with his place in the family hierarchy. 

“It’s fine. No big deal. Really.” He turned to go, but Izzie took hold of his arm. 

“Salem, you’re—” Izzie’s phone went off, both of them recognizing his father’s ringtone. With a sigh, Izzie released Salem. “This conversation isn’t over.” 

As far as Salem was concerned, it was. The last person he needed platitudes or pity from was Izzie. It would hurt too much. Which was stupid, since they were nothing to each other and that wasn’t going to change. While Izzie answered the call and spoke to Ganon, Salem locked up the house and headed for the car, Izzie close behind, speaking quietly into his phone. 

Time to get this over with. At least he’d get to spend some time with Izzie before he returned home, alone, to binge-watch his favorite show and drown his sorrows in several pints of Chunky Monkey. This was his life. He should resign himself to that pitiful fact, and yet the flicker of hope that he was meant for more continued to burn in his stubborn heart, refusing to be extinguished. One of these days, he’d either change his life or extinguish all hope that things would change. For good.

Jack Addison vs. A Whole World of Hot Trouble by KA Merikan

Jack Addison vs. Mad-Ravishing Spider #1
The damp cold soaked into Jack’s clothes, biting his skin as he walked down the path spiraling between the trees. The coachman who had brought him here from the nearest train station had told him that all the other venators had already arrived at Loch Ness, but Jack wouldn’t let that stop him from kick-starting his monster-hunting career with the most prestigious event worldwide.

So he might have boarded the ship for Europe a little bit too late. Big deal—what counted was that Halloween lasted for another twelve hours, which was more than enough time to collect the bounty for Nessie’s head and become another bright star in the Addison family tree.

As he followed the winding track, his feet gradually sank into the clouds of vapor that obscured the undergrowth. The loch itself, visible in the dying sunlight, was also partially hidden by the thick fog, providing cover for the monster that only left the depths once a year.

The sound of music and voices ahead gradually became louder when Jack neared the shore, and the cheerfulness of it all started to drill its way under his skin. Could it be that someone already had got the bounty? Was he too late after all? But when Jack left the trees behind and saw the large inn by the dark waters of the lake, there was no carcass in sight—only empty carts, cages, and human silhouettes in lit windows.

He sped up, eager to step into warmth. He hadn’t thought his outfit through all that well, and the short leather jacket meant that the wind kept licking his back through the shirt. Then again, life was meant for living, not dreading a pinch of cold. Most importantly, he had his pistols, his family sword, and the latest Addison device, which would give him an advantage over other venators and lead him to the hell hole Nessie had crawled out from.

He pushed the door of the Monster’s Head open and stepped inside. He didn’t expect the Scottish to recognize him, since he’d lived in New York most of his life, but he was sure there was no venator alive who wouldn’t recognize his last name. After all, the device they all carried had been named after its inventor, Jack’s late grandmother.

The music he’d heard on the way came from a gramophone in the corner, but a large contingent of the people gathered sang to the lively melody while sampling beer, as if this was an opportunity for socializing, not the annual hunt for the Loch Ness monster. Almost fifty years since its first appearance, Nessie had only been captured by photography and sketches, and there was no way to predict where exactly it would appear this time, but Jack was still disillusioned by the behavior he was witnessing.

Was no one even trying to stay in adequate shape for tonight’s hunt?

And worst of all, with the commotion, hardly anyone noticed his presence. Quite tall and muscular, despite being just nineteen, he had the kind of charm that drew the attention of women and men alike. To top it all off, his wide smile full of even, white teeth, sunshine hair, and blue eyes in a lightly tanned handsome face ensured that even without his last name being mentioned, he never drank his beer alone.

The inn was filled mostly with other venators—something Jack could recognize by the emblems sewn on their clothing, but they all ate and drank in groups, talking in many languages he did not recognize.

“Hello, love. If you need someplace to sleep, we only have hay mattresses left,” said a busty blonde woman with a thick Scottish accent. She approached him out of nowhere, dressed in civilian clothes and wearing a dress with a neckline slightly deeper than propriety would normally allow, she was likely a member of staff.

“What? You don’t have rooms available? But the nearest town is an hour away!”

She sighed and patted his chest. “You must be new to this. There’s only so much space available at the inn. I could accept a down payment for next year. Many choose to sleep in the barn.”

Ha! Next year. There would be no hunt next year, because Jack Addison would catch and behead Nessie tonight. Especially since everyone else seemed to only be there for a good time over beers and whiskey.

This conversation did seem like a good opportunity to drop his name though. “Yes, please write down my name. Jack Addison.”

No reaction, just a smile. How demotivating. But a man sitting by the nearby bar gave Jack a curious look and poked two of his friends, both of whom were also venators.

“Addison? Like ‘The Kraken’ Addison?” the guy asked in a polite accent that sounded exactly like Jack’s only English professor at the American Institute of Interdimensional Studies.

Pride swelled in Jack’s chest, and he approached the men with a smile. “I am his son.”

The Englishman squeezed Jack’s hand. “Hector Collins. And these are my former schoolmates, William Tucker and Drake Nguyen.”

William tapped the bar counter, trying to draw the attention of the pretty young barman who had so many orders to complete that his cheeks were glistening and rosy despite the cold. “What are you drinking, Addison?”

Jack licked his lips, sliding his gaze off the barman’s neck and to his new friends. “Oh, I’ll have coffee.”

All three English men laughed to the point of slapping their knees.

“Good one, Addison. Keeping your wits about you, eh?” asked Drake.

Hector gaped and touched the thick handle of Jack’s two-handed sword. “Is this… is this the sword that ripped open the Kraken?”

Jack smirked and reached back, pulling Gouger out of the sheath on his back. “The very same. You can touch it, but be careful, it’s extremely sharp.”

“Can I have some butter, please?” someone asked in a strong French accent behind Jack’s back, and he wouldn’t have paid it any mind, if it wasn’t for seeing his new friends exchange curious glances.

What could be more interesting than the legendary Gouger? Jack wanted to sneak a peek at the guy, but once he looked over his shoulder, everything else was forgotten. He put the sword back into the sheath.

A chat. A real-life chat!

He’d read about them in the first Monster Manual written by his dad. The textbook had since been redacted to call them ‘creatures’, but that didn’t really change what these non-humans were.

About Jack’s height, but much more slender, even in the long leather jacket, the chat was ginger with a few white stripes on his head. The massive ears that twitched in attention hid white tufts that would have been cute on a normal cat, not this man-sized critter. His paws were white, as if he were wearing gloves. A ridiculous notion for a creature that was more animal than human. Did the fluffy fingers really hide killer claws?

