Better be Sure by Andy Gallo & Anyta Sunday
Harrison Campus #1
Contemporary Romance
June 1, 2020
(first pubbed March 26, 2019)
About the Book:
Orphan Jackson Murphy just staked his legacy on a bet.
Holy shit, his impulsive ass is in trouble.
Bring a guy to the fraternity formal? Pfft. Easy. Won’t be him getting kicked out of the house.
So what if his luck with guys on campus has been shitty? Ed Knowles is Jack’s winning ticket.
Tall, handsome, hardworking—and he doesn’t go to Harrison. One serendipitous meeting, and sparks—and coffee cups—are flying.
But with every stolen look, every secret kiss, every clandestine touch Ed becomes more than just an answer to a bet.
And these cloak-and-dagger meetings that set Jack on fire? They mask one tiny, enormous obstacle: Ed’s not out.
What does Jack do now?
Hold on to his legacy… or his heart?
His phone buzzed against his thigh, and Jack almost dropped it in his hurry to check it. He sucked in a breath at Ed’s name on the screen and swiped to read.
Ed: Enjoying the game?
Jack frowned at the screen, trying to figure out what that meant. Had Ed left, then?
Another message came in.
Ed: ’cause it doesn’t look like you are.
Jack’s heart hammered, and he snapped his head around. Ed was walking up the aisle, thumbing his phone. He looked up, and this time their gazes caught.
A nervous smile quirked at the edges of Ed’s mouth. He pressed something on his phone, and Jack’s buzzed again.
Ed: Can I sit with you?
Jack had purposely left enough room to shuffle over in case Ed found him, and he happily shoved his butt across the bench. Brittany raised a brow at him. “That’s cozier than I’m used to from you.”
He rolled his eyes, but there was nothing able to stop him grinning like an idiot. “Ed’s here,” he said under his breath. “Keep it easy, right?”
Brittany perked up, following Jack’s gaze to Ed approaching. She whistled low. “Damn, Jack. That’s a fine-looking man.”
He elbowed her into a fit of giggles and focused on Ed, who perched so close to the edge of the bench it looked like he would soon fall off it.
Ed planted his elbows on his thighs and stared at the game. His throat kept jutting with swallows.
Finally Ed glanced over at Jack and offered a shy smile.
All of Jack’s instincts told him to take Ed into his arms and hold him tight. Tell him everything was okay and he’d protect him from anyone who dared give him shit. Instead he tapped a message on his phone and sent it.
Jack: I’m *really* enjoying the game now.
Ed shifted a little farther onto the bench and clasped the edge, hand within reaching distance. His other hand worked his phone.
Ed: Is that Brittany who’s eyeballing me?
Jack whisked around, catching Brittany in the act. She laughed and ruffled the back of his hair before leaning over him and offering her hand. “I’ve heard lots about you, Ed.”
Jack held his breath and let it go when Ed shook her offered hand. “Same goes for you, Brit.”
“Oh, I do like you.” In the same breath, Brittany turned to another shitty ref call and let out a chain of expletives.
Jack subtly leaned toward Ed. “You don’t want to get on her bad side.”
Brittany snorted. “He speaks from experience.”
Ed shuffled another notch closer. Brittany’s presence seemed to calm him, and Jack could’ve honestly kissed her.
Jack planted his hands on the lip of the bench an inch from Ed’s. An invitation if he wanted it.
“What colors are we rooting for?” Ed asked, and Jack launched into a quick rundown of the two teams. He kept his tone light, informative. Like he was politely answering the questions of a stranger.
Inside, though. Fuck, inside Jack was grinning like a fool.
At half time, Ed left the stands to get them all drinks, and when he came back, sat nearer. Shoulders more relaxed. Smiles flashing in higher frequency.
Brittany switched seats to sit on Ed’s other side, and Jack admired Ed’s silver tongue. It almost matched Brit’s.
Andy Gallo:
Andy Gallo prefers mountains over the beach, coffee over tea, and regardless if you shake it or stir it, he isn’t drinking a martini. He remembers his “good old days” as filled with mullets, disco music, too-short shorts, and too-high socks. Thanks to good shredders and a lack of social media, there is no proof he ever descended into any of those evils.
Andy does not write about personal experiences and no living or deceased ex-boyfriends appear on the pages of his stories. He might subconsciously infuse his characters with some of their less noble qualities, but that is entirely coincidental even if their names are the same. And while Andy leaves the hard sci-fi/fantasy for his alter ego, Andrew, in his mind a touch of the supernatural never derailed a good relationship.
Married and living his own happy every after, Andy helps others find their happy endings in the pages of his stories. He and his husband of more than twenty years spend their days raising their daughter and rubbing elbows with other parents. Embracing his status as the gay dad, Andy sometimes has to remind others that one does want a hint of color even when chasing after their child.
Anyta Sunday:
A bit about me: I’m a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love. Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries. I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy. My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, and Thai.
To celebrate the release of Better Be Sure (Harrison Campus #1), the authors are giving away 3 e-copies of Better Be Sure and 3 e-copies of a winner’s choice of any Anyta Sunday book. Must be 18 to enter and win, open internationally.
Birdie Bookworm 