Roane Wellman only intends to work one summer on railroad maintenance to pay for his next semester of college after his party-guy ways made his grandfather to stop supporting his schooling. In a summer of hard work, adventure, and danger, he matures and finds a new course for his life. Before the season ends, he knows he’s meant to be workin’ on the railroad as he fights to build a career and a partnership that just might last for the rest of his life.<br><br>Alden Prescott is a loner, content to operate his big crane and shrug off the added responsibilities of being a gang foreman. His current foreman, however, is a drunkard and so close to worthless that Alden ends up doing a lot of the functions he has tried to avoid. Although Alden’s strongly drawn to the handsome new summer hire, memories of a past tragedy make him afraid to pursue the relationship.<br><br>What will it take to convince Alden that Roane is not going to let him repeat past mistakes? Is their budding relationship heading for a train wreck, or is it the perfect connection to take them down life’s track together?

Workin' on the Railroad

The crane turned, the panel swinging gently from the arc of motion. Seconds into the process, Alden apparently saw the foreman. “Get the fuck out of the way, Flannery,” he yelled. “You’re right in the wrong place.”


Mitch staggered a step or two, spun around, and tripped. He fell flat, right across the end of the last panel. He grunted as one knee slammed on the sharp end of the first rail. Roane remembered to wave “halt” before he ran to where the beefy man sprawled. He grabbed the foreman by the back of his shirt and one shoulder and heaved upward as hard as he could.


“Get your fucking fat ass out of the way.” Roane deliberately kept his voice low, but all the contempt he felt laced his tone. “What do you think you’re doing? No idiot would get right in the path of a moving panel. Are you trying to commit suicide?”


Chapter 12