Summary:
The Beach House is the first installment in The San Capistrano Series, following the story of a chance meeting between pediatraic nurse, Alex Davis, and lawyer, Ben Larsen, at a rock concert.
Alex is a shy, quiet man who keeps to himself, the product of a judgemental and abusive upbringing. At a concert he meets Ben. Confident and comfortable with his life, Ben has only ever known unconditional acceptance in his family.
When Ben asks him out, Alex assumes it will be like every date he's had: casual and unimportant. He doesn't count on falling in love. Will Ben be enough to help Alex turn his back on a lifetime of rejection and accept that he can be happy?
Summary:
Two years have passed since Ben and Alex met at a rock concert and fell in love. Living together in the city and regularly visiting Polly and Ally at the Beach House, the pair have no idea their happy life is about to be turned upside with both a happy event and devastating news.
When Ben is shot by a client's abusive spouse, Alex is forced to find strength nobody knew he had.
Picking up immediately after Tides of Love, Winds of Change follows Ben and Alex as they face Allie's illness and embark on a new stage of their life together. For the first time in his life Ben can't control what is happening in his life. Can Alex provide the strength Ben will need to get through the coming months?
The Beach House #1
1
Ben Larsen is not a small man. This is something he knows, just as he knows U2 is the greatest band on earth and that merchandise at rock concerts is overpriced. Just as he knows the guy in the next row must have at least four inches on his own six-feet-one. He also, Ben notes, has a great ass.
Tall Guy makes it to the salesperson before Ben, buys a black t-shirt, and then leaves. Ben watches him from behind someone who apparently is buying the entire van full and by the time he has his gray t-shirt tucked into his backpack, Tall Guy is nowhere to be seen. Sighing, Ben flops down under a tree with a sigh of relief, happy to wait in the shade while the eager beavers push their way through the gates.
When he sits up again and looks around, sitting to his right, tapping on a phone screen is Tall Guy.
Long legs stretch out from black Bermuda shorts and a ratty Ramones t-shirt stretches across a well-muscled chest. The face peering at the phone screen is serious, with high cheekbones, tan skin, and a tangle of chestnut curls tumbling over the torn collar of his t-shirt. Ben flips his sunglasses down, leans back on his elbows, and watches the crowd. Every few moments, unable to help himself, his gaze slides to the right until he is taken by surprise by wary, hazel eyes looking back at him as Tall Guy removes his t-shirt. Caught, he grins.
“Good choice,” he says, nodding at the new t-shirt.
“Yeah.” Tall Guy rolls up the Ramones shirt and stuffs it in his battered backpack.
“Seen them before?” Ben asks to distract himself from the broad chest on display.
A line creases the skin between his eyes as Tall Guy hesitates, twisting a leather cuff around his left wrist.
“Yeah, couple of times. You?” He tugs the new U2 t-shirt over his head.
“Missed them last time they were here, had appendicitis, but caught them three times before that,” Ben says, sitting forward, and for the next five minutes they discuss U2. Both are Bono fans, and both are at the show alone. Tall Guy seems shy, but Ben doesn’t get a sense his company is unwanted.
“Guess we’re the only ones with taste,” he says with a grin and offers his hand. “Ben Larsen.”
After a moment, Tall Guy returns the smile, revealing deep dimples, and they shake hands.
“Alex Davis,” he says.
When the gates open, they go in together.
✽ ✽ ✽
After the concert, it takes nearly an hour to wade through the ankle-deep mess of bottles and litter back to the road and as they approach the gate, Ben clears his throat.
“It’s going to take half the night to get out of here. Want to grab a beer across the street while the worst clears?”
Alex looks at him, sizing him up Ben thinks, biting his lip while playing with the leather on his wrist. “Congestion isn’t going to ease up anytime soon,” he adds with a shrug.
This time Ben thinks he sees curiosity alongside the caution in Alex’s eyes, and then the man seems to decide.
“Sure, why not?”
Dimples flash again. Nice, Ben thinks. Those alone would make a noisy bar worth it. Side stepping the general crowd they make their way along the road to the first bar that doesn’t seem insane.
Tides of Love #3
1
Alex pours kibble into a bowl, puts it on the floor and clicks his fingers.
“Come on Bart, breakfast,” he calls.
A gangly Labrador puppy, the color of cocoa, skids around the kitchen door, paws scrabbling on the tiles and slides straight into the bowl. Kibble scatters all over the floor and Bart sets to slurping up as much of it as he can.
