Meet Colton from Chris Bedell's LOVE ME, PLEASE + Giveaway

Love Me, Please
by: Chris Bedell
Genre: Teen/Young Adult LGBTQ Thriller
Release Date: February 8, 2022
Publisher: Willow River Press
Amazon | Goodreads

Risking it all…

Colton should be like every other seventeen-year-old, hanging out with friends, procrastinating on homework, and dreaming about which colleges he should apply to, but Colton’s focus when he gets home every day is on how violent his alcoholic mother will be. Will he be her ashtray again or worse?

Tripp has the perfect life – handsome, from a wealthy family, and is the football player everyone wants to date. Tripp just wants to date one person – Colton, but he can’t seem to break through that tough exterior and get Colton to trust him.

A friend’s party opens the door for both to potentially get what they want, but it’s that same party ends with Colton’s best friend dead. Caught between wanting to finally find happiness with Tripp and discovering what happened to Declan, Colton discovers that he isn’t the only one who’s kept secrets. How well did he really know Declan and can he trust Tripp enough to let himself believe he’s worthy of being loved?

I’m Colton—a seventeen-year-old, high school senior. To most people, I might be a violent, outcast loser. But to Tripp, I’m not only human, I’m his secret boyfriend. Because being loved is the only thing I’ve ever wanted. A kid can only deal with being burned with his mother’s cigarettes or being smacked around for so long. I’d ask myself what I did to deserve my mother’s abuse, but nobody would care enough to listen. And don’t even get me started on my father. He abandoned Mom and me when I was really young. According to my mother, that is. No explanation necessary bout how drunks can be unreliable.

But my heart doesn’t only ache because I’ll never be able to have a real relationship with Tripp by going public and doing things that real couples do—like holding hands, having PDAs, and having dates at restaurants. My heart also aches because my best friend, Declan Price, died recently at the first major party of the new school year. Declan was the first person whoever cared about me during my high school years.

And don’t even get me started on my former BFF, Gina. We drifted apart when she switched from public school to private school once ninth grade started. I guess her saying we could still keep in touch despite going to different high schools was a big load of BS. Unless I’m just that horrible. Maybe that’s why nobody will ever love me.

But most of all I want my mother to pay. I’m tired of being a victim, and I’m gonna escape my abusive home life if it’s the last thing I do.

The placard clinked against the door, and I cocked my head. A group of guys in varsity jackets just entered VERONICA’S. I was more concerned with the guy I locked eyes with, though. More specifically, Tripp. He and his friends just walked by my table.

My throat tightened. Mom’s words and actions weren’t the only thing that would remain burned in my mind for the foreseeable future. I couldn’t forget about punching Tripp and how I wanted nothing more than to apologize for our altercation on Monday.

Gina leaned closer. “What the hell was that about?”

I sipped my caramel latte. “Nothing.”

“I’m not that gullible. I saw the look you guys exchanged.”

“Leave it alone!” I exclaimed.

“Do you like him?” she whispered.

“Gina, please!”

“I’m not judging. I have a gay uncle.”

“Cool.”

Gina squealed at me. “I’m serious. That glance isn’t the way you’d look at a friend.”

I resisted making a fist or screaming; it would’ve been a shame to throw over ten years of friendship away just because discussing my sexuality made me uncomfortable.

“If there’s something you wanna tell me, then don’t hold back,” Gina continued.

“I’m bisexual,” I blurted, making sure not to speak too loudly.

Relief trickled through my body. For one moment, my life wasn’t a warzone. I told Gina my truth and said fact fucking mattered. I couldn’t help feeling great. I let someone in, and my life hadn’t imploded. So, maybe there was hope for me yet.

Purchase Love Me, Please from:

Amazon | Goodreads

Chris Bedell's previous publishing credits include Thought Catalog, Entropy Magazine, Chicago Literati, and Foliate Oak Literary Magazine, among others. His 2019 books include his NA Thriller BURNING BRIDGES (BLKDOG Publishing), YA Paranormal Romance DEATHLY DESIRES (Deep Hearts YA), and YA Thriller COUSIN DEAREST (BLKDOG Publishing). In addition to his YA Thriller BETWEEN LOVE AND MURDER, his 2020 books include his YA Contemporary I’LL SEE YOU AGAIN (Deep Hearts YA), YA Thriller THE FABULIST (BLKDOG Publishing), YA Thriller I KNOW WHERE THE BODIES ARE BURIED (BLKDOG Publishing), and YA SciFi DYING BEFORE LIVING (Deep Hearts YA). Besides his YA Thriller LOVE HIM/HATE HIM, Chris’s 2021 books include his YA Fantasy CROSSING DESIRES (Spectrum Books) and rerelease of his YA Fantasy IN THE NAME OF MAGIC from JMS Books. Furthermore, Chris graduated with a BA in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2016.

Places to find Chris Bedell:

Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon Author Page

You can follow the Love Me, Please Book Tour here.

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