Terrence Moss. Conrad Harris. Gold Team Leader. Darius Hawthorne. The Vault. Juggling all these names would bother some, but for Darius, it’s business as usual. When he closes a chapter in his life, he leaves a name—and the people associated with it—behind. He’s managed to keep a few colleagues, even fewer friends, and no companionship through his forty-plus years… but that’s now changing.
The newest chapter of his life is bringing serious change: a stable home, a recovered identity, an unlikely family, and now a chance encounter with the one man Darius ever loved: Efrem Lahm. The reasons they parted are still valid, and there’s no way they can trust each other. But Efrem has already decided he won’t let Darius go… and Darius will have to decide if he wants to take a chance with his heart this late in the day.
Listening Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
Narrator: Greg Bordeaux
The big bad wolf finally meets his match. Or, in this case, is reunited with his match.
I’ve been waiting to read Conrad’s (who’s really Darius) story for a while. Ever since he handled Trevon and Landry’s cray-cray like a champ in ‘Mine’, I’ve been just a bit smitten with the mysterious hitman.
I listened to this book in audiobook format, and Greg Boudreaux did an excellent job. Absolutely no complaints from me on that end!
Being the Vault has changed Darius. He’s no longer the isolated one-man fortress he used to be. He’s got friends now, which might make him vulnerable, but he’s also a lot more human.
Like book 1 in this series, ‘Late in the Day’ is more about the main character’s journey than it is about the romance. I wasn’t entirely sure if that would work when I picked up book 1, but I really like this different approach by Mary Calmes.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Darius’ past and how he ended up as the Vault. Plus, it was great to finally find out who the man was underneath the rock-hard exterior.
That being said, the romance is no way lacking. Readers learn through flashbacks how Efrem and Darius fell in love, and what events transpired to drive them apart for so long.
The two are so obviously meant for each other. Both in the flashbacks and in the present, there’s a thread binding them together that can’t be denied.
For Darius, who’s spent so many years watching his back, Efrem is the only man he can let his guard down around. And Efrem never stopped looking for the man who owned his heart.
Plus, the two bring some serious heat. This isn’t a particularly steamy read, but the sexytimes that are there definitely don’t leave anything to the imagination!
My only complaint: I would have liked some more drama/action. Considering who Darius is, I was waiting for something to happen. It would have made an already very entertaining read even more so.
Regardless, this was a great read/listen! If you enjoyed book 1 in this series, I highly recommend ‘Late in the Day’!
Deadly Dorian (Ward Security Series #3) is officially out! Celebrate with authors Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott and IndiGo Marketing! Learn more about the latest in the thriller series! Enter in the giveaway to win a $25 Amazon gift card!
Attempted poisoning was bad enough, but when the would-be killer messes with the brakes on Marc’s precious Porsche, the art dealer admits he needs help. He just wasn’t expecting help to be quite so dark and sexy.
Royce Karras loves his job at Ward Security. He’s making up for a lifetime of bad decisions and a bloody past he’d rather forget. But Marc isn’t the spoiled rich boy he thought he’d be protecting. Sticking close to Marc as his “boyfriend” gives Royce insight into his toxic family, but it also reveals a brilliant, compassionate man who completely disarms Royce. Against his better judgment, Royce finds himself falling.
But can they find a way to make it work when Royce’s past threatens to tear their lives apart? Their future hinges on a lost Renaissance painting, six Bichon Frises, and a pornographic Robin Hood.
No worries, right?
Excerpt
Marc Foster rose from one of the outdoor couches and came toward him with his right hand out. There was no missing how he shifted his left hand slightly behind his body, but Royce already caught sight of what looked like a bandage. He stood taller than Royce by several inches, his shoulders broad, his body slim. He wore a fashionable suit that probably cost more than a month of Royce’s salary.
But his damn face—that was going to be a problem.
