Hollis is done with hanging around the bar on Valentine’s Day. He’s going to stay in -- alone -- and watch some movies. At least, that’s the plan. But his coworker’s half-brother’s cousin, better known as Ryan, is new in town. And although the lunch they shared was more levels of awkward than a house of cards, fate must want them to become friends, because on his way home after picking up his Valentine’s Day dinner, Hollis runs into Ryan again. The nice thing to do is to invite him up for dinner -- who wants to be alone in a new city on Valentine’s Day, right? The night leads to a dinner offer in return, a night bowling, a dinner party. When Ryan is relaxed, he’s a lot of fun, but he’s also a lot of work, facing off panic and anxiety in waves. But that isn’t a problem, because friends are there for each other. And they are, after all, friends. Just friends. Right?

Holding Hands

“Ryan, I don’t think Ken ever said what brought you to this city?”


The pink spread to Ryan’s ears, and he shifted farther back in his seat, as if prepared to bolt. “Um, just looking for a place that was a bit more…”


When Ryan failed to finish the thought, Hollis guessed. “Open-minded?”


“I can understand that. My family is accepting, but I wasn’t about to come out to anyone else in that town.”


Ryan’s eyes widened, and Hollis grinned. “Don’t tell me I’m the first gay guy you’ve met?”


“No! No, just, um, you don’t come across…I mean, the guys I know at work, um, you’re different than them.”


“We’re all different, aren’t we?”


Chapter 4