ROOMMATE BY SARINA BOWEN
JANUARY 12, 2021
I’m a man with too many secrets, so the last thing I need is a new roommate with a sexy smile and blue eyes that see right through me. Eight years ago, Roderick left town after high school. We’re not friends. I owe him nothing. But back then, I let one of my secrets slip, and he’s the only one who noticed.
Part of me knows I should run far, far away. But the other part wants him to come upstairs and spend the night. But if I let him in, I could lose everything.
Seeking: a room to rent in town. I’m tidy, have no pets, and I will feed you homemade bread.
I should probably add: Gay AF, and has no filter. It’s no wonder my new landlord is so wary of me.
A smarter man would ignore those hot glances from Kieran Shipley. The broody lumberjack wants more from me than another fresh-baked pretzel. But if I push my luck, I’ll end up back on the street.
Too bad I’ve never been smart with my heart…
Back at home, I do all the chores and then some.
First I put the cows in the north pasture. Moving cows is easy enough in good weather. It only requires me to move the portable fence and wave them through the opening. “Go on, enjoy,” I say as they file past me eagerly. Our herd is grass fed, and they don’t need to be asked twice. The long, seedy grass and corn stalks I’m offering are like a recently freshened, all-you-can-eat buffet.
Let’s face it—the cows are easier to handle than any of my family members. They go where they’re needed, no questions asked. But my dog—Rexie—gives the cows a nice loud woof just to pretend he’s working hard.
After the cow parade, I close up the fence and turn the electricity on. After that, I spend forty-five minutes raking cow shit out of the lower farmyard in the dark.
It’s boring drudge work, and my mind starts to wander. And, fuck, it wanders right to Roderick Waites—the guy who climbed out of a blue Volkswagen and right back into my brain.
I wish I could say I haven’t thought about him since high school, but that would be a lie. And if I were a more spiritual person, I’d probably interpret Roderick’s reappearance in town as a sign. A wakeup call.
Nobody knows all the tangled things in my brain, but for a split second when I was a teenager, Roderick came close to learning one of my biggest secrets.
The first time I saw him on his knees in front of another guy, it was an accident.
It was autumn then, too. I’d been at a high school football game. It was chilly that night and, last second before leaving for the game, I’d grabbed my dad’s jacket from the hook by the door. After shoving my hands into the pockets while standing on the windy sidelines, I’d found a flask of whiskey. My father must have last worn the jacket when he was sitting out in the deer blind with his pals. Bonus.
But, of course, I’d had to sneak around to find a place to take a taste.
Leaving the crowd and the game, I ducked inside the door to the school’s gym. Under the cover of the bleachers, I drew out my dad’s flask, and unscrewed the top. Just as I raised it to my lips, I froze at the sound of whispered voices. Whoever was speaking had entered the gym at the other end of the bleachers.
Their shadowy figures weren’t easily visible. But I guessed it was a couple looking for a little privacy for a make-out session. And since a couple sneaking off together wasn’t a threat to me, I stood my ground.
I took a swallow of my father’s hooch. My first sip wasn’t life-changing—it burned going down and made my eyes water—it’s what happened next that changed everything.
After screwing the lid on the flask and pocketing it, I ducked out of the gym and into the hallway. Feeling nosy, I walked toward the gym’s other entrance, noiseless in my Nikes. When I reached the door, I eased into a position that allowed me to spy on the couple I’d heard whispering to each other. They were silent now, and I wanted to know why.
When I saw who it was, I swear my heart almost stopped. A varsity soccer player—Jared Harvey—stood beneath the bleachers, bracing his hands on a tread overhead. Roderick Waites knelt in front of him, unzipping Jared’s jeans.
You can bet I didn’t even blink for the next five minutes…
4 Stars
I listened to the Audio version of this book and have to say that the narrators brought these characters alive in the best possible way. Feeling the angst and anguish, wanting and need from these two guys completely drew me into the story wanting more.
Roderick is crawling home looking to restart his life after a bad break up, with hopes that maybe the years apart will help his family open up with him. When he realizes that is not going to happen he digs deep and does everything he can to get back on his feet, without asking for help. This openly gay man is funny and outgoing, can cook like nobody's business so he easily fits right in at the Busy Bean. The grumpy man working along side him has certainly gotten his attention, but he can't go there again.
Kieran is doing everything in his power to get out on his own. The secrets and lies that linger in the old farm house are enough to make the tension unbearable. Working two jobs as well as helping around the farm when necessary there isn't much time for anything else. Not that relationships and partners has been big on his list anyway. He finds himself stuck not knowing what he actually wants and worried that it will cause more problems, he's not really willing to give it a try.
When the past comes knocking at your door and bringing back all kinds of unknown feelings, you get rigid and broody. Can Roderick get past the walls Kieran has put up? The vulnerability brings out the chemistry between these men is sizzling as they start to open up to one another and become friends.... then more. But will Roderick stick to his new rules? Can there be a happily ever after for these men?
There was a good start to the Busy Been spin off and a little window into Vinos and Veritas bar and bookstore. Lots more to come.
*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***
No comments:
Post a Comment