Rafael Patino has a great life in Rain Valley. He’s a teacher at the high school, has a great group of friends, and enjoys the occasional baseball game. Other than the sporadic call from his drunken mother, he’s pretty content. He’s also been in love with his best friend Dustin for nearly a decade. Years of keeping those feelings under control are put to the test when they begin a summer project together. Dustin Vance builds furniture for a living, has just earned his pilot’s license, and has an amazing best friend. When he buys a 1976 Cessna Skyhawk, he asks Rafael to help restore it, then travel with him to Wisconsin for the largest aviation convention in the world. As they spend their days working on the plane, they begin to spend their nights together. Will they find love in the clouds, or will they stall out before they even take off?

Love in the Clouds

“I’m going to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong,” Caleb said. “Tell Dustin. Get it out in the open. Deal with it.”


Russell grinned, also joining in. “I agree. We’ve been expecting it for years. Tell Dustin how you feel.”


Rafael wanted to do just that, but the fear of losing Dustin always overwhelmed him. He held his beer with both hands, rotating it slowly. “You guys are probably right. But I’m not sure I’m ready.” He knew he sounded pathetic—and apparently sucked at hiding his feelings.


The guys dropped the subject, then Russell and Lucas went to play a game of pool. Caleb and Rafael watched the game for a while, but after hanging out for another thirty minutes, he decided to throw in the towel and go home to wallow in his misery.


Chapter 19