Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77611 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77611 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Yeah, that never happens. In real life, middle school teachers who get lost in blizzards become cautionary tales. So how am I trapped in this honeymoon-themed cabin with the sexy beast I sort-of hooked up with at a Finn’s Pub Christmas party months ago? If this was fiction, they’d call my movie Skinny Winnie and the Ski Lodge Mistake.
I shouldn’t even be on this mountain, but when I find out why he is, things really start to feel like something out of my favorite Turkish telenovela. As the only anti-commitment member of my fearsome foursome friend group, I have no business getting cozy and domestic with the mysterious Michael. But between intimate confessions, gourmet treats and life-altering orgasms, I find myself wanting to believe in happily-ever-afters.It could be a trap. But what if it isn’t?
explicit m/m sex, a little baking and a lot of references to musicals, subtitled soap operas, and weird history trivia #socialstudiesproblems
Author note* This book is a standalone, but catches up and references characters and storylines from both The Finn Factor and Finn’s Pub Romance series. Get comfy. A binge-read might be in order
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
CHAPTER ONE
WIN
Normally, there’s nothing I love more than hanging out at Finn’s Pub with my friends, especially around the holidays. They have good music, great beer and the kind of welcoming atmosphere that made us regulars in the first place.
Tonight is not normal.
It’s an event. A happening. Something that went viral online and turned this manageably popular establishment into an ugly-sweater rave.
Okay, it’s not that bad. The band is on fire, there’s mistletoe and Christmas lights everywhere, and at least five sexy Santas are currently line dancing to that “Tipsy” song as I speak. I probably could have gotten into the spirit if my friends weren’t so distracted and upset.
And my recent decision wasn’t to blame for it.
“Got a word problem for you, Coach,” I say casually to Connor, who’s tipsy himself after one too many free beers tonight. “Four objectively hot friends attend Queen Calamity’s Rockin’ Christmas Party. All caps intended. One is currently on the dance floor getting her groove on while the other three hold down a high top, thankfully close to the bar. One of the three is antisocial, another is ogling the women at the bar instead of talking to them, and the third—the one they dragged out to supposedly celebrate the start of his teaching sabbatical—is wallflowering in solidarity. Of those original four, how many are getting any action tonight? I’ll give you a hint: The number is less than two.”
Val manages a ghost of a smile while Connor attempts a stare down across the table. “Is that a dare, Mr. Winston?”
“Mr. Winston has left the building. This is Win, your favorite wingman, telling you to get out there and actually talk to one of those ladies you’ve been staring at for hours. Maybe even ask her to dance.”
He slides off his stool, leaning on the table for balance before lifting his beer. “Fine. Raise a glass to freedom or whatever.”
I choke on a laugh at the petulant delivery and tap my beer against his and then Val’s water glass in approval. “If you really loved me, you’d drop the ‘or whatever’ and sing that line so I can save it to my phone. ‘Coach Lafferty does Hamilton’ would tell the story of tonight. Our students would love it.”
He downs his drink, wiping the foam off his upper lip with the back of his hand when he’s finished. “You’re leaving me and our students alone for the rest of the school year, so you can take whatever musical references you get. Now excuse me while I ask those ladies at the bar to dance. Game on.”
“I said one of them, not all of them,” I call as he makes his way to the bar with an impressive amount of swagger. “He’s acting like I’m breaking our lease, canceling our friendship and moving to Greenland or something. He understands that I’m not actually going anywhere, doesn’t he?”
“In case you hadn’t noticed, he’s drunk.” Val’s reply is so deep and soft I have to lean closer to hear him over the band. “And he’s still in shock. I’m still in shock, and I’m not the roommate connected to you at the hip. I can’t believe you waited until last week to tell us.”
“I wasn’t sure it was going to be approved until then.”
“You didn’t even mention the fact that you were thinking about it. That isn’t like you.”
He’s right; I do always tell them everything. Honestly, I’m as stunned by my own behavior as they are. I think I kept it to myself for so long because I didn’t believe I’d actually go through with it. But here we are. With the start of this winter break, I’m officially on sabbatical. I don’t have a classroom to prepare, lesson plans to get a head start on, or parent-teacher meetings scheduled after the holidays. I’m free.