Funeral home owner and undertaker Dual Hood knows a good thing when he sees it, so when Charlie Soder applies for the job of embalmer, he snatches up the young man in a heartbeat. Charlie, fresh-faced and just out of college, also knows a good thing when he sees it, and immediately sets his sights on his new sexy boss.<br><br>It doesn’t take long for sparks to fly and romance to blossom. But Dual worries what folks in his small Mississippi town will say, and whether his family-owned business will suffer if word goes round about his new love interest. He isn’t at all certain he has the courage to do the right thing and grab love before it slips through his fingers.

The Undertaker's Secret

“I think I might,” she said. She sounded perky, happy, but also exhausted, and on the edge of a nervous breakdown.


She had arrived with her daughter, JoEllen, in tow. JoEllen looked spooked and said not a word. She twisted strands of her hair between her fingers almost constantly.


No sooner than Mrs. Duffy and her daughter had sat down, three more people walked through the front door: Mrs. Duffy’s oldest daughter, Kayla, and her husband, and their eight year old son, Roy. Room was made on the couch and they seated themselves.


As I took down basic information about Dwayne and tried to ascertain what sort of service Mrs. Duffy wanted for her son and (ahem) how it would be paid for, Mama led four more people to my office: Mr. Duffy with his new wife Maria in tow, Maria’s sister Teresa, and Teresa’s daughter, Anna.


“I don’t need you to help make these arrangements,” Mrs. Duffy offered, shooting an evil eye at her ex-husband.


Chapter 18