Glad Tidings

By Shawn Lane

After being disowned by his father, Emery Halloran relocates from Haydon Cliff to Sutter’s Bay, whereupon after a small inheritance he opens his dream business, Glad Tidings bakery. It’s his first holiday season in Sutter’s Bay when he receives a visit from his high school crush, Matthias Constantine, who is now acting as Emery’s great uncle’s lawyer.

Great Uncle Sherman is all alone in Haydon Cliff now that his husband is gone and he wants to connect with his last remaining relative, Emery. With the Christmas holiday approaching, Sherman wants to get to know Emery so that he can leave his estate to his great nephew someday. And it’s also a great chance to reconnect with Matthias, who is now divorced and anxious to get to know Emery again.

Is it time for Emery to return to his home town of Haydon Cliff for the holidays and beyond?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Dec 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9781685506308

Shawn Lane

Shawn Lane is a multi-published author of gay romance. She lives and works in Southern California. She has been published by Loose Id, Amber Quill Press, Evernight Publishing, MLR Press, JMS Books, and Ellora’s Cave. For more information, visit smlgr8.blogspot.com.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The bell over the door jingled just as Emery Halloran stuck his head in the standing freezer in the back of the bakery.

He inwardly groaned. He’d forgotten to flip over the CLOSED sign and lock the door. Twisting his wrist to look at his watch, he caught the time. Ten after two. It was Wednesday, the sixth of December. He closed at two every Wednesday, which any locals of Sutter’s Bay would know, of course. Glad Tidings Bakery had been open for two years now. Emery had been idiotic enough to decide to open a bakery during the COVID pandemic. Somehow, he’d made it to his two-year anniversary.

Hello? Anyone here?

Emery closed the freezer, wiped his hands on the apron around his waist, and stepped through the swinging door into the front of the bakery.

Sorry, we’re closed.

There was something familiar about the man standing just inside the entrance to Emery’s bakery. He was about three inches taller than six feet, Emery would guess, had big broad, muscular shoulders currently encased in a tailored dark blue suit jacket, and aviator sunglasses. He looked like someone’s idea of an FBI agent.

He had curly brown almost black hair and that was the part that seemed familiar to Emery. He couldn’t quite place the guy, though.

We close at two on Wednesdays.

Hello, Emery.

That voice. It was warm like honey.

Emery frowned. Do I know you?

Matthias Constantine.

He blinked, staring. "Matty?"

There was just a slight uptick of the man’s lips that acknowledged the childhood nickname.

I go by Matthias now.

Emery wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he just stared at him. Overhead, Bing Crosby was crooning about a White Christmas, which seemed kind of ridiculous on a bright sunny day in Sutter’s Bay.

Uh, let me turn off the music track.

He went behind the counter and did just that, then removed the apron and came around to where Matthis stood waiting for God-knew-what.

What the hell…er heck…are you doing in Sutter’s Bay? You don’t live here now, do you?

Emery and Matthias had gone to school together, all through grade school, middle and high school. In Haydon Cliff, two hours away. And Emery hadn’t seen Matthias in years. Once they’d been close, even going so far as to share a few not so innocent kisses in high school, but those days were long gone.

Can we sit down? Matthias glanced at the empty, rather rickety looking tables and chairs in the bakery. Actually maybe we can grab a late lunch. I saw an open restaurant a few doors down.

Charlie’s?

Yeah, that’s the one.

He didn’t mind Charlie’s. It was a casual middle-of-the-road type, kind of the sort Emery would go on dates. But this was no date, he reminded himself. Matthias Jones had gotten married and had two kids with his wife. At least. last Emery had heard.

But he couldn’t deny he was curious.

All right. He nodded. Let me finish closing and we can head over there. We can walk there if your car’s near.

Yes, in the parking lot of this strip mall.

Gotcha. I’ll be ready in a bit.

* * * *

They’d been seated and ordered before Emery asked once more why Matthias was in Sutter’s Bay.

Emery had ordered coffee and Charlie’s holiday time special of roast turkey with all the fixings. Matthias had ordered a burger and iced tea.

Why are you here?

Matthias smiled faintly. One would get the impression you aren’t glad to see me.

He’d removed his sunglasses once they’d been seated so Emery had a very good look at his dark chocolate eyes. They were still as gorgeous and smoldering as they