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When the Jazzman Sings

Because of a deathbed promise to his father, Elijah Peck reluctantly left his friends and successful career in Bridgeport to return to Willowby, Connecticut, the small town of his upbringing, in order to run the antique shop that had been in his family for generations. Now, in just the span of two years, Eli has morphed into a social recluse, isolated in what he believes is a stuffy, suffocating nowheresville. With no thriving gay community at his disposal, and with his entire existence wrapped around the store he never really wanted, Eli's devoted little time to his personal needs. As a result, instead of acting like a man in his mid-thirties, living out his own dreams, maybe even finding love with the right guy, he often feels like just another item in his shop -- a dusty, moldy antique that has seen better days.<br><br>But all that starts to change when a stranger moves to Willowby.<br><br>One night outside his shop, Eli has a chance encounter with Neville "Gray" Grayson, a wickedly handsome musician who's purposely left the bustle of New York City in favor of quiet country living. Eli is instantly drawn to Gray, and the flirtatious jazzman stirs dormant feelings inside Eli, reinvigorating his hopes for a brighter future. Not only does Gray make Eli feel attractive for the first time in years, but also makes him appreciate small-town life in a way he never has before. And Eli can't help but wonder if Gray's presence also offers the promise of finding much-needed companionship, sexual fulfillment, and perhaps even love ...

Karma Eastwick · LGBT+
Classificações insuficientes
33 Chs

Chapter 17

“Why didn’t you tell me you lived in The Old Prison?”

“The old what?” he asked, slipping off his sunglasses and hooking them into the low neckline of his tank top.

“Oh, sorry. That’s what some of us locals call it.” I gestured toward the whitewashed house of worship in the adjacent lot. “These two buildings were once connected. I suppose this was better known as St. Matthew’s Lutheran School, but kids like me who went here for nine long years—kindergarten through eighth grade—still refer to it by its more appropriate name.”

Gray laughed. “The Realtor told me this building had been renovated into apartments about ten years ago, but she never hinted at its monstroushistory.”

I grinned. “The building is gorgeous, though. It was built back in the 1880s, from what I recall, and I remember how the woodwork and floors were magnificent.”

“And the high-ceilinged rooms are extraordinarily ambient. Perfect for a guy who plays music as much as possible.”