Wren is a hardworking archaeologist on his first vacation in years. While he’s tempted to look for ancient artifacts, this is Maui and he needs to focus on taking it easy. So it’s off to the beach to relax. There Wren dives into trouble, literally. Luckily, the backward roll and breathing techniques he learned studying Ninjutsu saves his life, because the shore break called Satan’s Washing Machine grinds him up and spits him out, temporarily blinded and badly battered. A karate dojo owner named Steven takes him to a doctor, a pharmacy, and then back to the beach, only to find Wren’s car and all his belongings have been stolen. So Steven invites him home instead. Will their mutual love of martial arts lead to other a deeper relationship? Or will their shared desire for humbleness and respect for others keep them from falling in love?

Beyond Black Belt

Or, to be honest, if there were, I’d be the one in control.


Then I remembered something I’d rather have forgotten. It had been ten years ago when my beloved grandfather had had to start chemotherapy for the cancer that had, eventually, taken him. I’d gone with him. Hey, it was a day off school, right? He’d asked me to drive him. Me.


Standing there in the hospital hallway, outside the door of the chemo room, he’d looked me straight in the eye; his own eyes a dark blue just like this pair in front of me now. “I couldn’t have done this in front of your dad,” he’d said. “I could never show weakness in front of him; I just couldn’t. Wren, and I hope you’ll understand this, I can in front of you. I can be myself. I can do this.” He’d shrugged, took a deep breath, and stood up straighter. “I can be whole. You gave me that, just by being who you are.” He’d nodded at me, patted my cheek, and gone through the door.


Chapter 6