The deep bass of the drum beat vibrated beneath the thick soles of his work boots as it came from the speakers in every corner of the open room. Gideon Jane lifted his perspiring mug to his mouth at regular intervals while he studied the crowd at Brawlers.

His cousin Gregory was wrapped around his husband Bull on the opposite side of the room. Gregory was gorgeous like a model and Bull, twenty years older, with his black hair more silver and his rough edges, perfectly complemented Gregory. They strangely fit and to be honest, he was pathetic by the jealousy he felt over the obvious love Bull had for Gregory. He’d thought he’d had that.

The last few years were filled with too many downs. His twenty-yearlong partnership to the person of his dreams ended. The man he’d thought he’d spend the rest of his life with moved on quickly.

It started out as an awkward blind date in college. Gideon’s first with a man. He’d realized he was bisexual in his teens, but with his family, he’d kept it to himself. Once he was away at college, he wouldn’t hide anymore. Joe was handsome, a few years older, charming, and funny. The kiss which ended that date was perfect. A year later, they were living together.

Gideon wasn’t a small man. Always oversized and too padded around his abdomen, but Joe hadn’t minded. Seemed to love the chubby ginger eighteen-year-old. They’d spent hours holding each other; cuddling on the couch or in bed. Or at least that’s what he’d believed.

It started out with a perpetual diet, gym memberships, and endless comments about his weight. He wanted to think it was out of love and he’d let himself believe it for years until the first affair he’d forgiven; along with the ones that followed. Men who were lean and handsome, women that were willowy and gorgeous.

The last one he couldn’t ignore or forgive because Joe moved out. Gideon felt like an idiot, and that’s why he was hiding away on a farm in the middle of nowhere Georgia. The peacefulness after decades living in New York City was just what he had needed.

Powers, Georgia was Gregory’s suggestion. And it had been his best decision yet. He had his organic farm, his band The Executioners which he’d joined not long after he’d moved there, and he had family and friends.

Gregory’s mom, his aunt, was great. She’d accepted Gregory as gay like it was no big deal.

“Checking out something sexy, Ghost?”

He rolled his eyes at the tiny bartender named Twitch.

Twitch’s husband was Crave the head of Brawlers Security. He still couldn’t see the blond behemoth and the petite brunet as a couple, but you couldn’t mistake the love between them.

“No, not looking for a hookup for the night.”

“You’ve been coming to Brawlers for almost two years, someone must have caught your attention.”

“No, leave it alone,” he lied.

“Fine, be all grumpy.” Twitch huffed and took off to the other end of the bar.

Ghost chuckled and shook his head. He pulled out his wallet and threw some money on the bar and headed home.

* * *

A book laid open on his thigh as Gideon stared off in the distance and tried to get his chaotic thoughts under control. Gideon’s phone ringing pulled him from thoughts he didn’t need to think about. He grabbed it and connected the call.

“Are you ready to come home yet?”

His business partner whined into the phone without waiting for his reply.

“No, I left you in charge.”

“Yeah, but I can’t stand smiling at those catty bitches when I lie to them about being able to make all their stupid impossible dreams come true. If I have to deal with one more wedding, I’m going to start drinking again. It will be your fault if I ruin three years of sobriety.”

“Carol, you’ve threatened that how many times in the last few years?”

“It’s still true. Couldn’t you have stayed here?”

“No, I couldn’t.”

“Fine, so how’s country living? Any hot country boys or girls catching your fancy?”

“No.”

“You said that way too quickly.”

He couldn’t count the stories he’d heard about Harper since he’d moved there. They hadn’t mentioned how beautiful she was, though. He hadn’t known what to say, and he probably acted like an idiot. Not his worst first impression but decidedly the one that bugged him.

“Her name is Harper. She works at a local bookstore.”

“And?”

“There’s no chance she’d be interested.”

“And why is that? Are you letting Joe’s bullshit fuck with your head?”

“No, she’s beautiful, maybe in her mid-twenties.”

“She’s got that sexy southern debutante thing going on?”

“I don’t know, she’s—”

“Gideon, you’re letting your ex into your head. You’re handsome, sweet, intelligent, well off due to a business you worked your ass off to build.”

“You don’t have to talk me up.”

She really didn’t. He knew he wasn’t unattractive, but Harper was gorgeous.

Something about meeting her troubled him though. He’d stopped outside the window to take one more look. Harper had deflated, her shoulders drooped, and she seemed to pull into herself. The tangible sadness had caused his chest to ache.

It had taken everything in him to walk away. He lived the life of a hermit by choice, but that didn’t mean he liked it.

“Gideon,” Carol calling his name pulled him from his thoughts.

“Sorry, early to bed, early to rise and all that.”

“You’re acclimating to the country life well.”

“I have been here two years now.”

“Come for a visit soon, please?”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“You tell me that every time I ask.”

“I promise I’ll see what I can do. I’ve got to crash out.”

“Fine, I’ll call earlier next time so you can’t use having to go to bed as an excuse to stop talking to me.”

“That’s not what I’m doing. I’m harvesting tomorrow.”

“Fine. Good night, Gideon.”

Ghost said good night and set his phone aside. The deep rumbling of a motorcycle grew louder and then ceased across the yard. He watched as Joker dismounted and slowly walked toward the porch.

“Hey, Ghost.”

“Joker, what brings you out here?”

“Got any beer?”

“You know where it is.”

Joker didn’t say another word just pulled open the screen door and disappeared inside. A few minutes later, Joker came back outside and took a seat in the rocker next to his. The man wasn’t much of a talker and to be honest no one knew much about him, except Joker wasn’t a man to fuck with and if Joker smiled everyone knew shit was about to go down.

“Something on your mind?”

“Naw, man, shit went nuclear at Brawlers, I bounced out before the cops showed.”

“When doesn’t things go nuclear there?”

“True. Pelter has a hard-on for all that law and order bullshit. Fucker’s ruining everyone’s fun.”

Joker wasn’t a fan of the new Sheriff. The two of them started butting heads even before the man took the job. “I think that’s the point of being a Sheriff.”

“The old one didn’t give a fuck.”

“That’s because he was corrupt as hell. He nearly took out half the Brawlers Crew.”

“Scary and Tank wouldn’t let that shit go down. Fucker threatened their husband. You don’t do that shit to men like Scary and Tank and expect to get away with it.”

“You crashing here tonight?”

“No, gotta get home soon. Got a custom job starting in the morning.”

“Well, I have harvesting in the morning. Make yourself at home.”

“Thanks, man.”

“No problem.”

Ghost pushed to his feet and walked around Joker, then he opened the screen door. He turned back to see his friend staring off into the distance. An almost sad look on his face. He started to ask if Joker was okay but knew the answer he’d get. Instead, he went inside to get ready for bed. Tomorrow was a new day. Maybe he needed to make it back to Nightingale’s. Maybe Harper would like to have coffee. He shook his head. There were always the maybes. He was damn sick of them. It was time he stopped being so much of a hermit. Not everyone was like his ex. He just wanted someone of his own.