Sleeping ’til Sunrise (9 page)

“All that hatred, Dad, just ’cause you’re gay,” she said, disgusted. “That’s crazy.”

“That’s why you have to make sure you balance it out with lots of love.”

“And action,” Mike chimed in as he sat down at the table. “Like Takeo did there. You gotta stand up, too, Ivy.”

She nodded and then grinned evilly. “Takeo is totally badass, right?”

“A little bit,” I agreed, chuckling.

SUNRISE WAS
always good, but so was sunset, because even though I still had to pull kittens out of trees and explain to senior nudists about permits for bonfires on the beach, Mangrove was my home, and everyone I loved lived there now.

At the moment I was sitting on my porch railing, waiting for Roark to get back from running over to his house for another suitcase. His brother Crosby’s baby was about to be born, and we were on our way to welcome his niece or nephew. I’d met Elizabeth Savón-Hammond when she and her husband had visited us right after Roark and Crosby reconnected and had formed an almost instant attachment to the bright, loud, warm woman. Ivy had been even more smitten, and she was going with us to see the baby as well. I was looking forward to it.

“God,” Ivy fumed as she came banging out of the house, dumping her packed-to-the-gills overnight bag on the porch. “Why are you guys even doing this—I want to go already.”

“Roark needed—”

“Who cares, Dad? It’s always something. You’re driving us both nuts.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Me and Roark.”

“You and Roark? I’m driving you both crazy.”

“Yeah,” she snapped, grumbling as she flopped down in the Adirondack chair close to me. “It’s ridiculous.”

“I have no idea what—”

“Why’re you so scared to have him move in?”

I pointed to myself.

“Yes, you. For crissakes, Dad, he—”

“Did you just take the Lord’s name in vain?”

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever, ask him to move in already. It’s been three months, he’s had a key since day one, and now it’s getting really… pathetic.”

“Pathetic?”

“Yeah,” she said snidely, sarcasm dripping from her tone.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” she retorted with no less annoyance.

I cleared my throat. “I simply wanted us all to be comfortable with—”

“Ohmygod, he’s nicer than you are, he cooks better, he lets Davis come over and study with me in my room as long as the door’s open, and he got me Grover.”

“Don’t bring up the dog.”

“Why?”

“It’s not a dog, for starters.”

She gasped. “Grover’s my baby.”

“It’s a furry rat.”

“He’s a Pomeranian!”

“It’s not a dog.”

“I love him! Not only can I walk him, but I can carry him in my purse.”

“Which makes him a makeup bag, not a dog.”

She put up her hands. “You’re impossible, and now I’m gonna go over to Hutch and Mike’s and visit Grover while you wait for Roark. Call me when he gets here.”

“I—”

“When you guys were up at dawn greeting the day like
The Lion King
or whatever, you should’ve walked over and got the extra suitcase then.”

“
The Lion King
?”

“Yeah, you know, the song at the beginning when the sun comes up?”

“Go away.”

She snickered as she left me.

Moments later, from up the street came Roark Hammond, waving at people as he walked by, and then, seeing me, he smiled.

It was the one he saved just for me. The one that heated his eyes, made his dimples pop, and was almost shy. It made him bright and shiny, and when I felt the familiar twinge in my chest, I sighed out the very last of my reservations.

“Hey,” I greeted him.

“Sorry,” he called out, jogging up to my gate. “It wasn’t in the garage like I thought. It was in the attic, and I’m never home now, so my place is looking a little—”

“Hey, baby,” I began, “this two houses thing ain’t workin’ for me anymore.”

Roark froze in the middle of the path leading to my front door.

“So I think you should move in.”

“I thought you didn’t like the word ‘ain’t.’”

“I don’t, but it was useful in this instance to get your undivided attention.”

“Yes, it was,” he said, his eyes wide as he stared at me.

I gestured for him to come closer.

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“You can’t take it back.”

“I know.”

“I would need another notarized letter with ten years’ notice if you want me to move out.”

“It won’t be an issue.”

“It won’t?”

“No.”

“Why not?” he prodded.

