A Place To Belong

By Hurri Cosmo

Logan Perry was offered a job caring for an elderly lady a thousand miles from his home in Iowa. Looking for a place to hide, it seems to be the perfect opportunity to escape. So Logan runs to Texas. All he wants is a roof over his head and food in his stomach. So moving into the amazing McFarren Manor he believes is all he needs.

Bradley McFarren is only looking for someone to care for his aging grandmother. Too busy with the family multi-billion dollar real estate firm, he just doesn't have time. With no personal life to speak of, Bradley has kept his heart safe. As long as Gail, his beloved grandmother, is cared for, he thinks it's all he needs.

But what both their hearts truly desire is a place to belong.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hurri Cosmo
• Release date: Jun 27, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463904275

Hurri Cosmo

Hurri Cosmo lives in Minnesota where she holds tight to the idea that there, where it’s cold a good part of the year, she won’t age as fast. Yep, she avoids the truth as much as she avoids mirrors. But one of the reasons she loves writing is reality doesn’t always offer up a “happily ever after” and being able to take control of that is a powerful lure. Being a happy ending junkie, writing just makes them easier to find. Oh, she doesn’t mind “real life” and she does try to at least keep it in mind when she writes her stories, but she truly loves creating a wonderful couple, knowing they will fall in love and have their HEA. Every - single - time. And, of course, that is exactly the reason she loves reading this genre, too. Give her a glass of red wine, some dark chocolate, and her computer, whether she is reading or writing, and she will entertain herself for hours. The fact she actually gets paid to do it is Snickers bars on the frosting on the cake.

Book preview

Chapter One

Logan closed the door to Gail’s suite on the second floor. He had gone in to inform her he’d made all the necessary phone calls, even the one to Bradley McFarren, Gail’s beloved grandson. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the chance to actually speak to the man, was only able to leave a message. Bradley was on some sort of top-secret business trip but could be reached if it was an emergency. And of course this was. He had even called Bradley’s assistant. The woman assured Logan she would do her best to get in touch with Mr. McFarren.

It was all Logan could ask for, which is what he told Gail. But since she was in a coma, he wasn’t sure she had heard him. However, he would never err on the side of not telling her. Gail did not like secrets.

He’d been told it would only be hours now, and as much as he hated to leave her, he had work to do if the house was going to fill up with people. He needed to open rooms, prepare menus with the cook, and give the maids their instructions—from taking out and washing the good china, to dusting and polishing to perfection the main public rooms on the first level. Not that they weren’t clean and pristine at present, even ready for a king’s inspection, but it never hurt to go over them all again. It had been a long time since this house had seen a gathering of any kind, much less the one that Gail’s death and funeral would bring.

She would forgive him, knowing he had no choice but to leave her for a while. It had been her dictate in the first place, knowing this day was coming. At least there was another nurse with her who would alert him if there was any major change.

It was truly a very sad day.

Yes, Gail was dying. She was ninety-two and had been failing for months, so certainly it was not a shock. But Logan had been by her side these past three years, and he was going to miss her terribly. She had been a light in his life. An anchor. Truly the loving mother and grandmother he’d never had. Totally accepting of his sexual orientation as well, and that had surprised him for someone of her generation. Not having her to care for, to fuss over, to read to, push out to the gardens in her wheelchair, and to share stories with was going to devastate him.

Not to mention that he had no other home.

But then neither did some of the other staff. A few of them had been here far longer than he had. And as far as employment, Logan knew he needn’t worry. Most of them were young enough and certainly worth any large house in this area taking them on. Logan had worked beside them these past years, so he knew first hand just how good they all were. Even so, he had made some calls and had already spoken with a number of those households. Just to be sure.

Like John, the cook, who had been in this house for six years. He could honestly work anywhere he pleased. Talented and jovial to boot, the restaurants in town would be lining up at the door next week. And Logan was the one who had made them aware he was coming available.

But then there was Rob. Rob was near eighty, and even though he was an excellent groundskeeper, or at least had been, he was well past the age where anyone would even consider him as an employee. Even here, at McFarren Manor, the man had plenty of help since so much of the work he could no longer do. Rob had been born here in the servant’s quarters and would most likely die here as well because Logan felt sure that telling the old man he would have to move would kill him. Logan would need to pray for a miracle because when Gail passed on, Bradley could very well decide to sell this stately old Texas home. Even if he retained it in the family, he certainly wouldn’t keep it open only for the staff to ramble around in it. Even rich people did not like to spend money foolishly. Since Bradley lived in Houston, at best the mansion would go to some other relative who would have their own staff and would have no need for additional employees. Especially one as old as Rob.

Logan padded quickly down the hall, opening doors to the bedrooms, going in and opening the curtains and finally the windows. It was spring, and the fresh air would do these stuffy old rooms good. He had been afraid over the last two months to alter the balance of anything, hoping this wasn’t Gail’s time yet. But it was. She was determined, as she put it, to finally go home. Last night, prior to her slipping into her present coma, a coma the doctor thought she would not come out of this time, she had made sure Logan understood.

My dear sweet Logan, it’s time, she had said weakly. I’m old and have no purpose on this earth any longer. I have outlived even my two beautiful sons. It is well past time.

But, Gail, I love you and would prefer you to stay. Logan shamelessly wept at her bedside. But he wasn’t family. No matter what the two or even three of them, if he included Bradley, had been through together, he was not enough for Gail to stay. So, in an attempt to make her laugh one last time, Logan quipped through tears, Who will be my partner in taking care of Bradley if you go traipsing off to heaven? I certainly can’t do it alone.

Gail had chuckled, saying Logan was the only one who honestly could take care of the big man. And then she’d asked Logan who told him she would be going to heaven.

Oh, but there was no question – she would.

He let a tear slide down his cheek before wiping away any others. He could not fall apart today. Gail needed him to do his job. She was not going to be able to greet her guests, and neither would Bradley since he was not here. So Logan would do it in their stead. He would see them to their splendidly appointed rooms, and make sure they wanted for nothing. Just like she had taught him. He