When Skies Are Gray

By Ofelia Grand

Levi Campbell made one huge, stupid mistake.

When his older boyfriend fears he's holding Levi back from fulfilling his youthful dreams, he encourages him to break free and seek adventure. Levi, hurt and confused, does just that ... But in an immature act of rebellion, he enlists in the army. The army!

Levi never wanted to be a soldier, and he never, ever wanted to go to faraway places, but he is now committed to serving his country for two whole years.

Madoc Griffiths did the right thing when he let Levi go, he knows he did, but if it was the right thing, then why can’t he move on? Every night he dreams about Levi; every day he misses him. But Levi is young, and Madoc will not stand in the way of Levi following his dreams.

But being a soldier isn’t Levi’s dream.

There is nothing Levi wants more than to do his time and return home to Northfield and fight for his man. Madoc was sure he’d be able to move on, but once he hears Levi will be home on a two-week leave, he can think of nothing except seeing him again. But can he stand to be with his lover for two weeks and then let him leave to fight a war?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Jul 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781646564958

Ofelia Grand

Ofelia Gränd is Swedish through and through. She is constantly thinking of stories she would love to write. Anything and everything is a source of inspiration that has her lost in thought, staring off into space, in no time at all. Sometimes she turns a street corner, and sees a different world. She is often walking around mumbling to herself and her intended characters. Every so often she is painting mental pictures of their appearances, or wishing that she was better at Photoshop, because she knows exactly what the cover of the story in her mind should look like. Real life, however, interferes all too often, and the stories mostly remains unwritten. In real life, Ofelia is living with her husband and their three children in a small town on the southwestern Swedish coast. When she isn’t a stay-at-home mom, she is teaching Swedish and Swedish as a second language to teenagers and adults. She has been thinking about teaching English, but since she isn’t fluent in the language, she is sticking to the one she knows well. Therefore, she, more than anyone, is a bit perplexed about why she thought it would be a good idea to try to write in English. But, she’ll probably come to her senses— sometime.

Book preview

7

Chapter 1

Madoc Griffiths turned over on the bed and reached for the warmth that had been there mere seconds ago. When his hand slid over the cold sheet, he sighed.

He’d done it again.

An ache spread in his chest and a lump formed in his throat. He didn’t want to open his eyes, didn’t want to see the empty side of the bed, the bare white walls, or the sad clothes hooks where only his clothes hung.

If he concentrated, he could remember the dream, remember the smooth skin under his palm as he ran his hand up Levi’s arm, remember his scent. He could see the tousled dark hair as he turned over to look at Madoc, see the heat in his hazel eyes.

With a shuddering breath, he threw off the cover and sat on the bedside. When would this stop? Fifteen months. It had been fifteen months since he shredded his every hope of happiness. The lump in this throat grew bigger, his eyes burned, and despite telling himself he’d done the right thing, the only possible thing, the longing wouldn’t go away.

It had been the right thing to do.

Reaching for his phone, he checked the time. Five minutes until the alarm would go off. At least he’d slept through the night.

His joints cracked as he stood, and he stretched to get the kinks out of his neck. The house was silent. Empty. Everything was silent and empty since Levi had left—since he’d made Levi leave.

He walked into the kitchen and switched on the coffee maker before heading to the bathroom for a quick shower. He hadn’t more than wrapped a towel around his hips after getting out when the doorbell rang. For a second, his heart sped up, but soon his brain caught up with him and reminded him Levi wasn’t in the country anymore and hadn’t been in the country for close to six months now.

With a sigh, he went to the hallway.

Happy birthday! Lisa pushed him out of the way so she could get in. The familiar scent of her perfume tickled his nose as she squeezed herself past him. There were a bunch of yellow roses and two purple balloons on a string in her hand.

Lis, what are you doing here? Madoc glanced at the clock. He didn’t have time for this.

I only wanted to wish you a happy birthday. Go put something on. I have bagels in my bag so we can grab a quick breakfast before work. She walked into the kitchen without giving him a second glance, put the roses on the counter, and reached for cups and plates in the cupboard.

Madoc sighed and went into the bedroom to get dressed.

Have you heard from him? Lisa appeared in the doorway right as he did the last button on his shirt. Reaching for a tie, he shook his head.

No. We said no contact. We. He’d made Levi promise he wouldn’t contact him.

But it’s your birthday.

Madoc shook his head, not trusting his voice to remain steady if he spoke.

Doc… Ever since he was a kid, Lisa had called him Doc, and now almost everyone did. She walked into the room and waved away his hands so she could tie the tie. He wanted to snarl, wanted to ask her to leave, tell her he was perfectly capable of tying his own ties, but he forced his lips to stay shut.

I worry about you, you know. I miss you. She looked up at him, her green eyes, the same shade as his, were filled with concern. You’re not the same man anymore. When was the last time you smiled?

I smile.

Yeah? She flattened her hands on his chest. I haven’t heard you laugh in ages.

Madoc didn’t reply. He couldn’t remember when he’d laughed last.

You should call him or… She frowned. Is there a way to get in touch with him? There has to be, right?

Shaking his head, he walked out of the bedroom. On the kitchen counter he found two plates with one smoked salmon bagel on each. The sight made him stop. He hadn’t had a proper breakfast in weeks. It looks delicious.

Lisa raised an eyebrow, just like he often did, just like their mother used to do. You’re not taking care of yourself. I don’t care what you think you did or didn’t do for him, but either you get him back or you snap out of this. She pushed a plate at him. Eat, drink, laugh, cry if you must, but for fuck’s sake, snap out of it.

I thought you came to wish me a happy birthday. He took a bite of the bagel so he wouldn’t have to talk.

"I did. We’ve booked a table at The Windmill at seven. Everyone will be there. We’ll eat, have a glass of wine, and it will be lovely. You will smile, you will laugh,