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

“Did you have a good time today, Ben?” Jason asked as he drove them back to his house, where Ben’s car was sitting at the curb. What he really wanted to ask was if Ben still wanted to be with him. After all, it had been a week, and when it came to relationships, that was about Jason’s limit.


Jason risked a glance at the man beside him. Fortunately, traffic was light this time of the evening.


Ben grinned at him, took his hand, and nibbled on his knuckles. “Best. Holiday. Ever!” 18


Ben called the next day to tell Ma he and Jason would be coming by for a brief visit. “We have the day off and thought we’d come see you.” He didn’t tell her about the fruit arrangement, though.


“I’ll let Dad know so he can take some time off,” she said. “And I’ll pick up some cold cuts for lunch.”


“Benjie…” Her voice wavered, and he felt tears well up.


Chapter 39