A Honeyed Light: Living in Harmony #1

By Freddie Milano

Kunal, relative newcomer to the strange town of Harmony, has his hands full preparing for Diwali. That should be enough to keep anyone's mind preoccupied, but Kunal can't really ignore that he's nearly thirty, single, and still buried in the closet.

Out of town at a gay club one night, he bumps into Oscar, proprietor of Harmony's only sex shop, and figures his secret is now officially out. What he doesn't expect is a slow seduction, or to have to decide what it is he really wants in life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Freddie Milano
• Release date: Dec 14, 2016
• ISBN: 9781620049020

Freddie Milano

Freddie Milano lives with her partner in crime, three insane cats, and far more ideas than she really has time to set down on (electronic) paper. She’s been writing since she could hold a pen, though most of the embarrassing stories thankfully never made in onto the internet, and can stay safely buried. She loves wine, Korean pop music, tea, chocolate, coffee, mythology, and both video and tabletop gaming. An ESFJ surrounded by introverts, Freddie has learned the art of socialization in moderation. Besides, staying in just leaves her more time to write. Books on Smashwords: A HONEYED LIGHT by Freddie Milano

Book preview

A Honeyed Light

FREDDIE MILANO

Kunal, relative newcomer to the strange town of Harmony, has his hands full preparing for Diwali. That should be enough to keep anyone's mind preoccupied, but Kunal can't really ignore that he's nearly thirty, single, and still buried in the closet.

Out of town at a gay club one night, he bumps into Oscar, proprietor of Harmony's only sex shop, and figures his secret is now officially out. What he doesn't expect is a slow seduction, or to have to decide what it is he really wants in life.

A Honeyed Light

By Freddie Milano

All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publisher, except for the purpose of reviews.

Edited by Amanda Jean

Cover designed by Aisha Akeju

This book is a work of fiction and all names, characters, places, and incidents are fictional or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.

Second Edition August 2019

First edition published by Less Than Three Press, LLC

Copyright © 2019 by Freddie Milano

Printed in the United States of America

To Ai & Otto - Harmony wouldn't be what it is without you. Thank you for everything and I love you both.

To my dear friend Jace - you always gave me the strength to continue, to keep creating. I miss you and wish you were here to read this.

Acknowledgements

There are a lot of people who helped make A Honeyed Light what it is. Im sure I'll forget someone and then feel awful about it forever, but I'm going to try my best.

First, to Norma: thank you for being the world's most excited, supportive, and fab beta reader/pre-editor. I am so grateful to you.

To the LT3 staff Megan, Samantha, & Sasha: thank you for giving us a voice and a place to share our work. Thank you to my editor Amanda Jean, for the guiding hand, and to Aisha for the absolutely stunning cover that I will never stop loving.

To everyone who has encouraged me to keep on writing over the years: you know who you are and you all keep me going.

And finally, thanks to my mom, who was my first fan and has always encouraged me, even when I was writing about garages that fell in love.

I am surrounded by

the darkness of doubt

of fear

of the unknown

But in your eyes I see a light

a honeyed light

illuminating my soul

my heart

my eyes

my life.

--A Honeyed Light

Chapter One

Kunal Sadaram untied his apron, smoothing it as he hung it up behind the door of the kitchens. The wall next to the door had neat rows of a hook-and-cubby system devised by Divya, the elder of his two younger sisters, to keep everyone's belongings neat, tidy, and perfectly in line. It was a reflection of her life. As Kunal looked at his sparse cubby, he thought it was also a reflection of his own: organized but empty.

It wasn't too fair to come down hard on himself for not fitting in. The small town of Harmony, Virginia, wasn't exactly full of Indian-Americans. In fact, his family members were the only ones. That was part of the reason his father had first entertained the idea of moving to Harmony to open their restaurant, Naan Stop. No competition! Rajit had exclaimed, and for the most part it was true.

Naan Stop was the one place in Harmony to get authentic Indian food, run by the entire Sadaram family. Shanti, the youngest at twenty-four, had come up with the name during a family brainstorming session. Their parents, of course, were much more traditional and wanted to name it Bombay Bistro or Royal India Palace, but Shanti had been firm. Do you want this place to sound like every other restaurant, or do you want it to stand out? It didn't matter it'd be the only one in town—the Sadarams wanted it to stand out. So with the full support of all four children, their parents had caved and gone with the pun.

The food was mostly prepared by Rajit and his wife Sunita, but more and more their children took on important tasks. Kunal was a host and server, often called into the back to put the finishing touches on for presentation. And Shanti always said Kunal made the best gulab out of anyone in the family. He was often called over to prepare those as well, especially for big occasions like Diwali, which was right around the corner.

