Two Guys From Vancouver #rainbowsnippets

Welcome to Rainbow Snippets! Today, I want to share the opening lines to Two Guys from Vancouver, my story for the Shakespeare Anthology, A Summer’s Day, coming later this year.

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Val took a long drink from the thermos, enjoying the cool bite of lemon and vodka on his tongue, the alcohol content just enough to send a pleasant tingle along limbs already lethargic from hours in the sun and sea air.

“Hey, share.”

“Sure.” Val handed over the bottle, his gaze lingering on his best friend, his heart rushing. Preston’s skin was bronzed from months in the summer sun, his board shorts hugging muscular calves and the (junk) Val knew lay hidden under the bright fabric. He wanted to lick a path down Preston’s glistening chest, knowing he’d taste of sweat and sea salt.

Preston swallowed a mouthful of the Lemon Drop and sputtered, laughing as he licked the stray drops from his lips. “Shit! That stuff’s potent.”

Blurb:

Valentine has been watching Preston date man after man with never more than a brotherly hug for him. Finally, despairing that Preston will ever love him in return, Val moves from Vancouver, WA to Portland, OR to finish college, hoping the distance will take him out of Preston’s orbit. He ends up renting a room in a house near Portland State, and meets the glorious Silver, a man with problems of his own, who just might be his answer.

Unexpectedly, Preston follows him to Portland, leaving his lover Julian behind. Heartbroken, Julian and a friend hit the night clubs in Portland, hoping for distraction. Dressed as a woman, Julian turns lots of heads, but when Preston shows up at the same club and steals his heart yet again, Julian wonders if he should give Preston a second chance.

Silver and Valentine are at the same club, where it finally comes home to Val that Preston will never return his love. And the enigmatic Silver has disappeared onto the dancefloor. Alone and hurting, Val meets a group of men, who, after hearing his story, declare him the king of their broken hearts club. As Val toasts with them, he wonders if he’ll ever find a love of his own, or will his life become as tragic as any of the Shakespearean plays he loves so well.