Tory Cuthbert is the owner of Misty View Motel, and he’s mostly satisfied with his life. He rarely thinks about the time, fourteen years ago, when a boy he loved -- Wheeler Ridley -- left him behind. Maury Landrum, one of Tory’s employees, is a tempting morsel, but Tory can't seem to bring himself to take the next step, even though he knows Maury would be more than willing.<br><br>Then Wheeler turns up at the motel and doesn't even recognize Tory when he hits on him. After Wheeler’s repeated attempts to get into Tory’s pants, Tory reveals that they knew each other and what happened when they were kids. Wheeler remembers things differently, however, and Tory realizes he’s actually been wrong -- all this time.<br><br>When Maury abruptly resigns, Tory finally wakes up to what’s been right under his nose. And he has to get Maury back, no matter what.

Love, Love Me Dude

“Thanks for pulling an all-nighter for me,” I said.


“The reason you don’t let anybody in,” he murmured.


Maury looked down at his hands. “Did you guys sleep together?” he asked.


“Excuse me?” Since when was my nonexistent love life his business?


“Why is this any concern of yours?” I asked sharply, and realized I’d gone too far. “Maury, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”


He waved away my apology, although he still looked like someone had kicked his puppy. “It’s because I’m too young, right? I don’t have anything to offer, like he does, yeah? Just a wet behind the ears kid who’s never been anywhere except Disneyland and the Grand Canyon, and lives with his sister.” I wasn’t sure what to say.


Maury nibbled at a cuticle, and then stared me dead in the eye. “Well, I finally get it. You’re not interested, you have history with this guy, and I never had a chance in the first place.”


Chapter 7