Craig and Mitchell have been friends for years, but each of them reached a point where that camaraderie became ... more. Mitchell’s kept his feelings close to his chest. So has Craig, but now that they’ve graduated from UMKC, he knows it’s his last chance to show Mitchell they’re meant to be before their careers take them to opposite sides of the country.<br><br>He insists they can’t leave Missouri behind without one last adventure. Mitchell agrees to a road trip to visit all the touristy spots and say goodbye to their home state.<br><br>As they spend their days and nights together, buried feelings rise to the surface and hope blossoms. When their journey ends with a dance beneath the Branson stars, will they find love and a future together at the end of the road?

Gateway to Love

“I-I’m not sure,” he admitted, shrugging.


“God, you even had me going, Craig!” Mitchell let out a shaky laugh. “If you want to go, we can, but let’s head back to the table, get our bag of stuff we bought at the gift shop, and we were also going to buy some more beer, remember?”


I wasn’t acting.That’s what he wantedto say. “Sure, sorry,” he murmured, embarrassed.


But Mitchell was smiling. “Come on, baby,” he teased, “let’s go finish our show and head back to the hotel. Maybe swim some?”


Craig grinned. It sounded like they had a plan. Somehow his impromptu plan to share his true feelings had failed to get through to Mitchell, but Craig was going to go with his original plan and talk with him back at the hotel, where they could be alone.6


Chapter 17