by Andrew Grey
They parted, and Malcolm turned to look at the house once more.
“You know David will always be with you, regardless of where you live.”
“I know.” The ache that usually settled in his gut when he thought about David didn’t this time. Instead he felt warm in a way the cold wind couldn’t touch. David was with him, and he liked to think that David would be pleased he’d found happiness again. “It feels like I’m saying a last good-bye to him.”
“Maybe you are,” Hans said. “You’re certainly different from the man I first met. You’re confident and settled in the life we’re building.”
“I know, and it’s going to be good.” Malcolm didn’t worry over things the way he had. “And I’m looking forward to trying new things again.”
“Is that the reason for the trip?” Hans asked, his hands wandering under Malcolm’s coat.
“Yes and no. I’m fifty-three years old, and I remember a few weeks ago waking up in bed after you completely wore me out, and I asked myself what I was waiting for. If I don’t do the things I want and take a chance now, I may never be able to. I work hard, and I plan for the future. David and I both did that, and what did it get us? David still got cancer and died, and we didn’t get to do all the things we’d talked about. That isn’t going to happen again. So I’m going to learn to scuba dive, and maybe you and I will go on a camera safari. I want to climb a mountain in the Alps and look down on the world.”
“You are not climbing Everest, though. Even I have my limits.”
“Probably not. But I understand that there are some archeological digs that we can go be part of. I bet that would make some great fodder for your stories. Fossil hunt in the Dakotas, explore parts of Alaska.”
“You have quite a list,” Hans said. “I like it.”
“Me too.” Now that he thought about it, there were so many possibilities that were open to him.
“What about work while you’re off doing all these things?” Hans asked.
“I’m making a good salary as senior partner, and the business is growing. We’ve decided to offer William Fisher a partnership. You’ve met him a few times.”
“Young, focused, and intense.”
“That’s him. He’s earned it, and I’m going to turn over some of my less demanding clients to him. He’ll do a very good job, and I’ll still be there to consult.”
“What about Ellen?” Hans asked as he moved away, and Malcolm pulled his coat closed, walking around the car to get in.
“She’s going to be his assistant, and Jane will remain mine.” Everything was working out as far as Malcolm could see. “So I can take vacations and not work myself into an early grave.”
“I like the sound of that.” Hans pulled open the passenger door and got into the car. Malcolm heard the door close, but he stood in his open door for a few seconds, taking one last look at the house.
“I know,” Malcolm said out loud, his voice carried on the wind. It was indeed time. “I got lucky twice.” He blinked a couple of times and then got into the car. He pulled the door closed, leaned across the seat to Hans, and shared a kiss that heated quickly. He reluctantly broke the kiss, started the engine, and pulled away from the curb, squeezing Hans’s hand with excitement.
More from Andrew Grey
Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Brian Paulson has lived a life of luxury and ease. If he’s been left lonely because of his family’s pursuit of wealth and their own happiness, he figures it’s a small price to pay for what he sees as most important: money.
Cade McAllister has never had it easy. He works two jobs to support himself, his mother, and his special-needs brother. They don’t have much, but to Cade, love and taking care of the people who are important to him mean more than material possessions. When Cade is mugged in the park, he can’t afford to lose what little he has, and he’s grateful for Brian’s intervention.
Cade is given a chance to return the favor when Brian’s grandfather passes away and Brian’s assets are frozen. Cade offers Brian a place to stay and helps him find work, and the two men grow closer as they learn the good and the bad of the very different worlds they come from. Just as Brian is starting to see there’s more to life than what money can buy, a clause in his grandfather’s will could send their relationship up in smoke.
For years, Clayton Potter’s been friends and workout partners with Ronnie. Though Clay is attracted, he’s never come on to Ronnie because, let’s face it, Ronnie only dates women.
When Clay’s father suffers a heart attack, Ronnie, having recently lost his dad, springs into action, driving Clay to the hospital over a hundred miles away. To stay close to Clay’s father, the men share a hotel room near the hospital, but after an emotional day, one thing leads to another, and straight-as-an-arrow Ronnie make a proposal that knocks Clay’s socks off! Just a little something to take the edge off.
Clay responds in a way he’s never considered. After an amazing night together, Clay expects Ronnie to ignore what happened between them and go back to his old life. Ronnie surprises him and seems interested in additional exploration. Though they’re friends, Clay suddenly finds it hard to accept the new Ronnie and suspects that Ronnie will return to his old ways. Maybe they both have a thing or two to learn.
He’ll do anything to save the ranch, including baring it all.
Aubrey Klein is in real trouble—he needs some fast money to save the family ranch. His solution? A weekend job as a stripper at a club in Dallas. For two shows each Saturday, he is the star as The Lone Rancher.
It leads to at least one unexpected revelation: after a show, Garrett Lamston, an old friend from school, approaches the still-masked Aubrey to see about some extra fun… and Aubrey had no idea Garrett was gay. As the two men dodge their mothers’ attempts to set them up with girls, their friendship deepens, and one thing leads to another.
Aubrey know his life stretching between the ranch and the club is a house of cards. He just hopes he can keep it standing long enough to save the ranch and launch the life—and the love—he really hopes he can have.
Foster dreams of getting away, but after his father’s death, he has to take over the family dairy farm. It soon becomes clear his father hasn’t been doing the best job of running it, so not only does Foster need to take over the day-to-day operations, he also needs to find new ways of bringing in revenue.
