Angels Among Us

By Leona Windwalker

Ash and Anthony had it all planned. Sweethearts since high school, they’d gotten engaged, bought a house they were renovating together, and planned for children.
A tragic accident ended those dreams and left Ash reeling from despair. Unable to return home to even look at the tree they’d just decorated before going out, he hid from the world at his parents’ home in another city.

Shannon understood loss.
After his wife died shortly after the birth of their child, he knew he had to be strong, especially for little Marley’s sake. Deciding it was time for a fresh start, he moved them from Chicago to the small town he’d grown up in.

One house, a real estate agent, and a man re-awakening to life.
When Ash finally emerges from his grief, he has but one plan. Sell the house and, somehow, find a way to start moving forward. Google brings him to Shannon Greyson’s one-man band realty. It’s love, though, that brings them together, perhaps with a little help from Anthony.

Angels Among Us is an unabashedly heartwarming tale about home, family, and true love. It's not always Santa that briings the magic of Christmas during the festive holiday season. A feel-good tale of true love and a happy-ever-after.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leona Windwalker
• Release date: Dec 13, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005465056

Leona Windwalker

Leona is a long time staunch supporter of human rights and environmental causes. Her favourite genre is m/m fiction and she particularly enjoys the sci fi, fantasy and action suspense subgenres, especially if they have a nice seasoning of romance. She has far too many books on her Kindle, has overloaded her phone with even more, and when not reading, writing, being driven to distraction by her children, or being overlorded by her three cats, spends time trying to locate the portal that the sock monster uses to steal socks from her dryer.

Book preview

1

There, that’s perfect. Anthony smiled as he meticulously placed the last filmy strand of the icicles on the tree that stood in the corner of their dining room.

You’re ridiculous, Ash said, laughing. You practically take a ruler to measure every ornament, mentally diagramming the three dimensional space to make sure everything is equal, and it’s only up for a few days.

But it’s our tree. It represents a celebration, of us. Of family, togetherness, all that. Now, how about we put on the movie and enjoy some eggnog? It should be cold by now.

"Always with that movie. Every year, without fail. But only this movie. This year, can we also watch one of my favorites?’

Sure. A Charlie Brown Christmas is on tomorrow night at eight. I’ll DVR it and we can watch it after going to see the lights.

Ash leaned in to brush his lips softly against Anthony’s. Thank you. But that’s only a half hour special. I insist on The Grinch, as well.

The animated film, not the live action, Anthony bargained.

Of course. Gotta go with the classics.

Anthony nodded before going into the kitchen and returning with the chilled glass pitcher of eggnog, two glasses, and a small salt shaker he’d filled with nutmeg. Ash was already in the living room, pulling up It’s A Wonderful Life from their library of films on Itunes.

Awesome, Anthony said, placing the laden tray down on the coffee table.

Ash glanced over at him. No gingerbread?

No. Remember last year we ate the gingerbread and we ate it all? My mom does. She actually reminded me about it and ordered we not eat a single thing after breakfast so we have room for the feast she’s making again this year.

Ash sighed. Yeah, that gingerbread Mrs. Pulaski makes is too good to stop at just one slice. He settled onto the couch next to his fiancé. Anthony poured them each a glass of eggnog and handed one to Ash before settling back. He stretched his free arm along the back of the sofa cushions for his lover to lean back against. Ash obliged, snuggling against Anthony’s side.

Ash sipped the egg nog, the warmth of the brandy adding to his sense of languor and contentment. He glanced over at his beloved. These were the moments he cherished most with him, the times when Anthony showed his soft and sentimental side. People often took in his burly frame, strong jaw, and piercing gaze and assumed he was tough and Anthony certainly could pull that off and often did, if the occasion called for it. Usually that was reserved for on the ice hockey rink and when dealing with assholes who tried to bully their way.

Anthony's true self was this guy, right here. Not religious in the slightest, he still was a spiritual person. Christmas was his favorite holiday, with all the trappings that exclaimed joy in every sparkle. Their tree dripped with hand made ornaments, many gifts from his nieces and nephews, a few from the children of colleagues down at the volunteer fire department, and a select few that Ash had made the year before last when he was coerced into taking a ceramics class along with Anthony’s sister, Joy Ann.

You know, I dream of us doing that someday, Anthony said.

What, getting our wings? Ash teased as the final scene of the film played.

No, us married, holding up a kid of our own to put the star on top of the tree. I know we said we’d think about, in the future, but this year, it just really hit me.

Ash put his empty glass down and turned to his lover, climbing onto his lap and straddling his hips. If it means so much to you, it can be sooner rather than later. We’ve been together since high school and while we’re not getting married until spring, it’s not like it’s been a short dating to engagement period. Seven years is long enough, I think. So, how about after the wedding, we see what we have to do.

