Lost Time

By Parker Williams

Alex Jeffers and his best friend, Kurt Danvers, were always inseparable. When you found one, you would inevitably find the other. And Alex dreamed it would always be that way.

Kurt swore that when they went to different colleges, nothing would change. They’d keep in contact and would always be best friends. By the time Alex realizes it, he and Kurt have drifted apart. Years of friendship are just...gone.

Starting a new life is scary, but eventually Alex forges ahead and begins building one he’s proud of. While at a dinner meeting with a student’s father, Alex panics when he sees Kurt Danvers for the first time in five years. He flees the restaurant, but he can’t outrun his past as Kurt finds him and lets Alex know that he’s not willing to lose him again.

(Please note: This is a new version of the original story, which was a free read at GoodReads. This story has been professionally edited and expanded by 2,000 words, which includes a new ending.)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Parker Williams
• Release date: Sep 12, 2014
• ISBN: 9781937252908

Parker Williams

Parker Williams is a bestselling author of MM romance and suspense. One of his recent works was nominated for the Lambda Literary Awards, and several books have been runners-up at the Rainbow Awards. Parker loves the written word. A chance encounter with an amazing author changed the course of his life as he began to write the stories his men were whispering to him. With the help of some amazing friends and a community of writers he’s proud to be part of, Parker continues telling stories of love, hurt, comfort, and sometimes tosses in a little angst for fun. He believes in love, but also knows that anything worth having requires work and sacrifice (and maybe a little hurt runs smooth, and he enjoys writing about it. Parker lives in Milwaukee, WI, with his husband, Paul, and their menagerie of dogs and cats. Most days you’ll find him on Facebook, sharing stories and pictures of the zoo, or even about Paul, who is always good for a laugh and comfort too). The course of true love never. Website: www.parkerwilliamsauthor.com Twitter: @ParkerWAuthor Facebook: www.facebook.com/parker.williams.75641 Email: [e-mail]

Book preview

Lost Time

Parker Williams

Lost Time is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2014 by Parker Williams

Cover Art by Laura Harner

All rights reserved.

Smashwords Edition Published in the United States by Parker Williams

ISBN: 978-1-937252-90-8

Warning: All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without written permission, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Contact the publisher for further information: [e-mail]

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Laura Harner for her invaluable help. Also thank you to Lee Brazil, Tom Webb, Becky Condit, and K.C. Wells. Your help is greatly appreciated.

And a huge thank you to Lauren Lewis who originally requested the story, asking for sweetness and love and over the top romance.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

About the Author

Also Available

Blurb:

Alex Jeffers and his best friend, Kurt Danvers, were always inseparable. When you found one, you would inevitably find the other. And Alex dreamed it would always be that way.

Kurt swore that when they went to different colleges, nothing would change. They’d keep in contact and would always be best friends. By the time Alex realizes it, he and Kurt have drifted apart. Years of friendship are just…gone.

Starting a new life is scary, but eventually Alex forges ahead and begins building one he’s proud of. While at a dinner meeting with a student’s father, Alex panics when he sees Kurt Danvers for the first time in five years. He flees the restaurant, but he can’t outrun his past as Kurt finds him and lets Alex know that he’s not willing to lose him again.

(Please note: This is a new version of the original story, which was a free read at GoodReads. This story has been professionally edited and expanded by 2,000 words, which includes a new ending.)

Trademark Acknowledgements:

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following trademarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

Avatar: The Last Airbender: Viacom International Inc.

Facebook: Facebook, Inc.

Ford: Ford Motor Company

Michigan State University: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University

MySpace: MySpace Inc.

Teaberry (chewing gum): Wythe Will Tzetzo, LLC

Toyota Camry: Toyota Motor Corporation

Twitter: Twitter, Inc.

Vanderbilt University: Vanderbilt University

Chapter One

Kurt Danvers was born three days before me. We grew up in the same neighborhood, went to the same schools, enjoyed the same things. We became fast friends and our parents often remarked how well we seemed to fit together. There were sleepovers, there were play dates. We were closer than best friends, even closer than brothers. It was almost to the point where we couldn’t exist without the other being nearby. Kurt spent a lot of time at my house, just like I did at his. When his parents wanted to take him on a trip, he cried so hard he got sick, because he wanted to be with me. When I went to the hospital to have my tonsils taken out, they had to bend the rules to allow Kurt to be near me because I threw a tantrum of epic proportions. Our folks eventually gave up trying to separate us, realizing it wasn’t worth the effort.

While we were in grade school, Kurt assumed the role of my protector. Anyone who had something to say to me had to go through him first. He took his role very seriously, sometimes to my chagrin. He wasn’t necessarily bigger than me, but he had a personality that just screamed he was in charge and people respected that. Kurt was a very demonstrative friend. He had no problems with displays of affection. He’d put his arm over my shoulder while we walked or hug me in front of other people. He never cared what anyone thought. The only opinion that mattered to him was mine. And that made me feel warm inside.

****

In junior high school, everything started going to hell. It began to dawn on me that I differed from the guys. While conversations constantly revolved around girls, what they’d do with them, what they liked about them, about how much they wished they could actually be with them, I stayed quiet. I never had those feelings. I mean, I had a couple of friends that were girls, but never a girlfriend. My parents told me I was probably a ‘late bloomer’, but I doubted that. I was happy with what I had. When I had Kurt around, I didn’t need anyone else. Hell, I didn’t want to be with anyone else. If we went out with friends, I always wished they weren’t there.

A bunch of us went to the beach one day. Low 80s, not a cloud in the sky, a breeze off the lake, and Kurt wearing nothing but swimming trunks. It was a beautiful day. Everyone was splashing in the surf, hanging out together. Except me. I sat on a log, just taking it all in.

Kurt tried to get me to come with him to join in the fun, but I begged off, saying I was fine where I was. He smiled at me and sat down on the log, his shoulder touching mine. I told him he should go have fun, because I wasn’t really in a fun mood. He bumped shoulders with me and said, You’re such an idiot. I came here to be with you, so where you are is where the fun is. I got a funny feeling in my stomach when he said that. I also kind of got hard, but there was no way a guy wanted to say that to his friend.

We spent the day together, as we had most of our lives, roasting hot dogs at the bonfire, Kurt making s’mores and sharing his when mine fell