The start of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire means Wes can finally get back to his seasonal job and distract himself from his recent messy break-up. There’s plenty for him to think about at the Faire, such as his role as a wandering flower merchant, the overwhelming August heat, and Carlo, who plays a handsome knight.<br><br>Carlo is the exact opposite of Wes’s ex, Phillip, who won’t let their relationship die easily. The young knight is sweet and caring and chivalrous, but Wes has sworn to himself he’s not ready to jump back into dating yet.<br><br>When Carlo collapses off his horse during a joust, Wes has to confront his own feelings for his new friend, as well as Phillip’s constant attempts to win him back.

Heat Wave: Manheim

The Finale in Song marking the end of the day couldn’t come soon enough. Wes was exhausted from head to toe. He wanted to rip off his shirt and dive into the fountain behind the Globe Theatre. Unfortunately, that was the stage hosting the Finale, and it was crawling with lingering customers who wanted to hear the song and stay cool. The oncoming evening brought cooler breezes, but the humidity lingered. Wes’s shirt stuck to his chest as though he had been swimming already.


The din of the applause irritated Wes even further. He mentally willed anyone who didn’t work at Mount Hope to haul their asses back to their cars and go home. There was a bottle of chilled Riesling at the winery calling for him, and he didn’t want to put off their fateful meeting any longer.


Chapter 4