A Light in the Darkness by Alice Winters

Chapter One

“Lane!” I scream.

I don’t know where he is, but I can’t get up. I can’t move.

“Lane!”

I might die here if he doesn’t reach me in time.

“What?” he asks as he steps into the living room. He’s a little hesitant as he walks in since he’s still trying to remember where everything is in his parents’ house. Even though he lived in this house as a child, it’s been hard for him to remember the placement of everything now that he can’t see any of it. Probably because he’s so old it feels like a lifetime ago that he lived here.

“What happened?” he asks.

“I ate so much that I can’t move,” I moan from where I lay on the couch. I peek over the armrest to get a good look at him. The first thing I notice isn’t his handsome face covered in just the right amount of stubble. It isn’t the sunglasses that he insists on wearing even when we’re at home. Nor is it his dark brown hair that seems to have a mind of its own. What I do notice is how sweaty he is. He’d been working out on the treadmill in the basement, and now his clothes are sticking to his chest, giving me a very nice view of his muscular frame. “Why is your mother’s cooking so good, Lane?”

He shakes his head, clearly disbelieving the fact that I may die after consuming too much food. “You’re going to turn into an Oompa Loompa if you don’t slow down,” he says.

I snort. “Thanks Lane, you’re the sweetest. I love you the most!” I say sarcastically.

“You do understand that just because she cooks it, doesn’t mean you have to eat all of it, right?” he asks as he slowly walks further into the room.

“It’s like hibernation. I’m creating a fat storage for when we move out and have to go back to starving,” I explain since my cooking is anything but edible. With a yawn, I stretch out my arms just as he touches the back of the couch.

“Well, you’re doing a splendid job of it because I went in to grab a cookie, and the cookie jar is empty. How many did you eat today?”

I watch his handsome face as he leans over me. He may not be able to see me, but he sure can scrutinize me when he thinks I’m not being honest. But I notice that there’s a slight upturn to his lips that makes it hard to keep my grin at bay. I kind of want to lean forward and capture those lips as my own.

“How many what?” I ask innocently. I’m not sure how he could point fingers at me when there are two other people staying in this house.

“How many cookies have you eaten?”

“In the past…five minutes? Or today?”

“Just choose.”

“Lane, I don’t like you making me feel bad about myself,” I say as I push my blond hair out of my face. Lane reaches down and touches my chest before feeling his way to my stomach and patting it.

He looks thoughtful as he feels it over. “That’s weird…it’s about the same size as the cookie jar,” he says.

I laugh and push his hand away. “No! Your mom said I could have them!”

He shakes his head in disbelief. “I heard the phone ring, who called you?”

I sit up as I grimace. “The realtor called, but I told her that we don’t need any of the lies she’s selling.”

“A house? The lie of a house?” he asks.

“Lane…I don’t want to leave,” I say as I look around the quaint living room with its walls smothered in pictures of the family.

If there is a span of the wall twelve inches wide that isn’t covered by a picture of someone in this family, then I’d be willing to bet my right hand that the photo fell down and Lane’s mother hasn’t gotten to putting it back up. It was cute when I first walked in, especially getting to see all the photographs of a young Lane, but the family photo in the bathroom that I have to look at while taking a shit is a bit too much. Yesterday I put a post-it note over everyone’s face in the photograph, and the others must think it’s an improvement because no one’s fixed it yet. Besides the family pictures, there are way too many sunflower decorations, but if I’m being honest, I love every inch of it. Even the picture in the bathroom.

“We can’t live with my parents,” he says.

“Says who? You? Because your mom said we can live with her forever, and I think she meant it.”

He grins as he shakes his head. “She was just being polite.”

“Lane…she loves me,” I say defensively. “Yesterday she bought me Gushers. Have you ever heard of those things? They’re like…gooey on the inside and absolutely amazing.”

“Yes, I’ve heard of Gushers before. So what time are we meeting her?”

“Three,” I say grudgingly. “We’ll leave in about twenty minutes to pick up Copper.”

“Then I better go get a shower,” he says as I stand up. “Can you pick my clothes out for me so we can keep moving?”

“Sure,” I say as I stretch again. These past few weeks have been good to me even though my body has begun to complain about inactivity.

“Thanks,” he says as he reaches for me, most likely to hug me, but I dodge him like the plague.

“I love you, Lane, really I do, but right now you’re past the point of attractive and into the field of disgusting. Way too sweaty,” I say with a grimace because I feel like we are definitely at a good enough point in our relationship where I can tell him how disgusting he is. He’s past the sexy, slightly sweaty version and into the disgusting, don’t touch me version.

“You won’t hug me?” he asks, looking offended.

I can tell he’s joking, but I wrinkle my nose as I stare at him. “Absolutely not.”

“Really,” he says, like his feelings are hurt. “Come on. Give me a hug.” He grabs for me so I scamper away.

“No! Go away!” I say. “I’m getting changed.”

“What? You mean you’re actually going to get out of your pajamas?”

“I feel like you’re being very critical when I’ve needed this time to recover,” I say. “I need to recover from all the shootings, the running, and all that other junk I would like to never think about again.”

“You act like we’ve only been here a couple of weeks. You’ve had a lot of time to recover.”

“Lane,” I say warningly.

“I’m sorry. I’m sure you look very sexy in those pajama pants,” he says.

“They’re your mom’s, so thanks,” I say.

“I don’t know how I feel about that,” he says as his eyebrows furrow.

I laugh and head back for his bedroom.

*****

I pull up to a small brick building with a large painting of a dog overlapping the door. It’s neat until someone opens the door, then it looks like the dog has a big gaping hole in its face.

“I’ll run in and get him since whenever Ned gets a hold of you, he won’t shut up,” I say.

“Good plan,” Lane says, so I get out, leaving the car running.

We had decided that instead of getting Lane a different dog, we would use our dog Copper as a service dog. Since Copper had been trained to be a police dog when he was young, he already has a large range of commands and knowledge. So, a man who works with service dogs agreed to do some private training with him. It was also easier to get Copper registered as a service dog than to get on the waiting list for a trained one, so now all we need to do is teach him a few of the commands.

This is Copper’s fourth week working with Ned, and I’m already not really fond of the man. He’s amazing with Copper, but I’m not sure he likes me or maybe we have a difference of opinion. I drop Copper off in the morning and pick him up later in the day at least three times a week, and he works with him throughout the day. I miss my little Copper when he’s gone, and Lane has to remind me that I have to share Copper when he returns.

I push through the door, into the office area and walk inside to where I notice Ned rushing on by. He’s a lanky man who seems to have one speed.

