It's the middle of a very cold December, and Charlie Mayburn is in desperate need of a seasonal night manager at his self-storage facility. When he comes across a résumé from his childhood sweetheart, Lonnie "Mack" McDaniel, he’s beyond surprised. Mack left right after high school, determined to see the world and abandoning both Charlie and their small town for greener pastures. So what’s he doing back twenty years later? As he's desperate and Mack is the most qualified applicant, Charlie hires him on the spot, along with leasing him a ten-by-ten unit. Mack does good work, but something’s off about him. He's very secretive, often bedraggled, and has holes in his well-worn shoes. Definitely not the clean-cut Mack Charlie grew up with. When Charlie discovers, quite by accident, that Mack has been living in the storage unit he rented -- in the middle of winter -- he takes matters in hand. He offers Mack a place to stay, no strings attached. It takes some doing, but Charlie finally gets Mack to tell him how he ended up homeless. The tale almost breaks his heart, but Charlie is determined to take care of his long lost friend, no matter what. Perhaps this Christmas, both men can find their way through old hurts and forge a new beginning, with good will for all.

And Good Will to All

As expected, it was very slow at work, and no one stopped by to either access storage or inquire about rates. Which was all well and good, since my mind wasn’t anywhere near focused on the tasks at hand.


I decided to leave early and head to the grocery store to get some wine, since I knew it would have reopened by now, in deference to the holiday. A nice burgundy vintage in hand, I headed home to start the new year right and claim Mack as my own, for as long as he’d let me.


I’d stocked up on lube and condoms yesterday. Sally, the owner of the gas station where I’d purchased them, gave me a huge smile as she rung me up but didn’t make any comments, thankfully.


I parked next to Mack’s Honda and entered the house.


“I’m home,” I called out as I took off my coat, the wonderful smell of basil and other spices drawing me toward the kitchen.


I hung up my coat and carried the wine bottle with me.


Chapter 13