He had the most fascinating combination of features Royce had ever seen. Sharp was the first description that came to mind. He had thick, black, slanting eyebrows over piercing, blue eyes, bladed cheekbones and chin—all of it coming together to form a stunning, intense face that was completely belied by the softest-looking, fullest lips he’d ever seen. The dichotomy of severe and overly sensual startled, sending a punch of surprising lust into Royce’s gut. Marc wore his dark brown hair long on top, and it looked like he’d been running his hands through it, because it curled back off his face in soft waves with one strand falling over his eye.
It was the perfect length for gripping.
“Royce Karras?”
“Yes.” He wanted to say more, but he felt momentarily tongue-tied and shocked. Rich playboys were far from the kind of men he usually liked to get rowdy with, so his gut reaction to this one made him feel off. He’d never been much of a talker, though. He hoped the man didn’t want a chatterbox for a pretend boyfriend.
The smile that stretched those full lips revealed teeth that went along with the program: sharp and flawlessly white. But the smile softened his features, making him seem more welcoming.
And…somewhat devastating. Royce would have no trouble pretending to be attracted to this man.
Marc nodded then, his gaze running down Royce’s body.
Royce wondered what he thought as he took in his black vest over the white button-down shirt tucked into dark jeans. Black motorcycle boots completed the look. He’d also rolled up his sleeves, leaving the tattoos on his left arm in plain sight. He’d trimmed his black beard close to his chin. Normally, he wore the company’s polo or T-shirts on jobs, but Andrei had asked him to “hot it up” a little so he’d appeal to a rich playboy.
He watched that rich playboy now as he eyed him, then turned back to Quinn. Royce followed his gaze to find his coworker standing silently, watching them with a funny smile on his face.
“He will work,” Marc said in a no-nonsense tone. “My acquaintances won’t question me wanting him.”
That particular word choice sent a blast of heat to Royce’s groin, and he ruthlessly ignored it. But the image that had surged into his mind had been this gorgeous, haughty man kneeling before him, and that was harder to push aside. He’d look so pretty like that, his head back, mouth open, waiting on instruction.
Royce knew, without a doubt, that he could have this man on his knees, that he could easily overpower him despite his taller form. If there was one thing that always played out in Royce’s favor, it was the steely strength he carried in his compact body. It had been the reason he’d been a very successful shylock for a bloodthirsty bookie in Virginia. He came with the element of surprise—always underestimated, always triumphant in a fight. He didn’t have the special martial arts training of a lot of his coworkers, but that didn’t matter. There was something to be said for sheer determination.
“You aren’t going to question if he’s big enough to fight someone off for you?” Quinn asked. “He gets that a lot.”
Marc smirked and brought those astute blue eyes back to him. “I have absolutely no doubt this man can protect me. Anyone paying close enough attention would see that he could easily take them down.”
Royce hoped the lust coating his last three words was only in his own imagination. A quick glance at Quinn told him it was not. And the IT guy was finding this situation highly amusing as he lifted one eyebrow behind his black-framed glasses.
Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott have teamed up to combine their evil genius to create intense gay romantic suspense stories that have car chases, shoot outs, explosions, scorching hot love scenes, and tender, tear-jerking moments. Their first joint books are in the Unbreakable Bonds series.
A sheltered prince. A sudden death. An unexpected choice. How will Prince Marcelo react to discovering he’s The Contingency Plan?
For eighteen years, there has been peace between Sheburat and the kingdom of Zioneven. The untimely death of a princess throws the marriage arrangement—the final phase to complete the terms of the treaty—into disarray, and the contingency plan is put into motion. Now the Crown Prince of Zioneven gets to make his own choice from among the princess’s younger siblings.
As a rare royal son in the matriarchal sovereignty of Sheburat, Prince Marcelo grew up knowing he would never marry. Never. Royal sons did not marry. Period. Except, Prince Efren isn’t from Sheburat, and he has other plans.
This is exactly what I like in my historical fantasies and to be honest, I’m so sad that this was only a mere 8000ish words.
