Laurie Parkinson, who’s lived in Laurel Hills all his life, is a gay sheet metal worker who’d rather be a gay hairdresser. Wheat Dupuis, who’s also gay, is the scion of one of Laurel Hill’s wealthiest families. He’d rather grow grapes than become CFO of Dupuis International. Laurie wakes one morning to discover his family gone and his town decimated by a bacteria that has lain dormant for millennia, incased in ice. With the melting of the ice caps, the bacteria is released, and mankind faces a pandemic that could surpass the Black Plague. Wheat and his family are on their way to safety when the unthinkable happens and he’s left behind. Laurie knows of a bunker in the woods outside Laurel Hill, where he intends to take refuge. On the way there, Laurie finds and rescues Wheat. Can two such dissimilar men work together through a pandemic to find their families ... and possibly find love, as well?

Pandemic

“Oh, shit. Don’t do this now.” He turned the key again and again, but it was as if, having gotten them to a decent vehicle, the piece of shit had given up the ghost. “Damn it.” He rested his head on the steering wheel for a second, then sighed, sat up, and patted the dashboard. “I know I’ve called you a piece of shit, but you’ve been a good car.” He took the keys—even if his car couldn’t run, he’d be damned if he made it easy for anyone else to try to drive it—and made sure all the doors were locked. The way the piece of shit was situated on the road, it would block any cars coming this way.


“Laurie, come on.” Wheat stood beside him, tugging his arm. About a hundred yards down the road a mob of people had suddenly appeared. From the way they walked, Laurie had a feeling they were sick.


Chapter 45