The Wingman

By Holly Day

A year ago, Cole Hudson got out of an abusive relationship. Since then, he’s been hiding in the kitchen of his bakery, avoiding people best he can. He prefers it there, but his best friend Gavin has other ideas.

Gavin is set on finding him a boyfriend, but Cole doesn’t like hanging around bars, and it’s precisely what Gavin has in mind. As Cole’s self-proclaimed wingman, Gavin is on the hunt for a worthy partner, but it isn’t an easy find.

Cole doesn’t want to date; he only wants to spend time with Gavin. Gavin only wants Cole to be happy. How many men flocking around Cole will he have to chase away before the right one shows up?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Feb 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685500412

Holly Day

Holly Day and Sherman Wick are the authors of several books about the Twin Cities. Sherman Wick received his BA in history from the University of Minnesota and has been a member of the Minnesota Historical Society for several decades. Holly Day has worked as a freelance writer for local and national publications for over twenty-five years and teaches writing classes at the Loft Literary Center.

Book preview

The Wingman

By Holly Day

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2022 Holly Day

ISBN 9781685500412

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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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Thank you, Gabi Cervenka and Leonie Duncan. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.

I wrote The Wingman to celebrate National Wingman Day, which is celebrated annually on February 13th. To celebrate, you should spend the day with your wingman or take him out for food or drinks.

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The Wingman

By Holly Day

Chapter 1

Cole Hudson was hiding in the kitchen. There was no better explanation, though he pretended he’d forgotten the time and that he had to decorate the cake right this minute—and for the following hour or so.

He’s not going to go away. Susan, his aunt, crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the doorframe.

I know.

So why are you still here?

Cole gave her an exasperated look and, as if on cue, concern stole the amused glint in her dark eyes.

You have to go out at some point.

No, I don’t. He was perfectly happy never going out. He loved his job. Working in the bakery was his childhood dream, and he’d done it since he was old enough to have a job. After his parents had died, Susan had raised him as if he was her own. It couldn’t have been easy. He’d been thirteen and not exactly grateful for her stepping in. He was now. As an adult, he realized he would have ended up in foster care had she not claimed him, but at thirteen he believed he could look after himself and didn’t need an adult.

Cole.

He ignored her.

The cake is done, has been done for half an hour, so stop messing around and go to Gavin.

Cole sighed. Gavin was his best friend. He’d met him at about the same time he lost his parents, and while they never spoke about what had happened, they’d been almost glued together back then. Things changed when growing up, but he still considered Gavin his best friend. Maybe his only friend these days.

Are you done? Gavin appeared behind Susan, dwarfing her. Cole didn’t know what