Barter Economy: Holiday Romances, #21

By Meyari McFarland

2020 changed everything.

For the better.

Spring 2020 was as different as anything Kanta had ever experienced, including transitioning. She really wasn't sure how she'd survive until things got back to normal. No one was.

Thing was, she wasn't all that sure she wanted "normal" when she got to barter brownies for jambalaya and home-bakes sourdough bread with her downstairs neighbors. Everyone in the apartment building was terrified, sure, but they were all so kind.

Especially Avia who was bright and cheerful and so enthusiastic as she ran errands, carried mountains of traded food around, and beamed so beautifully behind her Hawaiian-print mask.

Kanta could get used to a world that included Avia smiling up at her that way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Meyari McFarland
• Release date: Apr 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201633547

Meyari McFarland

Meyari McFarland has been telling stories since she was a small child. Her stories range from SF and Fantasy adventures to Romances but they always feature strong characters who do what they think is right no matter what gets in their way. Her series range from Space Opera Romance in the Drath series to Epic Fantasy in the Mages of Tindiere world. Other series include Matriarchies of Muirin, the Clockwork Rift Steampunk mysteries, and the Tales of Unification urban fantasy stories, plus many more. You can find all of her work on MDR Publishing's website at www.MDR-Publishing.com.

Book preview

Barter Economy

Barter Economy

Meyari McFarland

MDR Publishing

Special Offer

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Contents

Other Books by Meyari McFarland:

Barter Economy

Author's Note: Out of Disaster

1. Landslide

2. New Assignment

3. Phone Call

Other Books by Meyari McFarland:

Afterword

Author Bio

Other Books by Meyari McFarland:

Day Hunt on the Final Oblivion

Day of Joy

Immortal Sky

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A New Path

Following the Trail

Crafting Home

Finding a Way

Go Between

Like Arrows of Fate

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Out of Disaster

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The Shores of Twilight Bay

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Coming Together

Following the Beacon

The Solace of Her Clan

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You can find these and many other books at www.MDR-Publishing.com. We are a small independent publisher focusing on LGBT content. Please sign up for our mailing list to get regular updates on the latest preorders and new releases and a free ebook!

Copyright ©2021 by Mary Raichle

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Print ISBN: 978-1-64309-101-3

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Cover image

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ID 179181398 © Serhii Tesliuk | Dreamstime.com

Photo 95850627 © Oleg Bannikov | Dreamstime.com

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be emailed to [e-mail].

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This book is also available in TPB format from all major retailers.

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This story is dedicated to my parents.

Barter Economy

Kanta wiggled her nose against the plush cotton lining of her facemask as she wrapped up the sticky cord on the vacuum. The hallway smelled sweet, even with her mask covering from the bridge of her nose nearly to her Adam's Apple. Spill sugar everywhere, get a sweet-smelling, crunchy hallway and possibly ants.

Which, of course, was why the superintendent, Ren Thibault of the perpetually aching knees and dramatically bad heart, had been more than happy to let Kanta vacuum it up herself. He'd grabbed for her hand and then gasped and wheezed and held his hands over his head like he was being robbed when he realized what he was doing. He had been wearing the mask she'd made him. Kanta preened a little at that.

Mask or no mask, Kanta could taste the garlic in the air from old Mrs. Bonomo's jambalaya even though she was on the third floor and Mrs. Bonomo was way down on the first. The entire building was going to smell of garlic for days. Better than the liver and onions that Kanta's neighbor Avia had made a few days ago. The stink of that had driven Kanta straight out of the building for hours along with everyone