by Ian Finn
They may have a point. It really would help cut the boredom and give me something to look forward to other than listening to these star-struck wannabe performers all day.
Then something he says suddenly strikes my attention. “…Tucker Media appointment later today and he’s…”
Hold on a minute. Did I just hear him say Tucker Media?
And just like that, my thoughts are jilted back into the room. I have to ponder momentarily what I just heard.
Then I interrupt. “Wait… back up there. Did I just hear you say you’re going to Tucker?”
Both Will and Zach nod.
Will can clearly see he’s finally aroused my attention and says, “Oh yes. We’ll be pitching our idea to Alex after we leave here.”
Hmmm, this could get interesting.
I sit up in my chair and am finally looking directly at them, instead of staring off into space like I was before. I say to them, “I tell you what, guys. Why don’t you come back with a more comprehensive concept for the show? Give me some more examples of actual people you would be interviewing. And what you envision for other segments of the show. Will they be musical acts, cooking segments? … Pitch those to me as well. And be sure to focus on specifics. If I like what I see and hear, we’ll take it from there. By the way, I enjoy singing so if you feature singers I’d be particularly interested.”
The two men look at each other and smile. As they begin to leave, I tell them, “My secretary will be in touch with you to set up a date and time for our follow up appointment. Thanks for coming in and good luck, guys.”
They both thank me and I walk them to the elevator. On the way back to my office, I think about my first impression of Will. I have to admit that he is one sexy motherfucker. He’s got a hot ass on him too, which I couldn’t help but notice as he turned around to walk into the elevator. I’d tap that in a heartbeat.
And dynamic… maybe he is what this station needs. He’d be eye candy for all the stay at home moms in Madison. Not to mention all the gay men of Madison too, of course.
Back in my office, I pick up my binoculars and direct them to “you know who”, who’s now sitting with his feet up on his desk and talking on the phone. I can’t help but smile when I think of Alex’s reaction after they tell him they’re coming here to King Broadcasting for the second time to pitch their ideas.
I place the binoculars down and whisper under my breath. “Time to put the gloves back on, my friend, and get ready for a duel.”
Click here to read Sing for Me: A Morning Madison Enemies to Lovers Romance on Amazon.
Elijah
As head of King Broadcasting Corporation, the largest in the country, I have everything I could ever want… except for Alexander Tucker. I’ve known Alex since middle school choir, when I used to stare at him from afar, but he never picked up on my hints.
Now, he owns Tucker Broadcasting Corporation, my biggest rival. Technically, we’re enemies, but I still stare at him from afar, since I can see into his office windows with my binoculars. That’s all I’ll ever get to do, though, because it’s clear he’s still not interested in anything other than trying to beat me in our field.
That is, until someone shows up with a whole new kind of game for us to compete in, and I can’t resist the opportunity to go head to head with the object of my unrequited love.
Alex
It was like any other day, in which I’m being pitched a show to host on my network. And it seems just like any other show, until the guys pitching it say it’s being seriously considered by Elijah King, head of my rival broadcasting corporation.
We’ve competed against each other since way back in our school chorus days, and I’ve held any other kinds of feelings for him at bay. He was better than me at singing, and that bothered me, yet intrigued me. Now Elijah and I are to compete against each other at singing to see which one of our networks can host the show. That’s an offer I can’t refuse.
But am I going to be able to refuse my burning desires for my number one rival?
Sing for Me is a standalone male/male romance novella, a prequel in the Morning Madisonseries. It can be read on its own, but should definitely be read with a tall glass of water nearby due to all the hot man on man action contained within it. This enemies to lovers romance has no cheating and no cliffhangers. But it does have a very happy ever after, humor, tons of sass, and musical show tune singing that would give any proper Broadway show a run for its money.
Click here to read Sing for Me: A Morning Madison Novella on Amazon.
Sneak Peek Excerpt of Because You Came Back
Here’s a sneak peek excerpt of the first book in my brand-new Baytown Boys series, Because You Came Back: A Coming Out Romance
“Finally!”
It’s what I say every time I reach the Baytown City Limit sign after the six and a half hour journey through mountainous backroads, and windy hills. The sign should really say Baytown “Town” Limit because it’s hardly a city.
And for about the last four hours of this journey, I constantly wrack my brain, asking myself, “Why the fuck didn’t I just fly like any normal person would have done?”
Oh, but I know it’s probably because I convince myself of those silly lies such as, it will be fun, or it’s not that long of a drive. I tend to forget these important little details after too much time has passed in between my journeys here.
Then about three hours after leaving San Jose, I’ve already gone too far to turn back, so then I’m thinking… Oh, well. At least I made it here in one piece.
This little town I grew up in of Baytown lies in the heavily forested, and hilly part of Northern California, close to the Oregon border. True to its name, it has a bay, and a lot of trees, but not much else. To this day, nothing much has changed, save for the small subdivision on the outskirts that has since sprung up sometime during my three-year absence.
