Home to Cedarwood
Will the naysayers drive Colin and Jordan apart, or will the two make their way together in this small town?
Colin Baker owns a bookstore and he’s back in Cedarwood with his son. He’s looking for a new start after a bad breakup, but he never expected that start to include his old crush, Officer Jordan Hargrove. Jordan hasn’t come out, but if he can score with Colin, then he’s all in. He’s dreamed of hot nights with the quiet man.
After a speeding ticket and some hurt feelings, sparks fly between the bookstore owner and the police officer, but Cedarwood is a small town with small-town values, and a gay couple isn’t what the town expects. Colin’s created a support group for single gay fathers and he feels he’s making some difference in Cedarwood. Some folks are fine with these two men reconnecting, but others aren’t.
Will their love survive or will it fall apart before they get started?
Ripples in Cedarwood
One never intended on being a father and the other isn’t looking for a relationship, but they’re about to find out that what they want and need might be the last thing they expected.
Steve Moore wasn’t planning on being a dad. He envisioned a life of teaching and professional swimming. Fast forward a year and he’s the guardian of his ten-year-old sister. He wants love and passion, but who wants to date a guy with a family?
Farin Baker believed love wasn’t in his cards—until he takes his nephew to swimming lessons. One glance at the water-slicked hunk teaching the class has him thinking about jumping into the dating pool once again. He’s ready for a fresh start and a hot guy for his bed.
Will these two men find heat between the sheets or will the guardianship situation be the biggest detriment to them finding happiness?
Scoring in Cedarwood
Tanner Fox wasn’t sure being traded to the Cedarwood Wildcats was the right path for his life, but if Dr. Dane Bloom is part of the package, then he’ll play for keeps.
Tanner “Foxy” Fox knows he can do one thing—play baseball. His days in the outfield are numbered, but he’s a fan favorite. Everyone wants a piece of Foxy—almost everyone. The Anti-Gay Coalition wants nothing of a gay player on the town baseball team, but Tanner isn’t about to back down, especially when he lands sponsorship from the silver-fox doctor in town.
When Dr. Dane Bloom opts to sponsor the baseball team, he knows he’s going to be asked to sponsor a player. Having a younger man living in his home and invading his trust? Why not? Dane’s not wild about opening up, but when he sees Tanner, something in him shatters. He wants to get to know Tanner, beyond the Foxy façade to the man inside. Can he and the player find a way to score in Cedarwood, or will the coalition and self-doubts keep them apart?
Rainbows Over Cedarwood
The moment Ashley gave up looking for the right man, he showed up in the form of restaurateur Colt Harrison. Sexy has never looked this good.
Ashley Willis didn’t think he was interested in joining the dating pool…that is, until he catches a glimpse of Colt. The sexy diner owner makes him hot all over and has him thinking all sorts of dirty thoughts. But Ashley has to worry about more than his sex drive—he’s a single dad. What goes on in his life affects his son. Will Ashley play it safe or find the love he deserves with Colt?
Colt’s been happily single for the last few years. He likes his complications to stay at the diner. Then he meets Ashley. The geeky art teacher is everything Colt’s dreamed of having in his bed. Will the fact that Ashley’s a single father be the deal-breaker or will the naysayers in Cedarwood break up this couple before they get a chance to find love?
Rocking Cedarwood
Can the geeky teacher moonlighting as a rock-and-roll metal god find the one man to see both sides and want it all with him?
Ever since Michael Jepsen walked into Cedarwood Elementary and spotted Niall Grayson, he’s been hooked. He wants to explore every inch of the sexy third-grade teacher in all sorts of hot ways. But Michael has a secret—during the summer months, he morphs into his alter ego, Bandit, and rocks stages all across the country. Can he keep his job at the school while living the rock-and-roll lifestyle and snag the man of his dreams?
Niall Grayson never thought he’d catch Michael’s eye. Becoming more than good friends never crossed his mind. He’s not good at letting people into his private life and he prefers to keep his heart guarded, but something about Michael makes him want to open up. Will he be able to accept the different facets of Michael or will the relationship fail before it gets started?
These two are determined to rock Cedarwood to its core.
General Release Date: 5th September 2023
“Hello. Welcome to our single fathers’ group. My name is Colin Baker. I own the Books, Comics, Vintage and Memorabilia Bookstore on Main Street. I’m thirty years old, gay and I have a son. I’ve been single for the last year, and I’m not sure I’m ready to start dating, but I’m positive I’m tired of being alone.” Colin rubbed his hands together and stood behind the podium. He hated being the center of attention. Being terminally shy, he preferred to play the role of the wallflower. Then he and his partner had adopted their son. Everything had changed when they’d welcomed Gage into their lives. He gripped the top of the podium.
“I’m glad you’re all here.” Colin folded his hands to hide the shaking. “I created this group for the single gay parents in the Cedarwood area—especially the guys. As you know, Cedarwood isn’t exactly welcoming to the LGBT community. There aren’t many of us, but I figured we all need a support system. Feel free to add your name to the outreach list and invite anyone you think might like to attend. In this group, we share our stories and support one another. Now I’ll open the floor.”
