Shakespeare-loving teacher Elliot Dunn has been unhappy living in the big city for a long time. He yearns for fresh air, visible stars, and stillness, but his relationship with divorce lawyer Mick Hudson keeps him from moving away. When a dramatic event occurs in Elliot’s class, he’s shaken to his core and suddenly can’t stay anymore. He leaves his partner of two years behind and returns to the tiny town in the mountains where he grew up. Living in a rented cabin in the woods, with only an owl for company, Elliot slowly regains his peace of mind. But being away from Mick is agonizing, and when a ghost from Elliot's past pays him a visit, everything comes to a head. Elliot is faced with a hard decision. Should he stay on the stress-free mountainside alone, or return to the hustle of the city and try to make a life with Mick?

Find His Way Home

“I might as well sleep down here.” He fished out the teabag from the mug and took a sip. “Ouch, hot,” he hissed as the scalding liquid burned his tongue.


After he finished his tea, he curled up under the blankets in front of the wood stove. He lay on his side, facing the fire and the big windows overlooking nothing but the forest. All signs of civilization were at the back of the cabin, so staring out on the snowy trees gave him the illusion that he was all alone in the middle of nowhere. Just him and the wilderness. Everything was perfect, except…


He missed Mick and his quirky smile so much, his heart ached. Especially in cold times like these. Mick was hot-blooded, despite being so slender, and Elliot always used to call Mick his own furnace. There was nothing better on a cold winter night than having Mick cuddled up against his back. More than once, he’d slept without a blanket to avoid waking up gross and sweaty.


Chapter 8