Beaten by the IT recession, Justin has come back to his hometown where he’s inherited a small house from his mother. Surely Barry, his old crush and sometime nemesis, is long gone. Jobs are scarce, so impulsively Justin seeks to buy into a pet grooming business. But when he has to visit the local bank for a loan, who sits behind the big desk but Barry?<br><br>Justin’s appearance jolts Barry out of his miserable rut of a life. What if they were to pick up where a brief boyhood attraction abruptly ended? Then his mother’s sudden stroke throws his whole life into a tumbled ruin.<br><br>Juggling business and pleasure can be a complex, risky endeavor. Will Justin resist Barry’s charms and flee again, or will fate give them a new leash on life?

A New Leash on Life

Justin sat silent for several seconds and Barry could see concern and doubt in his face. I bet I was right, and he doesn’t know jack about grooming dogs. Oh boy, I hope he can make this work.


Then, as if he realized he might be giving away more than he intended, Justin straightened and smiled, more nearly a grimace for it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s fun. I was sick of the high-tech stuff, to be honest. It was dog-eat-dog even before the recession. Time to return to a quieter, slower-paced lifestyle. In a lot of ways, it’s good to be home.”


Barry smiled back, a smile he hoped was less forced. “Good to hear it. I’m glad you’re back too. Most of the doctors and lawyers and such are closer to my dad’s age than mine, and the guys we knew in school are all blue collar and don’t want to associate with a banker. It’s been pretty lonely.”


He saw Justin’s eyes widen at that admission, one he really had not planned to make yet it seemed right.


Chapter 10