Blurb: Twice in a lifetime?
Craig isn't one for having friends. In fact, he's
content being a loner until he meets new guy, Jason one summer's day.
Jason is everything Craig isn't. Jason is handsome, athletic, and charismatic. But Jason also harbors a deep secret. Soon they form a fast friendship that changes into something much more.
After an impromptu trip to visit Jason's estranged gay brother, Craig reveals Jason's dark secret and Jason vows to never see Craig again before he sends him away.
Years pass and Craig moves on with his life. After a couple of bad relationships, he's done with dating and finding Mr. Right. But when an older and more mature Jason steps back into his life looking to hookup again, he can't help but wonder if there's still a spark waiting to be relit between them.
Jason is everything Craig isn't. Jason is handsome, athletic, and charismatic. But Jason also harbors a deep secret. Soon they form a fast friendship that changes into something much more.
After an impromptu trip to visit Jason's estranged gay brother, Craig reveals Jason's dark secret and Jason vows to never see Craig again before he sends him away.
Years pass and Craig moves on with his life. After a couple of bad relationships, he's done with dating and finding Mr. Right. But when an older and more mature Jason steps back into his life looking to hookup again, he can't help but wonder if there's still a spark waiting to be relit between them.
Excerpt: Jason turned over on his back and rested both hands behind his head. He looked
breathtaking laying there with just the dim glow from the flashlight
illuminating the interior of the cabin. I swallowed hard and looked away from
him. I was making myself look so damned obvious. I was completely taken with
him. He wasn’t like other guys. There was something about him that was much more
sensitive and caring. It was his nature. It all came easy for him. I admired
that about him.
“You’ve got nice eyes.” Jason stretched a little. “I noticed that the moment we met. I’m not hitting on you or anything, but you do. They’re a great shade of green.”
I wanted him to hit on me, desperately. “They’re nothing special.” I flopped back on my sleeping bag and stared at the roof of the cabin.
“Justice is gay. That’s why my dad hates him so much.”
“What?” I turned on my side to face Jason. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“My brother’s gay. None of us ever suspected anything. All throughout high school he always had a girlfriend. He was super popular and on the football team. He left for college and wham! When he returned for Thanksgiving, he told us he was gay and had a boyfriend.”
“Your dad must have flipped.” I was picturing this whole scenario playing out. It must have been one hell of a shocker for all involved.
“Oh yeah! He kicked Justice out of the house right away and he hasn’t been allowed to come home since. Not that he’d want to. He hates my dad like I do.”
“Have you told Justice about how he hits you?” I had to ask.
“No. You’re the only one who knows about that besides mom. I don’t want anyone else to know.”
I sucked in a deep breath and exhaled. This was a lot to take in, but I was glad and heartened that Jason trusted me enough to be honest with me.
“I’ve chatted with Justice’s boyfriend. He’s a nice guy and it doesn’t bother me that my brother is gay. It makes no difference to me. I know he’s happy and that’s what matters. I’m glad he’s found someone to love and to love him.” Jason smiled. “Love is what life is made of. I hope to find it too.”
This was too much. I wanted to hug him. I wanted to kiss him and have him kiss me back. I wanted him to know that everything would be okay and that I was there for him in any way he wanted me to be. In a nutshell, in the matter of a couple of days I was totally in love!
“You will,” I said, reassuring him. “You deserve all that and more. You’ll find it.”
Jason chewed his bottom lip before he spoke. “I’m optimistic. There’s someone out there for everyone. That’s what I think.”
I didn’t entirely believe this, but I went along with Jason anyway. “Right.” I closed my eyes and tried to picture myself with a guy in a relationship. I wondered what it would be like to have an actual boyfriend to spend time with and to love. “I think it’s cool that your brother is so open about his sexuality.” I wished I was brave like Justice. I hated hiding.
“Justice is a great person all around and I’m not just saying that because we’re related. I’d like for you to meet him sometime. He only lives a couple towns over. You know Hansing?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s where he’s studying. He has a small apartment off campus with his boyfriend. We should go there.”
