Making Spirits Bright

By Shawn Lane

Noel Bright has been seeing Wes Rivers since February and, as the holidays approach, Wes wants to ask Noel a question.

Though a same-sex relationship has been a new experience for the gruff police captain, Noel thinks -- with encouragement from his sister -- Wes is ready to take the next step in their relationship. Wes has plans to go to Maine for Christmas to see his family and Noel anticipates he will be invited along, but when Wes asks him to pet sit instead, and admits his family knows nothing about their relationship, Noel begins to rethink how serious Wes is about him.

When Wes’s plans change and he stays home after all, Noel does his best to make both of their spirits bright for Christmas.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Dec 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781646569885

Shawn Lane

Shawn Lane is a multi-published author of gay romance. She lives and works in Southern California. She has been published by Loose Id, Amber Quill Press, Evernight Publishing, MLR Press, JMS Books, and Ellora’s Cave. For more information, visit smlgr8.blogspot.com.

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Making Spirits Bright

By Shawn Lane

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2021 Shawn Lane

ISBN 9781646569885

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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 to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief 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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Making Spirits Bright

By Shawn Lane

Chapter 1

First Week of December

The strains of Joy to the World blared from Noel Bright’s cell phone as he approached the café. He stopped on his way in, turned around, and stepped away from the entrance. His sister’s perky face appeared on his phone.

Erin?

Well? she asked, breathless.

Noel laughed. I haven’t even met with him yet. I just got to the café.

Oh. Erin definitely sounded disappointed. Is he already there, do you think?

He glanced around the parking lot and saw the police SUV marked Haydon Cliff PD parked a few rows down. Yeah, his car’s here. He’s always on time.

Erin squealed. I can’t believe he’s going to ask you.

His stomach flipped a little. "Erin, I don’t really know that’s what this is about. It’s probably wishful thinking."

His boyfriend, Wesley Wes Rivers, captain of the homicide division of the Haydon Cliff Police Department, had asked Noel to meet him at the Haydon Cliff Seaside Café that afternoon for lunch. It was one of their favorite places.

Wes had made it clear he wanted to ask Noel something, and since he’d told Erin about this, and it was getting close to Christmas, Erin had decided from her home in upstate Washington that Wes was going to ask him the big question…to marry him.

Honestly, Noel had his doubts. They’d been seeing each other only since February, right around Valentine’s Day, and up until Thanksgiving, Noel had basically stayed Wes’ dirty little secret. A definite matter of contention between them. At Thanksgiving, Wes had finally agreed he wouldn’t bother to hide what was going on with Noel anymore and for the most part he’d done what he said.

Noel knew that Wes had plans to go see his family over the Christmas holidays. He’d mentioned it to Noel around Halloween. Wes had been born and raised in Maine. Noel suspected it was more likely that Wes would ask him to go to meet his family.

He is, he is, his sister insisted. Come on, he has to be completely and utterly in love with you!. Who wouldn’t be?

You’re a little biased. But Noel grinned. His sister’s enthusiasm was contagious and he began to feel excited. What if Erin was right? It seemed unexpectedly romantic for his rather stoic boyfriend, but