All First Chapter Samples

“Do you remember his name?” One of the wonderfully fascinating locals was right outside my office window, but I wasn’t sure who it was just yet. There were a few of them that seemed to be related and all sounded a lot alike, but if I peeked, they’d realize I could hear them.

Being curious and doing my best to be subtle about it was the classic rock and hard place in this area.

“I just call him Mr. Librarian. It’s polite.”

I knew that one.

It was the deputy’s Kenzie.

He was funny and actually telling the truth…he always called me Mr. Librarian.

“You can’t say no. You don’t have a choice; I need you to do this.”

“Huh?” Shooting up in bed, Mason didn’t even realize he had his phone in his hand until Maddy screeched again.

“MASON!”

“Maddy?”

“Are you listening to me?” The volume of her screech told Mason she’d been trying to get his attention for a while. When had he answered the phone? Mason had been up all night finishing a coding project that had a tight deadline. Looking over at the clock on his nightstand, he stretched and noticed that it was almost five o’clock in the evening.

“No, sorry. I was asleep. What’s up?”

“I need you to come down to Midnight. We had a cancellation at the last minute and I need someone else so we have an even number.”

Midnight? He knew that should ring a bell but his brain was too fuzzy. “Midnight?”

“Lord, Mason. Are you paying attention?”

If he said no, she was going to totally lose her shit. It would almost be worth it, because when Maddy was losing her marbles it was fabulous to watch. Unfortunately, he wasn’t up for one of her DEFCON 5 explosions right now. “I was up all night working. Remind me.”

Everything was falling apart.

One stupid mistake and my entire world was collapsing around me. Dodging horrified stares and disgusted looks from kids hanging around their lockers, I wasn’t sure where to go. School was where I felt safe. The place where it was okay to be a little more me. Not like out and proud or anything stupid, but relaxed. Now it was like I was walking through a minefield.

It was only first period; I was supposed to be heading to math. But when Rebecca stopped me in the hall to ask if the rumors were true, I automatically walked in the other direction. I had pretty well-developed self-preservation instincts.

And my fight-or-flight response only went in one direction—flight.

“Eric!”

“Eric.”

Kids were calling my name from all sides, but I knew better than to stop. Just looking at their faces let me know I’d be beaten up or at the very least taunted. How could Jack have done this? How could they all be doing this to me? One fuck-up and you were done. When did that become the rule?

How could he? He’d said he loved me.

“Eric!”

“I think Gordon is trying to hint that he wants kids.” I was serious, but Dean laughed so hard he nearly fell off his couch. “I’m not kidding.”

He kept shaking his head as he tried to catch his breath. “Then you must be drunk.”

I held up the single beer I’d been playing with for the last hour. “Nope.”

We’d been binge-watching the old Star Wars movies all afternoon and I might have had a buzz at one point, but it hadn’t lasted.

“Don’t get me wrong. He seems to be a great boyfriend, but you’ve both always been adamant about not wanting kids.” Dean cocked his head. “You guys didn’t even want a dog when Kathy’s beagle had puppies.”

I wanted to be the attention-whore in the relationship, and Gordon seemed to agree with our respective roles. “I know. That’s one of the things I loved about him from day one.”

Well, it looked like the quiet librarian was just as kinky as everyone had predicted and just as shy as expected judging by the not-so-quiet pep talk he was giving himself. “It’s just toys and nosy neighbors. That’s not scary.”

I liked him, even though shy and slightly skittish wasn’t my thing, and it was nice to see a familiar face, so I stepped closer and tried to make him laugh. “I happen to think the neighbors are scary, so don’t feel bad.”

Fuck.

The way he jumped and whirled around in the entrance said I hadn’t been as loud as I’d thought I’d been. Holding my hands out to my sides, I took a step back and did my best not to look like I was about to hold him up at a bank robbery or steal his wallet.

Most of the locals knew I was safe, but newbies always panicked first and asked questions later. “Sorry. I said hello but now I realize you didn’t hear me.”

The librarian relaxed as soon as he realized who I was, recognition quickly showing in his eyes as he let out a breath. “I was talking to myself and panicking too much. I’m sorry.”

Eli was going to lose his pretty little marbles.

Wait.

Didn’t I know him?

When Eli started ranting about the UPS guy, it’d never occurred to me that it was the same one who came to the center. My UPS guy was professional to the point of boring, and I wasn’t even sure the guy was gay.

But there he was.

Peeking around the corner of the doorway, he had wide eyes and an achingly curious expression that screamed how desperately he wanted to understand something about the photo shoot. Whereas before when we’d run into each other he’d never even pinged my gaydar, now it was lighting the whole damned place up.

Like rainbow-fireworks-shooting-out-of-everyone’s-asses kind of obvious.