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

Noah was sitting across the table from Tom and said, “This is a lot more fun than Thanksgiving with my family.”


“Yeah. Some of these people are more like family than family, especially the choir members, if you know what I mean.”


With Thanksgiving behind them, their workload increased dramatically. There were extra rehearsals for all of the special music needed for Christmas services, rehearsals for the big wedding, and as many vocal sessions at home as they could squeeze in between other events. They managed somehow to swim serious laps at least three times a week and actually took in a movie matinee one Saturday afternoon.


Noah arrived home one afternoon in mid-December somewhat later than expected, and Tom asked him why.


TOM FOLLOWED NOAH to the driveway. A huge spruce tree protruded from the rear of the Volvo wagon. “Cool. You should have called me. I would have helped with this.”


Chapter 31