“Hey, Felix!” he says sounding joyful, like he’s forgotten that the last time he saw me, he chewed me out.

“Hey,” I say with a forced smile. I do not forgive as quickly. “Copper good?”

“He’s fantastic. He picks everything up with ease, and you can tell he loves having a job. At home, I still want you guys just to be working on that follow command. He understands it pretty well, but don’t forget that when he follows, you click and reward.”

“Got it. That’s awesome to hear,” I say with a smile.

“I’ll go get Copper,” he says before disappearing through the open door. He returns after a few minutes with the black German shepherd at his side.

Copper’s tail starts going a hundred miles an hour when he sees me, and no matter how much I want to drop to my knees and pet him, I’m not allowed to say anything to him. The first time we came to pick him up, I greeted Copper with love which in Ned’s eyes is a “preposterous” thing to do. He assured me that I would ruin the dog by giving him such joyous affection as soon as I see him, so I keep my eyes on Ned and take the leash without a word to Copper.

I see Copper’s tail begin to slow as he looks up at me in devastation, black ears falling like he thinks I’m upset with him. “Thanks,” I say grudgingly.

“See how much calmer and wellbehaved he is when you greet him properly?” Ned asks.

“Totally,” I lie as I lead Copper to the door. “See you Monday.”

“Have a good night.”

“Thanks, you too,” I say as I lead Copper out to the blue four-door car. I open the back door and send him inside before getting into the driver’s seat. Then I turn to Copper who is already crawling over the middle console onto my lap. “Aw, my sweetie pie. Did you have fun today?” I coo, and his entire body wiggles as his tail whaps Lane mercilessly across the face.

Lane laughs as he pushes Copper’s tail down. “Didn’t he tell you to stop babying that dog?”

“Yeah, well…he clearly doesn’t understand love,” I say as I glance up at the building and see Ned standing in the doorway, watching my deplorable display of affection.

“Shit, shit, Ned’s watching us, Copper, get back,” I say as I shove him in the back. “Play it cool.” I wave to Ned who is staring at me with clear disapproval on his face. “I think he’s pretending like he doesn’t see me.”

“Now I’m going to have to hear all about it when I see him again,” Lane says.

“Oh well,” I say as I put the car in drive and gladly pull out of the parking lot. Even when it’s long behind me, I can still feel Ned’s stare and judgment.

I glance down at the GPS as I turn out onto Main Street. “You sure we can’t live with your mother forever?”

“I lived with her for twenty years, it was enough,” he says. “We need to get a house.”

“We do?” I ask skeptically. “Last I checked, I definitely don’t have enough money to buy a house. Or do you mean you’ll buy it, and I’ll just live in it and mooch off you?”

He nods. “Yeah, that one.”

I grin as I turn where the GPS tells me to. “Yeah…I thought so.”

“You can work it off,” he says.

“Oh, you mean like sexy time,” I say with a grin.

“No, like by cleaning and taking care of the lawn and stuff.”

“What else would I have meant by sexy time?” I ask. “You should see the way I tug on that push mower.”

He looks slightly concerned when I glance at him. “Hmm…is that supposed to be sexy? Sometimes I really can’t tell with you.”

“Good, I like you on your toes,” I say.

“Your destination is on the right…”

“Here we are,” I say as I pull into the driveway of a gorgeous one-story home. “Ooh…I like it.”

“Why? Is it just like a little hole in the ground with a tiny round door?” he asks.

I slam the car in park as I look over at him. “Ha ha. It’s not a hobbit house,” I say.

He grins. “Well, I just thought that’s where you’d be most comfortable.”

“Again, I am not the size of a hobbit.”

I notice the realtor get out of her car and wave to us, so I smile and wave back.

“Come on,” I say as I get out.

I walk around to Lane’s side of the car as he gets out. Opening the back door of the car, I call Copper out before reaching in for his leather harness which I press into Lane’s hands. We’ve only started working with the harness, so Lane’s still a little uncertain of it. He feels it over to make sure he has it facing the right way before holding it out and, without prompt, Copper pops his head through the harness. Since Lane is still trying to juggle the harness, the dog, and the leash, he fumbles for the clicker Ned gave us. When clicked, the noise signals positive reinforcement so the dog knows that he did the correct thing, and then he gets a treat.

I could help, but Copper patiently waits until Lane finds the clicker, hits it, and then gives him a treat.

“This is a mess,” Lane says as he just drops Copper’s leash. “I can never find this stupid clicker. The dog probably thinks it’s getting the click and treat for just standing there.”

Reaching down, I unhook the leash and toss it into the backseat. “What if I find a way to strap it to your belt or something? That way it’s always in the same spot, because I’ve literally seen you stick it in your pants, your coat, the treat bag, and the pouch on the harness.”

“Good idea,” he says as he reaches down to Copper and feels him over before running the strap of the harness between his legs and hooking it. “Is it on right?”

It looks good to me, so I shrug. “Yup,  let’s go,” I say as I walk up to the realtor. Today is our third time meeting and the second time she has shown us houses.

“Good afternoon,” the realtor says with a smile. She’s an older lady with gray hair that looks like a ball of cotton on her head. “I really think you guys will like this one. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. I think you guys were leaning toward more of an open plan and that is what this is.”

She heads for the front door, and Lane tells Copper to “follow.”’ He doesn’t miss a beat as he starts following the realtor. Whether it’s because he really understands the command or because I’m walking with them and he just wants to follow me, I don’t know. But we rave how smart he is and give him a treat which he swallows without chewing.

The realtor unlocks the door and pushes it open before walking inside. I shut it after us and look around the living room.

“The living room, dining room, and kitchen are all one big room which I think you’ll like, Lane. It gives you plenty of nice open space, and you don’t have to worry about walls or steps.”

I’ve been inside for a total of twenty seconds, and I’m already in love. “Do you think Lane and I could just walk through it?” I say. “Then you can tell us all of the specifications?”

“Of course!” she says. “I’ll step outside and check out the garage. You let me know when you’re ready.”

As soon as she leaves, I reach out for Lane’s free hand. When he feels the nudge of my hand, he holds his out and I slide my fingers between his, gripping them tightly.

“You like it, don’t you?” Lane asks as he squeezes back.

“I love it,” I admit. “As you walk in, it opens right up into the living room. They have their couch pushed back against the wall here with one of those electric fireplaces in the corner. Stone surrounds it, and there’s a wooden mantel above it. To the right of it, they have their TV which I think is really the only good spot for it. Then as you walk in further, it opens up into the dining room. There’s a table here, but to its right is this little alcove with a big bay window and a bench big enough to lie on.”

