It's been eleven years since Nick ran off with David for the West Coast. And though his life resembles a blue dream, after more than a decade of bar tending in resorts and cruise ships, Nick is finally thinking of heading home. First, he needs to go see about David in Vancouver ...<br><br>When he arrives, Nick finds a community of young men devastated by AIDS. Part of him wants to flee back to Montreal, but David is dying and Nick knows his place is by his best friend's side. In those four days and nights in David's apartment by the English Bay, Nick learns more about himself than he ever did before. When it's all over, he packs his bag and locks up his grief, determine to honor the promise he made to David of opening up his own restaurant.<br><br>Five years later, Nick is gaining a reputation in the industry as a chef, but has yet to have any meaningful relationships. Until Derek O'Reilly, that redheaded kid with the avocado-green eyes he used to know, walks into his dining room and ignites Nick's passion once more.

Blue Awakenings

And for the first time since we’d met, my boy laughed.


I rubbed his white blond hair back. “I’m your old man, kid. And you’re kind of stuck with me.” I put my face in his shoulder and kissed him there, inhaling his strange little baby scent. “You don’t have to like me,” I whispered. “But you gotta give me some kind of a chance.”  19


“So, we’re yelling for this guy to turn around, okay, and I’m like, fucking ready for anything, my hand on my weapon and then—” Boone cracked up with laughter, his happy, handsome face drawing a smile out of me, “—then the guy turns around, right? And he’s got—” But Bunny couldn’t go on for a second, laughing too hard.


Chapter 39