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

“Charles and Shelly were skeptical at first. I’m just saying.”


I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and tell Sabrina she was crazy. I liked her, and I didn’t want to get on the wrong side of her or Gary. Hell, I had to live next door to these people! Plus, if things went well later, I planned on having sex with her brother-in-law. I didn’t want to go down that road with a lot of baggage from her or Gary weighing me down. Thankfully, the conversation wrapped pretty quickly after that because Sabrina told me she had to take Leah and Holly to her sister’s house and then head to a spa appointment in half an hour.


“If you hear from Gary, do me a favor and don’t tell him I stopped by,” she said as I walked her to the door. “I don’t want to hear his mouth, you know?”


“Your secret’s safe with me, Sabrina,” I assured her.


I wished I could say I was sad to see her go, but I wasn’t. Watching her wave goodbye as she headed down the front walkway was a relief.


Chapter 10