Andy Howard dropped out of college to get away from his abusive father. When his longtime boyfriend reveals similar tendencies, Andy refuses to endure another moment of it, running away with nothing more than the cash in his pockets. He makes it to Virginia, where he's taken in by Scooter Stahl, a restaurant owner looking for an extra hand who's willing to be paid cash under the table.<br><br>Scooter's been struggling for years: to keep the beachside restaurant he inherited from his parents above water (both financially and literally); to live down the fact that he's gay in a small southern town; to get over the man who's owned his heart since he was fourteen. But he's never had to struggle as hard as he is now, to keep his hands off Andy.

Nights in Sandbridge

Mark settled in, leaned against the counter, not quite far enough to be casual, but not actually touching. “I haven’t seen you around before,” he said, raking his eyes over Andy’s body, noting everything from the battered sneakers to Andy’s hair. “It’s always nice to meet someone new. How didyou wind up with Scooter’s crew?”


“Washed up on the beach in front of the Dockside,” Andy said. “They fed me, so I followed them home and now I won’t leave.”


“Ah, the tourist dollars, they command us all.” Mark reached around Andy to snag himself a beer and then returned to his spot. “My father owns a couple of the hotels on Atlantic Avenue, so I understand. The almighty out-of-towners. If you remain with us, I’ll tell you, winter’s easier on the back, but harder on the wallet.”


“Always a trade-off,” Andy agreed. “Looking forward to having a little more free time, though, I’lladmit.”


Chapter 83