When seventeen-year-old Mark Potts fell from a balcony, he lost both the use of his legs and any faith in heroes. Now twenty-nine, he’s long-since come to terms with his injury. His job provides more opportunities for eye-rolling than for riding to anybody’s rescue, but with two kids to bring up, he barely has time for his husband, much less for heroics. Besides, Starr Bradford is a policeman -- how many heroes does one family need?<br><br>Mark and Starr love each other madly, but stress management is a load-bearing pillar of their happiness. When Mark’s coping skills fail him at exactly the wrong moment, he’s left hanging by a thread of words he should’ve kept in his mouth. He has the power to repair their relationship, but when Starr’s workday suddenly goes south, will he get to wield it? Keeping it together long enough to find out is a job worthy of any superhero!

You Had Me at Hero

“Okay, I have news, and it’s almost all good, okay? Do you need a second?”


Mark nodded. Blew his nose. Took a raggedy breath. He hadn’t really counted on an audience for his meltdown, and in fact hadn’t counted on having one at all. He was as surprised as the nurse was, slightly embarrassed to have splattered such base, indecorous emotion all over the waiting room—and a little bit on her shoulder. He took another, more effective breath, and smiled.


“Well, thank you. You know how your mind…”


She nodded and patted his hand. “I understand. Sometimes the worst happens around here, and sometimes it’s pretty bad.” She smiled big and sat up straight. “Not today, though.”


“No. He took it in the shoulder, clean in, clean out. He was bleeding plenty when they brought him in, I’m sure getting shot’s no picnic, but he’s gonna be just fine. You’re Mark?”


Chapter 30