Title: All One of You
Author: Trevann Rogers
Genre: Holiday Romance
Book Blurb:
Christmas isn't always merry and bright.
Seth has been on the streets of Unakite since his mother died. His talent at busking and other less savory endeavors have helped him to survive.
Raine is a runaway, escaping her abusive stepfather and a mother who wouldn't see the truth. They've found a way to survive the unforgiving streets of Unakite City. It isn't pretty or easy, but it's the life they've made together and they wouldn't have it any other way. Until Christmas.
All One of You is a stand-alone HFN holiday short story.
Excerpt:
Sitting cross-legged on the mattress, Seth pulled a double peanut butter cup candy bar out of his jacket pocket. He unwrapped it carefully and handed Raine half.
“Did you steal this? Seth, you’re gonna get us barred from the diner!”
“I didn’t get it at the diner. They don’t even carry candy. Damn. You don’t want it, give it back. He grinned as he reached to take it from her.
She held it away.“No. You gave it to me. It’s mine now.” She started to take a bite and stopped, turning the candy from side to side.“Why’s it squished?”
“Seth laughed.“I lifted it earlier today. I guess it got crushed. I been kinda busy.”
“Oh.” She took a bite. “Tastes fine.” She finished the treat and licked her fingers.
Seth took his guitar out of the case, and quietly strummed the chords of one of Raine’s favorite Christmas songs, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. She pulled her jacket’s collar around her neck and sang with him.
Their voices blended as perfectly as they did. In fact, their only disagreement had been about staying in a shelter.
Seth hated shelters. They scared him. Raine was sure he’d had a bad experience at one before they’d met, although he never talked about it. He’d been on the street longer than she had. He didn’t talk about that either. She, on the other hand, had never been in a shelter, but how bad could it be? One of the caseworkers regularly approached her about staying there, having a free hot meal or two, and a shower. It'd been easy to say no in warmer weather, but as the season changed from summer to fall and then winter, it sounded like a great idea. Besides, it would be a warm, cheery place to spend Christmas, wouldn’t it? One night couldn’t hurt.
She shivered. "Let's get under some covers. I'm freezing." She dragged two sleeping bags from the closet and spread them over the blankets on the mattress. They'd found them a few weeks back when one of the outdoor sports stores ended their "going out of business" sale. The sales staff had tossed bunches of stuff into a dumpster instead of hauling it off to who knows where. They'd snagged the sleeping bags, propane stove, and a set of camping dishes and utensils. They hadn't been able to buy or steal any gas for the stove, but they were optimistic. They would eventually. For now, they kept everything hidden in a closet, tucked under a pile of trash to keep wandering eyes away.
Zipping the bags together made a pocket enough for them both to fit. They took off their jackets and climbed inside, pulling the zippers nearly to the top. Seth moved around, trying to find a comfortable position. When he finally settled down, Raine snuggled close to him.
“Seth? She whispered.
“Uh? He mumbled.
“That woman was there again today.”
“What woman?”
“You know. The one from the shelter.”
He turned to look at her.“You thinking about going?”
“It would be warm. And I could take a shower or maybe even a bath and wash my hair.”
“Maybe you should go then.” He lowered his eyes and rolled to his side.
“Would you go with me?”
“No. I can’t. You know that.”
“Yeah. I guess.”
She was quiet for a few minutes and then spoke into the dark. “She said she won’t report us. She doesn’t have to because we’re over eighteen.”
“You believe her? I don’t. I’ve heard that before.”
“Sorry, Seth. You’re right. She’s probably saying that to get us to come.” Raine tried not to sound sad, but she didn’t want to spend Christmas on the street. What about turkey and stuffing? And hot chocolate and presents? What about friends and laughter and a beautiful tree and twinkling lights?
No, that wasn’t her life anymore.
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What makes your featured book a must-read?
All One of You is a gritty short story that captures a moment in the life of Seth and Raine, two young lovers trying to make their way in the world. Their lives are tough sometimes, but they remind us that life doesn’t have to be perfect to be happy.
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs November 12 – November 21, 2024.
Winner will be drawn on November 22, 2024.
Author Biography:
Trevann Rogers writes rock star romances, urban fantasy, and LGBT paranormal romances. Her books include HOUSE OF THE RISING SON, AFTER MIDNIGHT: The Beginning, and her newest release, WAITING FOR THE SON.
Her short stories, All One of You and Indigo Dreams are available on Amazon. Her work also appears in the anthologies Dangerous Curves Ahead: An Anthology, and Wickedly Ever After.
Each story incorporates an unquenchable addiction to music and Trevann's love for vampires, Weres, incubi and rock stars. She writes long after the sun goes down because, like these elusive creatures, she learned long ago that sometimes being yourself means Living After Midnight.
Trevann lives in Connecticut with Toby, her 10-year-old rescue puppy, and Lil Monkey, a sock monkey who thinks he's real but refuses to chip in on the mortgage.
Trevann's internet home is https://www.trevannrogers.com
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