Bartholomew Jay Westwood, or simply Jay, is a suit fanatic. They're easily his one indulgence. He owns one in every color, which makes it nearly impossible to pick one for an upcoming holiday party. The only one that seems suitable is white, and he originally bought it for a Halloween costume three years ago. But he can't quite bring himself to wear it and settles for another number from his vast collection.<br><br>Unfortunately, tragedy strikes after he stops to pick up a last-minute gift. But the incident takes place outside his favorite suit shop, The Well-Dressed Man, and waiting inside is none other than expert tailor Walden Conway. He might have just the thing Jay needs, and it may be more than a suit.

The Tailor

Jay wanted to kick himself, to gaze upon his reflection and have words with it, a few choice phrases crossing his mind. He wanted to belittle himself for being foolish enough to think Walden was ready for something more than a simple cup of coffee between two friends. When he’d asked Walden to join him at the party he’d experienced an abundance of joy when his question was promptly answered with a yes. Instead of throwing an internal celebration, he should have been considering Walden’s feelings, taken his shyness into consideration. Though Jay was overjoyed to finally have the missing piece of the puzzle—the fact that Walden did indeed enjoy the company of men—he felt like a jerk for pushing Walden out of his comfort zone.


There at the party, Poppy excitedly gushing about his first step back into the dating game, Jay had caught the intense doubt and hint of panic that filtered across Walden’s face. And it had dawned on him.


Chapter 10