As per the blurb, Prince Marcelo of Sheburat is basically a rare male in a highly matriarchal society. Not much is expected of him, let alone marriage or anything of import. Marcelo has long since resigned himself to a quiet life of celibacy and being a minor figurehead at most in his female dominated family. Sexuality and desire has not even been a blip on his radar until that is, his sister’s untimely death throws 2 kingdoms into chaos, as the question of who will now fulfill the peace treaty between two very different countries arises.
Created 18 years ago, the treaty between Sheburat and Zioneven had a contingency plan should the original terms become void on either side for any reason, and Prince Efren of Zioneven and his advisors have always had an alternate choice should that happen. No one is more surprised than Marcelo that he’s chosen instead of one of his many eligible sisters.
Admittedly, I loved the premise of this, and it was quite nostalgic of many a M/F historical I’ve read that played on arranged marriages and the obligations that such a setup entails. I’m only disappointed that we didn’t get a more detailed and drawn out look at Efren courting Marcelo for the potential of some delicious (all that is virginal) awakening that is just begging to be explored. Darn!! My poor self also would’ve happily read about the growing relationship between two strangers “forced” to work together for the good of their people - a partnership that eventually evolves into respect and love as Marcelo discovers what his new life has to offer under such tutelage and care. Oh yes!
Don’t get me wrong. This was lovely, but it left me wanting which I suppose is the best compliment! I know I wouldn’t say no to more of these two regarding their future or just a new edition expanding on all the potential this little story contains. More please!
Thank you to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review .
Curious about the book? Don't miss The Contingency Plan release blitz HERE!
Welcome the Hug it Out blog tour to BMBR! Celebrate with author Davidson King and Vibrant Promotions! Learn more about the contemporary romance today and enter in the $10 Amazon gift card giveaway!
Riordan Darcy has spent the last fourteen years building a name for himself as a notorious assassin. He travels the world taking the lives of some of the worst humanity has to offer, leaving his signature on every victim.
Riordan becomes unhappy and withdrawn from the world after a job goes horribly wrong and he makes the decision to get out of the life he was forced into, so long ago. When his meddling, older sister gives him a birthday gift that’s impossible to refuse, his plans to leave his life of crime take a backseat when he’s forced to protect the life of a veritable stranger.
When professional hugger and TLC provider, Teddy Harris, is offered a month-long companionship contract, he’s hard pressed to turn it down. Cuddler by day and a video game reviewer by night, Teddy’s need to make people feel loved and cared for is what drives him. When he meets Riordan Darcy, professional challenge and personal temptation collide, making it nearly impossible for him to endure a whole month with the gorgeous, enigmatic man without falling head over heels in love.
When a mole is discovered within Riordan’s organization, relationships are compromised, and people’s lives are in danger. Time isn’t on their side, and they discover answers can’t always be found by hugging it out when someone is hell-bent on eliminating each and every one of them. Can Riordan and Teddy survive long enough to fall in love, or will they die trying?
When I opened my eyes, Riordan was watching me. He looked away quickly, but not fast enough. What did he see when he looked at me? A goofy gamer who loved to hug? Did he see the man behind the bunny suit? Maybe he wished I looked more like my friends and less like a nerd.
Odd that this was bothering me. Normally, I didn’t give a shit what people thought. Riordan was a client and I needed to remember that.
“I didn’t mean to be insulting, Teddy, or accusatory. It’s not every day I find out the man hired to keep me company is friends with Christopher Manos’ husband, a man who happens to be a well-known crime boss.” When he lifted his sunglasses and exposed his eyes, I felt better. The barrier was unnerving and reading people was better this way. “In my line of work, people are judged by those they associate with. Too many times, I’ve been right. Hang out with shit and you start to smell.”
Now it was my turn to react. “Snow is not shit. He’s an amazing guy. He may be married to a crime boss, but he’s not like that. He’s my friend because he treats me with respect. Now, I think I will be ending this lunch. You can put it all away. I’ll call a cab to take me home.”
