Because of a deathbed promise to his father, Elijah Peck reluctantly left his friends and successful career in Bridgeport to return to Willowby, Connecticut, the small town of his upbringing, in order to run the antique shop that had been in his family for generations. Now, in just the span of two years, Eli has morphed into a social recluse, isolated in what he believes is a stuffy, suffocating nowheresville. With no thriving gay community at his disposal, and with his entire existence wrapped around the store he never really wanted, Eli's devoted little time to his personal needs. As a result, instead of acting like a man in his mid-thirties, living out his own dreams, maybe even finding love with the right guy, he often feels like just another item in his shop -- a dusty, moldy antique that has seen better days.<br><br>But all that starts to change when a stranger moves to Willowby.<br><br>One night outside his shop, Eli has a chance encounter with Neville "Gray" Grayson, a wickedly handsome musician who's purposely left the bustle of New York City in favor of quiet country living. Eli is instantly drawn to Gray, and the flirtatious jazzman stirs dormant feelings inside Eli, reinvigorating his hopes for a brighter future. Not only does Gray make Eli feel attractive for the first time in years, but also makes him appreciate small-town life in a way he never has before. And Eli can't help but wonder if Gray's presence also offers the promise of finding much-needed companionship, sexual fulfillment, and perhaps even love ...

When the Jazzman Sings

But I wasn’t going to admit that to a shrink, let alone to a perfect stranger. Shit, I could barely admit it to myself, let alone understand the true depths of my ragged emotions.


I bashfully swept a hand over my neatly trimmed mustache and beard, then offered him a half-hearted smile. “Bored, you ask? How did you guess?”


“Apart from your words? Your face gave it away. You have a face that’s meant to smile, and if I’ve correctly interpreted those delicate lines around your eyes, you’ve smiled quite often. But perhaps not so much recently, huh?”


“Kind of you to offer, but I doubt it.”


“I don’t know…sometimes, just talking is the best medicine for what ails you. Plus, when this bad boy isn’t causing chaos, he’s a pretty good listener himself. Among other things.”


“Once again, intriguing. Do I want to know what those other things might be?”


Chapter 6