“Dude, really?” Alex gropes for the broom and begins sweeping up the spilled dog food.
“Let me guess, Dork Dog knocked his dish over again.” Ben leans against the door jamb, grinning.
“Be nice, he’s just a baby. Don’t listen to him, Bart.”
The puppy, a Christmas gift from Ben six months earlier, stops nosing bits of kibble around the floor, and jumps up, pawing at Ben’s thigh, tongue lolling, and tail wagging while Ben tries to drink coffee rather than wear it. Any concerns he’d had about getting a dog has vanished in the face of Alex’s reaction only to resurface when Bartholomew, promptly dubbed Bart by Alex, peed by the bed overnight and Ben stepped in it the next morning. He had renamed him Dork Dog on the spot and refuses to refer to him by any other name. He knows it amuses Alex that, despite this rocky start, Ben was the first to break the ‘no sleeping on the bed’ rule and hates to miss a walk in the park. Which is where they’re headed now. If Bart lets him finish his coffee.
A volley of barks erupts when Alex clips Bart’s leash on his collar, makes sure the poop baggies are attached, and reaches for the bag of tennis balls.
“I think he actually ate one yesterday,” Ben says rinsing his cup and checks his pockets for his keys. “How is that even possible?”
Alex snorts.
“You can talk. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you ate a tennis ball. I’m pretty sure you’re actually a Labrador in disguise.”
✽ ✽ ✽
Bart strains against the leash, pulling them along the street to the dog park. He stops only to pee on every lamppost and wag his tail at every passer-by.
“He’s just a poop and pee factory with paws,” Ben says as he waits, hands shoved in his pockets, for Alex to pick up after the puppy. He refuses to help, arguing that Alex is a nurse and thus trained in dealing with excrement. “I think everything comes out as fast as it goes in.”
Laughing, Alex unsnaps the leash and lets Bart bound across the grass after a tennis ball. For half an hour they take turns throwing tennis balls and Bart alternately drops them at their feet or refuses to let them go. Eventually, worn out, he flops down under a tree, tongue out, panting. Laps at the water Alex pours into his hand for him.
Ben lays down next to them, propped up on one elbow. Bends down to kiss Alex, stretched out in the shade, arm curled beneath his head as a pillow. Ben’s public displays no longer make Alex nervous, but it helps that they’re not the only same gender couple at the dog park and most people here know them. Besides nothing can spoil his mood; today is his thirtieth birthday and in a month, it will be two years since he and Ben met.
Two years of feeling loved and safe; of coming home to someone who loves him as he is. Falling asleep warm and sated and waking up to bright green eyes and a heated smile.
“Happy birthday, baby.” Ben kisses him again, hand warm on his waist. Bart thumps his tail on the ground.
“What time are Polly and your mom arriving?” Alex asks when the kiss breaks.
“In about two hours and we need to be at the restaurant by five.” Ben checks his watch. “Meg says she’ll come over at four, so that should give us time to get everyone sorted.”
“Only if you don’t spend hours in the bathroom,” Alex replies, twisting out of reach when Ben tries to tickle him.
Bart rolls on his back, oversized paws in the air, tongue lolling.
“Your favorite girl is going to look after you tonight,” he says and scratches the Labrador’s belly.
Bart scrambles up onto Alex’s lap, licks at his face and neck. Snuffles in his hair and ears. Alex drops back in the grass with the dog stretched out on top of him; closes his eyes and reaches out for Ben’s hand. He feels happy.
“Alex?” Ben laces their fingers together and kisses the back of his hand.
“Mmmmmm?”
“Will you marry me?”
Alex opens his eyes. Ben’s expression is uncharacteristically closed and unreadable; he’s pale and tense. Alex bites his lip and takes a deep breath.
“Did you just propose?”
“Depends.”
Alex’s mouth twitches and he bites the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing as he plays along.
“On?”
“Whether you’re going to say yes or not.”
This time Alex does laugh.
“Good answer.”
“Safe answer.” Ben’s voice is low and shaky.
Alex reaches up to pull him down into a kiss.
“In that case, yes.”
The shadow drops from Ben’s face and his eyes soften as he relaxes and tries to lean into the kiss. Bart has other ideas, however. The pup shoves his nose between them forcing Alex to sit up, laughing, and wiping away puppy drool. When he turns back, Ben’s holding a small black box in his hand. Alex looks from the box up to Ben’s face and back again. Swallows hard, then reaches out to open it.
