Fiction critic Micah Berk makes a point to spend as much time as possible with neighbor and pianist Tuck Martini. During twenty days of a particularly hot August on the shores of Lake Erie, the two men fall head over heels in love.<br><br>A year later and life has unexpectedly changed for Micah. He meets and falls hard for Carl Bascoe, an irresistible and dark-haired carpenter. Carl is witty, romantic, and the sweetest guy along the lake.<br><br>What happens when events from Micah’s past mix with those in his present? What will Micah do when various ties between his twenty days with Tuck and his current days with Carl begin to unravel? Will Micah finally experience the true meaning of endless love?

20 Days of Tuck

The labor was intense: measuring the lumber for accurate cuts, sawing the wood, carrying it, and nailing it together to build something that I appreciated and would use each and every day. I helped Carl construct its frame, piece by piece, minute by minute at his side, learning about angles, types of wood, the use of various tools, and basic construction skills. Our progress was slow but meticulous. And even I admitted that the structure was coming together in just a few days.


We worked from early in the morning until four in the afternoon. Both of us were hungry and exhausted. Our hands and backs ached, but neither of us complained. Rather, we popped two aspirin each, and dealt with the pain, unchallenged.


When the stairwell was just about finished, we stood chest to chest, almost hugging. Both of us were sweaty, exhausted, and out of breath. He placed his palms on my shoulders and said, “We deserve a beer.”


I shook my head. “You mean a martini.”


Chapter 5