“Oh yeah, that’d be a nice spot for reading.”

“Oh…yeah…that’s what I was planning on doing there,” I say and Lane snorts.

“Oh? Have a better idea?” he asks as he waggles his eyebrows.

“Yeah, like stuff my face with your mom’s cookies.”

“Yeah…that’s definitely not where I thought you were going with it. Just really put a damper on my idea when you started with ‘stuff my face with your mom.’”

I laugh. “Gross. So…back with the tour now that I feel nauseous…here’s the kitchen. The counters are all along this wall, but there’s a bar here with stools.”

I turn to the hallway and head down it. “First room on the left is the bathroom. Pretty simple really, sink and toilet on the left and the bathtub on the right.” We leave the bathroom, and I take him into the first room which they’re using as a kid’s bedroom. “Bedroom, looks like we could use it as an office or something. The walls are a pretty nice black too.”

“Oh? Kind of like your heart?”

“That must be why I feel at home in here.” I head into the master bedroom and look around the roomy space. “It’s huge. You could fit like…five of my bedrooms as a kid in here!”

“That’s because you lived in a little hobbit hole.”

“Funny.”

He grins. “Then the second bathroom is off this room?”

“Yeah, it’s right over here,” I say as I lead him into the bathroom. “There’s a whirlpool tub.”

“Ooh.”

“And it’s big enough for like three men,” I say.

“Three?” he asks skeptically. “Why would we need three?”

“What? Who said that?”

He laughs. “I’m not worried.”

“So, what do you think?” I ask eagerly.

“If you like it, then I know I will,” he says.

I don’t know why those words make me so happy, but I can’t help but grin. “You’re so sweet.”

“No, I just want your first experience outside a hobbit hole to be a good one.”

“Oh…Oh ho…well, I’m leaving. I’m going to go tell your mom you got lost, and we’ll probably never find you again and that she might as well adopt me to take your place,” I say, and he grins as he reaches out to me.

He wraps me in his muscular arms and pulls me up against him. “You’d miss me,” he says.

“Just your muscles…them I would miss,” I say as I run my finger down one. “Sure wouldn’t be your horrid personality.”

He kisses my forehead as he squeezes me tighter. “So? You like this one the best?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s talk to her and put an offer in on it, alright?”

“Sounds good. I offer five dollars, you offer the rest?” I suggest as I look up at him.

He looks surprised. “Five? That’s a whole lot more than I thought you’d offer.”

“Oh, it was the five dollars I took from your wallet, so that’s why.”

“Of course it was.”

“I’ve been slowly replacing the money in your wallet with Monopoly money and pretty much everyone just feels bad for you, so they let you get away with it.”

“The thing is…I’m not sure that’s even a joke. You’ve been folding my money up like origami, and it’s confusing as hell.”

“It’s not origami! It’s like…blind people tricks,” I say.

“One day you’re like, the one dollar bill is the long one then the next, the ten is the long one,” he says.

“Your long one is a ten,” I say with a grin.

“I walked right into that,” he realizes before laughing. “Go get the realtor.”

“Going, going,” I say as I pull away from him. “If I don’t come back, see if this family will adopt you…I’ll take really good care of your mother!”

Leaving Lane behind, I step outside and see the realtor messing with something in the backseat of her car. I take the concrete path out to the sidewalk, and as I step onto it, someone slams into me. I must not have seen him because I’d been focused on the realtor, but the force sends me stumbling back.

“Be careful,” he says, just above a whisper as he steps past.

“Sorry about that,” I say as I look back at the guy. His back is to me, and his hood is up as he waves his hand through the air before continuing on.

For a moment I just watch him, but I don’t know why. I’m so paranoid after the shit with Red. Like someone’s going to grab me and drag me back into an alleyway to threaten me again. I need to get the stuff that happened with Red out of my mind and move on with my life. Hopefully, this house is the fresh start I need so I can stop being suspicious of everything.

“How did you like the house?” the realtor shouts as she realizes I’m outside.

I look away from the man and smile at her. “Definitely our favorite so far.”

Script by RJ Scott & VL Locey

Chapter 1

Finn

“But you’re Canadian.”Atlas stared at me in shock. “Wait, Vancouver is in Canada, right?” My agent pulled out his cell phone as if he were going to check where in the world my hometown was.

I stopped him. “I am, and it is.” Where did he think it was? South of LA?

His shock turned into bewilderment, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. He’d been my agent since the early days when I was a child actor in a soap and was an uncle-type figure who’d watched me grow up. It was Atlas who’d gotten me a lead in the low-budget Rapid Action from Byrnes-Rose studios, which, after becoming a surprise hit, had spawned two sequels, Rapid Start, and Rapid Recall, and made me a lot of money. And him. In all that time I’d never seen him so confused in all that time

He had a raft of clients, and was used to having things dumped in his lap, but it seemed I’d finally done something way beyond his understanding.

“But you want to read for the lead in a hockey movie?”

“Uh huh.”

“And you can’t skate.”

I closed two of my fingers together. “A little. I skated when I was younger, but then… acting. I mean, I can stay upright. Or at least I could when I was ten.”

“But don’t all Canadians do the hockey thing? From birth? I mean, I’ve seen videos of teeny tiny Canadian babies skating around with those penguin trainer things.”

I sighed. “Not every Canadian is into hockey, just like not every American is into football.”

Atlas inhaled sharply. “Blasphemy!” And for a moment he waved in front of him as if he were making the sign of a cross—I’d insulted him and the rest of the U.S. in some way. I enjoyed watching football highlights—mostly because of the men in tight pants—but being picked up to star in a soap at ten meant my formative years had been all about the role, the marketing, being a public figure, and not anything to do with funny-shaped balls.

Or pucks.

My life had always been way too filled with other things for me to get into sports.

Unless you counted me getting into Roscoe Lewinsky, the tight end for the LA something or other, because I got into him, and he was tight and just as much in the closet as me.

I snorted a laugh, and Atlas stared at me with a comic-book open mouth and wide eyes, as if I’d lost my damn mind and wasn’t paying attention to his meltdown at all.

He pointed at my chest, turning a dark shade of red. “You told me… you said you could do this…”

“No,” I began with exaggerated patience. “What I said, when I was drunk, I hasten to add, is that as a Canadian it’s my civic duty to be the star of the next Grierson blockbuster featuring the great sport of hockey. That is what I said.”

