Blind Spot (28 page)
THE CEREMONY
was short, simple, and sweet. Sam stood at Rachel’s side as her best man and watched as she and Alex exchanged their vows. Both of them were beautiful, wearing matching white suits. He couldn’t help glancing at Nathan and wondering if they would ever end up at the altar.
Nathan caught his eye and smiled.
BACK AT
the Lucky Star after the ceremony, even Tim started to enjoy himself. He found himself in the company of a pretty girl, one of Alex’s cousins. In spite of being initially shy, he soon warmed up to her, and Sam took the opportunity to pull Nathan into a dance.
The Lucky Star was freshly painted, and with the new wood floor and furniture, it had a certain class it previously lacked. Rachel was a classy lady.
“Are you having a good time?” Sam asked as they swayed together.
“Mmm-hmm. You?” Nathan wrapped his arms around Sam’s back and squeezed.
“Yeah. I’ve been thinking.”
“Oh no.” Nathan nosed the side of his face.
Sam nuzzled back. “Ha. No. Seriously. It’s about California.”
“Oh, about that. I had an—”
“No. Hear me out. I think it might be good for us to make a change.”
“Really?” Nathan grinned at him. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’m sure. I guess it’s starting to feel like there’s not much left for us here. And it’s important for you to be with your mom. And… well, I could deal without another long winter. What were you going to say?”
“I have a proposition for you. A business proposition.”
“I’m all ears.” Nathan spun them around in the gradually thickening crowd. Friends and family had come from all over the country to celebrate. The song changed to a slow jam.
“I was thinking about opening up my own firm.”
“Firm?”
“Yes. A PI firm.” Nathan tightened his arms. He seemed nervous as he waited to see how Sam would react. It was adorable.
“Shut up. Wow.”
“It’s only an idea. I haven’t worked out the details yet, and I know you’re busy with your own work. But I was hoping… well, maybe you would help out once in a while on a case.”
“Like partners?” Sam could hardly believe it. Nathan was proposing they work on cases together. He once fantasized about that, but he never thought it would actually happen.
“Like partners.”
“And you’d trust me?” Sam bit his bottom lip. He knew that, at one time, he wouldn’t have been the most reliable partner. But he’d improved. The therapy was helping, and he was proud of the strides he’d made in his recovery. The writing helped too. It didn’t mean he’d never have a setback, but he was healing, taking it one day at a time.
“With my life.”
Sam threw his head back and laughed. They had come a long way. “You’re not messing with me?”
“You have a lot to offer, Sam. You’re smart. You’re persistent. We’ll have to work on your penchant for plunging into danger without a second thought, but I think it could work. What do you say?”
“Uh, I say yes. Of course. Yes.”
Nathan kissed him, and Sam held on for dear life as his legs turned to jelly. Someone hooted at them from the other side of the room. Tim.
“Well, fuck me,” said Sam once they finally separated. If they hadn’t been in public, he probably would have dropped to his knees.
Nathan leaned down and whispered, “I intend to. For the rest of my life, if you’ll have me.” He grinned mischievously when Sam opened his eyes.
“What was that?” The song changed again to a louder beat, and Sam wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly.
“I’m saying you’re it, for me. I love you and I love your brother. I want us to be a family. I want to do this—this whole wedding thing—with you. If you want.” He tacked on the last statement with a breathy laugh. “I mean, not tomorrow. But someday.”
Sam glanced around to take in the scene. He was in a crowded room, dancing with Nathan and a hundred other wedding guests. A group of lesbians had begun a conga line and were weaving their way through the throng, gaining aunts, uncles, and cousins as they went. Rachel and Alex were ignoring everyone while they dirty danced to a 50 Cent throwback and, a few feet away, someone’s grandmother was groping Yuri.
Sam had a pretty fucked-up subconscious, but he’d never in a million years have a dream that weird. It must be real life. He laughed and dragged Nathan’s smiling mouth down to meet his own.
“Now that sounds like a partnership I can get behind.”