The reason for my visit is twofold. I came to spend time with my grandmother Edna, but I’ve also returned to attend my, gasp, ten-year high school reunion!
I don’t even know exactly why I want to go to this reunion. The only person I’ve really kept in contact with on a permanent basis from those years is my friend Gibson Hughes. But since Gib is going to be at the reunion, I figured I may as well bite the bullet and show up.
Even though my home town hasn’t changed too drastically in my absence, I can’t say the same for myself. I really am a completely different person from the one who left this place ten years ago, bright eyed and bushy tailed, and ready to make my mark in the world of high tech.
My physical appearance is drastically different. I’ve filled out, and bulked up some, thanks to the gym workouts that keep me physically fit, and mentally sane in my demanding line of work. And my attitude has changed as well. I’m much more confident, and self-assured in how I look at myself, and the world around me.
But things were quite different in my high school years.
By most people’s estimation, back then I was probably considered a nerd. It’s true –– I had an above average IQ, wore glasses, and was tall and very skinny. So, from a purely physical standpoint, I probably did meet all the check marks of the stereotypical dork.
And I suppose a couple of those things are still true to this day – although there’s not much I can do about my height or IQ, even if I wanted to. And I don’t.
What’s also true about me from those days, is my sexual orientation. But back then, I wasn’t as open about it, as I am today.
In high school, a rumor had started around town that I was gay. To this day, I don’t know if it flourished because of the whole nerd aspect, or simply because I was seen as either artsy or just plain different from the rest of my peers. Even my small circle of friends, Gib included, all shared that commonality, and had that outcast label attached to our names.
I always knew I was gay from the time I was little, but keeping it a secret versus outright denying it are two different things entirely –– at least in my book. If someone wo
uld flat out ask me if I was gay, my responses usually ran the gamut of “go away,” to “none of your business,” and everything in between.
Since I’d never reply with an outright “no,” or “I like girls,” I think for most people in Baytown that was just as good as an admission.
But who cares now? That was over a decade ago.
Now that I’m openly gay, and have changed physically by adding muscle and abandoning my dorky glasses, I wonder how recognizable I’ll be to my former schoolmates. I wonder to myself how much they’ve changed.
And are any of them aware of the fact that since high school I’ve become a successful billionaire with my own app company in San Jose, and am semi-famous in the tech world?
Of course, high-school-nerds-turned-rich-app-guys are a dime a dozen in Silicon Valley, so I’m not that well known there. But they’re much more rare in a place like Baytown, where I start to worry I’ll still stick out like a sore thumb.
I think about all these things as I enter Baytown, and drive through the quaint downtown area where I spot one of the local hangouts –– The Main Street Diner.
And as I drive further, I finally notice my grandmother, Edna’s brightly colored residence. Who can, not notice it, as it stands out distinctly amongst the usual, safe color pallet that the average person paints their home with. But Grandma Edna is no average person.
She must have been waiting by the front window for me, because as soon as I pull into her driveway, she makes a brisk run to my car.
Click here to read Because You Came Back: A Baytown Boys Coming Out Romance on Amazon.
Who's that handsome stud behind the wheel?
Fancy seeing such a sight in this small town.
It's just another service call until I see that the broken-down car on the side of the road is a luxury BMW, which is out of place here in Baytown. And then I about faint when I see that the delicious-looking man inside it is Ashton Falls, my old high school classmate, and the object of my obsession ever since.
Back then, I wanted him bad, but never let on. I was the popular football jock, and he was the nerd who tutored me. I had a reputation to uphold, which included staying closeted.
After graduation, Ashton moved away and became a Silicon Valley tech billionaire. He's back in Baytown for our ten-year high school reunion. Meanwhile, I stayed here to take care of my mom, and opened a mechanic's shop. And I'm still in that damn closet, because there's a stigma around these parts against gay men.
Our worlds are about as night and day as they could get. But soon they collide with a night of passion in which I discover that Ashton is as attracted to me as I was to him, and that he always has been.
He can teach me more than just math now, and he's as athletic in the bedroom as I was on the field. I want him to stay with me, and in me, for good. But will both of us be willing and able to change our lives enough for that to happen?
And, first things first, after hiding my true identity from fellow Baytown residents for my entire life, will I have the courage to show up at our high school reunion with Ashton on my arm?
Because You Came Back is a full-length standalone coming out, small town, second chance, rags to riches, opposites attract, billionaire/blue collar gay romance novel that combines humor, heat and heart. It has no cheating, no cliffhangers, and a very happy after ever.
It's Book 1 in the Baytown Boys series. It can be read alone but, due to related characters and settings, is best read with others in the series... and a tall glass of water to cool you off after so much steam.
Click here to read Because You Came Back: A Baytown Boys Coming Out Romance on Amazon.
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