This story was originally published in 2014 and it was only a 20,000 novella. When I got the rights back the book sat unpublished for many years. Then I picked it up this year and rewrote and restructured the entire book into a 70,000 full novel. I loved reconnecting with Asher and Thomas. Those two men are dear to my heart.
Some people don’t like reading about closeted men in our modern society. But it think it’s ridiculous to pretend that people don’t still live in the closet. Our society is becoming terrifying lately and we seem to be going backwards. There are many reasons gay people stay in the closet and to pretend homophobia doesn’t exist is silly. I still want to write stories that reflect the reality of the challenges our LGBTQ friends experience.
Hope you enjoy the new book and I look forward to hearing from you.
S.C.
Thomas Lexington is openly gay, confident, and the proud owner of The Coffee Corral. He’s always dreamed of opening his own gourmet coffeehouse in his small hometown of Albin, Colorado, and now that dream is a reality. Opening day is a huge success, and even the town penny-pinchers seem to love the new coffeehouse.
Asher Jones is a ruggedly handsome cowboy who wanders into Thomas’s coffeehouse on opening day. He usually gets his coffee at a local gas station, but his usual haunt is closed for renovations. The minute Asher and Thomas lay eyes on each other, there’s an immediate spark. One huge problem—Asher isn’t out of the closet.
Despite their immediate attraction, Thomas is wary of getting too close to Asher. He’s been hurt many times before by men who use him but refuse to be with him openly. Thomas refuses to ever go back to being someone’s dirty secret. But the two men share a natural, easy friendship that brings them closer and closer.
As their friendship grows, so does their undeniable chemistry. The two men try to keep things platonic, but when Asher tells Thomas he’s willing to come out after all, the men move beyond a platonic relationship. Thomas thinks he’s finally found a man who will love him openly—but then Asher suddenly backs out of his promise.