I think I’d like to consider an older kid, Anthony said. You know, like maybe five or six years old. That’s not set in stone. Could be older or younger. Whoever they have waiting for a forever home and who has been waiting.

Ash leaned in and kissed him deeply. This was the Anthony he’d first fallen in love with, back when the jock had volunteered at the local retirement home Ash’s father was director of. Every student was required to do a minimum of twenty hours of community service and Anthony had thrown himself into it wholeheartedly.He’s played cards with the residents, taken them for walks through the grounds, painted fingernails, and read to them as needed.

Ash’s phone rang and he jumped. Twisting himself around to reach where it sat on the coffee table, he wondered who it was. He fervently hoped that his boss wasn’t calling him to ask for him to come in the day after Christmas. He’d bargained hard to have that day off, working unpopular shifts, including pulling a twelve hour day on Black Friday.

It’s your mom, he said in surprise, swiping to accept the call.

Hi, Ash, it’s me. I figured that by now you two would be finished with three and watching the movie.

It's just finished, actually, he laughed.

Good, I’ve timed it right. Before you two get mushy as usual and one thing leads to another and you end up arriving late, I wanted to remind you that dinner is in forty-five minutes. You didn’t stuff yourselves silly already, I hope.

No, just a few glasses of eggnog. We’ll leave to head on over in a few minutes.

Okay, stay safe. Don’t walk in the road, stay on the grass.

You bet, Mom. See you in a bit, bye. He looked at Anthony, who was shaking with mirth. It’s not funny.

Yes, it is. My mom called to cockblock us so we won’t be late to dinner again.

And whose fault is it that we’re always late?

Yours, for being so sexy.

Ash looked at him with affectionate exasperation. I’ll let you off because you said that, but only this once. he stood up. I’ll take these to the kitchen.

All right. I’ll go fetch the wine and gifts.

Ash rinsed the now empty pitcher out and placed it and the glasses into the dishwasher. He reached into the cabinet beneath the sink and snagged a bag which he filled with Tupperware containers Anthony other sister, Clarissa, had convinced him to buy from her. His future mother-in-law always prepared far too much food and each of her children knew to bring containers to bring it home in. There would be no need to cook for the next two days.

He walked into the dining room with his bounty and stopped to admire Anthony’s handiwork. Not only was the tree beautiful, but he’d carried out the wrapped gifts they had stored in their closet and arranged them under the tree. He took his phone and snapped a picture to share at dinner.

Ready to go, then?

Yep,Anthony said, holding up a six wine bottle holder of a bag, printed with a festive design and a second bag filled with Christmas cards. Gift certificates, and mesh bags of chocolate coins. Three white and three red, he said, referring to the wine.

That should do it, Ash agreed.

Both men sat their burdens down on the backed bench in the entryway and shrugged into warm coats, scarves, hats, and gloves. Picking their bags back up, they opened the door.

The snow makes it look like one of those tins Mom puts on the shelf every year. Like a sleigh should come on by with a guy in a top hat driving, Anthony said.

He was right. They lived on a large parcel in a semi-rural subdivision . Open spaces dotted with trees, a nearby lake, all gave off a picture postcard feel. Currier and Ives, Ash mused.

Yeah, that’s the ones. Granny had a bunch of them back in the seventies as Mom was growing up and then gave them all away in the late eighties. I remember Mom hunting through thrift stores and yard sales looking for ones to replace them as she’d loved them so much.

Yeah, I remember her dragging us along to help her carry the other stuff she always bought back. They laughed at the memory and began to trudge through the snow.

Bit powdery, Ash observed.

Yeah. Least it’s not too deep or hiding ice.

Not yet, no.

They waved at Mrs. Pulaski who was standing at her window. She waved back. A car drove by, skidding slightly as it took the corner too fast.

Someone was in a hurry, Ash observed.

I didn’t recognize the car, Anthony said.

They’re probably visiting someone further up the road.

Probably. They need to slow down or the only place they’ll get to is the hospital.

Or worse.

Or worse, Anthony agreed.

They rounded the bend. Looks like Dad really outdid himself this year, Anthony said. After Ted Jurgens won the light contest last year, he said he was going to go all out and reclaim the title. Looks like he bought out every decoration in town.

Ash laughed. I bet they can see it from the International space station.

Yeah. That’s gonna be some light bill. They mounted the steps, stamping the snow off their boots before knocking. The door opened, revealing Clarissa. Mom says to come inside before you let the heat out and to go wash your hands.

"Hello to