Mending Hearts

By D.M. Cupp

Daniel Miles was never one to believe that life could be changed in a blink of an eye. That was until he walked in on his partner of five years with another man. Now heartbroken and unsure of what the future holds he decides to go out for a night of the town with his best friend. An unexpected encounter changes his plans and sets his love life in a new direction with Javier Fuentes. Javier isn't ready for love but there is something that draws him to Daniel. Will the two be able to overcome their past, their families, and Daniel's ex prove to be too much for this new relationship. Grab your tissues for an emotional ride of heartbreak, self discovery, and passion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: D.M. Cupp
• Release date: Jan 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311337023

D.M. Cupp

D.M. Cupp was raised in Austin, Texas and grew up writing stories and bringing the characters in his head to paper. D.M. loves to read all types of novels, but his passion is romance. His goal is to create characters that are realistic and that readers can relate to, and keep the reader guessing as the characters take the reader on their story...hopefully leading to a happy ending. When D.M. isn’t writing he is spending time with his friends, family, and partner of three years and their two beautiful babies (a Chihuahua and a Dachshund-Chihuahua mix dubbed a ‘chiwinnie’).

Book preview

Mending Hearts

By D.M. Cupp

Copyright 2015 D.M. Cupp

Smashwords Editíon

Discover these other great titles from D.M. Cupp

Business of the Heart

Act of Love

Kiss Me at Midnight

Smashwords Editíon, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Dedication

I want to continue to thank my Family, Friends, and my Babe for their continued support of my crazy ideas and giving me the courage to pursue my dreams.

To my Fans thank you for your continued support, comments, and loving my characters as much as I do.

Chapter One

It’s funny how life can change and alter your current path and send you in a completely different direction in a single moment. I never imagined my life would end up the way it did. I never thought that going to a single party would make me find the love of my life.

I had moved to San Angelo to attend college and escape the grasp of my conservative family upbringing. I had grown up in Austin and even though the city was liberal in its thinking my parents were not. I knew that I could have gone to school at the university in Austin, but I didn’t want my parents attempting to reach out to me. I wanted this opportunity to claim my independence and find myself.

I had always known there was something different about me while I was growing up and there were times that I would cry myself to sleep because I was not like the other children. It finally dawned on me when I was in middle school and the boys started to think of girls as hot and no longer having cooties; while I was finding myself attracted to the boys and their developing muscles.

When I finally came out in high school my parents had told me that if I continued on this road that I would go straight to hell and some of my friends decided that it would be better for them not to be my friend so others in school would not think they were gay as well. As if it was a contagious disease.

So being the only openly gay man in high school made for a nonexistent love life and I could not wait until college when guys were more aware of whom they were and with the help of alcohol I could possibly be braver and not so nervous. So after graduation I packed my bags and moved to San Angelo to attend college signing up for summer classes just so I would not have to stay in my parent’s conservative house for three more months.

I met my new best friend that summer and we instantly clicked. She instantly knew that I was gay and there was no awkward unrequited love moment. We were there for each other that entire summer. There to listen to me about my first time experience with a guy, our first fraternity party, and new memorable moments.

She was the one forcing us into new experiences and I outside my comfort zone to experience what life had to offer. She was the reason I had met Charles Matthews.

****

I did not even want to go to the party. It had been a long week of finals and I had gotten very little sleep and was looking forward to finally getting caught up before the fall semester started on Monday. Donna had dragged me there under the perception that she needed backup in case the guy she was meeting was a creep and needed a getaway guy.

I hovered close by nursing my beer when this guy walked over and begin mixing his own drink. The conversation was casual and I could tell that he was reaching his cut off point. College parties are confusing to begin with in my opinion. Everyone goes there to get drunk and hook up with someone of the opposite sex, but add college gay men to Co-ed College mix and the equation gets even more confusing. I could never tell if the guys at the party are trying to hit on me or drunk. However, my dating dry spell told me that the guys at these parties were the latter.

