Bowing to his parents’ homophobic demands, Professor Henry Rodimacher always chose Christmas with his family over spending it with his partner. However, when Jeremy became terminally ill, Henry defied his family and stayed home for Jeremy’s final Christmas. After Jeremy passes, Henry decides it’s time to mend fences, so despite a raging snowstorm, he starts the long drive home. Before he gets very far, though, he’s alarmed to see a hitchhiker out in the weather, Henry offers the man a ride, and is surprised the hitchhiker is Jimmy Wilks, a former student of his. The heavy snow eventually forces Henry and Jimmy to leave the highway and take refuge in an abandoned log cabin. As the two hunker down to wait out the storm, they give into their mutual attraction and celebrate a wonderful Christmas together. Can their newfound love survive once the snow thaws? Will history repeat itself with Henry going back home alone, or will the magic of their best Christmas ever live on into the New Year and beyond?

Best Christmas Ever

Jimmy went on, “I guess the surprise was on me. Never dreamed I’d be stranded in a cabin alone in the woods with you.” He glanced again at Henry and smiled that enigmatic smile of his. “It’s almost like a Hallmark made-for-TV Christmas Story.”


Henry knew Hallmark movies were all romances.


After a while both men were yawning. “We’ve had a long day. We should go to bed,” Henry suggested, although the prospect made him nervous. Sleeping in such proximity to this beautiful young man was causing Henry a serious internal struggle.


“Yeah, we should.” Jimmy got up, added some logs to the fire, and then disappeared into the small bedroom.


Henry went to his suitcase and withdrew a fresh tee shirt and a pair of Tennessee Valley flannel lounge pants. He was glad Jimmy was clad in the sweatshirt and sweatpants. He plugged his phone into its charger, stared into the crackling fire for a moment, and went into the bedroom.


Chapter 7