Hugs

By Hannah Morse

Gabriel Luz left town ten years ago to keep his family from killing the person he loves most in all the world. Now that his family’s left town and Gabe is honorably discharged from the Marines, he heads back to Ruidoso, the last place he was happy. He’s learning to live with his PTSD and the fact that he can never forget the boy who meant more than the world to him.

Martin Klein used to be a nerdy high schooler who wanted to move far away from Ruidoso and never look back. He expected to run off to California with his best friend and high school sweetheart Gabriel, but the day after graduation Gabe left with a few cruel words, never to be heard from again. Martin’s world crumbled, but since then he’s built his own salon in the heart of downtown and become an important member of the Demon Dogs Search and Rescue team. There’s just a part of his heart he can’t regrow.

When Gabe walks into a salon to get his hair cut, he can hardly believe that it’s Martin he locks eyes with. Fate has given them a second chance at love. Are they brave enough to take it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Jun 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685501839

Book preview

Chapter 1

Nice weather we’re having.

Martin Klein did not roll his eyes until he noticed his friend Will grinning at him in the mirror. Then Martin made sure to make the eye roll epic. You are terrible. Martin made sure the black cape was tight around Will’s neck before getting out his clippers. Will was older, a fireman, the leader of the search and rescue team Martin was a part of, and he came in once a week to have his high and tight buzzed.

As if Martin didn’t know Will was checking up on him. Martin had a family in town, they were nice enough but were tolerant as long as Martin didn’t bring of his gay shit home with him. Will acted as a kind of surrogate father for him, which Will covered up by coming in to get his hair trimmed every week. It was ridiculous, Martin ran a salon in downtown Ruidoso, not a barbershop, but Martin wouldn’t have turned the big guy away for anything.

Though he might start if they were going to discuss the weather. It’s amazing, June here is perfect and the town is packed with tourists. I have my whole afternoon booked. Martin turned on the clippers, which made his massive dog, a tan Cane Corso named Hugs, kick a back leg. Hugs had crashed out on his bed in the corner, laying on his back with all four paws in the air. Will’s Cane Corso, Trouble, sat at military attention near the door. Both dogs had been rescued out of the trunk of a car that’d crashed. The driver had died and the puppies had no chips and nowhere to go. Hugs had been in a sorry state when Martin had gotten him, one of his fresh cropped ears bleeding, but Martin had taken care of and loved him since. They liked sitting on the couch together and watching nature shows, going for long walks, and barking at squirrels. The last was usually just Hugs unless it was a very annoying squirrel.

You know what nice weather and tourists mean, Will said, holding still as Martin trimmed his salt-and-pepper hair.

Rescues. So many rescues. But I’m ready, I’m bench pressing more than my dog weighs now, so I say bring it on. Martin made a face at himself in the mirror. Not that I want anybody to be lost or hurt.

I know, Will rumbled. And I’m glad to hear you’re ready. You’re one of the best on the crew.

Martin’s cheeks heated. Thanks. He hadn’t grown up hearing many kind words from his family and they always flustered him a little. He was lucky he had Will and the Demon Dogs. He’d been turned down by another volunteer group because of his slight stature. He’d been expecting it, but that didn’t mean the rejection hadn’t stung.

I mean it. I can hear you doubting yourself from here. Nobody else on the team could have rappelled down that rock face and rescued that kid who fell.

Martin couldn’t help but smile. He’d been the only one thin enough to wedge himself into a crack in a rock face and free the five-year-old who’d tumbled in during a hike. Hugs had watched intently from the top and