by Anne Barwell
Darin stepped in between them. “Behave yourselves until you’re married.” He linked his arm through Ella’s and let out a low whistle. “I need to take you to more weddings, sweetheart.” He leaned in to kiss her.
Joel coughed loudly. “Behave yourselves,” he said.
“Adults.” Isabel came up behind her father and rolled her eyes.
The opening bars of the Chopin nocturne Joel and Marcus had chosen filled the garden. Joel slipped his hand into Marcus’s, and they walked up the aisle between their guests toward the wedding celebrant. Toni gave them a smile as they passed her at the keyboard, yet she didn’t falter as she continued to play.
Isabel followed her uncles, with Ella and Darin behind her.
“Welcome to the wedding of Joel and Marcus.” Belinda, the marriage celebrant, smiled warmly. “I’m delighted to be here. However, I know it’s not me you’re here so see, so….”
Ella leaned across and whispered something in Belinda’s ear.
Joel frowned and glanced at Marcus, who shrugged.
“Before we go further, there is someone here who wants to speak before Joel and Marcus exchange their vows.” Belinda gestured to the side door. “Please come forward.”
Joel turned to see Claude walking toward them. Joel’s breath hitched, and he felt himself go cold. Surely his father wasn’t going to make a scene.
Marcus took Joel’s hand in his and squeezed it.
Claude gave both of them a nod as he approached. “I’m not good at public speaking, but this is something I should have said a long time ago.” He cleared his throat. “Joel and I haven’t always seen eye to eye on everything, and we were estranged for far too long. I can’t take back everything I’ve said to him, but I am sorry for so much of it. I love my son, and I wish him and Marcus a very happy life together. I’m not losing a son today, but gaining another.”
“Oh, Dad,” Joel whispered. “Thank you. I love you too.” He started to wipe his tears, but Marcus leaned over and brushed them away gently.
“Thank you, Claude,” he said softly. “This means a lot to both of us.”
Claude ducked his head, the same way Joel did when he was embarrassed. “Make your old man proud,” he told Joel and then took his seat next to Jill.
Isabel handed Joel the ring he’d bought for Marcus months ago in Hokitika. It was plain gold on the outside, but with a leaf pattern engraved on the inside, a reminder of Marcus’s love of nature and how much he enjoyed working with it.
“I, Joel Andrew Ashcroft, take you, Marcus Nicholas Verden, as my husband.” Joel slipped the ring he held on to Marcus’s finger—he’d told Joel when he’d taken his own ring off that morning that his hand felt bare without it. “This ring is a symbol of my love for you. You complete me, and I know you’ll always be there for me whenever I need you. I trust you with my heart, my life, and my future.”
Marcus took the ring Joel had worn for almost a year from Isabel. He’d added an engraving to it, just as Joel had to the ring he’d given Marcus—tiny musical symbols.
“I, Marcus Nicholas Verden, take you, Joel Andrew Ashcroft, as my husband.” Marcus returned Joel’s ring to his finger. He’d felt its absence for the few hours he’d been without it. “This ring is a symbol of my love for you. You complete me, and I know you’ll always be there for me whenever I need you. I trust you with my heart, my life, and my future.”
“I now pronounce you husbands,” Belinda said. “Congratulations!”
As they leaned in for their first kiss as a married couple, a pair of tuis flew overhead, landing in a nearby kowhai tree, their unique song filling the air.
Joel smiled when he broke the kiss. “Chopin provided the prelude to our first kiss, and nature joined in for our first as a married couple.”
Marcus brushed his lips against Joel’s again. He placed his left hand next to Joel’s, and the sunlight caught their rings.
A violin and flute joined the keyboard in welcoming them to their future together, adding their music to that of the tuis.
“I love you,” Joel murmured. “You’ve made me very happy.”
He leaned in to capture another kiss. One by one the instruments faded away until only the keyboard was left playing the prelude that both men knew so well.
Marcus smiled. “Our prelude,” he whispered, “my love.”
ANNE BARWELL lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She shares her home with two cats who are convinced that the house is run to suit them; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date it appears as though the cats may be winning.
In 2008 she completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher and a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra.
She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as “too many.” These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of “spare time” is really just a myth. She also hosts other authors, reviews for the GLBTQ Historical Site “Our Story” and Top2Bottom Reviews, and writes monthly blog posts for Authors Speak and Love Bytes.
Anne’s books have received honorable mentions four times and reached the finals three times in the Rainbow Awards. She has also been nominated twice in the Goodreads M/M Romance Reader’s Choice Awards—once for Best Fantasy and once for Best Historical.
Website & Blog: annebarwell.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/anne.barwell.1
Twitter: @annebarwell
Email: [email protected]
Coming in February 2018
Dreamspun Desires #51
Swann’s Revenge by Shira Anthony
Can a swan make peace with his ugly duckling past?
Chubby geek Jimmy Zebulon’s heart broke the day his high school crush, Danny Parker, did nothing as his teammates tormented Jimmy. Fifteen years later, Jimmy is long gone, and from his ashes has risen Robert Swann, successful owner of a law firm with movie-star good looks. Robert thinks Jimmy and his past are long forgotten—until attorney Dan Parker shows up for his first day of work at Rob’s firm.
An injury playing college football was the best thing to ever happen to Dan. It turned his future in a better direction—and allowed him to finally emerge from the closet he hated being trapped in at school.
Dan and Rob are immediately drawn to each other, but Rob can’t bring himself to tell Dan who he really is—and their pasts might ruin any chance for a future filled with love.
Dreamspun Desires #52
Teaching Ben by Shae Connor
Learning to love means a study in patience.
Fresh out of the military, Ben Cooper is ready for a new start. He’s away from his domineering father, making his own choices… and out of the closet. On his first day of college, he meets David Powell, who’s just the kind of gorgeous man Ben’s dreamed of. Too bad David’s his teaching assistant—which makes him off-limits in Ben’s eyes.
David is Ben’s age, but his path couldn’t be more different. He’s close with his family, who helped him deal with personal struggles after he came out. He’s staying away from any hint of scandal, but Ben’s a kind of temptation he hasn’t faced in years. If only Ben wasn’t his student.
As the semester progresses, and their lives become more entwined, and keeping their relationship platonic becomes more difficult. They just have to hold out until the end of term….
Coming Soon to
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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.
Prelude to Love
© 2018 Anne Barwell.
Cover Art
© 2018 Bree Archer.
http://www.breearcher.com
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.
ISBN: 978-1-64108-027-9
Digital ISBN: 978-1-64080-164-6
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017948530
Published January 2018
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America