Nestled in the box is a plain gold band. Set into the center, flush against the gold, is a diamond. Alex takes a deep breath and tries to calm down. He reaches out and grasps the hem of Ben’s tee-shirt to reassure himself and realizes it’s something he’s not done since their first months together. It’s been at least a year since his last panic attack and that was brought on by running into a friend of his mother at a movie one evening. He and Ben had been hand in hand, leaving the cinema as she walked in. She’d nodded and kept walking without speaking but Ben had had to pull over twice so Alex could vomit on the side of the road. Alex had spent the night clinging to him, fingers twisted in his t-shirt.
“Baby?” Worry rushes into Ben’s eyes.
Alex takes the ring out of the box and holds it for a moment in the palm of his hand.
“It’s okay. I just always thought I’d be alone,” he says. “You changed everything. Even knowing how messed up I am, you still want me … I’m just trying to wrap my head around this.”
When Ben picks up the ring, Alex catches his breath. Smiles as it is slipped onto his finger.
“I love you,” Ben says.
“I love you back.”
Winds of Change #3
1
Ben Larsen stretches, leans back in his chair and rubs his eyes. Yawns. When Alex dropped him here this morning, he had been desperate to get back to work. A week at home alone, with just Bart for company, had gone from a novelty to a prison sentence within twenty-four hours. That said, today has been longer and harder than he’d expected.
Aside from needing to use his cane more often as the day had worn on - until he had finally given in and taken a pain killer a couple of hours ago - Alex hasn’t stopped phoning and texting all day. Cute at first, it’s getting on Ben’s nerves now. It’s not that he doesn’t understand, it’s just - oh God his phone just chimed again. He leans down and rests his forehead on his desk.
“You’re popular today.” Fiona stands in the doorway. Pulls on her jacket on, getting ready to go home.
“Alex appears to have morphed into some kind of clinging ivy,” he says with a sigh, glancing at his phone screen. Alex still refuses to let Ben drive anywhere and apparently is on his way with the car. Nor is he allowed to do anything in the house. Or to walk the dog. Ben’s also getting very tired of looking up during sex. His leg feels fine, damn it. Well, mostly fine. Certainly, fine enough that he can handle being a bit more athleticism between the sheets.
To his surprise, Fiona comes in and sits down.
“Ben, be patient” she says. “I don’t think you realize how lucky you are.”
“Oh, don’t worry. Every five minutes someone tells me, so I’m getting the damned gist of it.” He rubs his eyes. “Fiona, I’m sorry, that was rude. It’s just, I know, okay? It was scary, I get it. But it’s over.”
Fiona waits until he’s finished, then leans forward, and rests her hands one on top of the other on the edge of the desk. A small smile plays at the corners of her mouth.
“Do you know what your problem is? You’re spoiled. I know it was scary for you. And painful. But I want you to listen me. I don’t think you appreciate what it must have been like for Alex. I had to phone him, and tell him you’d been shot. I heard his voice, I heard how scared he was. Just days from your wedding he had to face losing you. On his own. That would be terrifying for anyone; what was it like for him? Cut him some slack if he’s a little overprotective at the moment, okay?”
Giving him a fond smile, Fiona stands and bends so they’re almost nose to nose.
“And Ben,” she speaks with deceptive softness, “if you speak to me like that again, you’ll be picking up your own Starbucks in the mornings.”
“Noted.” Ben feels more than a little ashamed. Obviously, stress does not bring out his better side. When he shares the thought with Fiona she laughs.
“Well you’ve had a rough year so we’re going to give you a free pass on this one. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“With Starbucks?”
“We’ll see.”
As she goes through the outer office he calls to her. “Thank you, o wise woman.”
She raises a hand without turning around and he grins. Picks up his phone and flicks a message to Alex to say he’ll be waiting downstairs and turns his laptop off. No point taking it home tonight, Matt and Claire are dropping by after dinner. He puts on his jacket, collects his satchel and cane, and flicks off the lights.
Alex pulls up as he arrives in the lobby. Ben resists the urge to snap at the doorman who holds the main door open and offers to help him to the car. Reminds himself that everyone is trying to help and it’s not their fault they don’t realize he doesn’t need help. Alex is holding the passenger door open when he gets to the car and he bites his tongue again as he eases into his seat and does his seat belt up. Leans across to kiss Alex’s cheek when he gets back in, smiling at the typical shy duck of the head in response. He doesn’t think Alex is ever going to be entirely comfortable being kissed in public.
“How was your first day?”