Riordan jumped up when I did. His hands were inches from my arms, yet I could feel them as if they were on me. “Whoa, calm down. I wasn’t calling him shit. Wow.” He chuckled. “You’re a spitfire, huh?” He rubbed his hand over his buzzed head almost like he was nervous. “Here I thought you were all marshmallows and rainbows. It’s nice to see there’s a fire in your belly.”
“Look,” I said as I began putting the food away since it was obvious Riordan wasn’t going to do it. “I want to help you. Aisling hired me, and I know we said we’d give it a week, but I’m not sure it’s going to work. Perhaps you’d be more comfortable with someone else.”
I’d guessed Riordan was gay and called him paranoid. Both assumptions I would have never made with any other client. I also didn’t fight with clients. I was breaking all my own rules and cutting this short would be wise.
“You want to quit because we had a little spat?”
“It’s not a spat.” I tugged the blanket until he got the hint and moved off it. “I work for people who want me there. You don’t. This isn’t about you being a jerk about my friends or dropping me off to park.” I was mid-fold when I turned to give Riordan a sardonic look. “You do realize you pulled into a spot to let me out to find a spot, right?”
I could practically hear Riordan counting to ten as he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know. I had to deal with something. I can’t tell you, but…” He inched closer to me, eyes soft and sincere. “I don’t think you’re horrible. Our company is strange, but I like it. Let’s just do the whole month, it’ll be fine, I’m sure. I don’t want to start over with someone else.”
In a gesture almost too sweet, Riordan brushed a curl from my forehead and smiled. “I need you to not ask me about the things I do. I can’t tell you. Ever. But I promise I will relax more and stop being such a jerk.”
I could see the truth in his eyes. I knew calling it quits was probably the right thing to do. We were clashing left and right. He’d try to see things my way, but we’d argue again. But I was a fool sometimes and I really believed I could help him. “Okay. We can stick to the schedule for the month as planned. But if it doesn’t work, if we’re fighting or it’s stressful, we need to break the contract. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.
When she’s not writing you can find her blogging away on Diverse Reader, her review and promotional site. She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.
If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she’d tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you’re afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.
Celebrate the David:Beginnings series with author B.J. Smyth and Signal Boost Promotions! Win a $10 Amazon gift card and eBook of Lies Love Regrets in today's giveaway!
David is sweet and loveable, but he doesn’t have much luck when it comes to meeting guys. All his recent hookups have ended up as one-night stands.
Bradley is a fit, wealthy guy who is dominant in the bedroom. Bradley knows what he wants when he wants it and how to get it.
David is in for one hell of a ride tonight with a hot session in Bradley’s basement room.
David – Raw Heat
The next weekend continues the story of David's hot MM adventures with Bradley as they learn more about each other in Bradley's basement room.
Then we catch up with them six months later, David and Bradley have met several times now and things between them are slowly developing as they get closer.
David – Business Trip
Bradley invites David on a trip to a business awards ceremony in New York. This is the first time David experiences Bradley's work world and he is in for a very enjoyable ride as he enjoys Bradley’s wealthy lifestyle.
Hot MM moments in their hotel suite in-between meeting work colleagues at the ceremony bring them ever closer.
David – Secret Santa
Bradley invites David to his house for the Christmas celebrations where David meets Bradley’s family for the first time. Another snapshot of their lives as things between them become more serious.
Love grows when opposites attract.
Excerpt
‘Do you like the place?’ Bradley asks.
‘Like it? I love it. If Mandy could see me now, she would be gobsmacked.’
Bradley pulls me into his arms, hugging me tight as his lips brush against mine.
‘Well, now we’re finally alone, we can have some fun,’ he says as his cock stiffens against my leg.
I kiss him back, pulling him tighter against me. ‘Where would you like me, sir?’
‘Come with me.’ Bradley takes my hand and leads me back into the living room, walking me over to one of the blue leather chairs. Standing me in front of the chair, his hands caress my face as he kisses me, his tongue exploring deep into my mouth. He pulls away from me and slowly unbuttons my shirt, admiring my smooth, hairless body, as my chest and belly are revealed to him. I hear a moan of approval.
