The Fiery Boys (A Sample)

"Mmm. Can't wait." I dragged my two favorite Fiery Boys back to the room where we collapsed onto the sofa, laughing uncontrollably. Then we finished dressing and talked.

Suddenly free from secrets, River and Gabe became downright voluble, and we talked for hours. I heard how the two of them were instantly attracted to each other when the band was formed. They were only fifteen at the time and hadn't fully realized their homosexuality. But because of their attraction and the close working conditions, they figured it out together and lost their virginity soon after. The relationship stuck.

I was surprised at the steps they had taken to keep their love secret all these years. They worked hard to act straight, guarding both their speech patterns and their body language. They made up fake girlfriends and extensive lies that they told when anyone asked about them. Gabe even went so far as to keep a decoy house in his hometown of Detroit. The two of them actually lived together on a remote farm, an hour southwest of Minneapolis.

At one point, River gave me a friendly kiss. "You're the best, Annalisa. I'm glad you're on tour with us." I was glad, too-very much so.