“Honestly? Long.” Ben rubs his thigh; aware Alex is watching him from the corner of his eye. “And tiring. And full of worried people who think I’m fragile.”
“They’re trying to help,” Alex says, biting his lip.
“Yeah, I know.” Ben reaches over and pushes hair away from Alex’s face, so he can see him better. “I’m just not used to it.”
“Hey that’s my line. Want me to put Matt and Claire off for a couple of nights?”
“No, I’m okay.” He takes a breath. “What I would like though, if we have time, is to have a pain pill and then take Dork Dog for a walk. Together.”
“If you’re in pain …”
“Alex, I really need to go for a walk,” Ben cuts off the objection then takes another breath. The words had come out harsher than he’d intended. “I’m going crazy being treated like I’m made of crystal, okay? I need to start getting back to normal.”
Alex nods and Ben takes his hand.
“I know this hasn’t been easy for you but I’m fine, honest. A bit tired and a bit achy but I’m okay. I promise.”
Alex bites his lip and nods again.
“Okay. We can go for a walk. A short one. I could still put Matt off until tomorrow or Wednesday.”
“Don’t you dare.” Ben nudges him with his elbow. “He’s bringing brownie.”
As soon as they’re parked, Alex hurries out of the car, opens the door and reaches for him. Ben grabs him by the elbow and tightens his fingers, fighting the urge to snap at the taller man.
“Look at me,” he says. When Alex looks at him, he speaks again, measuring each word. “Not made of crystal. I can get in and out of the car on my own.”
Alex stares at him for a moment, then drops his eyes. Ben is torn between yelling at him and letting him help. Takes a deep breath.
“I need to get back to normal.”
“I know. I’m just…”
“Trying to help. I know. Alex, you sent me over fifty text messages and called me at least half-a-dozen times today. I get it but it’s over, I’m fine. Okay?”
Alex nods but doesn’t move. Ben tilts his head, so he can look into his face.
“Baby, I really am fine. I don’t need help with this shit. What I need is to walk our dorky dog. I need some of your brother’s brownie. Later, I’m pretty sure I’m going to need a blow job.” He grins when he sees Alex fights to hide a smile. “But I don’t need help with the car.”
“Okay.” Alex steps back to wait. Ben pulls himself out of the car and stands, collects his cane and satchel, and slams the door behind him.
“See? All by myself.” He lets Alex put his arm around his shoulder. “Now, about that blow job …”
“Yeah, good luck with that.” Alex pushes the lift buttons. Inside, Ben leans against the wall and purses his lips.
“So, are you going to make me ask or are you going to tell me?”
Alex shakes his head, confused.
“How many times today did you throw up?”
Alex stares at his feet without speaking.
“Fifty text messages, six calls.” Ben pokes Alex with the cane. “In less than eight hours. How many times?”
“Twice this morning.”
“Did you eat lunch?”
“Had some yoghurt and crackers. They stayed down.” He sighs. “I know I’m being clingy and I’m sorry. I thought I was over the worst of it but you going back today... to where it … happened… just kind of shook me up.”
Ben considers this and nods. The lift doors open, and they step out.
“Okay, so here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to collect Dork Dog from Meg and I’m going to take him for a walk – just around the block – and you are going to cook that pasta thing with the chicken and the spinach. Then your brother will come over and you can tell me off for eating too much brownie and then when they’re gone – “
“Yeah, okay, I know what’s next,” Alex cuts him off. “But I don’t like the idea of you taking Bart by yourself. What if he gets bouncy and pulls you over?”
Ben grits his teeth and takes a deep breath.
“Alex, if I was one of the kids from the unit, what would you be suggesting?” Ben pushes his advantage. “If it makes you feel better, we can ask Meg to go with me. I don’t need her to, but we can ask.”
They’re stopped outside Meg’s door and Alex sighs as he presses the doorbell. Ben knows he’s won.
New Zealand author, Angelique Jurd, writes contemporary gay (MM) romance. Her stories are emotional, sexy, and loving with heart warming endings. After getting a degree in languages, travelling the world, raising a family, and working as a business journalist, she went back to school and studied English Literature and Media Studies.In 2018, she published her first novel Jesse’s Smile with Small Black Cat Media. Since then, she’s continued to write contemporary gay (MM) romance and her academic research in fan studies and the queerification of popular fiction characters by fans.
EMAIL: angelique@angeliquejurd.com
The Beach House #1
Tides of Love #2
Winds of Change #3
Series
