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

“Now I understand. Oh, boys, Lisa, this is…” Mr. Prescott had to reach for a handkerchief. “I have no words.”


Eddie turned to Jen. “So what are you giving the old man?”


“It’s just a little something.” She handed him a small rectangular box.


Mr. Prescott tore off the wrapping paper, opened the box, and reached in. He took out a pair of cute dormice wearing matching T-shirts with some words on the front.


“Really, Jen? Haven’t you outgrown Beanie Babies by now?” Eddie teased.


She turned up her nose at him. “They’re not Beanie Babies.”


“Oh, my God!” Jason’s dad studied the dormouse carefully, then stared at her. Her cheeks were red, but she smiled at him. He turned to his wife. “Sarah, look at this. Does it mean what I think it means?”


Sarah took the dormouse he handed her, peered at the T-shirt, then squealed and threw her arms around Jen. “A baby!”


Chapter 42