by Beth Bolden
Lucas grinned as Tony handed him one of the bottles. “Really? And they’re married? How long?”
“Not long, almost a year, maybe?” Tony grimaced. “But Ryan hitting that walk-off hit. . .it’s like a fucking aphrodisiac to them.”
“Must be weird living with all that . . .” Lucas waved around. “You know. Happily ever after shit.”
Is it really shit? Tony wondered. And if it’s shit, why are you even here?
Once upon a time, Tony might have agreed with Lucas, but that was before Brody, and before he’d known what it felt like to get his heart smashed. To watch the man he loved walk away and resume his life like Tony had never been part of it. Not only had it hurt like fucking hell, it had also made Tony resolved that someday, he’d have that again, and it wouldn’t be with some ungrateful piece of shit who didn’t really care about him. He’d have it with someone like Ryan, who gave a thousand shits, and who was loyal and true and wasn’t going to just casually stab Wyatt in the back because he could.
He’d find a real partner, someone he could love, who loved him back.
Unfortunately, he was ninety-nine point nine percent sure that it was not going to be Lucas with the Great Nose and Ripped Arms.
Wyatt would be disappointed, but secretly, nobody was going to be more disappointed than Tony himself. It was impossible to live in such close quarters with, as Lucas would put it, all that happily ever after shit, and not crave it for himself.
“It has its moments,” Tony said.
“Does Ryan come around the truck often?” Lucas asked, picking at the corner of the label on his beer.
“I don’t know how much you know about baseball, but it’s pretty fucking crazy, the schedule they keep,” Tony said. “He’s not around much during the season. Sometimes Wyatt travels with him, and then it’s just me.”
“You run the truck by yourself?” Lucas questioned, looking surprised.
“I don’t usually book us much, if I’m going to be by myself. And sometimes I get a friend or two in town who gives me a hand,” Tony said. Hoping, even though he knew Lucas was not The One, that he was maybe a tiny bit impressed at how Tony could handle a kitchen, even when it was a really busy kitchen. What he didn’t mention was that one of the friends, Jeremy, had just texted him a few weeks before, telling him he was making the move from Napa to LA permanent. He could work more hours now, Jeremy had said. Was Tony interested in hiring him? Tony was pretty sure he was, but he needed Wyatt’s approval first, because that was how they’d figured out how to run the food truck—they did it together.
“Ah,” Lucas said. “Could use a permanent set of hands, then,” he added. So casually that Tony almost missed it. But then Wyatt and Ryan emerged from the kitchen, only slightly disheveled, which meant that Tony might not have to totally disinfect every flat surface this time, and Wyatt said, “Tony’s really going to need your help, Lucas, when I start working on the cookbook and also traveling this summer, with Ryan.”
Everything shifted into sudden, painful clarity.
“What,” Tony stated flatly. “You hired this guy?”
Wyatt shot his brother a lopsided grin. “Sort of? Let’s call this . . .sort of an impromptu job interview? But yes, I’m hiring him. We’re hiring him.”
“I don’t understand,” Tony said. “This isn’t a setup?”
Lucas shot him a slanted, knowing look. Maybe it could’ve still been, but of course Tony had just inserted his foot into his own mouth. Repeatedly.
“It’s a job interview,” Wyatt said sternly. “Geez, do you ever do anything but think about your cock?”
Drive Me Crazy will be releasing in Summer 2020, and I am so excited to tell Tony and Lucas’ story. If you’d like to make sure you get a copy, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter here.
Also by Beth Bolden
STANDALONES
The Rivalry - Rival. Enemy. Teammate. Friend. Lover. Two totally different quarterbacks end up playing for the same team, fighting for the same starting spot--and end up fighting for each other, too.
Snow Job - Micah & Jake have always been enemies. They used to be stepbrothers. But they could be so much more.
The Rainbow Clause - Shy NFL quarterback meets immovable object AKA the journalist assigned to write his coming out profile. Sparks are definitely gonna fly.
Taste on my Tongue - Kitchen Wars is the hottest new reality show on TV, but pop star Landon can’t even turn an oven on. Will baker Quentin be able to give him a culinary education so they can win?
Wrapped with Love - Losing Jordan is the biggest regret of Reed’s life. Will holiday magic and a little Secret Santa be able to repair what was broken?
Fairytale of LaGuardia - Once upon a holiday season, a hockey player and a baseball player walked into a bar . . .and the rest is history. A Christmas story co-written with A.E. Wasp.
Musical Notes - two teachers with nothing in common, except a high school musical that’s only three weeks away from Opening Night.
STAR SHADOW SERIES
Terrible Things - a little grittier, a little darker, a little more terrible. A rock star romance.
Impossible Things - Benji & Diego’s story, and the sequel to Terrible Things.
Hazardous Things - Felix’s had a crush on Max forever. But he’s straight. Ish. Right?
Extraordinary Things - The final book of the Star Shadow series. Leo has forgiven Caleb, but has Caleb forgiven himself?
FOREVER, AFTER SERIES
Yours, Forever After - a lost Prince, a lonely bookworm and a surprisingly chatty unicorn go on the quest of a lifetime to save their kingdoms from an evil sorceress.
Mine, Forever After - a royal wedding novella featuring Gray, Rory & Evrard. Sometimes the HEA isn’t quite the end.
About Beth
A lifelong Oregonian, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband and their sweet kitten, Earl Grey. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.
Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She’s published eighteen novels and six novellas. Her next release is Drive Me Crazy, the first book in the Food Truck Warriors spinoff series, coming in Summer 2020.
CONNECT WITH BETH
www.bethbolden.com
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