A Package Deal

By Jaxx Steele

One drunken night turned Phillip's life upside down. Could James be the man to turn it right side up?

A drunken decision in college during dare week changes Phillip Drake's life forever. In less than two years, he becomes a nurse, a father then a widower. For a young gay man, this was way past tilt on his shock meter. To his disappointment, the life he'd planned for himself with his lover James will never happen. A tragedy brings Phil home with his son. He learns James wants to be with him again, but Phil is hesitant. His focus is on what's best for his son.

Could James be what's best for both the father and son?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pride Publishing
• Release date: Aug 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781784301378

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A Totally Bound Publication

A Package Deal

ISBN # 978-1-78430-137-8

©Copyright Jaxx Steele 2014

Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright July 2014

Edited by Faith Bicknell-Brown

Totally Bound Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorized or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2014 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN

Warning:

This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Simmering and a Sexometer of 1.

A PACKAGE DEAL

Jaxx Steele

One drunken night turned Phillip’s life upside down. Could James be the man to turn it right side up?

A drunken decision in college during dare week changes Phillip Drake’s life forever. In less than two years, he becomes a nurse, a father then a widower. For a young gay man, this was way past tilt on his shock meter. To his disappointment, the life he’d planned for himself with his lover James will never happen. A tragedy brings Phil home with his son. He learns James wants to be with him again, but Phil is hesitant. His focus is on what’s best for his son.

Could James be what’s best for both the father and son?

Dedication

To all of those who know that sometimes it’s possible to have it all.

Trademarks Acknowledgement

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

SexyBack: AZLyrics.com

Chapter One

Phillip sat in the back of the limo holding his son close to his chest as the small boy slept peacefully. He watched the scenery go by for a while then looked down at the child. His poor little Tyrell had no idea how much their lives had just changed. The toddler stretched in his arms, and a small smile touched Phillip’s lips for the first time in two weeks. Tyrell’s tiny fist flailed around for a moment as he adjusted in his father’s arms, then he settled back down to sleep.

Phillip let a lazy finger slide down the light brown skin of his son’s chubby cheek, and sighed. As his son grew older, he would notice the obvious differences between them. Phillip’s hair was light brown and straight while Tyrell’s was darker and curly. Tyrell may grow to six feet tall like Phillip had, and he might even share Phillip’s slender physique, but Tyrell would never have the same white skin. Phillip was pleasantly surprised to see that his son had inherited the pale blue eyes that ran in the Drake family, but in the future, when Tyrell looked into the mirror, he would see bronze skin that was a gift from Monica. The mother who was now lost to him.

It was up to Phillip to keep Monica’s memory alive for Tyrell. He would never know the mother he had gotten his beautiful features from—his lips, his nose, his smile. Somehow Phillip had to find a way to explain all that had happened to their son. Suddenly, he held the boy fiercely close, rocking him back and forth as tears flowed freely down his cheeks. He had no idea how he was going to do that.

The limo slowed to a stop, then the back door swung open.

Mr Drake, we’re here.

Yes, right. He wiped his face quickly. Gathering Tyrell and his things, he shifted the boy to his shoulder and slid out of the limo. Thanks for everything, Dennis. I know you were only supposed to drop me at the church, but—

Dennis held his hand up, shaking his head. No thanks necessary, Mr Drake. I couldn’t leave you and your baby stranded at the church.

When we got dropped off this morning, I… Well, I guess it didn’t occur to me how we would get home, he explained softly.

Yes, well, you had other things on your mind. Dennis closed the door and tipped his hat. Again, Mr Drake, I’m sorry for your loss. I hope everything turns out great for you.

Phillip nodded and watched the limo drive away before he took Tyrell inside. He stood in the doorway of the house that Monica had decorated and took a deep breath. The whole house screamed of her. They had only lived in the place for a year, but it was their home. They had not been a quintessential married couple. Monica had known Phillip was gay when they’d married, although she’d had no clue about it when they’d hooked up on that one fateful night when Tyrell had been conceived. In public, they’d been a young, happy couple, and when it came to Tyrell, they had done everything together, but in the privacy of their home, they were friends. He’d