What begins as
plans for a quiet ceremony soon becomes something much bigger, a joyful
celebration of love, family, resilience, and a thirty-four-year commitment that
deserves to be honored in unforgettable style.
The Handyman’s
Happily-Ever-After
The Handyman Series Book 7
by Nick Poff
Genre: LGBTQ+, M/M Contemporary Romance
In the winter of
2015, Ed Stephens and his longtime partner Rick are settling into life at
Penfield Manor.
With retirement looming, old friends scattered, and the realities of aging
becoming impossible to ignore, they find comfort in family, loyal friends, and
the steady stream of guests who pass through what they affectionately call “The
Hotel Penfield Manor.”
But life has surprises in store. A grandson is on the way, a
troubled young relative needs refuge, and a wave of intolerance in their
Indiana community forces Ed and Rick to confront a question they have postponed
for more than three decades: should they finally marry?
What begins as plans
for a quiet ceremony soon becomes something much bigger, a joyful celebration
of love, family, resilience, and a thirty-four-year commitment that deserves to
be honored in unforgettable style.
Ed was on his way home for lunch after a computer job Friday morning when his phone began to blow up. Now what? He wondered. When he reached the driveway he grabbed his phone and saw text messages from Rex and Gordy. Aw geez, what did that putz of a governor do now? As he sat debating whether to read them or not, texts came in from Paul, Muriel, and even Phil Sturgis. There was a news alert attached to Phil’s so he opened that one first. Same-Sex Marriage: Supreme Court Rules in Favor, President Obama Calls It 'Victory for America.’
Ed shook his head in disbelief. He’d had absolutely no faith
in a favorable ruling from the court and had done his best to ignore the whole
thing. But now, suddenly, something he never thought he’d see in his lifetime
had happened. He and Rick had the right to marry, not only in Indiana, but
anywhere in the United States. I’ll be damned, he thought. He looked at the
ring on his left hand, the one Rick had put on his finger thirty-four years
earlier, the one he’d been half afraid to wear at first as he worried about
what people might say. But now, but now…
That evening Ed and
Rick sat in front of the computer in the study reading every article, every
reaction, and seeing in the photos every bit of joy coming from people like
them all across the country. Then one image stopped their scrolling, the sight
of the White House glowing in rainbow colored lights. They stared at it until
the screen saver kicked in and replaced it with a photo of Dwight.
“Even back in ’08 I
knew Obama was the president we had been waiting for,” Ed said, breaking the
silence.
“I still can’t
completely wrap my head around it,” Rick said softly. He shook the mouse and
the White House came back into view. “The president of the United States is
happy for us. He calls this a victory. For the first time in my life I feel
like a first class citizen of this country. We belong. We matter.” He whooped
joyously. “How ‘bout that!”
Ed laughed at
Rick’s exuberance. “How ‘bout that,” he repeated.
Rick turned to Ed,
his eyes bright. “So what do you think, babe?”
“Huh? Think about
what?”
“You wanna get
married?”
Ed swallowed a
smile and said as seriously as he could: “Are you sure you want to enter into
an archaic heterosexual tradition?”
Rick shrugged. “Why
the hell not?” He took Ed’s hand. “I didn’t want to when it became legal in our
state because I didn’t think it would last. I was sure the decision would get
overturned. I mean, it still might. I’m sure there are people out there right
now shitting their pants in horror and planning its downfall. Fuck ‘em. Let’s
enjoy this moment while it lasts. The president,” he added, “would approve.”
“Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“What?”
“I seem to recall,”
Rick said, hands on hips, “that I did what proposing there was to do the first
time.”
“Oh! It’s my turn.”
“You betcha,
mister.”
Ed took a deep
breath. “Well, in that case.” He got to
his knee beside Rick. He reached for his hand and said solemnly, “Richard John
Benton, will you marry me?”
Rick’s warm and
tender smile spread across his face. “Yes.”
They reached for
each and sealed the deal with a kiss.
**Don’t miss
the rest of the books in the Handyman Series! **
NICK POFF lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in an early 20th
century historical neighborhood. A widower, he shares his home with his cat,
Jasper. He is a life-long Hoosier, a distinction with which he has a love/hate
relationship.
Poff spent thirty years in the radio industry in northeast
Indiana as a disc jockey, copy writer, producer, program manager and music
director. When technology allowed radio corporations to begin shedding
programming staff, he decided to take a chance at something he had long wanted
to do, writing stories for gay men such as he living in the wide open space
between Provincetown and West Hollywood. This resulted in a book series about
handyman Ed Stephens. Ed meets his dream man, Rick, in 1980, and through six
books, Poff tells the tale of a gay couple living in a small Indiana town
through the 1980’s. In 2025 he decided to add one more book, set in 2015, when
same sex marriage was legalized nationwide in order to give Ed and Rick the
finale he felt they deserved.
You can more about him and his work at nickpoffauthor.com,
on Facebook at Nick Poff Author, and Amazon Authors.
Website * Facebook * Amazon * Goodreads
