WIP Wednesday: Up in the air with The Boyfriend

Photo credit: Peter Lee

A while back I introduced a snippet of The Boyfriend (which is a working title, terrible yet descriptive enough for me to keep it straight in my head with my other WIPs), and since it's what I've been working on in between edits for Some Assembly Required and Talk Turkey (and galleys for King of the Kitchen), I figured I'd post more from it this week.

In the first snippet I shared, we meet Crawford, a successful executive with an international hotel chain who married (and later divorced) a colleague who he now has to work closely with on a trip overseas. Today you get to meet Mateus, a Portuguese national in the States on a temporary visa.

This is their first meeting as they board a plane for Vancouver.

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The man gave Mateus an expectant look, and it took a beat for Mateus to realize he was waiting for Mateus to slide out so he could take the window seat. Right.

Mateus obliged, trying hard not to notice how nice the man smelled as he slipped past him. It wasn't cologne, but something spicy and alluring all the same. Probably just the combination of the man's bodywash and own scent. It was intoxicating.

“So that's what your beef with the counter agent was, eh?” Mateus said casually as they got themselves buckled in.

The man looked up, his brow furrowed. “Excuse me?”

Mateus had the good grace to flush, but it didn't stop his mouth from running. “I saw you arguing at the counter in the terminal. You really wanted that window seat, I guess.”

The man bristled, his jawline going even sharper as he gritted his teeth. “Yes.”

Mateus let the silence hang between them for a few uncomfortable seconds, and the man caved just as Mateus had hoped he would.

“I don't normally make a habit of yelling at customer service agents,” he said, his tone a bit sheepish. Some of the rigor went out of his posture as he relaxed against the seat. “I've had a very bad few days, and I let my temper get the best of me. I apologized to her.”

Mateus was beyond amused. The man had been gorgeous and intimidating earlier, but now he was just adorable. “Well, it all worked out in the end.” He gave the man his most inviting smirk, pleased when he saw the faint beginnings of a blush stain his cheeks. Score yet another point for Mateus's gaydar. “I'm Mateus.”

“Crawford,” his seat mate replied.

“Well, Crawford-who-really-likes-windows, I'll let you get to it,” he said, nodding toward the attache at Crawford's feet.

Crawford seemed taken aback by Mateus's abrupt dismissal, which had Mateus grinning to himself as he took out something to read. He'd planned to spend the flight reading a bunch of trashy fiction, since he'd been immersed in nothing but research and journal articles for the last few months, but he didn't think he'd be able to concentrate enough to keep up with the plot, no matter how predictable it was.

 Just like he'd expected, Crawford had dug into his attache and pulled out a slim laptop. He was typing away, intent on the screen. The laser focus only made him more attractive. What would all that intensity feel like if it was centered on him, Mateus wondered. He'd assessed Crawford as uptight and repressed earlier, but after talking to him and seeing the adorable way he could make him blush, Mateus had changed his mind. Crawford was probably attentive and passionate in bed. Mateus's pulse jumped as he let his mind wander, picturing Crawford out of the delectable suit.

WIP Wednesday: The Boyfriend

Hi all! I have great news--Dreamspinner accepted my novella Talk Turkey for its Advent Calendar, which means it will be out Dec. 1. With King of the Kitchen coming out in early November and Some Assembly Required hitting the shelves in February, my release calendar is filling up!

It can be hard to carve out time to write new things while I'm editing, but I'm doing my best to keep things moving. Right now I'm toying with the idea of self-publishing a novella and having it printed so I can give away copies at GRL. Thoughts? It would also be available for purchase on Amazon.

I'm also dusting off a YA fantasy manuscript I started years ago, but that won't be something I share here. It's gen, and between that and it being younger YA I just don't feel comfortable having it here. I'm actually pretty excited because Thing 1 is going to read through my rough draft and give me feedback--and since this is his favorite genre to read, I'm sure he'll have plenty to say. This may actually be the year I finish it and start looking for an agent! *g*

In between edits and the YA manuscript, I'm also working on a fake dating WIP that takes place in Portugal (because I'm a slave to tropes, and who doesn't love the fake-lovers-to-more trope?!). That's what you're getting a taste of today for #WIPWednesday.

The backstory: Crawford is CFO of an international hotel chain. He's good at his job, but so is his ex-husband--who he is being forced to work with for the first time since their bitter divorce three years earlier.

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The Boyfriend

Crawford ground his teeth together. He'd been working for this company for more than half his life, starting as a desk clerk with all the other college grunts, graduating to the concierge desk at the biggest hotel in the chain within two years. Before long, he'd been promoted to the corporate offices, working grueling 80-hour weeks while simultaneously getting his MBA. It had paid off, too. He'd earned himself a vice presidency by the time he'd been 34. He'd met Alistair two years later at an industry conference, and it had been love at first sight for Crawford.

He'd helped Alistair get his foot in the door at Chatham-Thompson, and by the time they'd married three years to the day after Alistair chatted him up at the hotel bar that Crawford had been drowning his boredom at. They'd even spent their first anniversary at the same bar, combining their anniversary celebration with toasting Crawford's promotion to CFO.

Things had been great until they abruptly hadn't. Crawford had been completely blindsided by Alistair's announcement that he was moving to Portugal to take promotion he'd been offered. Crawford had been excited for him at first, plotting out how he'd be able to go with and manage his CFO duties from Lisbon, until Alistair had dropped the bomb that he didn't want Crawford to come.

Crawford spent his second wedding anniversary in a bar, too. Alone, with only the company of his freshly inked divorce decree.

“I am serious about Chatham-Thompson. Don't be ridiculous,” Crawford snapped.

Crawford had given his entire life to the company. Horrendously long work weeks, years where he let his vacation time slide by unclaimed because he was too busy building his career to take it—ironic, since he worked for the largest resort hotel chain in the world. He was the most dedicated employee in executive offices after Gregory. He just didn't see the need to force himself to work with his ex-husband to prove it.

“It's a done deal, Crawford. I know it's hard, but it's been three years. You need to get past it. I've indulged your feud for too long, and now it's starting to affect the bottom line. I can't let that happen,” Gregory said, standing to signify the end of the conversation. “Your flight and accommodations have been scheduled. Edward has arranged for you to have an assistant from his office at your disposal, and there will be a driver for you as well. Helena has the details.”