A.L. Lester

It's 1972. Fifteen years earlier, teenage Laurie Henshaw came to live at Webber's Farm with his elderly uncle and settled in to the farming life. Now thirty-two, Laurie has a stroke in the middle of working on the farm. As he recovers, he has to come to terms with the fact that some of his new limitations are permanent and he's never going to be as active as he used to be. Will he be able to accept the helping hands his friends extend to him?<br><br>With twenty successful years in the city behind him, Phil McManus is hiding in the country after his boyfriend set him up to take the fall for an insider trading deal at his London stockbroking firm. There's not enough evidence to prosecute anyone, but not enough to clear him, either. He can't bear the idea of continuing his old stagnating life in the city or going back to his job now everyone knows he's gay.<br><br>Thrown together in a small country village, can Phil and Laurie forge a new life that suits the two of them and the makeshift family who gathers round them? Or are they too tied up in their own shortcomings to recognise what they have?

Taking Stock

At that point, Sally and Phil arrived. Sally passed Phil’s cottage on her way down the lane from her little house to the farm and must have waited for him. He was dressed in jeans and a tight Tt-shirt and Laurie’s mouth went dry remembering the kisses they’d shared yesterday evening before Phil had left for home. They hadn’t gone further than that in the fortnight since their walk up to the pool. Laurie didn’t feel he had the stamina for it, quite frankly. But they were goodkisses.


Phil noticed him staring—perhaps the head of Laurie’s gaze had alerted him—and looked over. He smiled at Laurie and raised a hand, walking round the sheep hurdles to get to him. Sally waved, but didn’t follow him.


Chapter 32