Title: Redeeming the Stepbrother
Author: Andrew Grey
Series: Standalone (Currently)
Genre:
M/M Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: April
10 2018
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook &
Print
Family can be a blessing and a curse, but
for artist Florian, it’s a nightmare he longs to escape.
As chief designer for Bartholomew Artist
Porcelain, Florian specializes in painting birds. He also watches them in the
wild to distract himself from his short-tempered mother, at least temporarily.
Florian’s heart is too soft to leave his stepsister, Ella, to suffer alone.
Still, he can’t help dreaming about one day finding happiness and love.When Count Dieter von Hollenbach arrives in
town to visit a friend and present an award, he isn’t looking for romance. Then
again, he doesn’t expect someone as perfect as Florian to come into his life.
To make sure Florian is all he seems and that their connection is genuine,
Dieter keeps his title to himself.
But he isn’t the only one with a secret.
At a masquerade ball to celebrate the
award, some of the masks fall away, but those that remain in place could
destroy the love beginning to grow between them.
Book Links
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Dreamspinner Press
~ * ~
Excerpt:
I crouched in the reeds, finding a dry spot
and using the tall grasses as cover to watch, listening and filling my camera
with images. There was almost too much activity to take in all at once.
An engine sound grew near, and I turned but
didn’t see the car. I didn’t want to scare any of the birds away, so I stayed
where I was until slurpy footsteps came closer.
“Florian,” Dieter said with his deep voice
and German accent.
“Right here. Stay low and move slowly.
There is a lot of activity today.” I waited until Dieter got nearer and moved
over to share my firm, dry patch of ground. I pointed. “Look over there. The
baby egrets are learning from their mother to hunt for food.” Dieter leaned in
the direction I had pointed, and I inhaled his sweet, slightly musky scent.
Dang, he smelled good. I inched a little closer, just so I could get another
whiff of him. Too bad I’d never learned how to add scent to a painting—other
than the smell of paint, that is.
“Look over there.” Dieter pointed to a
sandpiper as it scampered over the sand, poking its long beak down every now
and then.
A motor sounded in the distance and grew
louder and louder. It was one of those large cabin cruisers going full speed,
motors rumbling throatily as it approached. The birds scampered for cover or
took to the air, flying off for safety.
“I hate that. They’re supposed to slow down
in this section of the Bay, but they don’t always do it. Danged tourists.” This
was a known birding area and most locals left it alone or stayed clear when
they were on the water.
There was no use sitting here any longer.
The birds were gone, and while they’d return eventually, they were scattered
now. Besides, it was getting late.
I stood, stretching my back and legs.
“Sorry about that.”
“It’s not your fault.” Dieter was wearing
the same sort of clothes as he had the last time I saw him. Definitely
something out of another era. His gaze traveled downward as I smiled. “My
clothes?”
I nodded. “Where did you get them? At an
antique store?”
Dieter shrugged. “They were my father’s. He
used to take me bird-watching in Bavaria when I was a little boy. It was one of
the few things he and I did together.” He slowly and carefully made his way
back toward the cars, and I followed him, enjoying the view. “My father was a
difficult man.” Dieter opened the trunk, took off his binoculars, and set them
inside their case. “He didn’t seem to have a lot of time for me, but we used to
go hiking in the Alps and to lakes, where we watched birds. My father used to
take me hunting, but I was miserable at it.”
I shivered. “I hate hunting. I could never
get the hang of shooting.” I opened the trunk to my car and starting taking off
my gear, getting out my sneakers. “My stepfather took me once and I nearly shot
my foot off and then dropped the gun. It almost disappeared into the mud. After
that, I decided that watching birds was a lot more interesting than trying to
shoot them. I can buy chicken in the store when I want poultry.” I smiled, and
Dieter grinned in return.
“I can shoot very well. I just don’t think
hunting is very sporting. Not when my father’s version was standing in a field
while the gamekeepers released captured birds and he shot them as they tried to
get away.” Dieter looked downward once again. “But these were what he wore when
we went bird-watching, and I kept them after he passed away.” He changed his
shoes, and I did the same.
I wasn’t sure what to do or talk about now
that we were done watching the birds. I needed to get some dinner and was about
to ask if Dieter wanted to join me, but his phone rang before I could.
Dieter answered it and spoke softly in
German before ending the call. “I must go. It was very nice bird-watching with
you.” He nodded once, sort of a small bow. I didn’t understand what it meant,
but I did the same in return. “I hope to see you again.” Dieter got into his
car and hurried away. I watched him go and for a second wondered if I suddenly
smelled bad.
With nothing more I could do, I packed up
my things and headed to town. I wasn’t particularly interested in going home,
so I figured I’d get something to eat and read for a while. I had my Kindle in
my bag, and some quiet time away from family chaos was probably a good thing.
As I passed through town, I noticed the
dark Mercedes parked outside the café. I thought it was Dieter’s and debated
eating there. It was my favorite place in town, and Betty, the owner and
hostess, usually gave me a table by the window so I could watch people and
relax. I didn’t want Dieter to think I was following him, though, and nearly
drove past before deciding to park and go anyway.
“Hi, honey,” Betty said as I stepped
inside. “Your usual table?”
I nodded. “Thanks.” I sat down, and she
brought me a cup of tea and took my order for a chicken salad sandwich. One of
these days I really needed to work on becoming less predictable. Even I thought
my life was a bit boring and a little redundant.
“How are things going at the studio?” Betty
asked after she put in the order.
“Good,” I answered, glancing over at the
tables on the other side of the café. Dieter sat with Dante, talking quietly. I
didn’t want to appear to be eavesdropping on my boss, but I had to confess that
I barely saw Dante, my gaze only for Dieter. Dieter leaned over the table, his
hair falling slightly forward, framing his profile, and I might have sighed
slightly.
“I see,” Betty said, and I looked up at
her. “You know Mr. Dante is taken.”
I must have looked askance at her because
she nodded.
“Honey, the other man is a business
associate of Dante’s. He’s dreamy, if you ask me, but I don’t know how long
he’s going to be staying, so don’t get your heart set on that one.” Betty and
husband had run the diner for three decades or so, and due to diner gossip, had
a pretty good idea of everything that went on in town. “There haven’t been any
rumors as to why he’s here, but there have been various ladies who’d like to
take him for a spin.”
~ * ~
Author Bio:
Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a
father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since
then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He
has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in
information systems for a large corporation.
Andrew’s hobbies include collecting
antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink
(particularly when writing) He considers
himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s
most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful,
historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Author Links
Facebook Group All
the Way with Andrew Grey
Twitter
@andrewgreybooks
For Other Works by
Andrew Grey
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