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

“Yes?” Was he pushing things? Maybe Jason would be more comfortable getting used to the idea gradually.


Ben felt like wriggling like a puppy. “I’ll make a reservation at the Wooster Marriott—” He might have looked into places to stay in the college town.


Ben breathed out a silent sigh. For a minute he’d thought Jason hadn’t wanted him there at all. “I don’t want to put you out.”


“You won’t, I promise you. I’ve got plenty of bedrooms. Oh. Unless you’re worried I’ll come on to you?”


“You mean you won’t?” As Ben hoped, that made Jason laugh. “I’ll start first thing in the morning…”


“Ben, it shouldn’t take you longer than an hour and a half, two hours at the most to make that drive. Why not come over this evening?”


Chapter 28