He blinked at me as if I’d ripped the carpet from under him, which I kind of had. Case in point, me being offered the lead of a new hockey movie, The Cup, directed by the hottest director in Hollywood, Oscar winning River Grierson. The role of Hayden “Mac” McKenzie was deep, and written in such a beautiful way, it was based on a bestselling autobiography (which I hadn’t read, because… reasons). Who knew, it could even be Oscar material unless, of course, a meaningful biopic of someone cool came out at the same time. The role I’d been offered was that of Rowan Campbell. He was the classic misunderstood underdog. The one who takes his struggling disorganized team all the way to the Stanley Cup Final on sheer grit and determination alone. Of course, while also falling in love with a sassy and confident blonde woman and sacrificing that love for his team. Cue dramatic music, dark lighting, and an on-ice reconciliation as I hand my tearful yet feisty lover the cup, then skate around the rink with confidence.

All sounded great on paper.

Apart from one small detail.

I hadn’t skated since I was ten, and I didn’t watch hockey.

No hockey.

At all.

And according to my agent, I may as well hand in my Canadian card right now.

I flexed my muscles. “If it helps, I love maple syrup, and if I wasn’t keeping in shape, I could eat way more poutine.”

“But no to the skating.”

“Yeah, no.”

“Well shit,” Atlas muttered as he began to pace his office. “You reassured me… you said… fuck… you signed the goddamned contract.”

“Yeah, you’ve already said that.”

He continued to pace, punctuating each step with a curse word. It was a long perimeter to pace, at least twenty-by-twenty, so that was a lot of cursing. I focused on the posters on his wall, from movies featuring his clients, including the Rapid films with me front and center, my quirky sidekick at my side. Action movies with snark and banter had been my golden ticket to the big time. From soap opera wannabe to the face of a franchise, I’d risen like cream on milk. Who knew that an archaeologist solving mysteries with the aid of a psychic would get so big? Of course, comparisons to older whip-wielding archaeologists were made, but fuck that, there was no such thing as a new story. Add some spectacular car crashes, and the first in the trilogy grossed a lot, and with me signing up just for a percentage, it made me rich. Not only that, but I was everyone’s breakout darling.

And the Oscar goes to Finn Kerrigan for his not-quite-dramatic role in Rapid Loss! Yeah, right. No one got an Oscar for crashing cars and searching for treasure while shirtless.

“Earth to Finn!” Atlas snapped his fingers under my nose, and the hysterical thought of me being handed a golden statue for Rapid Loss drifted away. Was Atlas done with his pacing already? When he ruminated, it normally took a while, but he’d apparently come up with a solution quick as anything. Or had I been daydreaming too long?

“You’ll never get anywhere by staring out of the window!”

Take that, Mrs. Appleton, sixth grade English. Which one of us was the daydreamer with a career he loves?

Which reminded me—I needed to send my annual charity amount to her and the school. After all, besides the accusations of daydreaming, it was her after-school drama classes that had pulled the actor out of me. Maybe I should add my name to the donation this time, get an auditorium named after me, just to show the residents of Gibson Hills how far I’d come. So far, despite their doubts that the kid with verbal diarrhea who couldn’t sit still, could ever amount to anything.

Obviously, they knew how far I’d come given that I name checked the town every interview, and my mom was all about giving out bits of information from my childhood, but there was no school auditorium named after me yet.

I should get on with that.

“Jesus, Finn! Are you even listening to me?”

“I’m listening,” I lied. I could picture the new addition to the school already. A complete stage set-up where anyone could act in peace, with a designated teacher/director, that was a safe space away from the attentions of school bullies.

“So, you agree,” Atlas pushed.

Agree with what? “Yes?” I said, hopeful that this was the right answer.

“Okay. It might cost you, but for now, you taking the part is only a rumor, so it won’t hurt your brand when you pull out.”

“Sorry? What did you just say?”

“What you agreed to. That we pull you out of the movie.”

What? The fuck? No. “Now hang on—”

“You just said—”

“I wasn’t listening.”

He let out a dramatic sigh. “Finn, you know I love your need to do this project, but we have a potential Rapid 4 in the pipeline.”

“I’m not doing Rapid 4.”

“But it’s your franchise,” Atlas said. “Ten percent of ticket income, and a thirty-five-million payday—”

Like I needed more money. “No. Anything but Rapid 4.”

“Well, there’s no point in signing contracts on The Cup if you can’t skate—”

“I doubt the due who played Aquaman could really breathe underwater,” I reminded him.

Atlas closed his eyes, pinched his nose again, tense, frowning, and exasperated. “You can’t special effect away the fact that you’re not able to fucking skate, Finn.”

“I have time. Filming doesn’t start until July. So, that’s what, six weeks? I’ll learn to skate just like I learned how to rappel down a mountain.”

Atlas muttered under his breath as I stared at the movie poster for Rapid 2: Rapid Start, in which I was seen in the montage as I rappelled heroically to save my sidekick, the bespectacled psychic. I’d cleaned up good on that poster.

At least I think I did. Doubts were my constant companion, because I didn’t always see the square-jawed, blond, and blue-eyed action hero, but instead the kid from Gibson Falls with my deep dark secret. Still, the outside packaging was good, if a little airbrushed where they’d gotten rid of my random freckle. My face sold seats, and that was what the Rapid series had been—a money maker.

I could sell the lead in a gritty movie like The Cup, and I refused to doubt that.

“Listen to yourself, Finn! It was your stuntman who did all the rappelling. All you did was the six-inch hop from a box into that weird superhero landing where you flexed your freaking muscles and made that joke to the camera about rope burn.”

Hmmm. He had a point.

“But I did learn how to rappel, and that’s the main point.”

This time his frustration was so real I sat back in my chair.

“Jesus Christ, Finn, you didn’t. You had one lesson with Jeff the buff and built mountain climber—your description not mine—and then spent the rest of the week with him at your place in the Bahamas, and you know how much it cost you to stop him going to the press on that.”

Ahhh, yes, Jeff. Him of the ass, and the huge cock, and the sexy walk.

He’d certainly shown me the ropes in more ways than one. What a week, and well worth the two million I’d had to pay to keep him quiet.

I chose not to rise to his comments about Jeff, and instead, focused on the simple answer to the issue.

“Then we’ll get a stuntman to do the skating. Simple.”

“Did you take your meds today?”

I attempted to act affronted, but he was only asking because… well, because I probably wasn’t making logical sense right now with the amount of things I wanted to say.

“Of course, I did.”

He stared at me—looking for the lie. But there was one thing I never skipped, and that was my Adderall. All of this unfocused-me was just a result of the overwhelming excitement at the chance of making a movie that mattered. That was my explanation, and I was sticking to it.

Atlas sighed dramatically. “Did you even read the spec?”

