Sun, Sea and Summer Songs by Megan Slayer
General Release Date: 6th July 2021
Word Count: 30,235
Book Length: SHORT NOVEL
Pages: 121
GENRES: CONTEMPORARY, EROTIC ROMANCE, GAY, GLBTQI
Add to Goodreads
Book Description
Two men, one song and a summer to reconnect.
Jude Sanders walked away from Blake Payton three years ago and vowed not to look back…but the song he wrote and recorded with Blake has become a hit and he’s forced to perform the song with Blake all summer. He’s got to make a decision—face the mistakes in his past and give Blake another try or turn his back on their love forever.
Blake Payton knew the moment he and Jude recorded Summer Song that they’d created a hit. Summer hasn’t been the same without Jude in his life and he sees the tour as the ultimate chance to prove they belong together.
Will the tour, their lost love and the song of the summer be enough to put the pieces back together for good?
Reader advisory: This book contains references to excess drinking and cocaine addiction, references to abusive alcoholic father and childhood poverty. There is a scene involving sexual assault.
Jude finished recording and stepped back from the microphone. He liked the take and would need to add more layers to the song before it was finished, but the progress pleased him. He nodded to the control room. “Well?”
The mixer held up his hand. “Good,” he said. “Take a break. You’ve got a call from Bob Casey. Rachel’s got it.”
“Bob?” He didn’t know what his old friend and promoter might want, but he enjoyed working with him. “Sure. I’ll be right there.” He rested his headphones on the mic stand, then left the studio and ventured through the building to the offices. The cell signals in the studio stunk and everyone got better reception out in the open.
“Here you go.” Rachel handed him the phone.
“Hi.” Jude sat on the edge of one of the empty desks. “Thanks.” He pressed the phone to his ear. “Hello? Bob?”
“Right here. Have you been paying attention to the charts? You’re on fire,” Bob said.
“I am?” He hated to admit that he hadn’t checked the numbers. “I’m in the studio working on an album. Standards from the fifties. I haven’t looked at the charts or much of anything else that’s not sheet music. Did swing make a comeback?”
“No.” Bob laughed. “Remember Summer Song?”
“Sure.” The tune was a departure from his regular work, but it had been fun. “It’s old.” In the recording industry, the song was ancient.
“It might be, but it’s hit the charts and has been declared the song of the summer by all those who make those statements.”
“It’s only May twenty-eighth. Summer hasn’t started yet,” Jude said. “We just celebrated Memorial Day. Are you sure the song is big? It’s early and it made a minor splash three years ago.”
“I’m not arguing with bloggers, influencers and the veejays. They know the temperature of the music business. They get downloads,” Bob said. “Besides, you’re hot. Don’t knock it.”
“I’m hot.” It was rather nice to have a decent-selling record, rather than being a constant cult favorite. “I’m used to being on the fringe.”
“I know,” Bob said. “So the reason I called, I’ve got an idea for capitalizing on the song’s popularity.”
“You do?” Jude asked “How? I can’t buy a tour. I’m a small club act now.”
“People want to see you and hear that song. What if you went out on a short tour with Blake? You’d be able to use the attention for your other music and get paid.”
“Wait.” He paused. “Did you say Blake?” Crap. He hadn’t thought about Blake in ages—at least a couple of days. He’d never gotten over Blake or the way he’d behaved with him. He couldn’t blame Blake for not coming out, but he refused to live his life in secret.
“Blake Payton.” Bob didn’t speak for a few moments. “What do you think?”
“About?”
“Blake, a tour, the song…you’re in the driver’s seat. I can and have lined up dates for you. Stadium venues with a sand, fun and sun theme. Palm trees, beach balls, people in shorts and flip flops. It’ll be like the beach is the stage. You’ll play weekends and it’s over in September.”
“With Blake?” He wasn’t sure he could handle being on tour with him and having to keep his hands to himself. He and Blake were electric together, but they’d burned out way too fast. He doubted his heart could handle a second split. Maybe Blake was with someone and getting back together wouldn’t be an issue.
“It’s only a summer tour. Do it quick and make the song really last in the minds of the public and get paid. You deserve it,” Bob said. “What do you have to lose?”
“My credibility with my fans. That song isn’t my usual genre.” He was lying to himself. The fans loved his music and the influx of pop songs into his set of standards was a crowd pleaser, but he’d have to work with Blake. Didn’t Bob remember the messiness when Jude and Blake had split?
“Liar. I’ve seen your concerts. Remember, I got turned on to you through Blake and saw lots of your shows. Your crowds really get into everything you sing.”
