Tom Foster has his life planned out, and he's systematically pursuing his goals. At twenty-two, he's been organist and choirmaster at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd for three years, he's working on his doctoral thesis, and he's beginning a secondary career performing in concert. There is no room in his schedule for romance ... until Noah Webster, a gorgeous green-eyed blond, walks into the church one evening to audition for the choir.<br><br>What starts as an arrangement of convenience -- Tom's usual page turner is unavailable, and Noah agrees to do the job-soon turns into a fast friendship. Then Noah, who is saddled with an obnoxious roommate, rents the spare bedroom in Tom's house, and ultimately the two men become lovers and partners in life.<br><br>But before they can ride off into the sunset together, they must face one major obstacle: Noah's violent, homophobic Southern Baptist father.

Love Turns the Page

“I didn’t think to bring a lock,” Noah said.


“Not a problem. We can double up in one locker.”


They quickly stripped and donned their suits. Tom wore Speedos, but Noah was wearing trunks that drooped almost to his knees. Tom snapped the lock shut on the locker and slipped his wrist through a flexible plastic bracelet that held the key. Then he grabbed his towel and said, “We’re required to take a quick rinse in the shower before we enter the pool.”


In the pool, they settled down into a steady rhythm of laps. As usual, Tom counted the laps until he was satisfied that he’d done at least a mile. He stood up in the shallow end of the pool and waited for Noah to catch up with him.


Noah saw him standing there and swam up to him. “You’re a lot faster than I am,” he said.


Chapter 11