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

“You’re forgetting something,” Tom said. “We own two houses free and clear. Remember when we talked to that banker about borrowing money on them to buy a cabin in the mountains? We can raise the money.”


“Yeah,” Noah said, “but I’ve got a better idea. Mr. Cooper, can we try to get my mother on your phone and put it on the speaker? She should be home from school by now.”


“Sure,” he said, “what’s the number?”


HE PUNCHED THE numbers Noah gave him, and after a pause, they heard Noah’s grandmother say, “Hello.”


“Hi, Grandma,” Noah said. “Tom and I are calling you from the lawyer’s office. Is Mom there?”


When his mother answered, he explained what was going on.


“I don’t understand about the buy-sell thing,” she said.


Mr. Cooper explained things just as he’d done for them.


“What do you recommend, Mr. Cooper?” she said.


Chapter 118