‘I see you did as I asked,’ he says in a soft whisper.
‘Yes, is this smooth enough for you?’ I ask.
Sliding his hands around my waist, he kisses and nibbles at my neck. My cock stiffens in my pants as his hands slide to my belly. His right hand gliding up to my nipple, he squeezes it hard, making me wince in pain. I feel his mouth move down from my neck as he drags his wet tongue along my skin, until he reaches my nipple, softly circling it with his tongue.
He removes my shirt from my shoulders and it drops to the floor. Bradley lowers himself to the floor, kissing my chest and belly on his way down. Undoing my belt and jeans, he pulls them to the floor. His face presses against my stiff cock in my white briefs and he kisses my cock through the material.
‘Shall I see if your cock is smooth as well?’
‘Yes, sir,’ I reply. My breath quickens as my cock throbs in my pants.
Bradley slides my pants to the floor, releasing my hard cock.
‘Very nice,’ he says as he sees my hairless cock and balls.
His tongue circles the head of my cock, pushing my foreskin back off the head as I moan with pleasure.
Nick Andrews has grown up in poverty in a tiny village. All his life he’s been told that he’s useless. After getting one scolding too many he decides to go far away, off to sea. But his experience as a farmhand has done little to prepare him for the hardships of a sailor’s life.
When his ship is attacked by pirates, Nick’s life is miraculously spared by the notorious pirate captain, Christopher Hart—a man in charge of a crew feared for their brutality. Nick is forced to join the pirates, and he dreads finding out for what reason the captain has saved him.
But Hart is nothing like his reputation suggests, and Nick soon finds himself entangled in a relationship that could endanger both their lives. Unless Nick can help Hart on his quest to find a long lost treasure, their forbidden love may tear his new life apart.
Warning: This book ends with a cliffhanger, and it does not have a happy ending. The series as a whole will have a HEA ending.
Content note: This book contains dark themes and depictions of torture, murder, and rape.
*Deep Breath* THIS ENDS ON A EPICALLY MASSIVE CLIFFHANGER!!
I’m not one of those readers that like can handle a cliffhanger. I’ll eventually read it but I always wait until a series is complete so I can move on to the next book. Immediately. My motto has never been patience is virtue. But you know what I’m even more peeved about besides a surprise cliffhanger??? That I actually really liked this book. I was swept away into the land of pirates and at the end it’s all…
Note: This book now contains a cliffhanger warning on Goodreads.
Alright, I’m done being whiny and dramatic so let’s do this.
Astray is set in the 1700’s and begins with Nick at home living with his family. He’s a dreamer which provides more frustration for his family as they are poor and Nick’s another mouth to feed. He leaves home in search of the same open seas his father once sailed. He quickly learns that being on a ship isn’t a place for dreamers but he can’t return home. Soon, his ship is overtaken by pirates and the Pirate Captain, Christopher Hart spares his life.
Christopher Hart is the mercurial captain of the Victory. The pirates are terrors of the sea, brutal in obtaining bounty, and they’re in search of the ultimate long lost treasure. Captain Hart has quite the reputation and Nick gets first hand knowledge of the merciless man. Christopher brings Nick to his ship where he must find his place if he wants to survive. Captain Hart begins asking Nick to complete small tasks in his cabin and over time, lines are crossed and boundaries in private become non-existent. Nick is enamored with Hart and Hart confuses Nick with his public versus private persona.
The crew is uneasy with the developing closeness of the two men and circumstances become more dangerous. Hart must prove himself to the pirates and we get to follow along on their journey full of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
Hart and Nick are opposites. Nick’s laid back, needy for affection, and trying to find himself. Hart is commanding yet insecure, on a quest for validation, and obsessive about Nick. I felt the connection even though their relationship was very rocky and they spent so much time apart.
