Head Over Feels: A Bent Oak, Texas Novel, page 1
HEAD OVER FEELS
A BENT OAK, TEXAS NOVEL
BIX BARROW
CONTENTS
Head Over Feels Book Description
Acknowledgments
Author’s Note
Content Warnings
Cast of Characters
On TikTok
1. Felix
On TikTok
2. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
3. Felix
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
4. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
5. Felix
On Discord Private Messages
6. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
7. Felix
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
8. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
9. Felix
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
10. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
11. Felix
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
12. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
13. Felix
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
14. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
15. Felix
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
16. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
17. Felix
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
18. Felix
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
19. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
20. Felix
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
21. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
22. Felix
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
23. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
24. Felix
On Discord Private Messages
25. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
26. Felix
On Discord Private Messages
27. Malcolm
On the ScrewFelicia Discord server
28. Malcolm
On the Rogues Alley Discord Server
Felix
About Bix Barrow
More from the Bent Oak, Texas series
Find out what happens when rock star Jake Lord visits the rescue ranch!
Interested in learning more about The Tentacular Tales of Captain Starblade?
Head Over Feels © 2023 by Bix Barrow
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or places or events is entirely coincidental.
Created with Vellum
HEAD OVER FEELS BOOK DESCRIPTION
A luscious pet massage therapist, a gorgeous but grumpy ex-FBI agent, and glitter bombs gone deadly...
Malcolm:
I shouldn’t be jealous of my cat. I am, though. Her pet massage therapist (who knew that was even a thing?) is exactly my type. Smart, funny, and adorable with just the right amount of meat on his bones.
But a guy like that deserves more than a grouchy forty-something ex-FBI agent with a broken body and a screwed-up brain. I’m shocked when he offers a no-strings night together, though I don’t think twice before I’m all in.
I should’ve known better, because one night will never be enough. But before I can ask Felix for more, our awkward morning after turns explosive. And not in a good way
Now I just have to keep Felix alive long enough to catch the bomber. And to capture Felix’s heart.
Felix:
What would happen if everyone you’d ever dated got together and plotted against you?
For me, it’s glitter bombs. Lots and lots of glitter bombs.
Okay, maybe I deserved the first one or two. Or three. But I’ve learned from my mistakes and I’m a better person now. I definitely don’t deserve the latest bomb—this one isn’t made of glitter. Now I’m in hiding with Malcolm, the smokin’ hot older client I just had a sizzling one-night stand with.
Malcolm might be grumpy and prickly, but to me he’s also warm, caring, and romantic. My exes can’t hold a candle to him. But all that glitters is not gold. The bomber still wants me dead, and I’m pretty sure the police arrested the wrong guy.
If Malcolm and I want our HEA, we have to identify the real culprit. I just hope it all doesn’t blow up in our faces.
Head Over Feels is a low-angst MM contemporary romance. Come for the grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity (but there are two beds, sorry), hurt/comfort, and found family. Stay for the bombs (glitter and real), the 1985 Buick Riviera convertible, dreams coming true, atoning for past mistakes, game nights, a dead body, and an online date gone very, very, wrong. HEA guaranteed!
Head Over Feels is part of the Bent Oak, Texas series. It can be read as a standalone but will be more enjoyable if you’ve read Heart Me Up first. Characters from Holding On to a Hero have significant roles as well, in case you want the complete backstory.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you so much to Chloe Archer for permission to mention The Tentacular Tales of Captain Starblade, its characters and plot points.
Many thanks to Lewis for dropping everything to answer my questions about cars.
Lee Blair, thank you for suggesting TikTok and glitter bombs!
Thank you so much to Amy Pittel, editor and professional beta reader extraordinaire. You make sure my characters always behave the way they’re supposed to.
My undying appreciation to my other beta readers: Beck, Dani, Lisa, Will, Chloe and Meghan. Your comments and suggestions make me a better writer.
Love always to the Sparrows!
AUTHOR’S NOTE
I would like to apologize to all readers of this book for having named side characters Cole, Craig, Carlos, Cal, and Callie. Unfortunately I was not strategic in my naming, and they all showed up at different points in previous books before coming together here. Thanks are due to Beck Grey for pointing out the issue before you met Carl, Callum, Conner, Christine, Carrie, Caitlin, Colby, Charles, Carter, Cody, Christopher, Caleb, Chase, Cameron, and Cooper.
Please see the Cast of Characters for a complete list of everyone who appears in this book.
