Book Title: Remember My Name
Author: Laurencia Hoffman
Publisher: Encompass Ink
Cover Artist: The Illustrated Author Design Services
Release Date: September 4, 2020
Genre/s: M/M Romantic Suspense
Trope/s: Second Chance, Soul Mates, Exes to Lovers, Dark Secret Keeps Them Apart
Themes: Love, Survival, Death, Injustice
Length: 58 582 words
It is a standalone story.
Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited
Suffer in silence or live to regret it.
Blurb
Dark and twisted secrets mar Shane Coulter’s skin, and darken his fragile heart. Yet he keeps his nightmarish truth hidden from all those he holds dear with a smart mouth and abrasive attitude.
His first love, Callan Reid, refuses to accept Shane’s tough exterior. Convinced something truly horrific lurks beneath Shane’s defenses, Callan vows to uncover the truth.
But some things are better left buried. As darkness from the past threatens to be brought to light, there are those who would kill to prevent it. Can Callan break down Shane’s walls? Or will digging into the past come with deadly consequences?
This was his invention but it was a new one, so he was curious as to how it would turn out. It was just a matter of time before one of them called it quits, thus losing the game. Shane was quite certain that he would outlast Callan – he always had, no matter what aspect of their relationship it had been.
He wished that they could have picked up where they’d left off, but he was a different person now. All he wanted was to fall into Callan’s arms and melt away. The love was still there. It had never left.
That was something he was going to keep to himself; he couldn’t lay all his cards on the table just yet. Maybe not ever. That would be giving Cal too much power and he was never going to do that again.
He walked to the park and up one of the trails with a stride in his step. It was a strange combination of emotions to be feeling – excitement, anxiousness, anger, and fear. All because of Callan. But this was not news to him and his damaged heart. He had known the moment he’d met the man, even at the tender age of eighteen, that Cal would be the one. Too bad it hadn’t lasted. Though, even now, he would do anything for him.
When there was a fork in the trail, Shane sat on the bench between the two paths. There was a wooden railing meant to keep curious hikers from straying and falling down a declining hill.
He was taking solace in the few moments of silence before Callan’s inevitable presence would interrupt him.
This time when he heard his voice, Shane closed his eyes, wanting to pretend for just another moment that they were truly strangers, and that they could start over.
Then, taking a deep breath, he turned around, squinting from the sun. “I’m not moving. This is my spot.”
“I wasn’t going to ask you to move,” he said with a smile. “On the contrary, I was hoping that you would let me take your picture.”
“Oh.” Raising an eyebrow, he glanced at the camera around Cal’s neck. “You’re a photographer, huh? I’m not very photogenic.”
“That’s nonsense.” He waved his hand. “I’m a photographer slash journalist. Photography is my true passion but journalism is a close second. I can take you from behind…” Cal allowed the sentence to linger before clarifying . “Your picture, I mean. I can take it from the back so that your face doesn’t show if you’re self-conscious.”
This seemed too familiar, too close to home – him posing in various places while his lover gushed over him and took dozens of pictures, capturing him in every light and at every angle. He was tempted to call off this whole game, afraid of where it might lead, but he couldn’t bring himself to say goodbye. Not again. “What’s in it for me?”
He laughed. “I can pay you for your trouble. I don’t get paid much to begin with, but I can split my commission with you.”
“Oh, I couldn’t do that. Starving artist that you are.” He paused. “Why don’t you buy me dinner and we’ll call it even?”
“Done. Though, if it’s alright with you, I’d like to take a few different pictures.”
“You’re the artist.” Shane shrugged. “Just as long as there are no expectations…”
“No, of course not. You’re doing me a favor.” He smiled in a way that Shane yearned for on most days. “We can change the rules as needed.”
Was that a hint? A sign that they could adapt to whatever Shane wanted or needed this to be? So far, this was working out well for him. That was the way he wanted it, since he had been the one who had been hurt last time.
“Fine.” He extended his hand. “Name’s Shane.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” He shook it. “I’m Callan, but my friends call me Cal.”
“Am I your friend?”
“I hope so.”
A small smile crept along his cheeks. He pretended to admire the scenery while waiting for Cal to photograph him. “Well, go on. Take your shot.”
Click.
“Got it.”
“Just one?”
“For now.”
Laurencia Hoffman is the author of several novels and novellas and co-author of The Wages of Sin series. She specializes in horror but loves to dabble in other genres including fantasy and romance.
When she’s not writing, she also enjoys making her own line of natural products, satisfying her sweet tooth, and watching films.
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The book sounds very good.
nice cover