The world building is thorough and drew me in. The secondary characters are endearing and entertaining. Goldie. Oh Goldie, I love him and would like his story any way I could get it. This is a dark and gritty read. They are pirates that do piratey things while living and dying by their articles.
There were some areas for improvement IMO. There are many time lapses without notation or even a line break from one sentence to the next. Sometimes these were happening in the middle of conversation or action so I’m *assuming* the scene was a fade to black? There were also times when the pacing was slow and parts dragged and on the other hand, parts where there should have been character/relationship development but it was rushed/lacking.
I enjoyed the world Astray allowed me to escape to. I’ll continue with the series but... I’ll be waiting until it’s complete before moving on to the next book. Recommended for fans of ruthless pirates and all that entails.
Cloister Witte is a man with a dark past and a cute dog. He’s happy to talk about the dog all day, but after growing up in the shadow of a missing brother, a deadbeat dad, and a criminal stepfather, he’d rather leave the past back in Montana. These days he’s a K-9 officer in the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and pays a tithe to his ghosts by doing what no one was able to do for his brother—find the missing and bring them home.
He’s good at solving difficult mysteries. The dog is even better.
This time the missing person is a ten-year-old boy who walked into the woods in the middle of the night and didn't come back. With the antagonistic help of distractingly handsome FBI agent Javi Merlo, it quickly becomes clear that Drew Hartley didn't run away. He was taken, and the evidence implies he’s not the kidnapper’s first victim. As the search intensifies, old grudges and tragedies are pulled into the light of day. But with each clue they uncover, it looks less and less likely that Drew will be found alive.
Narrator: Michael Fell Listening Length: 9 hrs
Cloister just made my list of favorite MC's and I found a narrator new to me that I really like. So this audiobook was a big win for me. Michael Fell's voice for Cloister was perfectly understated and his subtle charm, heartbreaking background and relationship with his K9 partner made me fall for him pretty hard. If you’re a sucker for pets in your stories and I know I’m talking to most everyone in the room here, you’ll love Cloister too.
Javi Merlo, Mr. Handsome Stoic FBI Man, is the perfect foil for Cloister’s personality. He’s the MC that is career driven has no time for romantic frivolities, but then he starts working with Cloister on a missing persons case and he can’t help but get the feels. They are Javi-level feels though, so don’t go in expecting much in the way of purple prose.
Let me expound on that a bit . . . Bone to Pick is heavier on mystery than romance, but there were enough moments between Cloister and Javi to keep me happy. I'm also a big fan of detective mysteries so I was OK with the mystery being center stage. And it was good with lots of twists and turns. Cloister’s connection with the type of case they were working on allowed Cloister’s history to be shared organically which I really liked. I was dying to know, but I didn’t want to be told, I wanted to hear it from Cloister as he felt comfortable sharing. And he’s not a guy to just share so it wouldn’t have felt right if it had been all laid out there right away.
The only thing I wished for was just a little more. It feels like there should be another book for Cloister and Javi. It’s not that there were any unanswered questions. The mystery was solved, it wasn’t too neat or pretty, so it kept its integrity throughout and Javi and Cloister came together one more time after the pressure of the case passed, so it definitely wasn’t going to be a stress boning, but I’d be hard pressed to say the HFN was too optimistic. An HEA wouldn’t have been realistic for them just yet, but they have such steamy chemistry and an honest appreciation for each other that they were just figuring out.
I want another story for them because as I’ve mentioned before, I LOVE CLOISTER, by the end I really had a soft spot for Javi and I really loved their dynamic. There’s a lot more that could happen with them and I think it would make for a great story. Plus the author writes a hell of a mystery so more of that would be welcome to me. I’ll also be looking for more books narrated by Michael Fell. His tone has a quality that makes him very easy on the ears and a sincerity that made me care about the characters voices.
**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**
Celebrate the release of Social Media Central with author Kevin Klehr and IndiGo Marketing! Learn more about the futuristic story today! Enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!
