by
Hollywood celebrity, Rian Johns has a habit of leaving a mess behind him. Flamboyant, cocky, and intent on having a good time, after being caught by both the police and the media with his pants quite literally down, his studio sends him to cool off and sober up. He shouldn't be able to get in any trouble on the Oregon Coast.
After the death of his son's mother, Mason Andrews came home to Cliffport to raise him. Owner of a small bar and grill, Mason has spent his time focused on his son and his business. Twelve years later, as he prepares for Jake to leave for college, the very last thing Mason Andrews needs or wants is any kind of trouble.
Rian, it seems, has other plans.
- 3 To Be Read lists
Publisher: Independently Published
Genres:
Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 4
Romantic Content: 5
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Gay
Protagonist 1 Age: 36-45
Protagonist 2 Age: 36-45
Tropes: Famous / Not Famous, Love Can Heal / Redemption, Opposites Attract
Word Count: 64395
Setting: Coastal Oregon, USA
Languages Available: English
Rian is about to accept the table by the window when a man walks out of the kitchen carrying a basket of freshly baked rolls, steam still rising from them. He sets them on the counter and looks in their direction.
For the first time in a long time, Rian is speechless. The man is gorgeous. Not Hollywood Botox and gym gorgeous either. Honest, natural, male gorgeous.
“The counter is just fine sweetheart. There’s just me.” Rian watches the guy arrange the shelves at the back of the bar. Oh yes definitely the counter where he can see that ass more closely, he thinks as he follows her to a stool.
As Rian sits down, the guy turns around and Rian sucks a breath in. Sandy blonde hair falls over his forehead and there’s the tell-tale edge of a contact lens in soft blue eyes. Rian smiles, then gives his attention back to the waitress who is offering him a menu.
“Thank you, sweetheart. Can I get coffee to start?”
READ MORE“I’ve got it Olivia,” the guy says, and she nods, smiles at Rian again, and disappears through a door, to what Rian assumes must be the kitchen. “How do you like your coffee?”
Rian lets his eyes wander over the guy behind the counter and smirks.
“Strong. Full of body. Blonde.”
Blue eyes roll, and the guy starts grinding beans. Freshly ground beans are a good sign at least. Unless of course the beans are stale.
“Strong. A little cream,” Rian clarifies hoping to get the guy to talk.
“Yeah, I gathered.”
Oh. So much for flirting. Before he can say anything more there’s a clattering as a younger man runs down the staircase to Rian’s left.
“Dad, keys. I’m so fu….so late. Abby is going to kill me.”
The kid has the same hair and eyes as the bartender but isn’t quite as tall, his features are a little sharper than the older man’s. His eyes, behind glasses, are the same blue. Well, there goes that opportunity. Straight and married. While Abby kills sonny boy, Rian thinks he’ll kill Wayne.
A set of keys fly through the air and the kid catches them in one hand, grinning at his father.
“Drive carefully. Say hi to Abby for me.”
“Will do. I’ll be late. Don’t wait up.”
With that, the door slams and the guy goes back to making the coffee. Rian studies his menu with a frown. He feels like steak but it’s lunchtime and who knows if this place knows how to handle beef that isn’t hamburger. A coffee cup appears in front of him and he lifts it to his mouth while still reading the menu. Hot, strong coffee explodes on his tongue and holy hell is that real cream?
COLLAPSE