If you’re interested in more from the Bent Oak, Texas series, please check out these titles!
Holding On to a Hero (Will, Cole, and Jason’s story)
Heart Me Up (Craig and Foster’s story)
What’s Santa Got to Do with It? (Steve and Baz’s story)
CONTENT WARNINGS
A main character recalls being kicked out of home by parents for being LGBTQIA+; the character learns his parents told their family and friends the character died
A pre-redemption main character makes fun of side characters for their hobbies and/or character traits and enables that information to be used on a TV show without their permission
A main character suffers from PTSD-like symptoms such as nightmares and panic attacks and is undergoing talk therapy for trauma related to kidnapping and gunshot wounds
On page explosion of a bomb; only minor injuries incurred
On page gun threat and mention of off-page past gun violence
Discussion of an off-page murder
A character recounts witnessing a sick dog being euthanized
Discussion of a side character not being accepted as transgender by their grandparents
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Main Characters
Felix Olwin: 26-year-old former call center support tech, now pet massage therapist. Appeared in Holding On to a Hero.
Malcolm Faulk: 42-year-old former FBI agent, now Operations and Finance Director at Shelton Security. Appeared in Holding On to a Hero and Heart Me Up.
Side Characters
Adrian Thompkins: Steakhouse manager.
Amy Palmer: Detective with the Bent Oak PD. Appeared in Heart Me Up.
Artie Callahan: Detective with the Bent Oak PD. Appeared in Holding On to a Hero and Heart Me Up.
Arturo: Ranch manager. Appeared in Holding On to a Hero and I Touch Hoses.
August: Malcolm’s nephew, son of Ellie and Diego, brother to Daniel.
Brian Shelton: Jason’s brother and Malcolm’s boss. Operating partner in Shelton Security. Appeared in Holding On to a Hero.
Calvin (Cal) Steadham: Felix’s good friend, best friends with Steve since elementary school. Appeared in Holding On to a Hero.
Callie Shaw: Greg’s niece. College art major and supervisor at the Bark & Purr Pet Resort. Appeared in Heart Me Up.
Captain Driscoll: Head of the Bent Oak Police Department. Appeared in Heart Me Up.
Carlos Ochoa: Detective with the Bent Oak PD. Appeared in Holding On to a Hero and Heart Me Up.
Charlotte: Foster’s great aunt. In a relationship with Rodney. Appeared in Heart Me Up.
Chris: Valet at the steakhouse.
Cole Washburn: Former action movie star, partner in the rescue ranch. In a relationship with Jason Shelton and Will
Craig Thomas: Partner in the Bark & Purr Pet Resort. Main character in Heart Me Up and appeared in Holding On to a Hero.
Daniel: Malcolm’s nephew, son of Ellie and Diego, brother to August.
Delphia Shaw: Greg’s mother.
Diego: Malcolm’s brother-in-law. Married to Ellie, father to August and Daniel.
Ed: Malcolm’s neighbor on the other side of Ginnie. Married to Toni.
Ellie: Malcolm’s sister. Married to Diego, mother to August and Daniel.
Foster Walkoviac: Detective in the Bent Oak Police Department. Main character in Heart Me Up and appeared in Holding On to a Hero.
Ginnie: Malcolm’s neighbor to the west.
Greg Shaw: Partner in the Bark & Purr Pet Resort. Appeared in Heart Me Up.
Jaime: Greg’s ex-boyfriend.
Jake Lord: Retired rock star. Main character in I Touch Hoses.
Jason Shelton: Silent partner in Shelton Security, partner in the rescue ranch. In a relationship with Cole Washburn and Will Graham. Brother to Brian. Main character in Holding On to a Hero and appeared in the epilogue of Heart Me Up.
Lisa: Malcolm’s therapist. Appeared in Holding On to a Hero and Heart Me Up.
Marcie Olwin: Felix’s sister, producer of Felicia in the City.
Mike Palmer: Amy’s husband. Appeared in Heart Me Up.
Perry: Valet at the steakhouse.
Quinn: Trent’s lawyer, James’friend.
Rodney: Owner of the Buick and in a relationship with Foster’s great aunt Charlotte.
Sergeant Soliz: Head of Austin PD’s bomb squad.
Silvia Cortez: Foster and Craig’s neighbor across the street. Appeared in Heart Me Up.
Steve Derryberry: Felix’s good friend, best friends with Cal since elementary school.
Toni: Malcolm’s neighbor on the other side of Ginnie. Married to Ed.
