Ben Haggerty is devastated when he returns home from work to discover his lover of eight years has gone off to complete his master's degree at another college -- and left no forwarding address. Not only has Ben chosen Rick over his beloved family, but he's supported his boyfriend both financially and emotionally the entire time. Unable to remain in their shared apartment, Ben moves and spends a miserable holiday season alone. With the New Year, however, he's determined to make a fresh start, so he manages to obtain Rick's address and sends him a card asking if Rick ever plans to return. Somehow, the card winds up in the wrong mailbox.<br><br>Jason Prescott is a genius, having obtained his first master's degree at twenty-one and now working on his second. When he receives a card in error, he returns both the card and a card of his own to be courteous, expressing his hopes Ben can get in touch with his boyfriend. This begins a correspondence that leads to friendship, and ... the start of something more? Jason introduces Ben to his family and reunites him with his own.<br><br>But will Jason, who's even smarter than Rick, be satisfied with someone as ordinary as blue-collar Ben feels himself to be? Or will Rick, realizing what he's let slip through his fingers, manage to persuade Ben to take him back?

Always, Ben

You asked if I’d like to continue writing to you. Jason, I would, if you don’t mind someone who forgets where commas go or gets a mental block over the weirdest things. (Like when I was a kid, I kept confusing “avenue” and “road.”)


BTW, happy International Moment of Laughter Day. I think we can all use moments of laughter


What a really nice guy. Too bad that idiot Rick had made him so self-conscious about his education.


It wasn’t odd that Ben didn’t mention Jason sending Rick’s card back to him—it was too soon for him to have received it, but either way, Jason had no intention of bringing it up.


Letting sleeping dogs lie, my boy. That’s what you’re going to do


Holding his jeans up with one hand, Jason gathered the mail and went down to his study. He really needed to get to work on that paper, but he had time enough to find a card for Ben.


Chapter 21