Green Tea and Pink Apples — R. Cooper

To most people, Matt Del Prete is the charming, unambitious youngest son of a wine-growing dynasty, who sleeps around and is useless for anything practical. Matt has spent years creating that reputation to keep his controlling family from pushing him into the life they want for him. But Matt’s getting older. His family is starting to push harder and the act is wearing him down.During an engagement party for a cousin, Matt finds himself once again doing his family’s bidding. Only this time, it fills him with both dread and anticipation when his mother pulls him aside and tells him he is supposed to spend the evening watching over the other outcast in their social circle—his childhood friend, Santi. Santi is the one person who sees through Matt’s act, although he’s never called Matt out on it. Matt still isn’t sure why. He’s not even sure what he is to Santi. Not family. Not friends, not really these days, since Matt is the family failure and Santi is a successful artist. Matt isn’t even certain what Santi is to him. He learned long ago not to admit to his dreams, not even to himself, so his family can’t tear them down.But tonight, Matt is sick of pretending. And Santi seems to want to hear his dreams. Escaping the party to sit beneath the stars, Matt is almost convinced that Santi might even want to share them. Can Matt finally reach for what he wants?