Jacob Baumgardner is struggling to get his nonprofit shelter for gay teens off the ground because the building needs a lot of help before it can pass inspection. Raised by his grandparents for part of his life, Jacob feels that the shelter is his chance to honor them, but someone is making things difficult. An anonymous extortionist seems determined to ruin Jacob’s late grandfather’s good name and keep the shelter from opening.<br><br>Luka Smith is struggling to find his place in the world after a traumatic event in his teen years pushed him to run. When Jacob hires him to help with repairs at the shelter, Luka falls for his new boss hard. Luka wants nothing more than to help Jacob realize his dream.<br><br>As they work together to ensure The Promise of Hope Shelter gets off the ground, their feelings for each other only grow. But will a calculating blackmailer close the shelter before it even has a chance?

The Promise of Hope Shelter

This kid was a handful. He’d been on the streets a while, smoked like a fiend, and had attitude to spare. He was sarcastic, rude, and pushed people’s buttons. Shelby was only sixteen, but life had treated him pretty badly, and when Jacob looked into his eyes, he would swear the youth had lived a much longer life. Shelby didn’t want to be at the shelter and made it well known.


Jacob worried he would run, but after a few days, he saw that something kept him there. Possibly the security of a bed and three meals was enough to make Shelby stay for now, but he still refused to talk in group and didn’t try to make friends.


Chapter 9