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

Rafael cleared his throat and swept his arm toward the plane. “So what’s next?”


Dustin put the rivet gun in the toolbox. “Nothing. We’re done for the day.”


Rafael glanced outside. “Wow, you actually want to leave your plane before the sun goes down?”


Dustin laughed. “I know. Miracle, right? No, I’ve got plans. Do you remember Conner?”


Rafael’s stomach rolled. He knew what was coming and nodded stiffly.


“That family wedding was today and he’s staying with Jack. We’re going to hang out tonight.”


“You’re not invited” wasn’t said, but clearly hung in the air between them and Rafael bit back the hurt. Dustin had said that he and Conner hadn’t hit it off romantically. But, shit, it still felt like a punch to the gut. Yet Rafael also reminded himself that he and Dustin were just friends, not dating. No, he’d been too much of a coward to tell him how he felt.


“Okay. So, you wanna just close up and head home?”


Chapter 29