“Yep,” I lied. All I saw was Grierson’s name on a script when I read the first page. Picture my character, sweating, exhausted, staring at a countdown to the end of a quarter, or a period, or whatever, as his uninspired team headed for a loss. I could imagine the expression I would use, exhausted, broken, resentful even, but maybe hopeful even as the clock ticked down. That one page was close to the limit of my acting ability, but shit, I wanted to emote the broken hockey player more than do anything with freaking Rapid 4.

“Stay with me, Finn… Finn.” This time, Atlas was right up in my face.

I reared back. Curse my squirrel brain, but I was staying with him. I was undeniably in the goddamn room right now, but I did pinch my knee to make sure. I peered back at the posters and the one for Rapid Recall which was movie three in the franchise, and noticed someone had missed airbrushing the freckle under my left eye.

Not good art-guys, not good.

I should get on to that.

No wait—I have an agent—Atlas can sort that out.

“They left a freckle on my poster,” I informed him. “They either leave all of my freckles or not—we can’t have anything in between.”

“Stop changing the subject.”

“I wasn’t. But a freckle is a freckle and—”

“Stay on task Finn.”

“Sorry.”

“Look, you understand Grierson demands full commitment, immersive—he’ll want you to understand the pain of pushing yourself to the limit. He’ll want you to freaking live the part and act your heart out.”

I waved at the huge images of Rapid 1, 2, and 3, plus the much smaller poster for the indie film, Where the Ladybugs Live, which made up the full movie resume of Finn Kerrigan, former soap star turned Hollywood star. “I can act.”

I can.

Atlas leaned over me and placed his hands on my shoulders, my chest tightening because I really didn’t like being hemmed in or trapped. “When I took you on, son, I promised you one thing. Do you remember that?” How was it that he managed to sound sixty, when he was only ten years older than my twenty-seven?

“Um. That you’d only take twenty percent of my money?”

He rolled his eyes. “I promised I’d never lie to you.”

“And?” I focused back on his face, shrugging off his hands.

“You know, and I know, that under the action hero is not another layer where an Oscar-worthy character actor lives, Finn. You’re at the level you should be at—you’re not the type to live and breathe your part and immerse yourself in understanding what makes a character real.”

I winced because this was some character assassination.

“It’s not a bad thing, okay? You’re great at what you do, flashing your abs, looking pretty, leaving the messy stuff to the stuntmen, and it’s made you more money than you could spend in a lifetime. But if Grierson thinks there is another layer, then you and me… we know he’s wrong.”

I listened to the words, but none of what he said meant I couldn’t do this movie—if Grierson was willing to take a chance on me in his gritty piece of art, then why shouldn’t I believe I could do it?

“I signed the contract; I’ll figure the rest out.”

“I want you to reconsider Rapid 4.”

“No.”

“You can’t skate.”

I puffed out my chest. “I’m Canadian, I’ll figure it out.”

* * *

Okay,so figuring it out wasn’t going so well, and I’d already gone three days into my thirty-five until filming, paralyzed with indecision.

I wrote a list, checked it twice, laughed at my own stupid joke in my huge empty house, and then it hit me.

Like I did with Jeff the mountain climber, all I needed to do was find an expert in skating, in hockey, someone who would sign an NDA, someone who could make me the best goddamn hockey-playing actor in the entire world.

In the thirty-two days left to me.

We had a team near here, the LA something or other, Thunder? Or Lightning? I looked them up, feeling remiss that I didn’t even know the name of the local hockey team. The first entry in the search showed LA Storm, so I was close. I knew it was something to do with the weather.

I clicked into an article—the LA Storm were one game away from doing something amazing in the Stanley Cup, which was the cup of all cups in hockey. I may not love hockey as much as my bloodline insisted I should, but even I recall riots in Vancouver after the local team there lost in a cup final. The LA Storm—and what a cool name that was—were fighting the Boston Rebels.

Okay, so I needed to find someone with the Storm team willing to sign an NDA and teach me. Any one of them would do, and I clicked on the fourth thing on the list: Hockey’s sexiest players.

Now this I could get into.

Number one was some pretty boy out in PA, all flicked hair and flirty eyes. Oh and married to a guy.

Gay.

How did he manage to be gay and play professional sports?

I crossed him off my mental list. That would be way too dangerous, because what if he was attracted to me, and me to him, and then we fucked, and he told my secret, and I lost all the parts, and maybe not even the team behind the Rapid franchise would want me.

No one wants a gay action hero. Right?

Second was some kid out of Florida, a rookie who looked as if he wasn’t old enough to shave.

Third was an actual LA Player. Interesting.

Cameron Chavkin, twenty-six, single, and whoa… he was all bad boy oozing with brooding sexiness.

“Jesus, look at that ass!” I said to no one. I clicked the link to a recommended video, one from a previous year’s run for the Stanley Cup, and fell down a rabbit hole of sexy, exciting men. LA had been knocked out in the second-round last year, and there was a video of the team reactions. I sought Cameron out.

There was one image of him staring up at the big scoreboard over the center of the ice and he was broken. I thought he seemed as if he was going to cry, but not in a weepy way, instead in a manly, stoic I’m-too-tough-to-cry-but-I’ll-let-my-eyes-water-up, kind of way.

His attention was fixed on a replay of a goal hitting the back of the net, in the background the other team was celebrating, and I took note of the narrowing of his gray eyes as this Cameron Chavkin emoted his pain and loss with resigned grief.

This was me.

Well, not me, but the character I was due to play in The Cup.

I wanted this Cameron guy to show me how to be like that, how to do that.

I channeled my best Liam Neeson monologue voice. “Cameron Chavkin, I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you’ll say. If you are looking for money, I can tell you I have a lot of money, and a very particular set of skills in persuasion. I will track you down. And I will hire you.”

I laughed at my own joke.

And in my empty ten-room house in the hills, with its three pools and the marble Italianate kitchen, no one laughed back.

I was all alone, and I needed to talk to someone who wasn’t my agent.

I considered calling my sister, but she was pregnant with a third nibling, and so over my regular freakouts over a lot of things… so that was a no.

Or Natalie? She was my beard, or I was hers. Either way, we did promo every so often to keep things settled.

But she was filming in Brazil and the last text exchange we had was all about her falling in love with a woman called Chloe, and I couldn’t rain on her loved-up parade with my misery.

Maybe I could call Luca Bennetto? He played my sidekick in the Rapid films, and he was also one of my few friends in Tinseltown—growing up on a soap set was hard on friendships but he’d followed more or less the same route, albeit ten years before me.

I liked Luca, and he liked me.

So, Luca it was.

