I wrote this story years ago, and it was the very first thing I’d ever released. It even came before Pitch! It’s rough, hasn’t had professional editing, but it holds a special place in my heart. Hope you enjoy Eli and Tommy.
Okay, I wanted to thank you all for sticking with me on this journey. I hope you’ve enjoyed Oscar and Max, and if you haven’t read them already, check out Haven’s Creed and Haven’s War.
Today’s installment has Oscar and Max watching a Disney flick, and what makes it weirder? Oscar chooses it.
Okay, picture this…
Young Will, maybe thirteen years old, wrote a story that he was proud of. Took it to his father, wanting him to look at it. He took the folder from his hands and said, “What are you wasting your time on this shit for? It’s never going to amount to anything.”
Well, today I got news from Dreamspinner Press telling me that my book, Runner, will be one of the nominees for the amazing Lambda Literary Awards! Yes, that’s right. Runner is up for a national award! It doesn’t matter if I win or not, this proves that my work does amount to something.
Naturally I called home and told Mom. She was tickled pink. I asked her to please make sure she tells the old man, let him know that despite his harsh words for a story he never even looked at, his kid’s writing did amount to something. So HA!
Okay, got that off my chest. I never expected anything like this at all. When I got the mail, I had to write to Lynn West from Dreamspinner to ask her if she was teasing me. She assures me she’s not.
So Matt and Charlie, you’ve hit the big time. Thank you for letting me come along for the ride.
We’re up to the present. Only two more chapters to go. Oscar returns home after the events in Haven’s War, and to Max’s arms.
Present Day
As soon as I entered the door, the shirt and shoes came off and the volume on the stereo went up. I cued my favorite workout song, and let it vibrate the whole damn house. The beat and cadence of The Warrior Song by Sean Householder was perfect for a deep workout session, and after the mission I’d run with my old friend, Haven, had gone tits up—in the most horrifying way—I needed to get rid of the tension and anger that had been building even before we said our good byes at the airport. It took a lot of effort at least seem unaffected.
“You’ll call,” Haven told me, letting me know it wasn’t my choice.
I gave him a grin, but there wasn’t any mirth within me at all. I loved Haven, and I’d come to love his husband, Sammy. The two of them—plus Kelly and Lilah—were the closest thing I had to friends—family—but I needed to not be around them anymore. Deep down inside, I had the overwhelming urge to be home, to ensure that everything was still right. The psychotic son of a bitch that Haven had asked me to help him take down had been, but not before he’d killed a lot of people, including one I owed my life to.
“We’ll see.” I turned to Sammy and flashed him a grin. “You ever get tired of this piece of shit, you know where to find me.”
He laughed, glanced back to Haven, then shook his head. “Sorry, you’re not my type,” he said, as he wrapped his arm around Haven’s waist.
The love I could see between them had to be the most genuine I’d seen in a long time. It made the ache in the pit of my stomach even worse, because it made me think of home again. I was torn from my reverie when the volume on the stereo dropped to almost nothing.
I watched Knight like a hawk. For six days, I dogged his every step. He didn’t go many places, but when he left the house, I was on him. Trips to the store, to a restaurant, and once to see a play at the local community theater. It was all so normal, but… Something about it still set my teeth on edge.