Hotel owner and part-time musician Zeke Bandy is too busy for love. His plate is full running the historic Bandy Hotel and upholding his family’s tradition of offering refuge to strays and runaways. For fun two nights a week, Zeke also plays and sings traditional folk music with his rewritten gay lyrics at the Stonewall Saloon and for occasional celebrations. Then at a gay wedding, Zeke meets Victor Longbow, who just might be the man of his dreams. However, Vic isn’t looking for love either. In fact, because of his upbringing in a strict, white foster family, Vic’s not sure he believes in love. He’s in Stone Acres to open a branch office of a national brokerage firm. He also hopes to track down a vintage photo of what might be his Native American ancestor. After their paths cross, they become friends. Connected by their experiences as orphans raised by flawed fathers, Zeke and Vic wonder if their future could possibly hold love and family or if they are destined only to be lifelong friends.

Relative Best

That night, right before I drifted off, a soft, low, beautiful voice whispered in my ear, “I don’t think I want to be a chief after all. I like being the leader of the chief’s helpers too much.”


Then I felt Vic’s kiss on my neck, and heard his nearly inaudible, “Night, Chief.”  11


The next morning Vic and I got up slowly and had breakfast, and then he went upstairs, where he still had a room, coming down with his luggage and what I thought of as bad news.


“I’ve got to go back to the city for a while.” He cleared his throat and looked away. “I have to close up my condo and put it on the market. Get my stuff together and move here. Be ready to start my new job.”


He peeked up at me, almost shyly. “Miss me?”


I sighed and nodded. Was he kidding, or was he really so clueless?


“Next week sometime.” He ran his finger down my cheek. “You’ve got a little housekeeping to do, right?”


Chapter 28