Sometimes you find love where you least expect it. For Sergeant Ryder Brooks that’s writing letters home to Dean Anders, his Army pen pal.
As a kid, Ryder Brooks bounced from one foster home to the next. He’s never had a family, never had someone who he could count on to stay when times became tough. As soon as he was able, he joined the Army and found a purpose in life. There’s one thing he still can’t combat, though—his loneliness. He joins the Army pen pal program, never imagining he’ll find someone as amazing as Dean.
The two connect through letters and phone calls for a year, falling in love and making plans to meet when Ryder finishes his tour. However, nothing’s fair in love and war, and in an effort to save one of his men, Ryder finds himself in a situation that will irrevocably change his life. Broken and depressed, he doesn’t think Dean will want him anymore.
When Dean learns what has happened and discovers Ryder has a long road of recovery ahead of him, will he be there to support him or will the distant communication that’s kept Ryder going cease altogether? Only time will tell.
General Release Date: 6th March 2015
Spring Lake, North Carolina
‘Baby, they showed up at the house, I just knew… Oh God, Dax, my boy… They said it was an IED… Can you drive? Dean? Please, I need you, son… You’re all I have left…’
He had just gotten home from work—a teacher’s meeting had run late. He hadn’t even had a chance to put his book bag down before his phone had rung. He’d answered then dropped the bag, his keys and thrown his phone. Dean left his house, barely remembering to shut the door. He ran all the time, just not in pants, a button-up shirt, and tie. He got a few odd and concerned stares but he ignored everyone. His feet hit the pavement and he didn’t even think about where he was going. His only thought was maybe if he kept running he could escape the pain and the new hole in his chest. Try as he might to ignore it, Beth’s voice rang in his head.
‘Baby, they showed up at the house, I just knew… Oh God, Dax… They said it was an IED… Can you drive? Dean? Please, I need you, son… You’re all I have left…’
Tears streamed down his face as he kept going until he somehow wound up in the park. Out of breath, and unable to fight it, he leaned against an old oak tree, gasping, bent over at the waist. When he caught his breath, forcing air in and out again, he thought about continuing the run until he noticed he was at the tree that held so many memories. He looked up, recalling the summer they had both broken their arms when they were eight. Then at eleven they had tried to build a fort but Parks and Rec made them take it down, though Dax had sure fought it. And at sixteen… Well, he’d found out who his true family and friends were, with Dax proving he was the brother Dean had always wanted.
Even though it was fifteen years ago, he remembered that day as if he was sixteen all over again.
He dropped his sleeping bag and backpack next to the old oak. After sinking down into the soft grass, he wrapped his arms around his knees and tried not to cry. His whole body hurt but that was nothing compared to his dad disowning him. For being who he was and finally admitting it. He was gay. And now he was homeless. What was he going to do?
He was so tired and sore that he must have dozed off or blacked out. He wasn’t sure. He was startled to hear his name. “Dean? Buddy?” Dax knelt beside him. “I thought that was you.”
Dean looked up, swiping at his runny nose. “Dax…” He knew his face was a wreck—busted lip, black eye, a cut above his left temple. He was pretty sure he had a cracked rib and maybe even a broken wrist. The horror of it showed on Dax’s face but was quickly replaced with anger.
“Who the hell did this to you? I’ll kick their asses!” Dax growled, searching around as if Dean’s attackers were nearby. Dean didn’t doubt, if it had been a bully, that Dax could take them. Whereas he was scrawny and still trying to build muscle, Dax was strong and had a broad-shouldered frame that showed off his athletic prowess. They were opposites—Dean had black hair and green eyes, Dax blond hair and blue eyes. But they had grown up together, thick as thieves, and remained friends even in high school. No one picked on him for being nerdy because Dax was so popular.
“You can’t go after my old man.”
“He hit you? Why the heck would he do that? You never get in trouble without me.”
Dean was so scared. He’d already lost his family. If he told Dax would he hit him too? Would he walk away and leave him all alone? Dean wasn’t sure he wanted to live if that happened. What was the point if no one cared? “Because… I’m gay,” he whispered.
Dax seemed shocked for a moment. “You are?”
“Yeah, my dad beat my ass when I admitted it.”
“Your dad is an ass, why did you tell him?”
“’Cause Mom caught me kissing Stevie,” Dean confessed, and Dax’s eyes widened. “She made me tell my dad then just watched as he hit me over and over. When I got up he threw me out in the yard. I snuck back in and got some of my stuff but I… I don’t have anywhere to go, Dax. They hate me.” He let out a strangled sob then added, “Do you hate me too?”
“For being gay? No, why would I? You’re still my best friend.” Dax paused, then, to Dean’s surprise, pulled him in for a quick hug. It was a brief comfort that lifted a weight from his shoulders. “Don’t cry. We’ll fix this. You can stay with me.”
“What if your mom doesn’t like me being gay?”
“My Uncle Eric is gay. No big deal.”
Dean couldn’t believe it, but relief washed through him. Dax’s family wouldn’t care about him being gay—maybe he wouldn’t have to live on the streets. He could get a job or something, pay them to stay there. Just until college. He was going to get a scholarship and study. “How come you never told me that?”
Dax shrugged. “You’ve never talked about your aunt who lives in Florida or your uncle in Nebraska. You know family stuff is boring. Anyway, he lives in San Diego with his husband and I’ve visited him a few times. He’s cool. We’d probably visit more if we could afford it. Mom talks to him every day, though.”
“Oh…” Dean wiped his eyes. “I’m glad you don’t hate me.”
“I hate your old man. What kind of crap is that? You’re his kid, and your mom. Man, my mom is gonna flip.” Dax whistled. “She’ll let them have it. I bet she could get them to understand. She got my grandpa to come around.”
Dean shook his head. “I don’t want to go back. They won’t ever understand. I can’t live there knowing they think I’m wrong. And what if he hurts me again?”
“There’s nothing wrong with you.” Dax looked like he wanted to hit Dean upside the head for saying it. “I’ll take on anyone who says there is, even your old man. We’re blood brothers, right?”
A tiny smile twitched Dean’s lips. “Right.”
Dax stood and held out a hand. “C’mon, I bet you’re hungry.” He grinned. “Man, you know what this means?”
“What?”
“More chicks for me!” Dax chuckled as Dean punched his arm. “What? I was just trying to get you to laugh.”
Dean shook his head. “Ha ha.” He grabbed his backpack and Dax took the sleeping bag. ”Thanks, Dax.”
Dax slung his arm around his shoulder. “Any time, little bro.”
They walked to Dax’s house slowly—Dean was in a fair amount of pain and it hurt to even breathe too deeply. When they reached the one-storey bungalow, Dean paused on the steps, wrapping his arms around himself.
“What’s up?” Dax asked.
“What if your mom tries to make me go home? Or Social Services comes and takes me away?” Tears prickled his eyes. He swiped at them. “I don’t want to go anywhere.”
“Hey, I meant what I said.” Dax laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, not his usual roughness. “I promise, I’ll do whatever I got to so you can stay here, ’kay?”
Dean nodded then hugged Dax again. He just wanted to feel safe. And he did with his brother.
“Dax!” his mom called out as she stepped onto the front porch. “Dean, what in the heavens!” She rushed to him and drew him into an embrace. He held on, burying his face in her shoulder as his body shook. “What happened, sweetheart? Dax, baby, who did this?”
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