Javi has no time to dream. He and his family are migrant workers, and daily survival is a struggle, so they travel to anywhere they can get work. When they arrive in their old van, Foster arranges for Javi to help him on the farm.
To Javi’s surprise, Foster listens to his ideas and actually puts them into action. Over days that turn into weeks, they grow to like and then care for each other, but they come from two very different worlds, and they both have responsibilities to their families that neither can walk away from. Is it possible for them to discover a dream they can share? Perhaps they can plant their own and nurture it together to see it grow, if their different backgrounds don’t separate them forever.
Firefighter Morgan has worked hard to build a home for himself after a nomadic childhood. When Morgan is called to a fire, he finds the family out front, but their tenant still inside. He rescues Richard Smalley, who turns out to be an old friend he hasn’t seen in years and the one person he regretted leaving behind.
Richard has had a hard life. He served in the military, where he lost the use of his legs, and has been struggling to make his way since coming home. Now that he no longer has a place to live, Morgan takes him in, but when someone attempts to set fire to Morgan’s house, they both become suspicious and wonder what’s going on.
Years ago Morgan was gutted when he moved away, leaving Richard behind, so he’s happy to pick things up where they left off. But now that Richard seems to be the target of an arsonist, he may not be the safest person to be around.
Readers love Andrew Grey
Rekindled Flame
“Definitely a well done and uplifting stor
y.”
—My Fiction Nook
“What a fantastic, multilayered, and emotionally moving book!”
—Rainbow Book Reviews
Fire and Snow
“Fire and Snow by Andrew Grey gave me exactly what I want out of a romance. It was an amazing love story…”
—Two Chicks Obsessed
Planting His Dream
“Andrew Grey gives us another good book about finding love and holding on to it despite tremendous odds.”
—The Blogger Girls
“This was a very well written book from an author I grown to love.”
—Inked Rainbow Reviews
Love Comes to Light
“…Andrew takes you on a journey of love and understanding of your limitations. You fall in love with all these characters.”
—Alpha Book Club
“Every twist and turn of this story broke and rebuilt my heart a little… Mr. Grey has an amazing ability to fully immerse you in a story, creating emotional bonds between the reader and his characters.”
—Divine Magazine
ANDREW GREY grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived all over the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and now works full-time on his writing. Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing). He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving husband. Andrew currently lives in beautiful historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.andrewgreybooks.com
By Andrew Grey
Accompanied by a Waltz
Between Loathing and Love
Chasing the Dream
Crossing Divides
Dominant Chord
Dutch Treat
Eastern Cowboy
Eyes Only for Me
In Search of a Story
The Lone Rancher
North to the Future
One Good Deed
Path Not Taken
Planting His Dream
Rekindled Flame
Saving Faithless Creek
Shared Revelations
Stranded • Taken
Three Fates (Multiple Author Anthology)
To Have, Hold, and Let Go
Turning the Page
Whipped Cream
HOLIDAY STORIES
Copping a Sweetest Day Feel • Cruise for Christmas
A Lion in Tails • Mariah the Christmas Moose
A Present in Swaddling Clothes • Simple Gifts
Snowbound in Nowhere • Stardust
ART
Legal Artistry • Artistic Appeal • Artistic Pursuits • Legal Tender
BOTTLED UP
The Best Revenge • Bottled Up • Uncorked • An Unexpected Vintage
BRONCO’S BOYS
Inside Out • Upside Down • Backward • Round and Round
THE BULLRIDERS
A Wild Ride • A Daring Ride • A Courageous Ride
BY FIRE
Redemption by Fire • Strengthened by Fire • Burnished by Fire • Heat Under Fire
CARLISLE COPS
Fire and Water • Fire and Ice • Fire and Rain • Fire and Snow
CHEMISTRY
Organic Chemistry • Biochemistry • Electrochemistry
GOOD FIGHT
The Good Fight • The Fight Within • The Fight for Identity • Takoda and Horse
LAS VEGAS ESCORTS
The Price • The Gift
LOVE MEANS…
Love Means… No Shame • Love Means… Courage
Love Means… No Boundaries
Love Means… Freedom • Love Means … No Fear
Love Means… Healing
Love Means… Family • Love Means… Renewal • Love Means… No Limits
Love Means… Patience • Love Means… Endurance
SENSES
Love Comes Silently • Love Comes in Darkness
Love Comes Home • Love Comes Around
Love Comes Unheard • Love Comes to Light
SEVEN DAYS
Seven Days • Unconditional Love
STORIES FROM THE RANGE
A Shared Range • A Troubled Range • An Unsettled Range
A Foreign Range • An Isolated Range • A Volatile Range • A Chaotic Range
TALES FROM KANSAS
Dumped in Oz • Stuck in Oz • Trapped in Oz
TASTE OF LOVE
A Taste of Love • A Serving of Love • A Helping of Love
A Slice of Love
WITHOUT BORDERS
A Heart Without Borders • A Spirit Without Borders
WORK OUT
Spot Me • Pump Me Up • Core Training • Crunch Time
Positive Resistance • Personal Training • Cardio Conditioning
Work Me Out (Anthology)
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Turning the Page
© 2016 Andrew Grey.
Cover Art
© 2016 L.C. Chase.
http://www.lcchase.com
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.
ISBN: 978-1-63477-586-1
Digital ISBN: 978-1-63477-587-8
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016906154
Published August 2016
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America