“Sounds great.” It would be the first time I’d meet others like myself. I wondered if they would know just by looking at me. It was something to ponder.
“I’d have to think up a good excuse to keep it hidden from my dad. I’ll come up with something. I have money saved and we could take the bus. We’ll do it before we go back to school. It’d be cool seeing Justice again.”
Soon, Jason was snoring softly and I was left with my thoughts. I listened to the bugs outside and in the near distance the water from the river soothed me as I slowly began to relax. I was on information overload and tonight seemed surreal. Jason had revealed so much of himself to me. I flicked off the flashlight and stared at him through the darkness that was slightly tinted with light from the moon. As my eyes adjusted, I could see him more clearly. I couldn’t resist the temptation to touch him, so I did. I touched his lips with my index finger and then his cheek. He mumbled something in his sleep and I pulled away quickly.
“You’ve got nice eyes.” Jason stretched a little. “I noticed that the moment we met. I’m not hitting on you or anything, but you do. They’re a great shade of green.”
I wanted him to hit on me, desperately. “They’re nothing special.” I flopped back on my sleeping bag and stared at the roof of the cabin.
“Justice is gay. That’s why my dad hates him so much.”
“What?” I turned on my side to face Jason. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“My brother’s gay. None of us ever suspected anything. All throughout high school he always had a girlfriend. He was super popular and on the football team. He left for college and wham! When he returned for Thanksgiving, he told us he was gay and had a boyfriend.”
“Your dad must have flipped.” I was picturing this whole scenario playing out. It must have been one hell of a shocker for all involved.
“Oh yeah! He kicked Justice out of the house right away and he hasn’t been allowed to come home since. Not that he’d want to. He hates my dad like I do.”
“Have you told Justice about how he hits you?” I had to ask.
“No. You’re the only one who knows about that besides mom. I don’t want anyone else to know.”
I sucked in a deep breath and exhaled. This was a lot to take in, but I was glad and heartened that Jason trusted me enough to be honest with me.
“I’ve chatted with Justice’s boyfriend. He’s a nice guy and it doesn’t bother me that my brother is gay. It makes no difference to me. I know he’s happy and that’s what matters. I’m glad he’s found someone to love and to love him.” Jason smiled. “Love is what life is made of. I hope to find it too.”
This was too much. I wanted to hug him. I wanted to kiss him and have him kiss me back. I wanted him to know that everything would be okay and that I was there for him in any way he wanted me to be. In a nutshell, in the matter of a couple of days I was totally in love!
“You will,” I said, reassuring him. “You deserve all that and more. You’ll find it.”
Jason chewed his bottom lip before he spoke. “I’m optimistic. There’s someone out there for everyone. That’s what I think.”
I didn’t entirely believe this, but I went along with Jason anyway. “Right.” I closed my eyes and tried to picture myself with a guy in a relationship. I wondered what it would be like to have an actual boyfriend to spend time with and to love. “I think it’s cool that your brother is so open about his sexuality.” I wished I was brave like Justice. I hated hiding.
“Justice is a great person all around and I’m not just saying that because we’re related. I’d like for you to meet him sometime. He only lives a couple towns over. You know Hansing?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s where he’s studying. He has a small apartment off campus with his boyfriend. We should go there.”
“Sounds great.” It would be the first time I’d meet others like myself. I wondered if they would know just by looking at me. It was something to ponder.
“I’d have to think up a good excuse to keep it hidden from my dad. I’ll come up with something. I have money saved and we could take the bus. We’ll do it before we go back to school. It’d be cool seeing Justice again.”
Soon, Jason was snoring softly and I was left with my thoughts. I listened to the bugs outside and in the near distance the water from the river soothed me as I slowly began to relax. I was on information overload and tonight seemed surreal. Jason had revealed so much of himself to me. I flicked off the flashlight and stared at him through the darkness that was slightly tinted with light from the moon. As my eyes adjusted, I could see him more clearly. I couldn’t resist the temptation to touch him, so I did. I touched his lips with my index finger and then his cheek. He mumbled something in his sleep and I pulled away quickly.
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