Everyone hopes his road to happily ever after will be carefree and smooth, but too often hair-pin turns and detours seem to get in the way. Having thought he was on the road to forever before, former Silicon Valley programmer Dan Lassiter is leery about pedaling down it again. His elderly companion Charlie urges him to get to know Rick Reardon whose bakery is across the street from Dan’s bicycle shop. Under the watchful eye of Charlie, Dan and Rick take tentative steps toward each other, all the while trying to avoid potholes such as exes, homophobes, and family problems. As summer turns to fall and then winter, they hope that the road will be smooth going from their first date and first kiss to having what Rick’s sister euphemistically calls their “sleepovers.” At each step, though, they are tripped up and wonder why there seem to be so many bumps in their road. Maybe Dan and Rick should heed some of Charlie’s sage advice, or maybe they should listen to their hearts instead of the ghosts from their pasts.

Heart of the Holidays

Her laugh sounded more like a hiccough, but she started straightening the heap that had fallen victim to her son Mack.


I looked around for Charlie. He evidently hadn’t emerged from his nap yet. Probably staying in the house where it was nice and cool. He knew he could get me to tell him all about what had happened out here. I never could keep a secret.


The next few weeks flew by before the kids started school. Patty began working at the bakery, giving her brother more free time.


Rick and I agreed to put off our first official date until his now extended family gelled.


We met to talk, often at his bakery for a quick mid-morning drink and pastry and mid-afternoon after he’d closed for the day.


“I’m really sorry how all this happened.”


“Stop apologizing. She’s your sister. If I had a sister—or a brother for that matter—I would have done exactly what you did.”


“But it’s no way to start a potential relationship with someone.”


Chapter 5