Linear Park

By Ken Harrison

Sean and Nick’s life together was a fairy tale: childhood friends who became lovers, high school sweethearts who married after college, both handsome professionals. Sean always enjoyed a few drinks, but after the death of his father, his alcoholism spiraled out of control… and it cost him everything.

When Sean loses his job and becomes too surly and unreasonable to live with, Nick has little choice but to end the relationship. Sean can’t blame Nick for giving up—not after the arguments and the lies—but he longs for the happiness and love they shared before he spoiled everything. He resolves to get sober and win back his husband. But even if he wins his battle with alcoholism, will it be too late to save his marriage?

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
• Release date: Nov 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781640800045

Ken Harrison

Ken Harrison is the volunteer chairman & CEO of Promise Keepers, where he works to inspire men to be bold, faithful, and godly fathers and husbands. He is also the CEO of WaterStone, which helps Christian donors give away $2 million weekly for God's Kingdom. An author and speaker, Harrison has appeared on numerous media outlets including "Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk," The 700 Club, Fox News, The Blaze TV, OANN, and The Huckabee Show. With a long record of dedicated service to ministry, Harrison has preached in high-risk areas of countries such as Mexico, South Africa, Haiti, and the Philippines. He started his career as a Los Angeles police officer, where he received numerous commendations and awards. Then, he spent two decades building a commercial real estate business, which he sold to the second largest commercial real estate company in the world. During that time, he's been a Colson Fellow and served on numerous local and national boards, including FCA, Colorado Uplift, Urban Youth Ministries, Corban University and WaterStone. Harrison has been married to his high school sweetheart, Elliette, for over three decades. They currently reside in Colorado, and they have three adult children all serving the Lord. He is author of Rise of the Servant Kings: What the Bible Says About Being a Man and now A Daring Faith in a Cowardly World. Both books were born out of the hard-won lessons he's learned as a husband, father, police officer, and successful international businessman. He hopes his experience can encourage others as they seek to live boldly for Christ and family.

Book preview

Table of Contents

Blurb

Dedication

Acknowledgments

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

About the Author

By Ken Harrison

Visit Dreamspinner Press

Copyright

Linear Park

By Ken Harrison

Sean and Nick’s life together was a fairy tale: childhood friends who became lovers, high school sweethearts who married after college, both handsome professionals. Sean always enjoyed a few drinks, but after the death of his father, his alcoholism spiraled out of control… and it cost him everything.

When Sean loses his job and becomes too surly and unreasonable to live with, Nick has little choice but to end the relationship. Sean can’t blame Nick for giving up—not after the arguments and the lies—but he longs for the happiness and love they shared before he spoiled everything. He resolves to get sober and win back his husband. But even if he wins his battle with alcoholism, will it be too late to save his marriage?

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

For Randon

Acknowledgments

I WOULD like to thank my editor, Tricia Kristufek, for guiding me through the publishing process, answering my questions, and her input on the manuscript. Jacky, Brenna, and Sheri also gave thoughtful suggestions for tightening my writing skills and plotting. I also need to thank my husband, Randon Walmsley, whose love and support I can’t live without.

1

SEAN CAME out of a meeting in the church basement as the sun began to set, the dull light giving a hint of an evening chill on Hope Street. The bus was approaching, and Nick was across the street, looking as good as always in well-fitting slacks and a pink cotton shirt that played off the rich tones of his deep mahogany complexion. Sean’s heart rose in his chest and he bit his bottom lip to keep from calling out to him. So much had happened since he’d seen him last, and he teared up from the memory of what they’d once had.

As much as he wanted to raise his hand and call out to him, he held himself back. It pained him too much to see him now, after five months of separation. He backed up into the shadows of the church and wondered if Nick had moved on and if divorce was imminent. A divorce was the last thing Sean wanted, but he couldn’t blame Nick if he asked for one.

The bus stopped at the curb with a hiss, then the door opened and he boarded, paid the fare, and then moved to the back and took a seat. The bus pulled onto Hope as Nick took a left onto Hart Street. A dull emptiness filled him as he sat back and lost himself among the everyday people who took public transportation for a variety of reasons. For some it was simply a cheaper way to get around, but for Sean, it was his only form of transportation.

The bus continued down Hope Street, through the affluent East Side of Providence—a place he had once called home—then made its way into Pawtucket. He got off on the dark, vacant downtown streets, made his way past a row of empty storefronts, then around a corner. He had a small one-bedroom apartment in an old Victorian house that hadn’t seen maintenance in well over twenty years. He walked up the creaky porch steps to the front door lined on both sides with doorbells, and went inside. His apartment was at the end of the second-floor hallway.

He closed the door, then tossed his keys on the gold-speckled counter that separated the kitchen from the dining area. Just past that was the living room; the bedroom was off to the right. It was all fake paneling and drafty windows, but at least it had hardwood floors and was cheap. He dropped onto the sofa, taking in the stench of centuries wafting up from the cushion like a sandstorm.

Seeing Nick reminded him of the life he’d left behind. From riches to rags, he thought with a forced chuckle. He and Nick had once shared a beautiful three-bedroom ranch house off Blackstone Boulevard, back when Sean had a job doing loan originations for a bank. Now they were separated, and Sean was jobless and living in a run-down one-bedroom apartment while Nick was still employed as a surgeon and living in the house they’d bought together.

Taking a deep breath, Sean closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind, but all he could think about was the life he’d once had. A deep pain rose in his chest, along with an urge to drink that he hadn’t felt in a while. He’d come this far and wasn’t going to go back to a life of annihilation and despair. If he held on for one more day, he would be closer to getting some of his life back. It wouldn’t be the same one he’d once had, but it would be a life he could be proud of. He could put the past to rest… or so he hoped.

He wondered if Nick had already moved on with his life. The man he’d known since elementary school, the man he’d shared his first kiss with in high school, bought his first house with and married, would no longer be at his side.

He’d known Nick since kindergarten, where they sat next to each other. They had been in the same class throughout elementary school, playing together at recess, laughing and joking around on the playground. As the years progressed and classes became more difficult, they started studying together. And then puberty hit, and Sean became hyper aware of not just his body, but also Nick’s lean, muscular form. It was an awareness that grew into desire, and one that he’d kept hidden until they had their first kiss