“I guess.” Bob had nailed it. “So?”
“Don’t you want to see if you can catch lightning in a bottle again? Don’t you want to see Blake again? You really have chemistry,” Bob said. “Like crazy, off-the-charts chemistry.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“What do I have to do to get you to sign on?” Bob asked. “I remember seeing you with Blake. You’re great together. This could be a chance to iron out your differences, you know.”
Jude signed. He didn’t want to agree to the tour without a few moments to think about it. He had options to consider. True, he and Blake were good together, but so were chocolate and peanut butter—that didn’t mean they should always be mixed.
Still, he and Blake were good as a couple and as collaborators. Blake listened to him, loved to go on walks with him, blend in with the crowds and and make fantastic music with him, but Blake was in the closet. Jude hadn’t been sure Blake would ever come out. The media didn’t need to know everything happening in his life, but he wouldn’t lie about being guy friends just to protect Blake’s ‘Payday’ image.
“Well?” Bob asked.
“Who’s organizing the tour, and have you talked to my agent? Rachel usually handles this stuff.” He trusted her and she’d been his rock after the split with Blake. She’d most likely talk him out of this. “Does she know?”
“She knows. She seemed to think this was up to you to decide,” Bob said. “I’m the one organizing the tour and I’m the one on the hook to get you paid. I’ve got suites set up for you here in Cleveland to live in for two weeks to rehearse and I’ve booked my own studios for said rehearsing.”
Bob did seem to have a lot of the details worked out. “Rachel is okay with this?”
“She is.”
“And Blake agreed to this?” He didn’t believe Blake would want the temptation.
“You’d be surprised.”
“Bob, don’t play games with me. I’m not ignorant. Blake and I fizzled out.” In a gigantic ball of flames.
“Don’t you miss him?” Bob asked.
What a loaded question. Part of him never wanted to see Blake again. The hurt was still fresh, even three years on, and he wasn’t in the mood to be emotionally wounded another time. But the rest of him did miss Blake. Blake knew how to play chess and enjoyed singing in the moonlight. They harmonized so well together—like they’d been made to sing together. No one else liked talking until the wee hours of the morning with him. Blake knew how to hold him and what to do to make him come apart. The passion from their song had been palpable.
“Jude?”
“When do I have to decide by? I need a few hours to think.” Every cell in his body screamed to just go with it, despite his better judgment telling him to find any way possible to get out of it.
“You have two days, but I’d appreciate it if you’d get back to me faster,” Bob said. “I’d like to get going with the promotion.”
“I’ll call you tonight.”
“I’ll be here.”
Jude hung up and massaged his forehead. Holy crap. A tour with Blake. A whole summer with the man who tempted him, but still, it was work making music. Money. Shows. He didn’t know what to think. He wanted to agree, but he remembered the way he and Blake had split.
Blake had refused to come out. He wanted to live in the closet because he feared he’d lose fans. Jude couldn’t argue. Blake had to do what he felt was best and they were going in different directions. Going on tour with him might enhance their differences, but it could pull them together, too. For all he knew, it could be the reason to work out their problems—as Bob would say. What if it didn’t work? What if everything went to crap again?
Rachel strolled through the office. “Well, you’ve spoken to Bob.”
“I did.” He placed the phone on the desk.
“Thanks. I almost forgot I gave that to you.” Rachel tucked the device into her back pocket. “What do you think?”
“About?”
“All of it,” she said. “Talk to me.”
He had no choice. She’d pester him until he unburdened himself. “I’m torn. You saw the condition I was in at the end of the relationship. He broke my heart,” Jude said. “Why would I want to go through that again?”
“I remember.”
“How do I get back into that situation without getting hurt? He’ll destroy me.” Jude shook his head. “I can’t do it.”
Buy Links
Choose Your Store
First For Romance
Amazon
Megan Slayer
Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.
When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice.
Find out more about Megan on her website, and sign up for the newsletter here. You can also check out her Blog, Amazon Author Page, Bookbub and Instagram.
Enter to win a fabulous gift package and get a FREE eBook from the author!
Megan Slayer’s Sun, Sea and Summer Songs Giveaway
MEGAN SLAYER IS GIVING AWAY THIS FABULOUS PRIZE TO ONE LUCKY WINNER. ENTER HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A LOVELY GIFT PACKAGE AND GET A FREE MEGAN SLAYER ROMANCE BOOK! Notice: This competition ends on 20th July 2021 at 5pm GMT. Competition hosted by Totally Entwined Group.
