A broken-hearted Ward Cartwright left town to join the army when his boyfriend Tyler Hughes turned his back on their love and married a woman. Ten years later, Tyler is a widower with two young boys, and Ward has returned home. He is hopeful he can re-establish his relationship with Tyler. Even though a decade has passed, Tyler still feels tied to the family-owned feed mill. He has folks depending on the mill for employment, there are his children to consider, they live in a small town, and ... But despite this, Tyler finds there are plenty of benefits to giving Ward a job in the mill -- lots of out-of-the-way places to explore Ward’s army-honed, muscular body. Just when Tyler resolves to live more openly with Ward, rumors begin to surface, not just at the mill, but at his sons’ school. Ward knows the upcoming battle is just as serious as anything he’s faced in Afghanistan. Instead of fighting for his country, the soldier is fighting for his lover’s heart. Will Ward finally emerge victorious, or will Tyler’s self-doubt and fear of prejudice win out again?

Welcome Home, Soldier

Tyler looked over his shoulder. “Will you guys give it a rest?”


The boys engaged in a game of ‘he started it, no, he did’, then quieted down when Tyler gave them a stern look.


“Will this go on forever?” Tyler said, looking back at the road ahead.


Ward laughed. “Yes, sir. My brother Joe and me drove Mom and Dad nuts. They threatened to make us live in the chicken coop if we didn’t quit. Said we sounded just like a couple of banty roosters squabbling. We still give it to one another once in a while.”


“I used to beg my parents to get me a brother when I was a kid. Being an only child sucked. But I guess if I’d had one we’d have done the same thing,” Tyler said.


“Same with every family with siblings. This one’s no different.”


Chapter 29