Romance comes in all languages—including sign languages

Today is Saturday, February 10, which means it’s time for Rainbow Snippets.

My snippet is from Reading the Signs, a romance between Theo, a Dutch master’s degree student, and Alfonso, an older American professor of linguistics. Both are hearing, but were raised with Deaf family members and are fluent in their local sign languages. Theo often prefers using Dutch Sign Language because it is the first language he learned. He attends a summer linguistics institute in New Mexico to learn more about sign languages in general, and that’s where he meets Alfonso.

In honor of Rainbow Snippets, here are six lines from Reading the Signs that take place in a class they share:

Theo went back to his desk as another student took his place at the front of the room. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Alfonso’s head moving with him, following him right back to his desk. But when Theo looked over, Alfonso’s face was buried in his notebook.

Theo resolved not to waste any more time staring at Alfonso. He was only in the United States for six weeks and could surely survive without harboring a stupid crush.

But then the professor called Alfonso to the front to show examples from Nicaraguan Sign Language, and Theo noticed that in addition to the crow’s feet, a dimple formed in Alfonso’s right cheek when he smiled.

You can currently download a copy of Reading the Signs from Instafreebie through the MM Romance Giveaway.