Striking the Match

By: Helen Juliet, HJ Welch

Narrated by: Oscar Reyes

TEDDY

Everybody has celebrity crushes, right? You just don't expect to ever meet them. And even if you did, it's not like they’d ever like you back. I'm just the cute kid brother. Not only at home, but with my work family, too.

That all changes the day I run into football legend Cassius Garda. It doesn't apparently matter that he's a millionaire or that he's fifteen years older than I am. It's like suddenly someone sees me for me, and what's even crazier is . . . I think he likes it. Likes me. But when disaster strikes, I don't know if I've got what it takes to save us both.

CASSIUS

Ever since my football career was cut short from a shoulder injury, I've been struggling to find purpose again. It's been nice to move back home to Redwood Bay, but it's only when the most adorable little firefighter bursts into my life do things start making sense again. Luckily, I'm privileged enough to already be out of the closet. That means if sweet Teddy Foster can get over his hero worship, we might just have a shot.

However, when we find ourselves stranded, alone, and fighting for our lives, I hope he finally understands that he's the real hero of us both.

Contains mature themes.