Legend says that at the witching hour creatures of darkness are at their most powerful. Gerald is about to find it’s more than legend.
Gerald Pickering is an actor with a traveling troupe whose next performance is in the lakeside town of Taupo. When he is purposely excluded from the organized accommodations, he has to find somewhere he can stay. When he’s given a card for another motel, he’s warned about the owner’s odd Goth grandson, but the motel is perfect—and even has a hot tub.
Gerald meets Jules and is immediately drawn to him, despite his unique style of dress and his youth. Soon Jules is helping Gerald with his rehearsals during the day and being his lover by night.
When Gerald finds that the company accounts aren’t balancing, he shares his concerns with a colleague who, like Gerald, is doubling their duties while the company owner is incapacitated. However, when Gerald is lured into an alley at the witching hour, Jules’ true nature is revealed.
Knowing the truth, will Gerald choose love, irrespective of the form in which it comes?
Reader advisory: This book contains a scene of public sex and the mention of abuse.
General Release Date: 20th October 2020
With a sigh of relief, Gerald finally caught his first glimpse of Taupo. As much as he loved visiting the town, this was about business, not pleasure. As part of a traveling group of actors and performers, it was the next stop on the tour.
It’s just a shame we’ve managed to pick up a real asshole as part of the troupe. Matthew George might have sterling references as a performer, but he lacks a lot as a human being. Not only does the man hate anyone other than him being in the limelight, he’s a homophobic and transphobic prick. If only John hadn’t taken ill, it wouldn’t be so bad.
John Worthy was not only the main money behind the company, but he was also a good man, a real father figure and one of the best producers Gerald had ever had the pleasure to work with. John really could make a silk purse out of sow’s ear.
But John had been out of commission for the last several months and was now in the hospital for badly needed back surgery. If all went well, he could expect to return around halfway through their November performances.
In John’s absence, part of his role had been taken up by Jan. While Gerald thought she was a passable director at a push, in his opinion she struggled assuming John’s mantle. She was far less competent at keeping the various members of the troupe working harmoniously, especially when there were clashing personalities.
And she relies far too heavily on Matthew, who takes every advantage of the situation to assume more and more authority. Anyone listening to that fucking loudmouth would think he owns the company, not just works for it. He works for John, just like the rest of us do.
Gerald took his performances very seriously and was equally professional about his personal life—preferring, for personal reasons, to keep the two very much separate. But somehow, Matthew had discovered he was gay. That gives him a whole new set of taunting to use against me.
However, since Gerald didn’t want to disturb John while he was undergoing and recovering from surgery, it was a case of suck it up, buttercup. By the time they’d done the four-week tour in Taupo, John should at least be back with them. Then Matthew will have to pull his horns in. John won’t stand for any of his bullshit.
The others in the troupe had gone to Taupo a day or more ahead of Gerald, since he’d offered to make sure everything from their previous venue was sorted. Plus, it gave me a chance to see John and wish him well for his surgery. Now all I have to do is find the motel we’re staying in.
It was with no real surprise that Gerald pulled into the car park of one of the more upmarket hotels, rather than the usual basic kind they used when traveling. Matthew had complained long, loud and repeatedly at the cost-saving tactic, but to no effect with John. Shaking his head, Gerald parked and got out of the car.
As Gerald stepped inside the hotel, he strolled past large decorative columns then he stopped and looked around. The floor was tiled, the walls off-white with large, bold artworks and lots of potted palms dotted around gave it a tropical feel.
A young woman with immaculate makeup and hair pulled and waxed back into a tight bun sat at the reception desk. Gerald continued toward her and she greeted him with a smile.
“Kia ora. How may I help you?”
“My name’s Gerald Pickering. I’m joining the rest of my group that I believe are booked here. It could be under the name of Jan Theodosia. She may have made a group reservation rather than individual ones.”
The woman tapped into her computer without using her long, glittery nails. Then she frowned.
“I can’t find the booking you’re talking about.” The receptionist tapped her screen with the tip of a nail. “We did receive a request for two people, and it took up the last of the availability we had.” She looked up at him. “There is nothing about any others at this hotel.”
