Abe Cooper is starting over. For fifteen years he's lived the life that was expected of him, but not anymore. He's packed up his things, bought himself a cabin in Northfield, and managed to secure a job at the local high school teaching gym and coaching the football team. But his new beginning didn't include running into Crazy Joe on his first trip to the grocery store.<br><br>Jonas Raghnall has everything he needs -- good friends and a job he loves. He's worked hard to get over what happened sixteen years ago, but one run-in with his past and all the memories come flooding back. Seeing Abe Cooper, The Abe Cooper, sets everything out of balance.<br><br>Abe had pictured a fresh start with no ties to his past, but now that Jonas is there, he wants nothing more than to be close to the man who had butterflies filling his belly when he was in high school. Jonas doesn't want to come face to face with his past, but if he sees Abe every day, it's not really meeting up with your past, is it? It's more like a date with your future.

Crazy Joe

“The meat production’s impact on the climate is staggering.” Chloe put a beer in front of Abe with a curtsy. “If everyone stopped eating meat and dairy—”


“Thank you, Chloe.” Jonas didn’t look at Abe but steeled himself for the comments he expected to come. Abe had never been rude to him in school when he’d tried to influence people’s choices, but that didn’t mean he wanted a lecture. Since he left Whiteport and high school, he’d learned a lot. One of those things was not to preach to those who didn’t want to listen. It wasn’t his job to change the world, all he could do was live as good a life as he could.


“So you don’t eat dairy either?” Abe’s gaze was a warm caress as it swept over his face


“He does.” Chloe drummed a nail on the tabletop. “He has both dairy and coffee because a man has to have some vices or he’s too predictable. And you wouldn’t want to be near Mr. Raghnall when he’s coffee deprived.”


Chapter 9