by Xavier Mayne
“That’s… actually pretty much how it happened,” Drew admitted.
“And then after they meet, he says to me, ‘Magda, you are so wise, tell me if I am in love.’ And I tell him—”
“Now, I’m pretty sure I didn’t say that,” Drew interrupted.
“Not with your voice, perhaps,” she countered. “But your cheeks they say you are in love. And I tell you this. And here you are.”
“I think we can agree,” Veera said, “that it all started with the two of them being matched up in the first place. And that only happened because of me.” She seemed to realize how boastful this sounded, and her expression turned sheepish. “And Archer, of course. I will always think of you two as my first victory for love.”
Drew looked across at Fox and shrugged. If they were supposed to adjudicate this matter, he had no idea how they would do it.
But Fox, as always, knew the perfect thing to say.
“The people sitting with us tonight at this table,” he said, “are the reason we are here, Drew and me. Veera had a vision of bringing traditional matchmaking into the tech era. Mrs. Schwartzmann had the wisdom to know that when love comes along, sometimes it doesn’t look like you expected. Mia, you were in our corner from the beginning, in a way that’s not at all creepy. And Chadwick, you lovable dimwit, you have always been, and will always be, my best friend. You refused to let me miss this amazing opportunity for real love and real happiness.” He waved at a passing waiter, who brought flutes of champagne to the table.
“A toast,” Fox said, raising his glass. “On this amazing night, when I join my life to that of the amazing man across the table from me, I am amazed by the generosity and faith and love that the people at this table have brought into our lives. And I am amazed by you, Drew, the man who dared to come into my life and gently turn it upside down. The life we begin tonight is founded on the love of our dearest friends, and we thank you all for seeing, even before we did, what we could be together.”
They sipped and laughed and danced the night away.
And before dawn broke over the ocean there was indeed a naked wrestling rematch.
They both won.
More from Xavier Mayne
Newly turned thirty, Cameron North is preparing himself to spend his life alone. When he inherits his great-aunt’s teashop on the remote island of Farlough, he returns for the first time in more than a dozen years to a place where memories—and demons—flit close to the surface of his mind. There he meets Gwyneth, a sassy barista who becomes his instant best friend—until Cam discovers she’s the wife of his first love, Matthias. She has only the best of intentions when she arranges a reunion between the two men, and it forces them to finally discuss why Cam left the island so long ago.
With his heart broken anew, Cam retreats to his great-aunt’s house—where he learns he is not alone. Someone—or something—has pledged an oath to look out for Cam, and as he investigates the presence, he uncovers wounds that both he and his mysterious guardian sought to escape by coming to Farlough. Now Cam must figure out how to heal them—and himself.
Husband Material is a long-running reality show, where eighteen lucky guys compete for the hand of one lucky lady. Meet contestant number one, Riley. Since being left at the altar, he’s hit the gym to get into the best shape of his life. Now he’s in it to win it. Contestant number two, Asher, doesn’t really want the bachelorette; he needs the prize money for his sister’s cancer treatment. Asher’s upbeat personality brings Riley out of the funk he’s been in since his breakup. They make a formidable team, with one complication: Asher’s falling for Riley.
Producer Kaitlyn has her hands full when two bachelors are found in the shower soaping up inappropriately, then another live-tweets the entire debacle. If another scandal erupts, the network will cancel the show.
The two bachelors are on a collision course under the watchful eye of a producer torn between wanting them to find true love and trying to keep her show going. In the end, Riley must choose the bachelorette or the bachelor.
A Brandt and Donnelly Caper: Case File One
State trooper Brandt’s new assignment to infiltrate a sex-cam operation puts him in a very uncomfortable position, especially since he’ll have to perform naked on camera for his audition. Fortunately his partner and best friend, Donnelly, has his back—whether that means helping Brandt shop gay boutiques for sexy underwear or offering Jäger and encouragement while he researches porn.
Despite his mortification, Brandt gives the audition his best “shot”—and becomes an overnight sensation. But to meet the man behind the operation, he’ll have to give a repeat performance, this time live on webcam opposite the highest bidder. Donnelly makes sure to win that auction for his partner’s sake, but their plan has a flaw: faking it is not an option.