Title: Social Media Central
Series: Tayler, Book One
Author: Kevin Klehr
Publisher:NineStar Press
Release Date: April 9, 2018
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: No Romance
Length: 60000
Genre: Science Fiction, LGBT, Dystopian, social media, futuristic, bisexual
In an age where everyone lives their lives through a screen, no one has more celebrity status than fashion blogger, Madeline Q. In a chance meeting, Tayler, loner and geek, is introduced to her world of parties, fan worship, and seduction.
But as his own star rises, Madeline Q is arrested for murder. There's just one problem—there is no corpse. Tayler soon learns that fiction blurs reality on Social Media Central.
Chapter One
“If this is our future, then we’re already dead.”
I usually sat alone to eat lunch, but this man insisted on talking to me. How dare he? This was my park bench, my place of solitude, even if others were around. I politely smiled and bit into my salad sandwich, yet he continued.
“In my day, we talked to people. We knew what our neighbors were up to. The fact that we even knew our neighbors is a concept lost on these jokers.”
I scanned the gardens. It was the same sight every day. People my age addicted to their mobile screens as if their whole world centered behind the glass face. Keystrokes and terse commands took the place of spoken feelings and thoughts.
“Smoke and mirrors for an electronic age,” I replied. I took another bite.
“What’s your name?” the man asked.
“Tayler. It was the name of a vlogger my mum liked.”
He reached out his hand. I placed my sandwich on the brown paper bag in my lap so I could shake.
“I’m Stuart, a relic of a bygone era.”
He wasn’t exactly a relic. To me, old men on the scrap heap spat bitterness and ignorance in equal measure. He did neither. He was middle-aged and had the gentle face of a charity worker. But he was far from needing charity himself. His white goatee was neatly trimmed, while his thinning hair could have been just groomed by an overpriced hairdresser. And his stylish knee-length burgundy coat could’ve had him walking into an advertising agency as either model or executive.
He peered at the soulless beings scattered through the park, all of them representing just one of a larger tribe. Their fellow natives supplied moments of importance on the devices, and at times, their own faces signaled their moment to shine. But a new comment meant the baton had passed to the next person who needed the spotlight.
“That’s why they like their small screens,” said Stuart. “It presents a world bigger than them, without needing the confidence to venture into that world. Look at them. The screens are smaller than the individual. Everything in perfect proportion.” He paused. “Where’s your small screen?”
“I use an old phone.” I pulled it from my shirt pocket. “I refuse to get involved with Social Media Central.”
“Wise man.” He pulled out his media device, also vintage.
“A time when a phone was just a phone,” I said.
“I told you I’m a relic from the past.”
“Please don’t change. My landlady is about your age, and she’s addicted to her cyberfriends.”
“What? Doesn’t she have real friends at her age?”
“She used to. I’d come home from work to the smells of her beef Wellington, her green curry, or some other culinary delight, knowing that within the half hour she’d be knocking on my door inviting me to meet some bosom buddy over dinner. And I’d return the favor. I dug out my grandma’s handwritten cookbook and tried something new. My landlady would bring down one of her cats, and I shared the evening with her while she gave me advice about money or love or something.”
“Love? With your looks, you don’t seem like a lad who needs advice on love.”
My cheeks felt warmer.
“Did your landlady break hearts?”
“She said she did, but I kept getting the impression that none of her lovers stayed around for long. We don’t do dinner anymore. We haven’t for two years.”
“Why not?”
“Bloody Social Media Central. She lives on it. It’s her whole life. She’s part of a group that calls itself the Amazing Twenty. Twenty lost individuals who’ve never met but stay online for hours just to feel someone cares.”
“What about you, Tayler? Who are your friends?”
“I don’t know anymore. It’s harder and harder to connect. Social Media Central has taken away the few connections I had here and made them believe they’re part of that wider world you were talking about. So I sit watching old movies to pass the time. Movies that demand an attention span.”
“I hear you, friend. I hear you.”