I would not define myself as drop dead gorgeous, but I was not a dog. I stood about five foot six with short brown hair that I styled in spiked or in a faux-hawk. I had a slight tan but not dark enough that I was ever confused of being other than a gringo. I would define my best feature as my eyes because they were the one thing that I received the most compliments on. My hazel eyes would bring out just the right color so they were my most important accessory. Even with this confidence boost I still continued to feel shy around guys.

After the guy had finished mixing his drink he extended his hand and introduced himself, My name’s Chuck and I like to fuck. He said laughing at his own rhyme of his name.

Nice to meet you Chuck, I’m Daniel. I said taking his hand in mine.

I’m a hopeless romantic but at the time I’m a pessimist; which is a strange combination but this is a trait I’m working to remove it, but I doubt it will happen.

I actually prefer Charles. He said correcting me.

Excuse me?

I actually hate the name Chuck and don’t like people calling me it. I just thought you were cute and needed some cheesy line to talk to you.

I smiled inwardly. I never would have thought that he was gay, and I knew right then and there that I needed to improve my gaydar. This was a way people met in movies but not in real life. I was determined to play it cool, and I was not going to allow this guy to know that I melt easily.

Want to go somewhere and talk? Charles asked.

Sure. I said smiling.

He took my hand and lead me away from the punch bowl. I briefly remembered Donna and wondered if she would need me, but then I remembered this handsome man that was holding my hand and forgot all about Donna. My last thought of Donna was that I’m a bad gayfriend, but she’ll forgive me.

****

Present Day

It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years and Charles and I are still together. I think about that night all the time and smile thinking how I didn’t want to even go to that party. I don’t remember what exactly we talked about. I just know that we started talking and didn’t stop until the sun was coming up the next morning over Lake Nasworthy. He dropped me off at my apartment and gave me a kiss goodnight or morning and told me he would be dreaming about me and would call me later. I think how my life would have ended up if I hadn’t gone…would I still be single, would Charles and I have met eventually, or would I be with someone else, and would we have been as happy as I am in this very moment.

The bell rung and jarred me from my thoughts. It was the Friday before Spring Break and I was excited that I would be off for the entire next week and Charles and I were escaping for a mini vacation for a few days to San Antonio.

The last student left my classroom and waved goodbye and I smiled at her. I loved my job and loved my high school students, but I enjoyed my breaks throughout the year. I packed up my backpack, turned off my computer, and turned off the lights without looking back.

The drive wasn’t as long as it typically was and I imagined that many commuters had left early from work making rush hour traffic less congested. We only lived about twenty minutes from my school, but in traffic it could take almost an hour to get home. Today I got lucky and was home in thirty minutes.

I pulled into my parking space and put the car into park and walked towards our apartment on the third floor. I saw that Charles was already home and wondered if he was as excited as I was about our anniversary celebration getaway. I unlocked the door and sat my bag down and walked towards the bedroom. I wondered what Charles would want for dinner. Maybe we could go out to eat somewhere special.

Hey babe I’m home – Charles was lying there naked and I heard the shower running and a male voice singing behind the closed door. I looked from Charles to the closed bathroom door and saw the used condom disposed on the floor. My heart began to pound in my chest, my mouth went dry, and a wave of nausea swept over me. I had lost the ability to speak and all I could do was to stare at Charles who had now covered himself up with the bed sheets.

Baby let me explain. It isn’t what it looks like.

I turned and left the room. I picked up my bag that I had left by the door and got in my car and drove not sure where I was going.

It’s funny how life can change and alter your current path and send you in a completely different direction in a single moment.

Chapter Two

I felt like a zombie just going through the motion of life. My life had stopped. My routine had been simplified to waking up, showering, going to school to teach, grading papers, eat, sleep, and repeat. Most nights I cried to the point of exhaustion and fell asleep. Donna had been there for me in more ways than one. She offered me her guest room to stay until I could get back on my feet. I knew that I didn’t want to return to our apartment because I didn’t want to see Charles. I didn’t want to hear his excuses of why it happened. I already was beating myself up with those same questions: what had I not done, what the mysterious man looked like, did he have something that I didn’t, and the questions continued. Donna continued to tell me not to beat myself up, and that I would be much better without Charles.

I had