Even the nicest of guys can decide to cut loose at some point, especially if he's at college and a frat brother invites him to a party. Unfortunately, that can end quite badly. Luckily for Dante ap Owen, it doesn't -- until he keeps needing to piss every few minutes and he sees blood in his urine. Another stroke of luck for him is the substitute professor, also a medical doctor he’s been crushing on, who happens to be there when he passes out in class and pushes him to come to his clinic.<br><br>But Dante and his beloved, critically ill mother are under the control of his bitter uncle, who also provides health insurance. If his uncle finds out Dante is being treated for anything, let alone what Dante fears is an STD, he's ... Dante doesn't want to think about that. So he flees the clinic before he has to make a follow-up appointment.<br><br>The good doctor shows up at his uncle's farm when phone calls do nothing. And when Dante's uncle invites the doctor to dinner and serves a meal worthy of Medea, the doctor urges Dante and his mother to leave. But will they? And will Dante realize the doctor wants him as much as he wants the doctor?

So Let Us Rejoice

“Thank you.” It had been a long time since I’d felt masculine comfort.


“We took Da home to Abergavenny. He still has family there. After he was buried, Mum and I traveled throughout Europe. We never did go back to Venice though. And then she became ill. We didn’t know what it was at first, but finally a doctor diagnosed her as having a viral cardiomyopathy. The medicines he put her on—a beta blocker and an ACE inhibitor—helped for a while, but she decided it would be a good idea to come home.” I looked away. “She did it for me, not for herself. She misses Da so much, and I know she wants to join him, but she stays for me.” I brushed a hand over my eyes. “I don’t want to lose her.”


“I can understand that. If you’d like, I’d be happy to examine her.”


“Would you? The doctor Uncle John has her seeing is a quack, and I don’t trust him any further than I could throw him.”


Chapter 23