“What are we doing here?” Ben asked.

“I wanted to show you a special painting of mine,” Tim said.

“You mean the one you gave me for my birthday,” Ben said, catching on. He couldn’t help but swoon a little at the romantic notion. “You can’t have it back you know,” he said in mock seriousness.

Tim merely smiled and stepped out of the car. “Lead the way,” he said.

Well, at least Tim didn’t have a key to his house already! Ben led them to the living room and turned on the light. Samson woke up from his favorite place on the couch and blinked at them. He was getting on in years and was a bit raggedy, but he still had a lot of spunk. Ben felt a momentary surge of guilt and looked over at Jace in his frame. Perhaps this was a bad idea after all.

“Jace--” Ben began.

“--was a good man,” Tim continued for him. “The best, in fact. I would never dishonor his memory and I will never, ever be able to replace him. No one could.”

Samson meowed, jumped off the couch, and went straight to Tim. He rubbed up against him affectionately before doing the same to Ben. He looked at the pair of them, purred, and hopped back on the couch to continue his nap.

Maybe it would be okay.

Ben turned to point out the painting, but it wasn’t there. Something new hung in its place. In a way, it was the very same piece of art that Tim had given him all those years ago, but realized in his new style. Instead of two hearts, there were now two hands clutching at each other. One was strong with thick fingers, the digits of the other thin and fair. Ben raised his own hand in amazement, recognizing the second as his own. Tim had captured its likeness perfectly.

The hands were bathed in radiant light, incorporating the exact colors of the old painting. This was a message perfected, an expression of what Tim felt for Ben, but this time unhindered by fear and free of uncertainty. Ben stared at it, feeling as though he had finally heard the words from Tim that he had so longed for.

Tim reached over and took Ben’s hand, positioning it in his own so that they matched the painting. “I love you, Benjamin Bentley,” he said. “I should have told you that twelve years ago. I’ve always loved you.”

All his doubts, every fear, even the smallest insecurity inside Ben gave way to the unstoppable, immutable, uncompromising force that is love.

“What now?” Ben asked.

“Now we start over.”

Tim leaned forward for a kiss, eyes dancing with hope and affection. Ben regarded him for a moment, seeing only the cocky teenager he had once dared to love, even though it had always been against the odds. Then Ben closed his eyes and leaned forward.

And so they began again.

__________

Also by Jay Bell, The Cat in the Cradle

Dueling with mad magicians, battling possessed beasts, and surviving endless hostile landscapes? Easy. Loving someone you weren't supposed to? That was hard.

A faceless killer terrorizes the Five Lands, one set on killing the ten Oligarchs, masters of elemental magic. It is from this murderer that Dylan, son of the Blue Oligarch, is forced to flee. Only Tyjinn, a brash and unpredictable bodyguard, stands between Dylan and certain death. Rather than play it safe, Tyjinn makes an unusual proposal; to hunt the hunter. This isn't the only unorthodox idea he puts forth as an attraction blooms between the two young men. In the midst of uncountable obstacles and unforgiving odds, can Dylan really afford to recognize his own feelings?

The Cat in the Cradle is Jay Bell's debut fantasy novel. The novel takes the reader on an exploration of the Five Lands and the different realms of the strange and fantastic Oligarchs. Each Oligarch possesses a different colored loka that enables them to wield a unique style of magic. Dylan, aided by his talking cat Kio, must prevent the lokas from falling into the hands of a power hungry killer before the Five Lands is brought to its knees. The print version of The Cat in the Cradle features 25 original illustrations, one for each chapter.

For more information, please see:

www.jaybellbooks.com