COFFEE HOUSE SHORTS

PhD student Brandon Ng knows that “sexy” and “political science” don’t often overlap, so when his celebrity crush, Jonny Lim, shows up on campus to scope out a potential new job, Brandon can’t believe his luck. Sexy and smart andsuper nice, the political pundit and podcaster is way out of Brandon’s league, but there’s a spark between them that makes him hope for the impossible.

Brandon’s adorable awkwardness and peak nerdery is Jonny’s kryptonite. Yet, as tempting as Brandon is, the city of Toronto is a hard no, not when he has a perfectly good job offer and lovely weather back in Vancouver.

When a snowstorm leaves Jonny stranded, he finds himself crashing in Brandon’s apartment, where they fend off the cold with heated debates and even hotter kisses. But one night together isn’t enough to convince Jonny to move to Toronto—is it?

Melvin is old and tired and all he wants is to enjoy his weekly Sunday morning coffee at the local cafe. Most weeks he can ignore Lee and his cheerfully friendly comments. But when Lee sits down at his table one day with a pile of blue yarn and a twinkle in his eye, Melvin wonders whether his fossil of a heart can love again.

Take Me Home is a 3,300 word m/m meet cute with a grumpy grandpa, a meddling cafe owner, sweet touches, and side-by-side knitting.

Electricity sparks whenever coffee shop rivals Simone and Suki are in the same room. But whether it’s the thrill of competition or the undercurrent of lust, neither of them are sure.

Their fervor for each other heightens when they go head to head in a fundraiser for the local pediatric hospital. Between drag queen shows, a disastrous burst water pipe, and a fateful one night stand, they finally put aside their fierce competitiveness to discover each other for who they really are.

My Name on Her Lips is a 12,000 word f/f short story set in Toronto.