People started chattering at the sight of a woman walking into the park. Her long red hair streamed like a waterfall down her neck, half covering the shapely mounds that heralded her arrival. The people of the park snapped her image as if their devices could capture true beauty.
“Madeline” they called, echoing her name around the park.
“Who is she?” I asked.
“No idea.”
“A selfie, Ms. Q?” yelled one of her eager fans.
“Sweetie, I don’t share selfies.”
Groupies ran up to get a closer shot. One woman in a white shirt fainted in her boyfriend’s arms. He dragged her to a nearby bench and laid her down. A guy with rounded glasses, similar to mine, tried to plant a kiss on her cheek. She reached into her tiny handbag and pulled out a fan, swiping the air between him and herself. He pulled back and looked to the ground like a small boy coming to terms with adult behavior.
She then noticed me, so some of her devotees took my photo. Stuart gave me a wink as she strolled toward me.
“You don’t know me, do you?”
I shook my head.
“What a weird yet reassuring surprise.”
“Reassuring?”
“As you can see, my fan base likes to go nuts.”
“It’s your outfits, Miss,” one cried. “I need to know what to wear before the season ends.”
Now that two of her best assets were in my face, I breathed in the scent of her black leather top. Small laces crisscrossed her cleavage. My wayward thoughts were interrupted when she placed her long-nailed finger under my jaw. She pushed upward, raising my head to study my face.
“I’m not that easy, sweetie, even with those that intrigue me. And trust me, you intrigue me. What’s your name?”
I mumbled, not making sense.
“His name’s Tayler,” Stuart said.
“Tayler, eh? I’m Madeline Q, queen of the universe.”
“And what a small universe that must be.”
“You tired old man, do you even know who I am?”
“The latest vlog sensation? The latest reality web-series loser? It doesn’t matter, princess. You’ll be forgotten by the end of the year.”
She still pushed my jaw upward. “You think I’m special, don’t you, Tayler? You may not know what power I have over these hordes, but let me assure you, I have power.”
“I can, um, I can see that.”
“We need to talk about this beard of yours. It’s shabby chic.”
“Huh?”
“It’s short but not elegantly trimmed like the has-been’s next to you.”
“Right.”
“Let me guess, you’re about twenty-three?”
“Twenty-five.”
“I see, only ten years younger than me. Well, Tayler, the next time we meet, and we will meet again, I want you to wear a black T-shirt. This lazy checkered top is not doing your stylishly rough metro-beard any justice.”
She removed her finger and blew me a kiss. The park folk applauded, taking more snaps of us both. She presented me with a business card from her handbag, her name spelled out on the scarlet background in a classy black font I had never seen before. She turned on her heel and walked away. Others followed like kids drawn to a piper’s flute.
“Well, it looks like you’ve been touched by celebrity of some sort or another,” said Stuart. “But kids today celebrate the mundane so I’m sure her appeal has a shelf life.”
I nodded, more to shut him up than to agree. I read the small print above the phone number on Madeline’s card: Fashion Icon and Blogger. I then placed it carefully in my top pocket.
Kevin lives with his long-term partner, Warren, in their humble apartment (affectionately named Sabrina), in Australia’s own ‘Emerald City,’ Sydney.
From an early age, Kevin had a passion for writing, jotting down stories and plays until it came time to confront puberty. After dealing with pimple creams and facial hair, Kevin didn’t pick up a pen again until he was in his thirties. His handwritten manuscript was being committed to paper when his work commitments changed, giving him no time to write. Concerned, his partner, Warren, secretly passed the notebook to a friend who in turn came back and demanded Kevin finish his story. It wasn’t long before Kevin’s active imagination was let loose again.
His first novel spawned a secondary character named Guy, an insecure gay angel, but many readers argue that he is the star of the Actors and Angels book series. Guy’s popularity surprised the author.
So with his fictional guardian angel guiding him, Kevin hopes to bring more whimsical tales of love, life and friendship to his readers.
