Book Title: Let Your Heart Smile
Author: JB Buell
Publisher: JMS Books
Cover Artist: JM Snyder/JMS Books
Release Date: July 31, 2021
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Tropes: Friends to lovers
Themes: Hurt/comfort, reunited, pining, happy ending, disability, interracial relationship, different languages, travelling circus, clowns.
Length: 15 015 words
It is a standalone story with no cliffhanger.
Buy Links
JMS Books | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Who can make this sad clown smile again?
Blurb
Niki Georgiev lives and works in Draganov’s Flying circus as a disabled clown. Each day he paints a smile onto his face, though he hasn’t felt like smiling for some time.
When the circus gets a new act in, flashy stunt bike riders, Niki gets a surprise. His childhood friend Conner Flinn is one of the riders and has returned to the circus a big star.
Niki doesn’t expect Conner to remember him, much less want to spend time with him as he’s just one of the clowns.
But not only does Conner notice Niki, he also asks him to join his act. Will Niki finally have a reason to smile?
The big top was open for its first show.
The lead up to a show was always a frantic rush of getting ready while trying not to bump into coworkers backstage and ringside, everyone in their finest show costumes with sparkles, sequins, and spandex.
Niki never minded the rush as it kept him occupied, but tonight he was distracted. He kept looking around to try see Conner and his stunt bike team, but they were probably outside the tent either rehearsing or chilling out.
Big acts didn’t come on until the later part of the show, and the bike act was closing.
The show went on as normal, with ringmaster Aleks greeting the audience. They had a decent sized audience for opening night, which was a relief. A lot of happy faces with plenty of smiling kids in the front row.
When the clowns had their turn in the ring, Niki walked about waving to the kids as they shrieked with excitement and waved back. He spotted the little girl in pigtails he’d given a family ticket to, sitting with her parents and another kid. She was pointing and waving at him like she was happy to see him, so Niki went over there and reached into his pocket, then tossed some colorful confetti onto the kids.
Kids always loved confetti, and these two giggled with delight. Niki tipped his hat to them then continued on his way.
The clown car honked loudly, making its rounds of the ring. Bogdan and Svetlana did their bucket of water trick, with water that magically disappeared whenever Bogdan went to throw it onto the audience and making the kids squeal. Sometimes glitter came out, which kids enjoyed too.
The clowns were almost at the end of their skit, making a final loop around the ring, when Niki spotted Conner standing at a ringside exit. He was still in his ridiculous (amazing) spandex costume, hands on his hips as he watched Niki with a huge grin on his face.
When he saw Niki notice him, he waved.
Niki was already waving, because of all the kids, but his wave became more modest now he knew Conner was watching. And he’d have to walk right past Conner too.
Oh, let the ground eat him up right now.
Niki kept walking, trying to focus on the excited kids in the front row, the honking of clown noises from the ring, anything but Conner Flinn and his megawatt smile.
“Lookin’ good, Cho-cho,” Conner commented, as Niki had to pass him by.
Niki gave him a flat look in response, which only made Conner chuckle at him.
“I thought Bogdan was the grumpy clown,” Conner said, and Niki had to fight a smile.
Fuck you, he mouthed, knowing Conner would read his lips. Conner only smiled wider, the same mischievous little shit he’d always been, annoying Niki and enjoying it.
For a moment Niki was transported back to a childhood of bickering fondly with Conner, laughing together over something silly. For a moment, his heart felt lighter.
“Cho-cho!” Bogdan yelled at him over the big top music, because Niki had fallen behind the troupe and wasn’t picking up their props. “Are you joining us, or what?”
Niki had to hustle to grab the props off the floor and rejoin the clowns as they made their way out of the ring.
“Who was that you’re talking to?” Bogdan demanded when they got backstage.
“Um, Conner,” Niki said, focusing on the props and not Bogdan’s beady gaze boring into him.
“Conner, who?” Svetlana asked.
“From the bike act?” Bogdan scoffed. “Bah! What’re you talking to them for? Big acts don’t bother with us.”
“It’s Conner, Bogdan,” Niki told him. “Sean Flinn’s son.”
Bogdan didn’t often look shocked, but his face morphed into one of shock right now, even under all the clown make-up. “That’s little Conner Flinn!” he yelled. “Get outta here!”
“It is,” Niki said, feeling himself blush when he noticed all eyes in the backstage area on them.
“Did you say Conner Flinn?” Nadya asked, coming up to them.
“Yes!” Niki said, exasperated. “Didn’t he come and say hello to you?”
“No, he didn’t.” Nadya blinked back at him calmly. “Did he say hello to you?”
“Well,” Niki spluttered, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut, “yeah, I saw him and his team out on the field earlier. Didn’t you see them?”
“Yeah, from a distance,” Nadya said, “but I didn’t recognise him as Conner. Why didn’t you tell us?”
“I’ve barely seen you all afternoon,” Niki retorted, a little snappier than he’d intended. “He came over to say hello, that’s all.”
Nadya smiled, and something about it was knowing. “I see,” she said.
J.B. Buell is a non binary writer (they/them) of m/m romance and gay rom com stories. They are a cat person, and can’t decide if they’re more of a coffee or tea person but is quite happy to drink both.
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