Michael Carmac is a small-town cop on the verge of a breakdown. After a split-second decision leaves an innocent child dead, Michael's reality unravels. Suffering from PTSD, he finds comfort in a bottle while struggling to find forgiveness.<br><br>Fellow officer Bertram Angel offers Michael support, and what starts as friendship turns into something deeper. Can the two men find love, forgiveness, and acceptance while moving forward and healing wounds that don't always show?

The Incident

“Hey,” Michael said as he helped Angel into his truck, “how you doing?”


“Everything hurts, but it’s good to get the hell outta there,” Angel said, letting Michael help him. “Take me home.”


“Michael handed Angel the bag of treats. “Here you go, big baby. I got you some junk to eat to keep you from crying too much.”


Angel took the bag from Michael and, before digging inside, he grabbed Michael’s hand and squeezed it tight. “I had a lot of time to think in there, Mikey. I have a lot to tell you.”


Michael looked down at their clasped hands then back up at Angel. “Let me get you home.”


Angel nodded. “Yeah, home. That sounds fanfuckingtastic.”


Michael smiled as he pulled his hand away. “You got it.”


They left the hospital and Angel rolled his window all the way down then reached awkwardly to turn the radio up while trying painfully to chew on some beef jerky that he’d pulled from the bag of treats Michael had brought.


Chapter 27