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

“Now finish your coffee, you two,” his mother went on. “Your father will be waiting.”


Ward and Joe pulled on their hoodies and went out the door.


The brothers walked down the path to the milk barn, Ward hunched over with his hands thrust in his pockets, fretting about the task of taking Addy to Tyler. As they approached the barn, Joe asked, “What’s that sticking out of your butt pocket?”


“Nothing,” Ward replied and tried to cover the envelope with his hand.


Before he could, Joe snatched it. He looked at the address and stopped walking. Ward stopped as well.


“So, you’re really gonna do this?”


“Yeah…I think so,” Ward said, not really having fully made up his mind.


“Don’t you think you should at least tell Tyler, instead of sneaking off like you did last time? Or are you gonna be as big an asshole about this as he is?”


Chapter 64