Twin brothers Brian and Matt Walker went to live with their mother’s brother after the death of their parents at an early age. Brian is still wracked with the guilt he carries around from a young age and sees the world through a distorted lens of self-loathing. When he meets a sexy and interested college-aged guy at the beginning of his senior year of high school, he may have finally found someone who can help him escape his mundane existence.<br><br>Matt has his life all planned out -- he longs for a solid career in journalism after graduating college. But his tenuous hold on family life threatens his dreams of independence, as does the attentions of a closeted new transfer to their school.<br><br>Can Matt pull away enough from his family to come into his own? And will Brian finally get to grips with his past and allow his twin to chase his own happiness?

Twice the Hands to Hold

Jake continued to stare ahead of him and slowly lifted the glass to take a sip of tea and lowered it again. “But only temporarily. Once you pick up the habit it permeates everything.”


Brian took a sip of his tea and savored the cold sweetness over his barbed wired throat. He took the moment to gather his thoughts and choose his next words carefully.


“I guess I owe you an apology. I broke your trust.” His apology was cut short by a shake of his uncle’s head and another sip of tea slowly making its way to Jake’s mouth, as though it acted as a barrier between the connection he was trying to make with his uncle.


“If you’re going to recite a generic apology that you think I want to hear, then you’re better off saving your voice.”


Brian sat back against the chair and tried to follow his uncle’s stare, to see what was so interesting to look at. “Suppose I owe you more than that.”


Chapter 17