Breakdown 1: Nowhere to Run
a Chaser by Mychael Black
Torquere Press
Jack has a real thing for Ty. Problem is that Ty's a lot younger than
him, and straight to boot. Well, at least he thinks Ty is, until Ty
makes sure he knows that's not the case, sealing the deal with a kiss.
Maybe even more than a kiss, during a spontaneous encounter.
Set in the same world as the popular Hearth and Home series, Jack and
Ty can count Robbie and Seth as friends. And matchmakers when someone
suggests a night out for beer and pool. Can Jack overcome Ty's growing
confusion about what he wants, and keep Ty's family from interfering in
their new relationship?
: :
Excerpt:
“To one who waits, a moment seems a year.”
Jack crumpled the sliver of paper and tossed it onto the table. He put
it out of his mind as he nibbled on the fortune cookie, not quite
tasting it. Maybe it was time to head out, find his own place, maybe a
small farm or ranch. Some place where he could forget haunted brown
eyes, no matter the smile below them. Jack sighed and sipped his Coke,
telling himself it was all a mistake. He should have never let the kid
get so close. He hadn’t seen it comin’, and now he
was
payin’ the price.
“More Coke, sir?”
He waved away the waitress and dug his wallet out. Jack handed her his
Visa card and the check off the table, waiting until she was gone to
bury his fingers in his hair and growl. He wasn’t ready to go
back home and face the emptiness of the house. Mack’s place
was
always open, but Jack didn’t feel like being quite that
social
tonight. In a few days, the place would be swarmin’ with the
Sextons. Jack didn’t begrudge Robbie and Seth their
happiness,
but a part of him ached to feel the same thing. Only trouble was, the
one he wanted was too young and too... Hell, too young was just the tip
of the iceberg.
The waitress brought Jack’s card and the receipt back. He
signed
one copy and slipped the other into his wallet with his card before
sliding out of the booth. Once outside, he tugged his coat tighter
around him and fought the bitter cold as it searched for a way into his
lungs. Thank God he’d fixed the truck’s heater back
in
October.
Just as Jack got in and buckled up, his cell phone vibrated in his
pocket. With a little squirming and cussing, he finally managed to dig
the damn thing out of his jeans. He flipped it open and groaned at the
display before answering.
“Hey.”
“You stoppin’ by Wal-Mart on your way
home?” Ty asked.
“I can. Why?”
“My damn brake pads are starting to grind. I’ll pay
ya back.”
“Sure. It’s a ‘95, isn’t
it?”
“Yep. Thanks, man. I owe ya.”
“No problem. Be home soon.”
Jack pressed ‘end’ and tipped his head back,
exhaling
slowly. He had to get this shit under control. Nobody’d ever
twisted him up quite as bad as Ty, and the damn kid was half his age.
Sighing, he started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot,
heading in the direction of Wal-Mart. Things had been easier when
Robbie and Seth were there. Yeah, he had to watch them together, but at
least it kept his mind off of Ty -- for the most part. He rolled into
the Wal-Mart parking lot and steeled himself to deal with the holiday
rush.