BLOG TOUR with EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY: 'The Rainbow Clause' by Beth Bolden

Apr 4, 2017
4 min read

Title: The Rainbow Clause

Author: Beth Bolden

Published: April 3, 2017

Publisher: Self-Published

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 324 Pages

Tags: Gay; M/M; Athlete/Sport: Football; Coming Out

About The Rainbow Clause

Heisman winner. Member of the National Championship team. NFL Rookie of the Year. Quarterback Colin O’Connor knows he’s become the ultimate romance novel cliché: all the success he’s ever dreamed of but nobody to share it with. Too bad it’s not as simple as asking out the next girl who intrigues him – because the next girl to intrigue him probably won’t be a girl at all.

Unexpectedly, the solution comes in one neat package: Nick Wheeler, lead journalist for a leading sports and pop culture blog. Hired by Colin’s team, Nick comes to Miami to shine a spotlight on the NFL’s most private quarterback.

The heat in Miami rises when Nick discovers that Colin is nothing like the hollow personality he pretends to be in interviews and he’s even hotter in person than on his Sports Illustrated cover. Nick knows this is the story of his career, and after spending his teenage years as a bullied, closeted teen, it hits very close to home. What he needs is to help Colin share his story while keeping their growing relationship from boiling over in the press, but what he wants is to tell the world.

Coach’s office was high above the practice field, with one wall of floor to ceiling windows that looked over the field.

Colin still had difficulty reading Daniel Mortensen, even a year after joining the Piranhas, and when he entered the room, he wished he could see something of what the man felt on his face.

Except he couldn’t. Coach was a blank slate; he would be, Colin was certain, a hell of a poker player.

“Sit,” Coach said, gesturing vaguely to one of the chairs opposite his big desk.

Colin sat, forcing himself to relax into the chair. He never could have brought Nick to this meeting, but even knowing he knew about it would have made it easier. Instead, Colin was all alone, the first step in this brave new world he’d insisted on creating.

“Helen tells me you’re telling the other players today before practice,” Coach said, his voice carefully neutral.

Colin nodded. Thankfully, he’d not been the one to inform Coach Mortensen about his sexual preference, that had happened a year ago, when he’d told Mark and Mark had been tasked with negotiating what would eventually become the Rainbow Clause with the Piranhas.

Colin hadn’t noticed any different treatment over the last year, but he wasn’t sure that meant anything. Coach was sort of a closed book.

Coach leaned back in his chair, his expression morphing into something more contemplative. “It’s funny, isn’t it, the requirement to be in this world is a certain uniqueness, but as soon as people discover you’re different, they’re all over you like flies on shit.”

Colin could hear the echoes of the southern twang in Coach’s voice. He’d done his research and learned that Daniel Mortensen was originally from Georgia, and had gone to the University of Alabama. You could still hear his roots in his voice when he grew angry or excited.

He was neither now, and Colin tried to even out his breathing, counting his breaths as a way to force himself to relax. He’d taught himself this technique in high school before his first starts at quarterback, and it had also come in handy when he’d had to face his crush in the locker room.

“Are you saying I’m shit, sir?”

Coach’s chuckle was rueful but not unpleasant. “It’s the nature of the game to be the shit when you’re the first, O’Connor. You know that.”

The chair suddenly swung to the side and Coach stared out onto the field, still empty. “When they first told me, I didn’t think you’d ever actually do this. I should have known better.”

Colin told himself firmly that he could play for a homophobic dick, if that’s what Coach turned out to be. He could. He just didn’t want to. He wanted Coach to be different. Colin just wasn’t sure which side he was going to tip over to.

“You’ve never backed down from a challenge in your entire life,” Coach continued, his gaze swinging abruptly back to Colin. “It was stupid of me to assume that you’d chicken out. Instead you’re going to be the fucking bravest asshole I’ve ever known.” Coach looked him straight in the eye, for once leaving no doubt about his feelings. “I want you to know I’ve got your back. In the locker room. On the field. In the press. But I doubt you’ll need it because you’re the gutsiest player I’ve ever coached, and Helen is stupid good at her job.”

“Sir?” Colin couldn’t quite get the word out. It came out a little garbled. Relief flooded through him in a cascade and he still sat there, shocked and disbelieving.

“Oh, come on, O’Connor, you didn’t think I was going to be a dick, did you?” Coach laughed a little. “I treated you the same as anyone else the last year, didn’t I?”

Colin couldn’t nod fast enough. “Of course you did. Of course. I just...” Colin hesitated. “Sometimes it’s better to prepare yourself for the worst in these situations. And to be honest, I’m not very good at telling people yet.”

Coach stood, pulling proudly up to his full six-foot-three height. “Then let’s go get you some practice, son.”

Meet the Author

Beth Bolden lives in Portland, Oregon with her supportive husband and their beloved cat. She wholly believes in Keeping Portland Weird, but wishes she didn't have to make the yearly pilgrimage up to Seattle to watch her Boston Red Sox play baseball. She's a fan of fandoms, and spends too much of her free time on Tumblr.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn't a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She's published two novels, The Lucky Charm and Getting Lucky, and a short story, Eye of the Storm.

Facebook; Goodreads; Twitter; Tumblr; Amazon