This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 by Sam E. Kraemer
Cover Design: chyna_creatives
Cover photograph: Depositphotos.com
Formatting: Lyubomyr
Published by Sam E. Kraemer
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WARNING: This book contains material which may be offensive to some readers: Graphic language and/or adult situations. For readers 18 and over.
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Dedication
This final story in the series is dedicated to ranchers, farmers, and cowboys/cowgirls, and the men and women in the military who protect our freedom every day. Most of their work goes unnoticed, and the work is hard, but they don’t shy away from it because it’s in their DNA. Who they love should be less important than the jobs they do, so whether you fall into the LGBTQ world or the hetero world, if you’re working from sun-up to sundown, you have my heartfelt thanks. Keep up the amazing work.
Their story:
Jason Langston lived the life of an Army brat from the day he drew his first breath in an Army hospital. After years of stressing about his sexuality, Jase finally accepted he was gay. He also knew for certain he wouldn’t be accepted by his family, so he began formulating ‘alternative’ plans. His father had stated he was expected to enlist in the Army when he graduated high school, and when that day came, Jase decided it was time to spread his wings and fly before his fate was sealed…forcibly.
With the help of his best friend, Savannah Stanford, he made his escape, landing in Holloway, Virginia, with no idea of what to expect. The people he met were kind, but he just couldn’t seem to fit in anywhere. It was a way of life he’d never known and he’d considered giving up, but he met a man who intrigued him even though the man kept his distance. The crush was inevitable, but how could Jase, at eighteen, love a broken man?
Daniel Johnson strived to live a simple life, but it seemed the fates conspired against him at every turn. After an unsuccessful attempt at a career in the military, he went back home to Holloway and took a job running a cattle operation for an old friend…something familiar and comforting in a world of pain and disappointment around every corner.
Lady Fate, however, had an axe to grind with Daniel and at every chance, she turned his life upside down. He had a sick mother, a dead sister, a self-centered brother, and a niece who depended upon him completely. He believed he had no room for anyone new in his life because it was hard to keep up with those already there.
One day, a green kid came into his life at a bus station and once again, Danny’s life was upended. If Destiny hadn’t already dealt Danny Johnson a bad hand, it seemed the kid was set to break him, and Danny didn’t have it in him to fight it. Trying to do the right thing had never felt so wrong in all his life.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Also by Sam E. Kraemer
Chapter One
Jason Langston packed up the faded, G.I.-issue, green duffel bag which had been his father's when he started basic training. Jase, as he preferred, had grown up on one Army base or another and had been raised under rigid standards and regimented rules, not unlike his other friends who'd been sentenced to the same fate… growing up in a military family.
Jase didn't hate the military…he actually admired the men and women who went to work every day to protect the United States, at home and abroad. He appreciated their service, and volunteered for many things in support of those service personnel and their families, hoping to return their loyalty to country in his own way…one that didn't involve him actually putting on the uniform.
One of the coolest people in uniform Jase had ever met was Colonel Robert Stanford, the base commander at Ft. Bliss where his father was currently stationed. Jase had been a guest in the Stanford home several times, and he'd always been made to feel welcome. He enjoyed spending time there as much as he hated going to his own house.
Jase wasn't allowed to have friends over to the Langston house because his father believed if Jase had free time, he had time to work. His father made damn certain Jase's days were full of chores and/or a part-time job.
Thankfully, high school was finally over, and Jase knew he wasn't going to follow in his father's footsteps, joining up as was expected. He’d determined he wanted a change of scenery, and he wanted it as soon as he could get it.
He was eager to go to college, but he'd need to work for his tuition money because he knew his parents hadn't planned to help him further his education by means of a college or university. "The Army was good enough for me, and it's good enough for you. I learned everything I've needed to know while I was defending my country. It made a man of me, and I suspect it would make a man of you as well," his father had told him over and over.
One bright spot in Jase's gloomy world was his best friend, Savannah Stanford. She and her girlfriend, Andrea, had taken him under their wings when his family arrived at Ft. Bliss, five years' prior. Her mother, DeAnne, was active on the base and had visited his family at their new home the day after they moved in.
Mrs. Stanford had assisted his mother, Virginia, in getting Jase settled at school and had coordinated summer activities in which Jase had participated when he was allowed.
When his father, Master Sergeant James Langston, learned Savannah was a lesbian and the Colonel had neither beaten her to death, nor kicked the girl out of his house, James forbade Jase from hanging out at their home, or with Savannah at all. He went so far as to call them "Godless heathens who'd sold their souls to the devil."
His father had also tried to get transferred to another base, but Ft. Bliss needed him more than he needed to be transferred to a “Godlier" duty station, so the man was stuck. Of course, every night Jase and his mother, Virginia, had to hear about all of the things James found offensive about Robert Stanford and the way he ran Ft. Bliss.
