Patrick Holt is lonely. A bad breakup with his boyfriend has left the forty-year-old ophthalmologist reluctant to get involved with another man. When his neighbor sets him up with her brother-in-law Eric, Patrick prepares himself for disappointment. But Patrick quickly finds himself surprised and charmed by Eric, and Eric, who’s had relationship problems of his own in the past, falls hard and fast for Patrick.<br><br>On the outside, Eric seems like a great guy: young and attractive with a promising job as an assistant manager at a Chicago hotel. But Eric has a dark side he and his family are hiding from Patrick. When the truth is finally revealed and Eric’s secrets are exposed, will Patrick be willing to go the distance with Eric? Or will he run as fast as he can from the new man in his life?

Baggage

“Oh, come on. Gary’s house is huge and very nice.”


“Yeah, but it could be nicer if my cheap-assed brother would put some serious money into it. Sabrina keeps bugging him to upgrade the bathrooms, but he won’t because he’s too cheap. I realize renovations cost a lot of money, but it’s not like Gary and Sabrina can’t afford them. You live here alone, and you’ve managed to renovate.”


Before I had the chance to tell Eric that I was only able to renovate so extensively because I’d inherited my house and didn’t have a mortgage to pay, he looked at me and said he owed me an apology.


“For my sister-in-law. I’m sorry she put you on the spot with me. She figures, you’re gay, I’m gay, instant relationship, you know? She pulled the same stunt with two black people she knows.”


Eric smiled sheepishly. “They got married.”


I nearly spit my beer out laughing. “Really?”


Chapter 6