The screaming was deafening as it reverberated from the walls. The crowd was on their feet, stomping and shouting as they witnessed what could only be called a phenomenon. Nicky O’Hare was having one of the best swims of his life. With each stroke, he felt his fingers stretching his arms further forward. Tilting his head slightly when he took a breath, he saw his teammates walking alongside the pool, jumping and screaming “NIC-KY, NIC-KY, NIC-KY,” as they clapped in unison.
Nicky increased his lead with every stroke; his teammate Connor pushed to regain his lead, but he was no match for Nicky. This finish by Tampa Bay’s newest recruit had been predicted by no one.
When Nicky hit the wall first, he hit it with such force that even the coach was concerned. Ripping his goggles and cap off, Nicky held on to the red and yellow plastic floating rope that divided the lanes. Looking up at the scoreboard to check his time, he then scanned the pool deck looking for Coach Silva. Seeing his entire team and the crowd erupting into mass euphoria over what just occurred, Nicky couldn’t help but smile, knowing his time had to surely please his coach, the only person that mattered. The freshman from Brandy, South Dakota, population seven thousand, just showed everyone at his first college-level meet—including Connor Moretti—that he was here to win.
As Nicky pulled himself out of the pool, Coach Silva was right there, first giving him a double high-five, followed with a hug and a light pat on his wet ass. To the spectators watching, the hug was nothing, but for Nicky, that hug was worth all the effort. It was also a scene, a feeling he knew he would play over and over in his head later.
Before Sunrise Description:
Just Before Sunrise, as the fog lifts from the pool, the light reveals the tapered backs of male swimmers in Speedos concluding their morning workout.
Nicky O’Hare, a promising freshman recruited to the Tampa Bay University swim team, shows promise both in and out of the pool. The lean Irish kid with the ‘boy-next-door’ good looks from Brandy, South Dakota, is likely the most talented swimmer on the team. Ready to experience all that college life has to offer, Nicky has even put finding a boyfriend on his wish list.
Coach Phillip Silva, a former Olympic swimmer with a once-impressive swimming career, has recruited Nicky as part of his mission to rebuild the University’s failing swim program. Focused on the upcoming season, Phillip’s real challenge will be keeping his secrets and demons submerged below the surface.
All seems well until one night when Nicky and Phillip end up at the same Fourth of July celebration. With fireworks in the sky, the hot and humid night reveals the attraction between the two. But can these boundaries be crossed? Suddenly forced to reevaluate his life, Phillip is met with the moral dilemma of discovering true love with the University’s rising star.
Before Sunrise presents a story of friendships, love, complicated relationships, and deception, woven into a hard-earned happily-ever-after.
Bryan T. Clark, author of Ancient House of Cards, has again masterfully crafted a romance where the fine line between right and wrong must be resolved for love to survive.