Jase, not surprisingly, still hung out with Savannah and Andy behind his parents' backs, and he still sought refuge at the Stanford home when he knew his parents were otherwise occupied. It was how he'd had the lucky circumstance to meet a huge, bull rider named Matthew Collins, on the weekend after Thanksgiving, two years' prior while the Langston couple was away for their anniversary.
Jase was at Savannah's house for breakfast that Sa
turday morning while Mr. Collins was there for a visit. The big cowboy was drop-dead gorgeous, and Jase couldn't take his eyes off him when he sat down at the dining table to join the group of high school students before they went to set-up for an event on post.
Later, when Savannah confided to Jase about Matt being gay, he nearly creamed his pants. She quickly followed up about his amazing partner, Tim, but Jase took it as a positive sign someone as manly as Matt Collins was gay and out. Jase’s father had called homosexuals every nasty, degrading name under the proverbial rainbow on so many occasions, Jase had almost punched him in the mouth during one particularly revolting tirade. That would have likely led to Jase’s early demise, but he'd have died with his head held a little higher because he stood up for himself, he was sure.
With Savannah's help, Jase had been able to secure what sounded like a decent job. He'd been hired to live and work at Matt Collins' horse and cattle ranch in a little town called Holloway, Virginia, even though he didn't know anything about horses or cattle. He was truly grateful for the opportunity to learn something new, and he was anxious to get on the road to the rest of his future.
There was a soft, tentative knock on his bedroom window, so he placed an envelope with a letter for his mother on top of his computer keyboard, having ensured he'd cleared the machine of every possible offensive thing or clue as to where he might end up, such as errant e-mails, web searches, and the inevitable amount of porn.
He opened the window and smiled at seeing Andy standing on a ladder with a smile. "Gimme your bag, chicken butt."
He laughed because he knew she didn't approve of his dramatic escape in the middle of the night, but she didn't know his father. If James Langston had an inkling of Jase's plans, he'd likely have killed him, no questions asked.
Hell, if James ever found out the boy was gay, Jase was sure he'd hunt him down and do the job without a second thought. The more highway and time he put between himself and his father, the better.
"Yeah, yeah. It's heavy," he whispered to Andy to alert her so she didn’t lose her precarious balance some twenty feet above the earth as he handed it out the window. He watched as she began descending the rickety wooden ladder with his bag over her shoulder, and he took a deep breath, looking around one last time.
He hated leaving like a thief in the night and he hated leaving behind the woman who loved him more than anyone without a proper good-bye, but in his heart, he knew it was the best thing to do for himself and for his mother, Ginny. She had plausible deniability when James interrogated her about is whereabouts, and it was the best gift he could give her to keep her in the dark.
Just as Jase was about to haul his lanky frame out the window, he heard noise from the hallway before his bedroom door opened slowly. He saw his mother standing in the doorway in her robe, and he froze. "Before you go, come give me a hug," she whispered as she stepped into the bedroom and softly closed the door.
Jase was shocked she’d figured out he was leaving that particular night, but he really loved his mother and had to obey. "I'm sorry, Mom, but you know why I have to go, right?" he whispered as he pulled her into his long arms.
His mother sniffed before she pulled away and reached into her pocket, pulling out an envelope. "I know, Jason. Your father's a hard man and he's gotten worse since we moved here, but I know he loves us deep, down inside. He just doesn't know how to show it. I can understand why you need to leave, and I know why you're doing it like this. I wish all of it was different, but it's the hand we're dealt, I suppose. Please, please, take care of yourself and call me at work every once in a while, to let me know you’re okay. I love you, Jason, and I'll pray for you every day," she quietly told him as she hugged him again.
He put the envelope in his jacket pocket after he pulled away from her, taking in her sight for maybe the last time in his life. "I'll call you when I get where I'm going, okay? Please take care of yourself as well, Mom. I love you, too." He released her and wiped an errant tear that somehow made its way down his cheek.
He walked over to the window and swung his leg over the ledge, smiling at his mother as she walked over to the window to close it. He waved to her as he descended the ladder, watching as she dried her eyes as well. Once he was at the bottom, he took the ladder and returned it to the wall of the garage before he hopped into the Stanfords' Chevy Traverse. "Everyone buckled in?" Savannah asked with her always bright smile in full effect.
Jase adjusted his seatbelt, clicking it into place before he took a last look at the home in which he'd lived for the past five years. He could have sworn he saw his mother's shadow in the picture window in the living room as they drove by, but he was certain she'd slipped back into bed with his father.
He reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve the envelope she'd given him before their last goodbye. He opened it to find ten, crisp, one-hundred-dollar bills. What is she doing? She should keep this money for her own getaway. God, am I making a mistake?
