Cheers, everyone, and welcome to the Last Call! We’re so pleased to have author Rhys Ford dropping in today on the Sin and Tonic blog tour. When I was offered the choice of ficlets to host, I thought it was going to be a difficult decision…but then there was Connor Morgan and Peanut M&Ms, and it was no contest.

So, without further ado, here’s a wee peek at Connor and Forest before the wedding ❤ ❤ ❤

A Note From Rhys Ford

Time for Last Call at the bar. Well, at least for the Sinners boys. We’re at the final book in the series and I want to say thank you to everyone who’s been with me on this six year journey. Well almost seven for me but I started before the rest of you did.

But man, it’s been a ride.

When I first brought Miki to the page, I never imagined he’d go as far as he has. From the series being picked up and writing a second book to audiobooks then translations, this series has been a labour of both love and hate. I hate to see it go but I loved getting to the end.

Throughout this tour, I’ll be sharing vignettes / scenes I wanted to write about the characters but weren’t really pertinent to the books. Some were suggested by readers in my Facebook group, Coffee, Cats and Murder while others just felt right to include.

I hope you enjoy these slices of life with the characters from the Sinners series and join me on this final stop on this journey I started with Sinner’s Gin.

Oh… and before I forget, there’s a GIVEAWAY. You’ll be entering to win a $25 USD gift certificate to the online retailer of your choice!

So, Last Call and I promise you’ll see bits and pieces of the boys as the years go by. We’ll at least drop in to say hello once in a while.

Much love to you all. And thank you…so very damned much.

Connor and Forest

“You ready to do this?” Rafe peered out over the balcony to look at the crowd gathered in the hall below. “It’s crazy packed down there.”

Forest didn’t dare look down. The noise level was enough to unnerve him, and the lilt of Irish mingled into the chatter only drove home the importance of what was about to happen. There were too many things to worry about. Did he make the right choice going with a mandarin collar tuxedo, especially when the guests appeared to be all wearing ties? Did he make a mistake putting his groomsmen in silver waistcoats when he was wearing a blue one? Did he forget to put someone on the guest list? And as his fingers sought to turn the gold band he’d been wearing for the past few months, panic swelled through his chest.

“Fuck. The ring.” He sucked in a hard lungful of air. “Who’s got my ring?”

“I’ve got Con’s. Kane’s got yours.” Miki drawled softly, picking through the bowl of peanut M&Ms left for them in the waiting area. “Get a grip. Not like you haven’t done this before, dude.”

“And it’s a small crowd.” Damie interjected, joining Rafe at the balcony. “Shit, smaller than what we played in New Jersey. You’ve got this.”

“Breathe into a bag or something,” Rafe tossed over his shoulder. “That way, if you’re going to puke, it’s already there near your mouth.”

“You’re standing up with me. You’re supposed to help.” The bag thing wasn’t a bad idea, but Forest didn’t know where he could get one. Instead, he began to plop on the settee with its one hundred pillows then caught himself in a flailing stop before he sat. “Shit, I almost wrinkled the suit.”

“They’re not going to kick you out of your own wedding if you’ve got a wrinkled suit.” Miki popped a piece of candy into his mouth then grumbled at Damie who nudged him with an elbow to open his hand and share. “There’s a whole fucking bowl of them over there. Why do you want mine?”

“Because they’re better that way,” his brother replied, plucking out the yellow ones. Chewing, the guitarist perked up as the music from the speakers changed. “Shit, that’s our call. Gotta head down, guys.”

“You’ve got this,” Rafe echoed Damie’s words, patting Forest on the back. “We’ll be there holding your place in front of the altar. Just remember, don’t lock your knees and if anyone offers you a pale, white cookie, don’t get it stuck to the roof of your mouth or you’ll be digging at it with your tongue through the ceremony.”

“Wait, no. There’s wafers?” Forest’s panic rose again, and he struggled to recall that part of the rehearsal. “We weren’t doing anything like that. Were we? Don’t say shit like that unless someone’s changed something. Suppose they bring out the wafers?”

“He’s being an asshole.” Miki shoved the last of his M&Ms in his mouth, chewing furiously then swallowed. “We’ll be downstairs. I’ve got the ring. It’ll be fast. Just… don’t puke.”

“You’re not helping,” Forest ground out, suffering through Damie adjusting the buttons on his tuxedo to show more of Forest’s deep blue brocade waistcoat. “I’m so going to puke.”

“Well if you do, there’s mints on the table someplace. Swallow a handful after you hurl or that first kiss is going to really suck for Connor.” Miki stood at the top of the back stairs leading down to the main ball room. “Hurry up, D. Priest wanted us there before they opened the doors to let people in. Brigid’s going to skin us if we fuck this up.”

“You can do this,” Damie whispered, pulling Forest into a quick hug. “’Sides, your guy’s here to keep you company. Why don’t the two of you just kick back here while everyone goes to find a seat then come down when you’re ready.”

“Come down when the fucking music starts like they want you to or Brigid’s going to yank you two down there by your ears,” Miki shot back, nodding at Connor coming up the stairs. “Yeah, we’re going. D, come on.”