I tried his cell, but it went to voicemail, and I didn’t have the heart to leave a message as convoluted as what I needed to explain.

So much for talking to anyone.

Suck it up, buttercup.

Plane, Trains, and Hurricanes by Eli Easton

CHAPTER 1

December 22

The day I met Remy Guidry, there was an apocalypse. Not the apocalypse with a capital A but the lowercase kind that hits Florida on a regular basis.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Blankenship." The woman at the Delta counter didn't sound sorry. Nor did she look cheery despite the green wreath that was pinned to her chest. "All flights are grounded due to Hurricane Jack. No plane is leaving Miami today. Or tomorrow. Possibly the next day either."

This dire information matched the board of CANCELED flight designations that was visible just to my right. But I was deep in denial. "Seriously? We're just seeing the outer bands of the storm. And there's an evacuation notice. Surely, you'd want to fly out as many people as possible before it gets bad."

She arched an eyebrow and her gaze shifted to look over my shoulder. I turned my head and saw the lights of a few dogged taxis outside in the passenger arrivals area. They were blurry through the sheets of rain pelting down the glass windows. One of the taxi drivers held his hat as he fought the wind to get to the driver's door.

"Sorry," the woman said flatly. "As you can imagine, everyone wants to get home for Christmas. But we can't control the weather, sir."

"What about other airports? Can you get me a flight out of Orlando?"

She shook her head. "Orlando is down too. So is Tampa. I suggest you grab a hotel room while there's a taxi left to take you there. Oh, and I'd recommend one on higher ground."

She put up a plaque that said CLOSED. Her wreath pin blinked sadly as she walked away.

I dragged my roller bag through the airport, which was growing less populated by the minute. By the time I reached the rental car counters, it was as if humanity had never existed. Or, at least, that it had never wanted to travel anywhere. All of the counters were closed except for Budget where cheerful fairy lights threw disco vibes onto the lone employee at the counter. She was a middle-aged woman with a shellacked blonde beehive. I ran over and stopped in front of her, panting.

She smiled. "You look like a man who needs to get somewhere."

"God, yes…" I checked her name tag. "…Bridget. Bridget from Budget, that's cute."

She winked. "That's me."

I gave her my most dazzling smile and ran a hand through my blond hair—short on the sides, long on top, with cut-edge layers thanks to lots of product. If my looks could help me get out of Miami, I wasn't above using them. "Well, Bridget, I need to get to New York for an engagement party. My fiancée will have my, er—" I was going to say balls for breakfast, but no, "—guts for garters if I don't make it."

"Oh my." Bridget's eyes widened.

"So I'll take anything you've got." I put my credit card on the counter.

Bridget grimaced. "I'm afraid I don't have anything. We've been sold out for hours. I've been calling around to other agencies for our customers, but I've pretty much tapped out that well, too. I'm sorry."

My heart did a nosedive—straight down, tail spinning, like a plummeting bi-plane. "Please. There has to be something."

"Well…. There are one or two rental places I haven't tried yet. But they're way, way down market and not close to the airport."

"I'd appreciate if you'd check. I'll take anything!"

"All right. I'll try." She gave me a sympathetic smile and got on the phone.

I waited, fists clenched.

This was all my boss's fault. The news had been talking about Jack for a week now. It was supposed to make a direct hit on Southern Florida and then move up the eastern seaboard. I'd wanted to fly home days ago. But, no. Simon Schubert, founder of Schubert Supplies as well as my future father-in-law, was an old-school salesman who believed that if you walked out the door without a signed contract in hand, the deal would never happen. He insisted I stay until Mason, the biggest hospital conglomerate in Miami, had signed on the dotted line on a deal for nearly a hundred-k worth of medical supplies. The red tape had been endless, and I'd had to be a lot pushier than I was comfortable being. The Florida people wanted to postpone sign-offs until the hurricane was over. Hell, the contract review had finally been accomplished by Mason's lawyer while he was on a flight to Los Angeles. Because, evacuation.

But not me. Oh, no. I was still here.

Bridget put a hand over the phone's receiver. "I found a car, Sir, but it's with Rent-a-Heap in Miramar. A Ford Fiesta."

"I'll take it," I said immediately, nudging my credit card closer to her.

Rent-a-Heap. A Ford Fiesta! Oh how the mighty have fallen. I thought of my Porsche in New York with longing. But, at this point, I'd ride an e-scooter if it came with an umbrella.

"You've been a gem, Bridget, really," I said to the woman when she completed the call. "Great customer service. I'll leave a review."

"It's Christmas," Bridget said with a smile and a shrug. "Safe driving, sir. And Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you!"

The words felt strange as I said them. Christmas. It was, in fact, that time of year, as the many bedecked and bedazzled decorations at the airport, and at Mason HQ, where I'd spent the past two weeks, assured me. But I'd been so wrapped up in work, in the stress of trying to close the deal, I'd had no head space for the holidays. And with all the stuff Allison had planned, it wasn't going to be any more relaxing once I got to New York either.

The only taxi I could find was about to knock off for the day. I had to give the wizened taxi driver a hundred-dollars in cash to take me to Miramar, on top of the fare.

"You leaving town?" he asked me as he pulled out of the airport.

"As fast as possible."

"Where you goin'?"

"New York."

He shook his head. "A word of advice? Don't try to take 95 north from here. It's a parking lot. Our dispatcher told us to avoid it."

My heart did another nosedive. This time the plane's tail was smoking. I hadn't thought of that. Yet another reason not to wait until the last damn second to evacuate.

"This is a nightmare." I covered my face with my hands.

"What you want to do," the driver went on calmly, "is cut over to 27 from Miramar and then take 441 up nearly to Orlando. You can cut back over to 95 from there and avoid the worst of the bottleneck out of Miami. Hopefully. Anyway, it can't be any worse."

"Oh yeah?" I took out my phone and brought up a map. 27 was west of Miramar, so a bit out of my way since I was headed north. But he was right. It was probably faster than the I-95 bottleneck.

"I'll do that. Thanks for the tip."

"De nada. Hope you make it out of the area okay, man. This hurricane—it's supposed to be a walloping SOB."

I sighed and rubbed my temple. No shit. Every cell in my body was urging me to get away. Though how much that had to do with the storm, and how much with what I knew would be Allison's wrath—far scarier than Jack's—was debatable. At least I had a plan now. I gave in to the inevitable and called her on my cell.

"What do you mean, you won't be home tonight?" Allison gasped. "Tomorrow morning is brunch at the club. You need to be there!"