It was nice having family around, but it was also the reason Kunal felt as empty as he did. With one sister married, his brother engaged, his youngest sister just starting a new relationship, it left Kunal the only single one. Worse than that, he was the eldest and should have been married first. Sunita chided him almost daily, threatening to set up an arranged marriage, to which Kunal often replied, Amma, do you want me to date, or do you want me to work? I cannot do both in the same night.

Sunita often retorted that strengthened her argument for arranged marriage. Kunal would stop arguing and get to work, because he knew if he kept talking he'd spill the real reason he was not dating and not marrying a young woman he'd met in school or out anywhere.

Sighing, Kunal stepped back out of the employee area to where Divya and Shanti were chatting, Divya pressing their baby sister about the still-new beau she'd been seeing. He couldn't help feeling a stab of jealousy. It seemed so easy for them.

He pasted on a bright smile and swept himself into the conversation. I don't care what you say, Shanti, it's not serious until we've all met him, not just Divya. Not until he's met Mom and Dad.

Shanti frowned and shoved Kunal, and he felt real force behind it, but Kunal didn't budge. She was a scant few inches shorter than him, but he was broad. The hours he put in at the gym ensured that his arm muscles were corded and just the right amount of bulging, his overall build sturdy. What he lacked in height, he made up for in breadth, and he worked hard to look as good as he did.

Shush, Kunal. You know if I bring him home, they expect a ring on my finger right after.

Or before, Divya added. But Kunal's right. They won't believe it's serious until then. Look how many times Amit brought home a girl before he gave one a ring, huh?

Amit poked his head out from behind the bar. Slander and lies, he called, levity in his tone.

Oh, Kunal countered. I remember Gina, Monica, Elizabeth, and who was the pretty one with the unfortunate name?

Ivana, Amit said sullenly.

Kunal grinned. Amit. What was her whole name?

Amit glared at his brother. Ivana Hardick.

We're lucky Mom and Dad didn't catch onto that. Shanti giggled.

"It's not my fault her parents gave her that first name with that last name, okay? She was nice, she was just…"

She's no Angela, Kunal murmured. It had been different when Amit brought Angela home—the expression in his eyes, the way he couldn't stop talking about or looking at her. Kunal wanted that so much, but he was certain that he neither deserved it nor would get it.

That shut Amit up, and his angry glare turned into a beatific smile, just the way Kunal knew it would.

Well, Kunal continued, I don't know about you all, but I'm getting out of here. You all have a good night. I'll see to you tomorrow.

His siblings all chorused good night. Kunal slipped out, glad his parents were already upstairs in bed and not privy to the conversation. Not only would it have turned back on him, but he wasn't sure they hadn't understood Ivana's name, and he had no desire to ever bring that back up in front of them to find out for sure.

He headed out into the cool night air. It was late summer and warm during the day in Harmony, but the town was close enough to the water that the cool ocean air lowered the temperatures at night. A light jacket or long sleeves was needed, and Kunal had elected for the latter.

Leaving Harmony to hit up one of the neighboring towns for bars and clubs was about the only way he'd meet someone, but he had no intention of making it a permanent thing. It was his MO now. Meet a guy, hook up, refuse to exchange numbers, and leave. If he kept it casual, it meant he never worried about getting attached. But deep inside, he knew this lifestyle couldn't last. He'd either hurt someone unintentionally or he'd run into someone he already knew.

It was only a matter of time.

Chapter Two

Oscar Murro's grin seemed to take up his entire face. His best friend had just banged open the door of his shop, which meant he was probably in for a lewd conversation. Olivia Call Me Olli Lynch was a five-foot-and-change ball of pure animation. She was loud, she was unapologetic, and she was fantastic, at least according to Oscar. Dark-haired and dark-skinned, she was born in the States like him, but they both shared the commonality of being first generation in Harmony. His parents were from the Philippines, hers from Barbados. With both of them being bisexual and hitting it off so well, they could have wound up dating, but their personalities made them far better suited to being friends, and they both liked it that way.

Scaaaarr! Olli shouted as she bounced over to him. Anyone else here?

Nah, last customer left about twenty minutes ago, Oscar said. The only sex shop in Harmony, Come Undone was never terribly busy, but Oscar was still comfortably in the black. Small-town people had needs too, and the discreetness of his shop made it easier for them to go inside. Granted, most of his orders were online, even ones placed by residents, but Olli had no shame. She was open about her sexuality and most other aspects of her life, and her no-bullshit attitude