If Forest’s heart was skipping from nerves before, it went into overdrive at the sight of his husband striding across the carpet dressed in his crisp, dark blue formal uniform. There were flashes of gold, medals and a hat Connor had tucked under his arm but beneath the gilded navy and embossed star lay the man he’d fallen in love with.

“Hey, babe. You look good.” Con gently tossed his hat onto the settee then gathered Forest up into a tight embrace. Angling his head, he stole a soft kiss from Forest’s open mouth, deepening it as the music swelled below and the sounds of people moving into the ballroom reached them. “God, you taste good too.”

He leaned into Connor’s chest, hooking his hands behind his husband’s back and exhaled, forcing all the tension out of his body. From the chatter and clinking of glasses, it sounded as if their guests were slow to trickle in through the doors but at that moment, Forest wouldn’t have cared if it took them forever to find a place to sit. He was wrapped up in a hug with his favourite person tucked against his heart while the world waited for them to speak their vows.

Again.

“You know, we can slip out while they’re all busy and just elope,” Connor suggested, snuggling his face into the crook of Forest’s neck.

“That’s what got us into trouble the last time.” He laughed under his breath. “Now we’re standing in front of a million and a half people—”

“Three hundred.”

“Three million—and my stomach’s eating itself.” Connor’s chuckle rumbled through his chest. Its deep roll lightened the pressure building up behind Forest’s temples and he exhaled again, grumbling at having to let go of his anger. “Miki’s right. We should have just said no.”

“Miki’s fearless and can stare down a T-Rex, a ghra.” Con reminded him. “You and I are mere mortals and that’s my mum we’re talking about. I’m man enough to admit I’ll never say no to her.”

“Yeah,” Forest admitted softly. “I wouldn’t either. She just wants to be there to see us happy. I get that. This is… we can get through this then go stuff ourselves with cake. Guys were right. It’s not like we haven’t done this before.”

“Last time Elvis married us. This time we’ve got a rogue Catholic priest, a rock band and my Irish clan behind us. I think we’re doing better this time around. At the very least, we’ve got better whiskey and music.” The music shifted once again, cycling into a classic Irish love song, warning the couple they had five minutes to get to the now closed double doors. “Ah, they’re almost playing our song, love.”

“Almost.” He tightened his arms around Connor’s waist, holding still for a moment longer. “I love you. I can’t imagine loving anyone else but you.”

“Can I tell you the truth?” Connor leaned back slightly, meeting Forest’s gaze. His lilt was thick, spurred on by the emotions running through them both. “Every day I wake up and I think, I just can’t love him any more than I do today, and every night when I go to sleep, I discover I’m wrong. You, a ghra, are my universe. You hold every bit of stars, suns and life in you and until I found you, I was stumbling around in the dark. So remember that when we go downstairs. Today’s just the day we tell them down there that we’ve found one another and shall stand strong against it all.”

“Yeah,” Forest said with a grin. “Remember that when we have kids and they’re eating nacho cheese out of those big damned cans you keep buying.”

“I like orange gloop on my chips,” Con teased. “I can’t wait to have kids with you, Forest Morgan-Ackerman, and I sure as hell can’t wait to spend the rest of my life dancing in the kitchen with you too.”

About the Book

Sinners Series: Book Six

Miki St. John believed happy endings only existed in fairy tales until his life took a few unexpected turns… and now he’s found his own.

His best friend, Damien, is back from the dead, and their new band, Crossroads Gin, is soaring up the charts. Miki’s got a solid, loving partner named Kane Morgan—an Inspector with SFPD whose enormous Irish family has embraced him as one of their own—and his dog, Dude, at his side.

It’s a pity someone’s trying to kill him.

Old loyalties and even older grudges emerge from Chinatown’s murky, mysterious past, and Miki struggles to deal with his dead mother’s abandonment, her secrets, and her brutal murder while he’s hunted by an enigmatic killer who may have ties to her.

The case lands in Kane’s lap, and he and Miki are caught in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. When Miki is forced to face his personal demons and the horrors of his childhood, only one thing is certain: the rock star and his cop are determined to fight for their future and survive the evils lurking in Miki’s past.

Buy Sin and Tonic: Dreamspinner Press || Amazon

About the Author

Rhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and is a two-time LAMBDA finalist with her Murder and Mayhem novels. She is published by Dreamspinner Press and DSP Publications.

She’s also quite skeptical about bios without a dash of something personal and really, who doesn’t mention their cats, dog and cars in a bio? She shares the house with Yoshi, a grumpy tuxedo cat and Harley, an insane grey tuxedo as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird and enjoys murdering make-believe people.

Rhys can be found at the following locations: Blog •  Facebook •  Twitter: @Rhys_Ford • Rhys Ford’s books can found at Dreamspinner Press, DSP Publications and all major online book stores.

The Giveaway

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Follow the Tour

From May 9th to the 15th at these great blogs!

9 Smexy Books
10 It’s About The Book
11 Joyfully Jay
12 The Blogger Girls
13 Ndulgent Bloggers
14 Love Bytes
15 The Novel Approach