He stepped away from the mic and made his way down the steps of the stage. Meeting in the basement of the former Reserved Church of the Open-Minded worked better than he’d expected. People knew the building, but no one seemed to care if anyone gathered there—unless the people were gay. The church for anyone who wanted to worship had only lasted long enough for a sign to be erected. Bad for the church members but good for Colin and his people, who now numbered only five. He grabbed one of the chairs and listened to the others share their stories.
He’d been asked once if the group was intended to hook up the single fathers. Colin had smiled at the time, but inwardly seethed. God. Yes, they were single, but not everyone wanted to hook up. Okay, that wasn’t true. He wasn’t interested in a hookup. After Nicolas, he dreaded jumping back into the dating pool. But the loneliness wouldn’t go away.
Two and a half hours later, the meeting broke up. He helped put the chairs away, turn off lights and locked the building. The guys in the group were a good bunch. Everyone seemed interested in the problems of the others. Some of the men were making headway in their love lives. Others weren’t. Some were happy to be in Colin’s not-yet-ready-for-dating camp.
Despite the town’s location outside Cleveland, the population numbered only around six thousand. Most people worked in the bigger city and spent their weekends in Cedarwood. People moved to Cedarwood for the schools and the safe small-town feel. The children tended to live idyllic lives. The kids belonging to gay parents were the subject of bullying more than most of the other children. He knew because he’d heard stories from his son.
Colin drove home to the duplex he shared with his brother, Farin. The light shone in the living room of his half of the building. Farin must’ve brought Gage home for the night. Colin checked his watch. Nine p.m. Shit. He’d stayed out fifteen minutes past his son’s bedtime. He preferred to be home before Gage went to sleep to kiss him good night. He strode into the house and dropped his coat and keys on the chair by the door.
“Heya.” Farin stood. He rolled his shoulders and groaned. “I’ve been on that couch for the better part of forty-five minutes. Gage and I read every book he’s got on every superhero known to mankind.”
“He likes his superheroes.” Colin rubbed his temples. “Police too. I don’t know why. I tried to get him interested in baseball, but that hasn’t worked.”
“It’s a phase. Remember how I used to get silly over fire trucks?” Farin patted his brother’s shoulder. “I was five, but I loved those trucks. But we were talking about Gage. He hit the hay ten minutes ago. He didn’t want to go to bed. When I asked him why, he said there’s a kid at school giving him hell. He didn’t say hell, but you get the idea.”
Colin pointed to the chair. “Sit. He hasn’t said a word of this to me. What’s going on?”
“Okay.” Farin perched on the edge of the armchair. “Some kid in his class—he wouldn’t say who—has been talking crap to him. Saying his dad is gay, so he must be gay. Kids are rough at that age.”
“He’s seven.” A dull ache grew behind his eyes. The next thing he knew, the kid would be teasing Gage because he was adopted, too. His younger brother had definitely inherited the listening gene. Where Colin moved first and thought second, Farin knew how to get people to talk. Apparently, he’d worked his magic on Gage.
Farin rested his elbows on his knees. “Don’t let it bother you. Kids say stupid shit all the time. I talked to Gage, but he wanted me to keep quiet. He just wants to know that Dad has his back, but he’s scared to talk to you because he’s worried you’ll get upset. Let him know you’ll go in and talk to the principal, too, if that’s what needs to be done.”
“You bet your ass I’ll talk to the principal.” Colin bit back his anger. He hated the way the residents of Cedarwood refused to accept the differences in society. So some people are gay. Who cares?
“Calm down before you do or you’ll blow a gasket and get yourself into trouble.” Farin left the chair and headed to the front door. “Give Gage a kiss, tell him it’s cool and you and Uncle Farin love him. If you need help, I’m right over there.” He saluted Colin, then headed out of the door.
Colin jumped up from his seat and ascended the stairs two at a time. When he reached Gage’s bedroom, his son was already asleep. The kid did have a talent for crashing once his head hit the pillow. He kissed Gage on the forehead and whispered, “Love you, big boy.”
Colin crept out of the room and left the door open a bit. He went back downstairs long enough to lock up and turn off the lights. He paused at the picture window. The lights of Cedarwood twinkled against the dark sky. In the silence of the night, the small town was almost pretty. He should’ve been happy to live in the community. The schools were all located in one central campus and the sports programs were highly ranked. The graduating classes featured only around a hundred and twenty-five kids each. A person could still shop in town and get everything needed in one trip down the main drag. The cost of living wasn’t horrible, either. But the cost of living in Cedarwood as a gay man rose by the minute. He managed to fuck himself over doubly by co-owning the lone bookstore in town. The people wanted the books, comics and collectibles he sold, but that didn’t stop them from making derogatory comments.
He raked his fingers through his hair. He wasn’t part of the star baseball team and he wasn’t the naive kid from high school anymore. He had a kid, a business and a life. He’d worry about Gage’s problems at school in the morning. Maybe by then he’d have a fresh perspective or better advice to give his son. Maybe.
Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.
When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice.
Find out more about Megan on her website, and sign up for the newsletter here. You can also check out her Blog, Amazon Author Page, Bookbub and Instagram.
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