“Two,” Gerald repeated, his voice flat as the receptionist nodded. “Where the fuck are the others?”
“Um…there’s a note to say the other members of your group were put up in a sister motel of ours, but there were only twelve in total and they’re all checked in. No one’s outstanding. Let me check if Miss Theodosia is in her room. If she is, I’ll let her know you’re here. But we don’t have another room and neither does our sister accommodation. Neither will have any availability unless someone cancels on short notice.”
“Not your problem.” Gerald shook his head…and it wasn’t. He had a good idea who was responsible. Jan, like the stupid sheep she is, has gone along with Matthew because he knows just how to pull her strings.
Sure enough, five minutes later, Jan appeared with Matthew, his condescending smirk firmly in place.
“I’m so sorry, Gerald, but the hotel was full—” Jan started but Gerald held up his hand.
“Don’t bother. You can’t act for toffee. That’s why you aren’t one of the performers, and the receptionist has already confirmed that you only booked two people for here. Even your math isn’t that bad. So, let’s see. Fourteen, less one for John, is still thirteen—unlucky for some but the two of you are here. The others are housed, according to the receptionist. Just where am I staying?”
The color drained from Jan’s face and Matthew barged past her.
“It was an unfortunate miscalculation. The receptionist got it all wrong. We thought we could get the whole troupe in the other place. But there wasn’t enough space, so we came here. I thought they’d sorted it all out. Both this place and the other motel are full. We didn’t know you didn’t have a room. The choice is yours. Stay somewhere else”—Matthew shrugged—“or not.”
“I’ll be at rehearsals as usual.” Gerald didn’t believe a single word of what he’d been told. You organized this deliberately. He rose to his feet, making sure to use his two inches of extra height against Matthew. “I’ll find a place and charge it direct to the business account. You’re such a tosser, Matthew—and you’re an idiot for trusting him, Jan.”
“You can’t charge directly to the business account.” Matthew glowered at Gerald, taking a step back, then looked at Jan. “Can he?”
“Of course he can,” Jan huffed. “John needed backup for finances and made him a signatory. Like me, he can sign off anything he likes on that account.”
“Well, good fucking luck. Taupo is full. Come on, Jan. We’ll take a dip in the pool.”
Gerald watched them stroll away, concentrating on banking down his anger. This kind of place will be full, but I’m sure there’ll be other, less expensive places. I only want a room, although a hot tub would be nice, especially for after an evening’s performance.
“Excuse me.” A man seemed to detach himself from the shadows beside one of the ornate columns inside the foyer. “I couldn’t help but overhear. If you’re looking for an accommodation, try this one. I know the owner personally. She’s a lovely woman and very hospitable to those in need.”
“Thank you.” Gerald took the card the man offered and studied it for a moment. He looked up to ask how close it was, but the stranger had already gone. Gerald shrugged. It wasn’t important.
The receptionist held up her hand, and Gerald nodded and ambled over to her.
“He’s right, you know. The town is packed. We’ve got a lot of events coming up, so vacancies are going to be at a premium.”
“I just got a place, I think.” Gerald waved the card.
“Great. Where?” the receptionist asked.
“Heart and Home Motel.”
“I know that place.” The woman nodded. “It belongs to a really nice lady, but her grandson’s a bit of a creep.” She shuddered dramatically. “You know…Goth, all-black clothes and heavy makeup. Not my type at all.” She batted her eyes at Gerald, and he smiled.
“Not mine either, but a room is a room.” Gerald hoped that would be tactful enough, but it seemed the receptionist hadn’t noticed.
“I’ve never dated an actor.” The receptionist’s voice dropped to a husky purr, but Gerald was saved by the arrival of a couple who’d marched up to her desk.
“Well, I’ll get going. Thanks for this. See ya.” Gerald backpedaled as he waved, relieved to see the couple had already moved into his place and blocked the receptionist’s view as he made his escape.
Before getting back into his car, Gerald checked the motel’s location on his phone. It was a little farther out than he’d have liked, but since beggars couldn’t be choosers, he shrugged and got into the car. I can always look around once theretod see if I can get something central…but not here.
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