I stared out at the pouring rain. The wet swip-swipe of the windshield wiper blades was audible over the wind. "Babe, every flight out of Miami is canceled. I managed to get a car, but it's a twenty-hour drive. I should be home by tomorrow night."

"But you'll miss the brunch! Can't you get a flight out of a different airport? What about a red eye?"

I grit my teeth. "Orlando's shut down too. And any flights from Florida that are still leaving are likely to be full given the evacuation notice. I'm driving home."

"But the club's putting on a special menu! And we were going to tease the engagement ahead of the party. You know this."

The party on Christmas Eve, at her parents’ mansion, was the gala where our engagement would officially be announced. Somehow, that one event had accumulated other mini-events around it like children huddled around Mother Goose. Or maybe like the tormented spirits when the Ghost of Christmas Future opens its cloak. These festivities extended through the entire Christmas and New Year's season.

"Allison, I'm doing the best I can. There's a hurricane. I'll be there tomorrow night, in plenty of time for the party on Christmas Eve. I'm sorry to miss the brunch. All right?"

"As if you leave me any choice," she grumbled. "Just don't be any later. Do not fuck this up, Joe. I've spent a lot of time planning this. You know how important it is to me."

"Swear. Love you. Gotta go. I'll text you when I've made some progress." I punched the END button on my phone before she could argue.

My gut ached and I popped a few of the antacid tablets I always carried in my pocket. I was too young for this shit, but my stomach had been acting up for the past few months. Probably the stress of the job. Simon was the type of boss who was never satisfied for more than five minutes, and I'd been traveling constantly. Plus the conversation with Allison left me feeling sour, upset, and weirdly off-kilter, like things were spiraling out of control. And if there was one thing I hated, it was losing control. I reminded myself that engagements, weddings, all of that jazz, were a huge deal to most women. Bridezillas really were a thing. Of course, Allison had big plans, and of course, she wanted me there. Once we were married, everything would calm down.

My phone buzzed. I plucked it back out of the breast pocket of my suit jacket assuming it would be Allison, maybe with an apology, maybe with, I dunno, some concern for my actual safety and wellbeing. But the screen said BORIS EVANS. He was the CEO of Mason. Oh God. Don't let there be a problem with the contract.

"Hi, Mr. Evans! What can I do for you?" I answered with my upbeat salesman voice.

"Joe? Did I catch you before you left town?"

"You did, sir. Though I'm doing my best."

"Flight grounded?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But I'm on my way to pick up a rental car. So…"

"Oh, good! When I saw on the news about all flights being canceled, I hoped you might be driving."

"That's the plan. I think I got the last rental car in Miami." I chuckled in a self-effacing way.

"Then you're just the man I need." An alarm bell dinged in my head, but it didn't have time to build steam before he came right out with it. "I need a favor, Joe. It's a big one, but I wouldn't ask if it weren't important."

"Uh… okay. If there's anything I can… sure."

"There's a young man who works at a home where my wife volunteers. He just found out his mother has cancer and this is probably her last Christmas. She's in Manhattan, and he needs to get there. As you know, he's not gonna get a flight."

Oh. Oh shit. "Uh-huh."

"I thought, if you were driving, maybe he could go with you. It would mean a lot to me, Joe. He's a stand-up young man and, well, obviously this is urgent."

I saw my plans for a speedy getaway melting—much like the dime-sized hail that was currently hitting the taxi's windshield was destined to do. Fuck a duck.

There was no way I could say no to Boris. Not after I'd twisted his arm to get this deal closed. And he'd remain an important client. This deal was only the first of many. I hoped.

"Of course," I said with a hiccup of hesitation. "Where, um—"

"Perfect! Thank you so much, Joe. His name is Remy Guidry. I'll text you the address of where to pick him up. It's in Homestead."

After Boris hung up, I banged my head on the window. Homestead was south of Miami, and the car rental place was north. So it would be at least a two-hour trip out of my way to go to pick up this complete stranger. And then I'd be stuck in the car with the guy all the way up the continental US. In a freaking hurricane.

"It's the happiest time of the year!" the radio opined.

I caught the cab driver eying me in the rearview mirror. "You got a passenger, huh?"

"Yeah. Lucky me."

"Look at it this way, man. At least you'll have someone to share the driving with."

That was true. But with the way my luck was going, the guy wouldn't even be able to drive.

Charlie Cochet
Charlie Cochet is the international bestselling author of the THIRDS series. Born in Cuba and raised in the US, Charlie enjoys the best of both worlds, from her daily Cuban latte to her passion for classic rock.

Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found devouring a book, releasing her creativity through art, or binge watching a new TV series. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

Join Charlie's newsletter and stay up to date with Charlie's latest releases, receive exclusive content, giveaways, and more!

KA Merikan

K.A. Merikan is a duo of queer writers who don’t believe in following the well-trodden path. In their books you can dip your toe into dangerous romance with mafiosi, outlaw bikers and bad boys, all from the safety of your sofa. They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and in fiction. Their stories don’t shy away from exploring the darker side of M/M romance, and feature a variety of anti-heroes, rebels, misfits, and underdogs who go against the grain.

Be prepared for shocking twists, dark humor, raw emotions, and sizzling hot scenes.

Alice Winters
Alice Winters started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to turn her ideas into written words. She loves writing a variety of things from romance and comedy to action. She also enjoys reading, horseback riding, and spending time with her pets.

RJ Scott

Writing love stories with a happy ever after – cowboys, heroes, family, hockey, single dads, bodyguards

USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott has written over one hundred romance books. Emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, single dads, hockey players, millionaires, princes, bodyguards, Navy SEALs, soldiers, doctors, paramedics, firefighters, cops, and the men who get mixed up in their lives, always with a happy ever after.

She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing. The last time she had a week’s break from writing, she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a box of chocolates she couldn’t defeat.

VL Locey

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee.

(Not necessarily in that order.)

She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and two Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.

Eli Easton
Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.

Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particular admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.

In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include “Blame it on the Mistletoe”, “Unwrapping Hank” and “Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles”. Her “Howl at the Moon” series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.

Charlie Cochet

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KA Merikan

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Alice Winters

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EMAIL: alicewintersauthor@gmail.com

RJ Scott

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EMAIL: rj@rjscott.co.uk

VL Locey

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EMAIL: vicki@vllocey.com 

Eli Easton

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EMAIL: eli@elieaston.com

Salem's Wish by Charlie Cochet

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Jack Addison vs. A Whole World of Hot Trouble by KA Merikan

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A Light in the Darkness by Alice Winters

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Script by RJ Scott & VL Locey

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WEBSITE  /  GOODREADS TBR

Plane, Trains, and Hurricanes by Eli Easton

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