In the aftermath, Brandt is a humiliated mess trying desperately to come to terms with what he’s had to do for the job and his own mixed feelings. But Donnelly has been on a journey of discovery of his own. Suddenly everything the two men thought they knew about themselves and each other gets turned inside out. Meanwhile, they still have a case to solve… but it may not be the case they thought it was.
A Brandt and Donnelly Caper: Case File Two
Jonah Fischer’s high school wrestling career has been stellar, but now he’s the unwilling star of a series of videos that have hit the web. The whole world may have seen the evidence that his best friend turns him on. Jonah’s conservative family wants him cured, and his conventional town and school want him normal. The only person who still wants him just the way he is is Casey Melville, the same best friend who turned him on for all the world to see. Meanwhile, Casey begins to wonder if there’s more to his feelings for Jonah than he thought.
Officers Brandt and Donnelly—lovers as well as partners on the job—have been assigned to find the culprit who posted the video. While investigating the case, they also help Jonah and Casey find their way through their feelings, and steer them toward refuge when Jonah’s family turns against him. But the mystery remains: who wants to hurt Jonah badly enough to post those videos, and why? Thank goodness Jonah and Casey have found friends—they’re going to need all the help and support they can get.
A Brandt and Donnelly Caper: Case File Three
When a high-profile gay celebrity couple asks two of the city’s most established vendors to provide cake and flowers for their wedding and they refuse, a resulting boycott threatens to shut them down. It’s up to the next generation in the family-owned businesses to save them from ruin. Justin Capella, baker’s son, and Roman Montgomery, floral scion, work together to plan the gay wedding of the year.
Justin and Roman haven’t seen each other since that fateful day in third grade when a single kiss shocked Justin and sent Roman to boarding school. As fate would have it, Justin and Roman rediscover love while working on the wedding. But disaster might pry them apart again.
Troopers Brandt and Donnelly are working with a statewide task force for the rights of LGBT citizens—all while searching for a killer wedding planner. As guests at the “wedding of the year,” they are the first responders when all hell breaks loose. In investigating, the troopers are led to a shadowy figure they believe seduced Roman into doing his bidding. But the real murderer will cover his tracks at all costs, including Roman and Justin’s lives.
Readers love Xavier Mayne
Farlough
“…I was definitely captured by it and will likely have it on my 2017 favorites list since it was a bit out of the ordinary.”
—Hearts on Fire Reviews
“Need a new contemporary romance? Here’s one I absolutely recommend!”
—Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
“Thanks, Xavier, for introducing me to the beautiful island of Farlough.”
—Rainbow Book Reviews
Destination, Wedding!
“This book hit so many feels for me, I can’t even begin to tell you.”
—Love Byte
s
“I had a lot of fun reading this story and can guarantee that you will too… Way to go Xavier, you have given me another perfect story.”
—MM Good Book Reviews
XAVIER MAYNE is the pen name of a writer who has been both a university professor of English and a marketing professional for software companies. He currently manages a team of writers for a large technology company based in the US Pacific Northwest. Versed in academic theories of sexual identity, he is passionate about writing stories in which men experience a love that pushes them beyond the boundaries they thought defined their sexuality. He believes that romance can be hot, funny, and sweet in equal measure. The name Xavier Mayne is a tribute to the pioneering gay author Edward Prime-Stevenson, who also used it as a pen name. He wrote the first openly gay novel by an American, 1906’s Imre: A Memorandum. Unique among early gay novels, it tells the story of two main characters who are straight until they meet each other. Website: www.xaviermayne.com
By Xavier Mayne
The Accidental Cupid
Farlough
Husband Material
Q*pid
BRANDT AND DONNELLY CAPERS
Frat House Troopers
Wrestling Demons
A Wedding to Die For
Spring Break at the Villa Hermes
Bachelors Party
Destination, Wedding!
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Q*pid
© 2018 Xavier Mayne.
Cover Art
© 2018 Adrian Nicholas.
[email protected]
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.
Digital ISBN: 978-1-64080-229-2
Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-64108-116-0
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017915078
Digital published August 2018
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America