Maggie Blackbird

Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. Readers have the chance to jump from one author to another who share hooks from their current WIP (work in progress) or any previously published book.

For this week’s edition of Book Hooks, I give you a teaser from Two Princes, book one in the When We Were Young series, now on sale at 30% off when you purchase from eXtasy Books.

To win over the chief’s haughty son, a drug-dealing punk from a dysfunctional family must risk the only two things he has:  his reputation and freedom.

Blurb:  Billy Redsky, a rebellious punk who loves art and nature, is saddled with a welfare-leeching, alcoholic mother and criminal older brother who are the joke of their Ojibway community.  Sick and tired of being perceived as a loser, Billy deals drugs for his older brother to earn quick money.  He hopes if he buys a dirt bike, he’ll finally impress the chief’s popular and aloof son, René Oshawee.

When the two are forced to serve detention together, a friendship begins to bloom, but much to Billy’s frustration, René keeps putting him on ice.  To make his biggest dream come true if he finally wants to call René his own, Billy must make a huge decision that could cost him everything.

Genre(s):  Multicultural, m/m contemporary romance, LGBT, young adult.
Heat Rating: Level 1
Publication Date:  June 12, 2020
Publisher:  eXtasy Books

PURCHASE FOR 30% OFF AT EXTASY BOOKS

“Hey, man. I came to say major props for the food. It was awesome.” Billy patted his stomach that sank inward instead of resting flat against the waistline of his jeans. Maybe he’d put on some weight now.

“Speaking of food, I need food.” René closed his textbook and binder. He stood. “I’m starving.”

“You didn’t eat yet?”

“No. I went home and crashed. I eat after work. Mom leaves my dinner in the microwave.”

“Really?” Talk about lucky.

“Yeah.” René’s fingers danced along the computer keyboard. In second, a drawer banged open and the printer spewed out paper. “I gotta close off and make the float. Do me a favor and turn the closed sign over.”

“Sure.” Billy ambled to the door. What he had to say might start another dust-up, but he was digging out his balls to ask. He deserved a cool friend, not tossed a bone here and there like some pup chasing around the big dog. “You-you never told me why.”

“Why what?” René dumped a pile of dimes on the counter. He started counting.

“Why… what… err… why you run hot and cold.”

René scooted the coins along the counter and into his palm. He then moved them to a stack and laid out the nickels in front of him. “I don’t get your question, man.”

“What we talked about earlier. I told you, when we’re talking… There’re times when we’re in a groove, y’know? Totally in sync. Then… then you seem to get upset. It’s in your eyes.” Billy held his breath and stared at the beige floor mat with black speckles.

Only the swish-swish of coins running across the counter sounded through the store.

“Dude… you really dig talking heavy, don’t you?”

Billy raised his head while René kept counting the change. “Not to piss you off, but did you say that to avoid answering me?”

“Maybe.” René pushed aside the nickels and submerged his long fingers into the quarters.

“Kinda thought so. You uh… like twisting things around to avoid… answering me.”

“I do that with everyone. You’re the first to catch on.” René’s index finger was an assembly line, sliding quarter after quarter to the side. “Chunk’s the exception.”

At least he was honest about evading peoples’ questions. This was a good start. “Why do it?”

“Why not?” René kept counting the quarters.

“See? You’re doing it again.”

René rested his palm on the counter, glancing up through his thick lashes. “Dude, what’s the point of this inquisition?”

“The what?”

“All these questions?”

“I wanna know you. The real you.”

“Stick around and maybe you will.” René resumed counting the quarters.

At least he didn’t get defensive or start another debate. Billy would stick around. By Christmas, he’d know René better than Chunk did. “I will.”

“No need to grin.” Once René had counted the change, he rolled the coins up. “You might regret your decision. Big-time.”

What was there to regret?

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