Will Graham: Wildlife photographer, partner in the rescue ranch. In a relationship with Cole Washburn and Jason Shelton. Main character in Holding On to a Hero and appeared in the epilogue of Heart Me Up.
Rogues (Felix’s ex-dates)
Andy: Discord username AndyWhoIrons
Conrad: Discord username Conrad, owner of Beebles the monkey
Don: Not on the Discord server
Ezra: Not on the Discord server
Garrett: Discord username GaiaGarrett
Hayden: Discord username HayNoVamps
James: Discord username NotMyRealName. Appeared in Heart Me Up.
Shawn: Discord username ShawnNotRon
Trent: Discord username TrentT
Tyler: Discord username TyTy
Vince: Discord username ConVinceD
Xavier: Discord username ProfX
Pets
Brooks: Cole, Jason and Will’s puppy. Son of Lily, brother to Reiner.
Lily: Craig and Foster’s dog, adopted from the rescue ranch. Mother to Brooks and Reiner. Appeared in the epilogue of Heart Me Up.
Mariposa: Malcolm’s cat. Appeared in Heart Me Up.
Reiner: Cole, Jason and Will’s puppy. Son of Lily, brother to Brooks.
ON TIKTOK
Transcript of Video Posted Last December by User @IronAndy. Title on Cover Image: “TV Character Is Based on Me”
Video opens on a man. He appears to be tall and has dark, curly hair and dark brown eyes. He’s clean-shaven with a prominent nose. He is standing in what appears to be a generic American apartment kitchen.
“Hey, y’all. My name is Andy and I practice the sport of Extreme Ironing. Here’s some pictures of me ironing on a cliff in the Rocky Mountains, while whitewater rafting in Wyoming, and while dangling from a helicopter above Joshua Tree National Park.”
The photos are displayed on the screen.
“Recently an episode of the show Felicia in the City had the Felicia character go on a date with a guy who did Extreme Ironing. Obviously everybody I knew told me about it, so I watched the episode. Imagine my surprise when I realized the character was directly based on me!”
Andy points to himself.
“Let me lay it out for you. Here’s a still from the show.” A photo of a man dressed and made up almost exactly like Andy appears onscreen.
“Now, I know what you’re thinking. I could’ve just dressed like that character today, so it doesn’t prove anything. And let me be clear, there are differences between me and the character. I’m gay, for one thing, so I’d never go out on a date with that Felicia woman. And I live in Austin and not Atlanta where the show is set. But here are the similarities.”
A numbered list appears on the screen as Andy speaks. “One, my name is Andy. The character’s name is Randy. Two, Randy’s day job and mine are exactly the same, we’re both insurance adjusters. Three, on the show, Randy talks about how he ironed on the back of a mule on a trail in the Grand Canyon. Here’s a photo of me doing exactly that.”
The photo is displayed on the screen.
“Four, and finally, on the show Randy says he got into Extreme Ironing through a friend of his in college named Sarah. I was introduced to it in college by my friend Kara.”
The words clear from the screen and Andy leans closer to the camera. “Someone based this character on me. My lawyer says I can’t prove anything, and I can’t show any damages so I can’t sue for compensation. But it’s creepy and I don’t like it. Someone knows me, and that someone told the people who make Felicia in the City about me. Whoever you are, I will find you, and I will [bleep] you up.”
The screen goes black.
CHAPTER 1
FELIX
JANUARY
Cole
Found one looks promising but wants to know if ur into watersports
Not the kind with skis
I had to read the texts twice. Shaking my head, I pushed the phone back behind my monitor with the tip of my pen. Acid reflux, my recently acquired companion, burned in my chest.
I rubbed my sternum and made some mm-hmm noises as the older woman on my call ranted on about how incompetent the Level 1 support person had been. “Incompetent” obviously being code for “not American”. Most of the team in India had vastly more technical know-how than I did, and they worked for less pay. Not to mention they had to deal with people like this woman. I had the utmost respect for all of them.
I opened the top drawer of my desk to grab one of the many rolls of antacid tablets I’d started stocking there. Most people would assume I needed them because of my job, but angry customers were barely hitting my stress meter these days.
Have you ever made a stupendously bad decision? I don’t mean an iffy decision like eating chicken that’s been in the fridge a little too long.
No, I’m talking about a bad decision. Like allowing a retired movie star who’d never used a dating app in his life to impersonate me on my account in order to find me the man of my dreams.
