Medium, Sweet, Extra Shot of Geek — R. Cooper

Tavio is a man of few words. He is comfortable with silence, used it to protect himself when he was closeted in the military and now again as he navigates civilian life. But Tavio is getting tired of simply adjusting to life and is starting to think about living it. That means taking a chance, even while he struggles to ask for one.One of the reasons for his struggle is a customer at the coffee shop where he works. A nerd who never stops talking, Tommy loves a lot of things enthusiastically in a way that puts most potential romantic partners off. But despite all his awkward chatter, he doesn’t seem to mind Tavio’s quiet. He has learned to pay attention to what Tavio does in addition to the few things Tavio says out loud. He’s also been obviously working up the nerve to ask Tavio out, but hasn’t yet because Tavio is still hesitating.Tavio isn’t sure that geeky, loud Tommy is the safest choice for him. But Tommy is steadier than he seems at first. If anyone can see through Tavio’s reticence to the longing beneath, it’s Tommy—who has responsibilities Tavio never imagined. With a lot of nerves and a lot of lattes, Tavio might be ready to embrace life, or at least one sweet nerd. All he has to do now is figure out how to let Tommy know.