In the Cool of the Evening

By Gordon Phillips

When recent college graduate Mark decides to visit to Europe to see the culture, a friend gives him a letter of introduction to an elderly man in Paris who “might be worth visiting.”

During their visit, the Parisian reads Mark a letter from a friend about a heart-breaking romantic gay encounter in a tiny Balkan town. Years have passed and the letter writer can’t find the town or person again, and has been haunted by this loss ever since.

The letter remains with Mark even after he returns home. It opens his eyes to sights and people he wouldn’t normally pay attention to. Can the new life lessons he’s learned help him in his own search for lasting love?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Feb 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781634868976

Book preview

In the Cool of the Evening

By Gordon Phillips

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2019 Gordon Phillips

ISBN 9781634868976

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Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission from the publisher, with the exception of excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

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To Gilles.

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In the Cool of the Evening

By Gordon Phillips

Chapter 1: Abroad

When told I was going to Europe on vacation, I was pressed by my friends with suggestions of what—and in one or two cases, whom—I should visit while I was there. I was twenty-one, having just finished my third year in the Architectural Program and eager to experience the culture and see the architectural masterpieces of the Old World. To aid this, I had been working on improving my French and even trying to learn some Italian.

One of my friends, who saw me off at the airport, after we’d hugged good-bye, put an envelope into my hand. I looked at it. It was unsealed, but there was a name and address on the front.

Someone you should see, a friend of mine—if he’s still alive. You really must visit him. Just say ‘hello.’ My greeting is in there. It’s also a letter of introduction—feel free to read it. I think he will make an impression on you. He’s—kind of a magus.

My friend grinned at my startled look, but then grabbed my arm. Look,