Green Tea and Pink Apples

By R. Cooper

To most people, Matt Del Prete is the charming, unambitious youngest son of a wine-growing dynasty, who sleeps around and is useless for anything practical. Matt has spent years creating that reputation to keep his controlling family from pushing him into the life they want for him. But Matt’s getting older. His family is starting to push harder and the act is wearing him down.

During an engagement party for a cousin, Matt finds himself once again doing his family’s bidding. Only this time, it fills him with both dread and anticipation when his mother pulls him aside and tells him he is supposed to spend the evening watching over the other outcast in their social circle—his childhood friend, Santi. Santi is the one person who sees through Matt’s act, although he’s never called Matt out on it. Matt still isn’t sure why. He’s not even sure what he is to Santi. Not family. Not friends, not really these days, since Matt is the family failure and Santi is a successful artist. Matt isn’t even certain what Santi is to him. He learned long ago not to admit to his dreams, not even to himself, so his family can’t tear them down.

But tonight, Matt is sick of pretending. And Santi seems to want to hear his dreams. Escaping the party to sit beneath the stars, Matt is almost convinced that Santi might even want to share them. Can Matt finally reach for what he wants?

• Language: English
• Publisher: R. Cooper
• Release date: Nov 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463918159

R. Cooper

I'm a somewhat absentminded, often distracted, writer of queer romance. I'm probably most known for the Being(s) in Love series and the occasional story about witches or firefighters in love. Also known as, "Ah, yes, the one with the dragons."You can find me on in the usual places, or subscribe to my newsletter (link through website).www.riscooper.comI can also be found at...Tumblr @sweetfirebirdFacebook @thealmightyrisInstagram @riscoopsPillowfort @RCooperPatreon @ patreon.com/rcoopsBluesky @ rcooper.bsky.social

Book preview

Green Tea and Pink Apples

R. Cooper

©2018 R. Cooper

Cover art by Erin Gamble

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of

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Content warnings: References to alcohol, alcohol abuse, people drinking, mild homophobia and biphobia, unhealthy familial relationships/domineering family, ableism

With a sigh, Matt finally changed out of the comfortable, brushed cotton t-shirt he wore when lazing around the house and pulled on a respectable pale green Oxford. He combed his hair into a neat side part and stifled another sigh with the ease of practice. Then, at the very last moment, his phone buzzing in his back pocket with impatient inquiries from either his mother or his siblings, he stepped into some well-shined shoes to make his look the epitome of dressy casual and walked out the door.

He didn’t lock it. The family house was on a vast property surrounded by fields and fields of grape vines—the middle of nowhere, as far as thieves were probably concerned. And the small guest house where Matt lived was tucked away behind a short row of citrus trees and the back end of the pool house. Most people forgot the guest house was even there, which was fine with Matt.

He stopped to appreciate the scent from the trees—and procrastinate a little—and then carried on down the lit path to the pool and then the main house.

With the party this evening, every single light on this side of the main house seemed to be on, making the tiny lamps along the path more decorative than necessary. The pool was drained and covered, ready for winter although it was still fall. The sun had set, but if the house hadn’t been in the way, Matt would have been able to make out the mountain in the distance, a jagged, dark shape eclipsing the stars.

The air was verging on crisp and he hoped it put some color in his cheeks as he went up to a door at the back of the house and slipped inside the kitchen.

To his eyes, the kitchen was chaos, but it was probably orderly to everyone there, which meant Miss Cathy, their housekeeper, Willi, his mother’s assistant, and several uniformed catering people buzzing in and out of the doors.

Willi spotted Matt first and gave him a once over that might have been to make sure he was presentable but lingered despite that. Light green did wonders for the specks of olive in Matt’s hazel eyes, and his pants had been tailored. Matt smiled merrily at her and then winked at Miss Cathy, who winked back but shooed him out of the kitchen. Because Matt respected Miss Cathy so much, he didn’t even snatch an artfully arranged crudités from one of the serving platters.

He skipped the dining room and headed out toward the noise, with a moment’s pause for the small bar in his dad’s office that would be unused and quiet on a night like this. He’d left Netflix and his e-reader for this. The temptation of a few more minutes of peace was almost too much.

Matty. His mother’s voice stopped Matt cold, though he had a smile on his face as he turned around. His mom was close behind him, silent somehow, even in heels.

Mom. He bent to kiss her cheek as though he hadn’t seen her in years and not a day or two.

You had to be late? She tilted her head to accept the kiss. She had pearls in her dark brown hair and around the apricot skin of her throat, but her dress was black and simple. Did you come straight from work? she asked, looking him up and down. She patted his hair, the same shining brown as hers, with hopefully the same resistance to going gray at an early age. Why do you smell like espresso?

I had espresso before I left work, Matt answered honestly, though he had brushed his teeth and his breath should be fine. I ground the beans myself. Maybe the coffee scent is on my skin.

His mom sighed the sigh of Atlas. It’s not that you are not talented in the shop, she began, referring to the family’s tasting room in town where Matt sold wine and bourbon and cheese and olive oil and gourmet meats—anything with the Del Prete label on it or the label of any other local family deemed good enough. But of all the things you could be doing…. She cut herself off for once, possibly because of the party going on just out of sight. She firmed her lips and drew her shoulders back.

Matt tensed preemptively. So I should go say hello to—

His mom ignored this. Your sisters are greeting everyone. Paul and his wife are kindly entertaining your father’s sisters. Your father is with your cousin Richie and his fiancée. She paused. Sweet girl, Ella, but could use some travel. Your nieces and nephews should be in the game room. Obviously, everyone took the time from their busy schedules for family.

Matt’s smile got a little more fixed.

I ask this of you because it won’t even be a chore. Perhaps it will even give you time to observe the happy couple and think of your own future. Thirty-two and not a serious girlfriend in sight, much less grandchildren? I’m worried, Matty. You’re my youngest, my sensitive boy who has always needed time to himself. Your father asks me to be understanding, but even he is beginning to wonder if we’re right to leave you alone.

Matt had not been left alone in over three decades.

He did his best impression of leer. "Is there a beautiful thing out there waiting for me? And it’s not even