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

FOR THEIR THIRD Christmas Tom and Noah purchased a large tree for the living room and decorated it. That Thursday, Tom invited the choir over to the house for their usual rehearsal, followed by a small Christmas party—they’d borrowed some folding chairs from the church for the occasion. Their former home had been professionally cleaned and was in the process of being occupied by new tenants, and Tom had served notice on the ladies in the garage apartment that their lease would not be renewed.


Noah met Bobby at the church on a Friday a few days after the Christmas break began, and led him to the new house. “Wow,” Bobby said as Noah led him upstairs to the largest guest room. “This is a great house.”


“Yeah,” Noah said. “We’re still getting settled in, but we like it just fine.”


Tom was at the organ when the two brothers came into the studio. He got up, gave Bobby a hug, and said, “Have you decided how long you can stay with us?”


Chapter 89