He was certain it was money she'd been able to keep from his father one way or another, and he hated she'd given him her stash. He knew it would take her a while to amass that much money undetected in the future, so he closed his eyes and sent up a prayer of thanks to the universe for his mother’s unwavering love and compassion.
"Lie down in the back seat, Jase. We're comin' up to the guard shack," Savannah informed, speaking through a smile. He and Andy both laughed as he slid down into the floor so as not to be seen. He damn well didn't want word getting back to his father how, or with whom, he'd made his escape. "Hey, Private Soh," Savannah greeted.
"Evening Miss Stanford. Kinda late for you girls to be goin' out," the guard assessed, which sounded kind of fresh to Jase, considering the guy was likely only a year or two older than the two of them.
"We're goin' to the lock-in at the high school. It's tradition, in case you don't know. We’re running late because we had parties to attend first," Savannah explained with a bit of a bite in her voice which made Jase grin.
Everyone on the base looked out for her, knowing her father was the interim commander while another General was sought to fill the position. There was speculation her father would start accumulating those stars on his shoulders, but Jase didn't get caught up in base gossip. He knew it would piss off his father if Colonel Stanford was made a Brigadier General and put in charge of Ft. Bliss permanently, so he just wished for it that much more.
"Okay, then, ladies. Be safe," the private offered before he opened the gate. Once they were safely off base and out of the glare of street lights, Jase flopped back up into the seat and buckled his safety belt.
"You guys are so great to do this for me," he told his friends.
"I don't know why you won't stay at the house and let us take you in the morning. Seems like eight hours in a bus station is going to go by in turtle time," Savannah stated, not for the first time.
"You know this is the best time to get away, and you two can get Lon to let you in the backdoor of the school for the lock-in. This gives you an alibi if the shit hits the fan. Nobody saw us together and all our friends will say you were there the whole night.
"Your family has been far too good to me to have the wrath of James Langston come down on them, and I'm sure my mom would be pissed if Dad got thrown in the stockade for causing shit at your house.
“Anyway, I've got a coupla podcasts on my iPod, and I've decided I might document my journey to independence. Who knows? Maybe I’ll write a travel book to rival Kerouac," he explained to his friends as they motored down the highway toward the seedier side of El Paso where the bus terminal was located.
Jase was sure eight hours in a bus terminal was going to be like a slow train to hell, or conversely, the best sideshow he ever witnessed but nothing worth having ever came easy. The stupid State Assemblyman who spoke at the graduation earlier in the day had said the same thing in his speech. 'Nothing worth fighting for has ever come easy. God bless Texas,' Jase remembered with a chuckle.
Andy
turned in her seat and handed him a small box. "This is from Vanna and me. Wait till you're on the bus to open it. Remember we love you, Jase, and if you need anything at all, you better call one of us," she told him as Savannah turned down the street and stopped in front of the terminal.
Andy opened his door before she walked to the back of the SUV and to retrieve his duffel. She returned to where he stood on the sidewalk and placed it on the ground, looking up at him with big tears in her gray eyes. "You little bastard. I love ya, man. Please be safe and stay in touch," she whispered as she pulled his slender frame into her sturdier one.
Andrea was set to attend UT in the fall on a softball scholarship. Savannah was going as well, but she was a damn genius so her scholarship was in the bag at the end of their junior year. Jase knew how happy they were to be going to the same school and he would keep positive thoughts they had the sticking kind of love he hoped was out there somewhere. He liked the idea that someone he cared for had it.
"Hey, you can't keep a good man down. Have a great summer, and take care of Savannah. You know she has a tendency to get herself into trouble," he teased as the fiery redhead walked around the front of the SUV and crossed her arms over her chest in a fake attempt at being aggravated. Savannah didn’t have a mean bone in her body.
"Stop talkin' trash 'bout me, Jason Langston before I have Andy take you over her knee. Now, Matt's gonna have somebody pick ya up, so if somethin' happens and the bus is gonna be late, call the ranch so they know. They're all lookin' forward to meetin' ya. Give my little nephew a big ole kiss and tell him Aunt Vanna loves him, will ya?" she asked as she hugged Jase around the neck. When she pulled away, she had tears in her eyes as well.
Jase felt his eyes beginning to tear up, so he had to shut it down. "Okay, you two. Get going. As soon as I get access to a computer, I'll send you e-mails, okay? I love ya both. Be safe, and if you can, please check on my mom every once in a while," he requested. His mother worked at the post office on base, so he knew Andy and Savannah would have occasion to run into the woman without raising his father's suspicions and causing her problems.
Loving the Broken Man (The Cowboys of Katydid Farm Book 3) Page 1