Fourteen years ago, on the banks of Craving’s Creek, Ryde swore to his best friend Alistair he’d never be alone in the world. Though Alistair was destined for the priesthood, there was something beyond holy about the first kiss they shared. But a fun camping trip went horribly wrong when Alistair was involved in a horrific incident. Now, at age thirty-one, Ryde’s life is a mess of alcohol and the painful imprint of his last look into Alistair’s desperate eyes. Since the evil they encountered on that shore, his first love has been lost to him ... until he learns a friend’s wedding is to be officiated by a priest named Father Alistair Genet. Amid the rush of emotions, one thought crystallizes: Ryde’s love for Alistair has never died. It’s stronger than ever. But can it win over the repressed memories slowly tearing Alistair’s mind apart?

Craving's Creek

On the line, my mother sighs heavily. “Poor thing,” she says. “That sweet little boy.”


Holding the phone to my ear, I lean my head back on the couch and stare up at my ceiling. Sybil. Split personality.


“And what does Dr. Scarborough think?” my mom asks. “What did he say?”


“Many psychiatrists hesitate to diagnose this type of disorder, but Jamie knows it exists, and after what I told him, he thinks it’s highly probable Alistair could have developed this disorder as a coping mechanism.”


What am I saying here? I’m talking about the man I love. “I don’t know what to do.”


“Oh, baby, I’m sorry. Can we help him? I mean, there must be some kind of cure or treatment or—”


“Therapy. He needs therapy.” My head aches. I didn’t sleep much last night. I’m a mess. “He’s blocked out a whole of our lives, years and years. And those years are the years I need him to remember.”


“Easy now, Ryde, easy. Take it one step at a time.”


“It’s so unfair. I finally find him, finally have a chance.”


Chapter 49