The Stonebridge Mysteries: Book One
Sam Flynn dreamed of being a journalist, until a car accident killed his parents and put his brother into a long-term coma. Now Sam spends his days as a landscaper, toiling in the New England sun, and his nights drunk in bed with the closest warm body. In his limited spare time, he writes about Stonebridge’s local crime and politics on his blog “Under the Bridge.”
Then Sam’s favorite client is found dead in her home—shortly after telling him someone has betrayed her trust. Sam can’t believe her grief-stricken husband, Nathan, would be a suspect, but the investigation focuses on him. Sam has always admired handsome Nathan from afar, but now he puts his libidinous feelings aside to help clear his name. But the closer he gets to Nathan, the more he’s told to keep away from him and the investigation—by the fatherly police chief, by an officer on the case who’s hated him since school, and by Nathan himself.
Sam is determined to expose the real reason his friend died and to clear Nathan’s name—even if it’s the last thing he does. Which, considering how fast the death toll is rising in Stonebridge… it might be.
Sequel to
Double Indemnity
The Stonebridge Mysteries: Book Two
Six months into a relationship, things have heated up between political blogger Sam Flynn and FBI Special Agent Nathan Walker. Though Sam is happy with Nathan and proud of his own sobriety, he’s anxious about what their future holds. Things are heating up in Stonebridge, Connecticut, as a series of deadly fires puts the community on edge and eventually threatens Sam’s comatose brother. As Halloween approaches, fears rise that the arsonist will strike again.
When Sam encounters the main suspect, seventeen-year-old orphan Damon Blake, he’s not sure what to do. Obstruction might land him in jail, but he is increasingly skeptical of Damon’s guilt. He takes matters into his own hands and investigates, but doing so means keeping Damon’s whereabouts a secret from Nathan and the police. Meanwhile, Nathan wonders what Sam is hiding and grapples with insecurities of his own. Sam wants to confide in Nathan, and Nathan wants to trust Sam, but they discover that negotiating new love can be as dangerous as solving crime.
When Hunter decides he wants more from his relationship with Jake, the couple finds themselves at a crossroads. Never home for more than a few weeks at a time, Jake has been running from the pain of a rocky childhood ever since high school, when he first enlisted in the army. The thing is, he always comes back to Hunter’s bed. It’s not the kind of commitment Hunter wants, but it’s the kind he’s settled for—that and a dead-end job at the local bookstore in the small Southern town where he grew up. When Jake reveals his plans to make a full-time career in the army, Hunter wonders if he’s putting his life on hold for a relationship that will never happen. He needs to say something now before he loses Jake. However, if Jake can’t conquer his demons, Hunter’s asking for more is sure to drive him away.
Double Indemnity
“
Double Indemnity
is a fast paced murder/mystery with a well developed plot that twists and turns from start to finish.”
—Carly’s Book Reviews
“This book is one wild ride!”
—MM Good Book Revews
“
Double Indemnity
grabbed me from the first page, and I didn’t let go of the story even when I finished the last page”
—The Novel Approach
Inner Sanctum
“The first paragraph of the story leaves you intrigued. At the end of the first chapter, I was hooked and could not wait to finish the story.”
—Hearts on Fire
“The beauty of this novel lies in its simplicity. It was easy to sink into the story and forget about reality.”
—Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
“…Maggie Kavanagh writes an intriguing mystery.”
—Divine Magazine
MAGGIE KAVANAGH
writes gay romances that explore flawed human characters finding love. She went to graduate school for English literature and reads and writes voraciously whenever she can steal a moment alone. You can find her in the wee morning hours typing away with coffee at hand and cat in lap, happily embodying the romance writer cliché.
While she focuses mainly on contemporary romance and mystery, don’t be surprised if a historical or supernatural tale slips into the mix, as she’s always eager to explore different genres.
She lives in Southern California.
Twitter: @maggie_kavanagh
Facebook: www.facebook.com/maggie.kavanagh.33
Website: maggiekavanaghwrites.com
Taking Flight
THE STONEBRIDGE MYSTERIES
Double Indemnity
Inner Sanctum
Blind Spot
Published by Dreamspinner Press
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
