Wayne Gray

Hello, LD Stratton! Thanks for the great comment concerning my story, Guarded. This story is very different from anything else I have ever done, but I do like how it turned out. It does need a heavy edit for mechanical improvements (I can see all my errors now that I've been writing for another couple of years, and have more experience under my belt), and maybe I'll get to that sometime down the line. I honestly believe I lucked my way into a balanced telling that allowed the real threat to remain hidden for as long as possible. I don't know if I can ever pull off another like this. Of course, the temptation is to try. I've outlined a few future attempts, but I need to seriously think on how to pull off what I stumbled into with Guarded. Thank you again for the great comment. I'm happy that you enjoyed the story!

I responded to this, but my comment disappeared! 😞 Okay, trying again. Thanks for your comment, long1jo. After a bit of emotional processing, Troy is happy. He's emotional, understandably so I think, but he is happy. What a gift! Something he thought was gone forever was returned to him, and with the addition of a treasure in the form of John's letter. Grant's family? Drama? Whatever do you mean? 😛

Thanks, James! Grant is very relieved too. He waited as long as he could, and the impact on Troy was huge. Luckily they weathered it. 🙂

You are all terrible. 😛 Poor Aaron and Brian have no idea they're starring in so many fantasies. Though ... honestly, they'd be flattered.

Hrm ... the penalty shall be to post an additional eleven chapters of the story!

Thanks, spyke! I hope the reader could feel Grant's fear, guilt, and love ... all at once. Nothing is clear cut. Nothing is perfectly defined. In that moment, he's a mixture of all of those. And then Troy is angry, hurt, but those give way to the knowledge that Grant truly loves him. I hope that all came through. And, totally smooth. Yep. Just like I promised droughtquake above. 😉

Thanks for the comment, Bft. Yes! He finally did it. Grant is free, and Troy has his treasured book with John's note. Let's see what they do with their new-found gifts.

Thanks, Tom. I'm glad you liked it. I agonized quite a bit over the journal reveal. I wrote the chapter a few different ways, and I ended up here. I really think it just fits them both so well. 🙂

Absolutely. Smooth as the Drake Passage in winter!

Thanks, Parker. It had to happen. How it happened and how it was received were the questions ... and now we know. The guys are still together, still in love, and are even stronger than they were before. Grant is finally free to love completely. Now we get to see what that looks like.

Troy does know that Grant didn't want to hurt him. He forgives Grant because he loves and cherishes him more than he could possibly be angry. Grant will get his massage. Just wait. Okay, kbois. You and @Danners are teaming up on me, eh? I see how this is! 😉 Oh, I'm really happy to hear you're writing again. That's fantastic. Even better that this little tale would get the juices flowing. Take advantage of the alone time, and churn out that creativeness! Thanks for the comments!

Thanks for reading, and for the comment! And you’re welcome. 🙂

I'm glad you liked the chapter, Butcher. It really was time, wasn't it? There was a lot that happened to get to this point, but at least that journal is finally in the proper hands again. Thanks for the comment.

That's such an interesting observation about Grant's state. You're right in that he was worn down physically. Yet, he was also exhausted mentally as well. Constantly hanging onto that book, keeping the man he loved from seeing John's letter, it chewed into his soul. He had to turn it over. Still, as you said, it took courage for Grant to do it. I maintain that Grant owes John a lot. That letter, and the "voice" that Troy hears both served to steady that roller-coaster-ride you spoke of. They made him prioritize Grant ... even in the moment Grant was trying to make Troy a priority. The friends and their support definitely had an effect on both of our guys. Knowing if things go wrong, you can knock on a door, fall into waiting arms and cry ... well, that is a safety net of a sort. Thanks for the great comments!

Thanks for the comment, Philippe. In those lonely moments it's awfully hard to imagine that Troy wouldn't have hated what he'd done. Grant gave him a tremendous gift - one that's irreplaceable. Yes ... Grant screwed up, but the trade was so impossible for Troy to ignore. What he'd been given so far outweighed Grant's sins, that things had to go the way that they did. I do feel that Troy had to go through all of these emotions, and that he had to get to this place before the journal could really be treasured again. As the balance moved toward a more even distribution of power between Grant and Troy, the journal really had to be returned. The debt Grant owed was too huge ... and he couldn't hold it any longer. 🙂

Thanks for the comment, tim. We’ve all messed up. I think all the difference is in if we’re genuinely sorry and willing to atone. Of course, we still need that other person to believe in us one more time. If we’re lucky, they do. ❤️

Hehe. I’m happy you’re relieved, empress. 🙂

Thanks, chris. You maybe noticed tiny little additions there in that journal reveal scene - because you called out a few of those just now. Thanks for that! I like this story more after the edits and additions. It just feels richer. 🙂

I think that’s all very true, molly. They both came through this stronger thanks to a willingness by Grant to come clean, and Troy’s willingness to forgive him. Thanks for the comment!

Thanks, jaysalmn. I do think Troy reacted in character. It would have caused more drama for him to have thrown a fit, but it wouldn’t have been who he is. John’s note definitely helped Grant out ... a lot.

Thanks for the great comments, Danners. Relief, eh? Well, good. I'm happy that's the reaction to the chapter. Grant finally stepped up and did the right thing, but this was a real test for both of our guys. I think you're right. I think this proved to Troy how Grant really feels ... how deeply his emotion runs, and how he's willing to risk everything to do the right thing for Troy. LOL ... you really wanna see Brian and Aaron tangled in the sheets, eh? Maybe I'll write a scene ... just for the ABC fans. 😉

18 January 2019, Friday 4:54 p.m. Grant had been sore in his life. Yoga pushed him to do things with his body most people couldn't. He had progressed far in his practice and could now perform asanas only a fraction of the population could. That meant pushing past his old limits which always meant soreness. Yet, six near-solid hours of skiing did something entirely new to his body. Flinching as he flexed his foot, Grant stepped up into the van, snow dropping from his boots. This time, Bri

I feel for you. I’m told the sun will shine again ... and I know it’s true. It’s just hard waiting.

Thanks, Tony. 🙂 I'm glad you liked it.

Yes indeed! Grant is beginning to crack a bit under that pressure you mentioned, and he's starting to really feel the guilt. Mainly, he's bothered by keeping something as precious as John's letter from Troy. Thank you for reading and for the comment, tim!