Dawn Patrol: Tidewater, #1

By Tami Veldura

A Tidewater Short Story. Contemporary, Stand alone, HEA.

Elias lives for the waves. He's been surfing off the Tidewater coast since he could crawl, and the connection he's forged with the ocean is fundamental. Every morning he shares a ritual swim with the local pod of dolphins. Elias is desperate to find a way to express what the sand and the sea mean to him, and local artist Theo could be just what he needs.

Theo's art has helped him move mountains. It granted him freedom from abusive family and supports his quiet lifestyle. He's ready for more. So when muscle-bound Elias commissions him for a mural on his bedroom wall, Theo has more than one reason to take the job. It's time to reach with his heart, an easy thing when Elias is so eager to share what's in his.

Water is essential when painting, and color is what brings the ocean to life. Elias and Theo were made for each other. It's only a matter of time before Tidewater brings them together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oldewolff Alternascents
• Release date: Jul 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9781941319307

Tami Veldura

Tami Veldura is an enby/aro/ace author of queer fiction. They have published short stories in anthologies Fresh Starts, Hauntings, Love Among The Thorns, Love Is Like A Box Of Chocolates, the magazine Galaxy’s Edge, and they are a contributing member of the scifi magazine Boundary Shock Quarterly. They publish new work every month, crossing every genre, but always featuring queer characters and found families.As S.T. Lynn, they write uplifting, sweet, and tropey fantasy fiction, featuring women front and center. Including fairy tales, elves, magic, and happy endings for young adults and young-at-heart.

Book preview

DAWN PATROL

a Tidewater short story

By Tami Veldura

Foreword

Welcome to Tidewater! This bustling, modern city on Washington state’s coast has recently climbed the charts for best place to live while muscling in on Silicon Valley’s tech scene. People are loving the new attention, but some are fighting to preserve what makes Tidewater great: the wild spaces, artistic vibe, and a culture of active lifestyles.

Tidewater’s evolution brings everything from real-estate value to movie talks, and the city explodes into a popular destination for new residents and tourists alike. The locals are split—embrace the changes and all that they bring, or resist to keep Tidewater the little city that could. As more people discover this delightful coastal town, bordered by great ski slopes and epic surf, change is inevitable and sparks are going to fly.

This contemporary city series is guaranteed to feature self-assured men falling powerfully in love as they clash and overcome what keeps them apart. Each story stands alone, but all are built around Tidewater and the people who live there.

Chapter One

Elias

Elias watched the surf in his truck’s headlights as he yanked his wetsuit up. The neoprene constricted at the bulge of his calf and again at his thigh. The familiar rubber smell made him smile, it was time to play. A dark spot out on the water indicated Elias wasn’t the first one here; Ro had beaten him to the point again. He yanked the zipper up his back and rolled his arms around in the suit, settling it over his chest. It tugged his shoulders back and wrapped tightly around his body. A layer of wool inside would keep him warm in the cold water. The tide had reversed a few hours ago; it now rushed quickly back out to sea. And with the pre-dawn offshore wind, the surf couldn’t be better.

Elias stashed his keys under the wheel well of his truck, checked that the lights were off, and hiked across the sand with his longboard. It was heavy, handmade from cedar and glassed at a local shop. Elias had never seen another board like it. It never failed to gain a few compliments on his way out of the surf at noon.

His toes hit the ocean water. Even with the sun still down, the waves were warmer every day. In another month, he could ditch his wool-lined suit for a thinner two-millimeter one. If the summer was as hot as they expected, he might even downgrade to board shorts and a rash guard. He waded in to his knees, then thrust the board ahead and let himself glide. The weight of the longboard punched him through the waves as they came. He turtled through a big one, letting the crest pound the underside of his board as he kicked, inverted, beneath it. Everything quieted under the water. The waves curled across the surface like thunder clouds, raining bubbles like mist. Then his big board bobbed him up again and the clouds returned to crashing waves.

Elias paddled beyond the break and everything settled. Here the ocean bobbed, but