A Torquere Press Charity Wedding Sip

Tyler lost Rory three years ago, taking a promotion, and a move, that Rory just couldn’t accept. Miserable without the one man he truly loves, Tyler finally returns to his hometown to try and win Rory back, only to find he’s too late. Rory is about to get married. Heartbroken, Tyler decides to try to stop the wedding, but even if he can, will Rory be willing to give him another chance?

 

The proceeds from the Wedding Sip Blitz will be donated to gay and lesbian legal defense funds supporting the rights of gay marriage.

 

Out of Print.

 

 

“Dakota has a very winning way with this particular theme of lovers who part, to then realize what they meant to each other. The struggle to find their way back to each other is always so romantic.(I adored the dance!) This author’s stories are consistently excellent and I recommend this story as well.”
–Tamara Yollick, a reader review on the Torquere Press website. Read the whole review here.

 

“First, A Dance was such a sweet story and the ending was really moving – just what I have come to expect from Dakota Flint.”
–Jessewave, at Reviews by Jessewave.  Read the whole review here.

 

“First, A Dance is a sweet quick read and I love it.  Tyler and Rory were meant to be and this beautifully titled story is just wonderful.”
–Ley, at Joyfully Reviewed. Read the whole review here.

 

“Dakota has penned a beautiful, bittersweet story of lost love and second chances.”
-PT Fellows, a reader review on the Torquere Press website. Read the whole review here.

 

 

“You’re really leaving? You’re not even going to talk about this?” Tyler couldn’t help the disbelief in his voice.

 

“I’ve said everything there is to say, Ty. I just can’t do it anymore.” Rory didn’t pause in tossing his clothes into his battered brown suitcase.

 

“Just like that, you’re done? Nine years, and you’re just gone?” Tyler tried to keep from raising his voice, knowing how shouting reminded Rory –even after all these years –of his dad when he was on a bender.

 

Rory didn’t even flinch. He finally stopped packing and looked at Tyler, the freckles on his cheeks drowned out by the angry flush covering his skin and his green eyes dark with a storm of emotions. Anger, hurt, pain. It was all there. What scared Tyler, what made his heart begin to pound in fear, his breathing shallow, his stomach cramping, was that he also saw determination in those eyes.

“No. Not nine years. Nine years since I followed you here. I’ve been following you since we turned sixteen, never saying no when you asked me to go along to wherever it was you decided would advance your career. Your life. Your, your, your.” Rory snapped the suitcase shut, hefted it into his hands, and walked out of the bedroom.

 

Tyler followed, trying to think what to say to make Rory stay, but he felt helpless as he watched Rory grab the other suitcase waiting by the door. All he could come up with was, “I love you, Rory. Don’t leave.” That should have been enough.

 

Rory’s eyes momentarily softened, but he didn’t put the luggage down. “I love you too.” He looked at the floor while he continued, “You know, I’ve followed you every time you asked, to college in a big city, to graduate school in a bigger city, to a career in an even bigger city. I did it because I love you and I want you to be happy, and I’d probably have even followed you to London if you asked. You didn’t ask this time. You just decided that I would go, that I would want to go. How could you?” When Rory looked back up into his eyes, Tyler could see the tears making his eyes a pure green, and it was like taking a punch to the solar plexus.

 

“I…I’m sorry. I thought you’d be happy for me. Academic Director of the University’s London study center is a much-coveted position, and when they asked I couldn’t turn it down. I really thought you’d be thrilled. Think of all the traveling we could do, all the different places we’d see. Together.” Tyler winced as he heard the excitement bleeding through his tone.

 

“Oh, Ty.” Rory sounded so sad, and the tears were falling now, leaving trails of wetness down his pale cheeks. “I don’t want to go looking all over the world when I already know what I need to make me happy.”

 

“And what’s that?” Tyler used to think it was him, but he felt like he didn’t know the answer to anything right then.

 

“I want you. A house. A dog. A job I at least don’t hate and in a city smaller than DC. That’s all. Just a simple life.”

 

Tyler started to say that Rory could have all of those, but he knew that it wouldn’t be the truth, not while they were overseas. “Just a couple years, Rory. Then we’ll move back, get a house, a dog, and the whole deal. I promise.”

 

“Where?” Rory’s gaze was steady, the tears no longer falling.

 

Tyler hesitated. He hesitated and that was it. Rory’s expression closed and he turned toward the door. Tyler said, “We’ll move back home someday though. I promise.”

 

Rory didn’t even bother turning around this time. “Yeah, you promised that before. I’m going home to see my family. Good-bye, Tyler.” With that, he walked through the door and out to the waiting taxi, not looking back once as he left Tyler standing on the front step of their brownstone, trying to comprehend how things had gone so wrongly.