I stood up and moved to the top of the stairs. “Because I love you, and my daughter loves you, and the hamster posing as a dog you got her loves you, and so… come on. Come into my life and stay awhile.”

“How long?”

“How would forever be?”

He dropped the suitcase, darted up the path, and flung himself into my arms, his own wrapping around my neck. “Forever would do nicely, Chief Dodd, thank you.”

And I kissed him, hard, just to make sure we were on the same page. As though there had ever been any question.

Mangrove Stories

Falling for a coworker is rarely a good idea, especially for a man getting a last chance at salvaging his career. But from the moment Dwyer Knolls sees the beautiful but socially awkward Takeo Hiroyuki, he seems destined to make bad decisions.

Takeo’s life is a string of failed attempts to please his traditional Japanese father. Unfortunately, succeeding in business turns out to be just as difficult for Takeo as changing from gay to straight. In fact, the only thing Takeo seems to truly excel at is taking notice of Dwyer Knolls.

When Dwyer and Takeo head to Mangrove, Florida on a real estate buying trip, their tentative friendship combusts and becomes much more. Is their sudden connection real enough to bank their futures on, or should they chalk the whole thing up to the daze inspired by the blue ocean breeze?

Mangrove Stories

It’s a lovely little life Kelly Seaton leads. He’s got his own landscaping business, a nice little house, and his best friend, Cosimo Renaldi, and Coz’s goofball family who have adopted Kelly as their own. Sure, it’s a little lonely at night, but it’s a sweet deal, and Kelly can’t chance ruining it by letting on that he wants more—has always wanted more—with Coz.

Then Kelly’s past comes to town, bringing bad memories and hurt feelings that start to break Kelly down, and Coz just doesn’t understand why Kelly won’t let him be the support and strength that Kelly’s always been for him. They’ve already been through war, Coz’s devastating injury, and starting new careers in Mangrove, Florida. Why shouldn’t they face their chaotic pasts and build their future of quiet nights… together?

Mangrove Stories

Hutch Crowley is well-liked in the small resort town of Mangrove—he’s got friends in his new neighbors, he’s the owner of the town grocery, and he’s building a community center—but he’s still unlucky at love. Every man he’s attracted to is either taken or simply not interested, including his best friend, Mike Rojas.

When Mike came to Mangrove two years ago, Hutch gave him a job and a place to stay in his guesthouse, where Mike has remained ever since. Despite the rumors circulating about them, Hutch knows Mike is straight and looking for the right woman. But his friends disagree, and after some hints to the contrary, even Hutch finally has to admit that maybe the rest of the town sees something he’s been missing. If Hutch wants to spend each sultry sunset with the man of his dreams, it might be time to figure out what’s going on with his best friend’s heart.

Mangrove Stories

Lazlo Maguire doesn’t do relationships—he does transactions. Six months of the year, he’s an expensive rent boy in Manhattan, and he moves so fast that settling down could not, would not, ever enter his mind… except for once. Britton Lassiter he meets man to man, not as hustler and mark, and it’s too good to be true when the lawyer wants to keep Lazlo even if he has to share him with the job.

But Lazlo has his reasons to walk away from the man he’s grown to love. The other six months of the year, he is laid-back Laz, a shopkeeper in the sleepy coastal town of Mangrove, Florida, where the artist he never allows himself to be in the Big Apple shines through. He lives for his time by the ocean, the place he hides his secrets and nurses his broken heart.

Then fate intervenes, and Laz gets the surprise of his life when he spies Britton in Mangrove—but it’s not meant to be… not until Britton sees the change in him and wants to be a part of Laz’s new life so that every evening can be easy… together. Hopefully the secrets that tore them apart won’t come back to haunt them.

Marshals: Book Two

Deputy US Marshals Miro Jones and Ian Doyle are now partners on
and
off the job: Miro’s calm professionalism provides an ideal balance to Ian’s passion and quick temper. In a job where one misstep can be the difference between life and death, trust means everything. But every relationship has growing pains, and sometimes Miro stews about where he stands with his fiery lover. Could the heartstrings that so recently tied them together be in danger of unraveling?