Songs By Heart

Music. It brought them together, and it might just tear them apart.

When Mike met Harry, he knew this sweet, insecure, and musically talented guy was going places. What he didn't know was how hard it would be to stand back and let him.



It seems to take forever before skittish Harry--who works as a part-time waiter and plays guitar in the park--will even consider dating handsome, musical, and geeky Mike, especially when Harry feels betrayed by circumstances beyond Mike's control. 


But once they start dating, they're so happy together.  Apparently two ordinary guys can find love.


Then their relationship is tested by each man's insecurities, and by Harry's unexpected chance in the music industry.  When he ends up on a reality TV show for singer/songwriters, the enforced distance (and the media outing Mike) almost destroys their relationship. 


With all these changes, do they still have room in their lives for each other?


A sweet, gentle contemporary gay romance.

Length: 101,000 words (full length novel)


Excerpt:


"Salt.  Pepper.  Ketchup.  Mustard."  Harry put down the different packets and paper cups of sauce with a look of satisfied concentration.  He ripped open a salt packet and spilled it over his fries.  "Here, you can have some if you want."


"After you put a Mt. Kilimanjaro of salt on top?  No thanks!"


"Oh, watching your blood pressure, Old Timer?"  He popped two more fries in his mouth and kicked Mike lightly under the table with his shoe.


"You know, I can't figure you out."  Mike leaned his elbows on the table and leaned forward.  "One minute you're happy as a clam, the next you're—"


"That's a cliché."


"What?"


"'As a clam.'  How do we know if clams are happy or not?  I think if I was a clam, I wouldn't be happy at all.  There's an awful lot of chowder going around these days."


Mike snorted in laughter.  "All right."  He sat back with a smile, surrendering.  "I'll stop.  Enough with the 'Twenty Questions.'"


"Thanks," said Harry more seriously.  He had a slightly more contented look about him now, as he stuffed another fry in his cheek, and then began to open his salad and burger.  "Seriously, I could eat these things all night.  Is it wrong to admit that?"


"No, but it's wrong not to share."  Mike reached across and snagged a couple of fries.


"Hey!  What happened to Mt. Killawatt?  If that's the way it is, I'm taking—"


He reached across and grabbed the chicken sandwich. 


"My whole sandwich!  That's hardly fair!  Give it—"  He reached across, but not very seriously.


Harry took one big bite and handed it back, eyes flashing.  "Just a bite," he said indistinctly.  Mike saw the laughing challenge in those eyes.  For some reason, Harry wanted to push him.  It was teasing, and it wasn't, too.  It was like Harry needed Mike to prove himself or something.


With a scolding look, Mike accepted the sandwich back, snagged a few more fries, and sat back to eat.  The edge was soon off his hunger, but Harry continued to eat steadily, with concentration.


"Don't they feed you at the diner?"


Harry shook his head.  "Don't get many breaks either."