On a bright autumn day, Flynn Marlowe lost his best friend, a beagle named Barley, while out on a hike in Seattle’s Discovery Park. On a cold winter day, Mac Bowersox found his best friend, a lost, scared, and emaciated beagle, on the streets of Seattle. Two men. One dog. When Flynn and Mac meet by chance in a park the next summer, there’s a problem -- who does Barley really belong to? Flynn wants him back, but he can see that Mac rescued him and loves him just as much as he does. Mac wants to keep the dog, and he can imagine how heartbreaking losing him would be -- but that's just what Flynn experienced. A “shared custody” compromise might be just the way to work things out. But will the arrangement be successful? Mac and Flynn are willing to try it ... and along the way, they just might fall in love.

Lost and Found

Oh, could you be gay? Please…Mac’s thoughts went where they shouldn’t.


Flynn gave Mac a brief flash of his pale blue eyes, so like a perfect summer sky, then stared out at the lake, now dimpled by raindrops. “I couldn’t keep him away. Number one, when we were here last week, I could see it just about killed you to let him go.”


Flynn looked at Mac again, searching, Mac supposed, for an acknowledgment of the truth he spoke. And Mac didn’t say anything, figuring the validation was written plain as day on his face.


“Hell, it hurt meto see you so torn up. I honestly debated whether I should take him back or not.” It was Flynn’s turn to show Barley some love. He rubbed his belly. The maneuver caused the dog to flip over to give Flynn even more access.


Rub my belly, Mac thought, and I’ll do the same thing. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face.


Chapter 24