wonderlakes

I hope this is the case. We haven't met Jay's family. I'm sure they're just lovely but I'm not invested in them. I want holidays with Aido. I want Seamus and Loren to become BFF's, giving each other side eyes when Jay and Matt get into their little war of words.

If we want to get technical about it, Loren considers Aidan a evil sex cockblocker. Does that count?

Me finishing this chapter

Am I the only one imagining Jay almost moonwalking out of the airport. He was just LOOKING for an excuse to cancel. I think it's sweet that he wants to spend the holiday with Loren and I also think it could be a really beautiful way to segue Loren into holidays. I for one am excited to see how it unfolds.

I worry about Loren because he’s so strong but he’s also so fragile. I completely understand where Jay was coming from. No matter how horribly executed, he is so desperate to give Loren EVERYTHING including his family. Hello! Marriage proposal. Loren has grown. He didn’t punch Jay in the face, not with his fists. I’m his words tho? Asking me to meet your parents because you think I’m not a complete person is…something I need to talk to my therapist about. Hell, maybe you need a session, too. So, you know, use this time to figure this shit out, okay? Figure it out. I’m begging you.” That’s some guy punching words right there. I sure hope Loren doesn’t make him stew for too long. Loren need to give forgiveness as much as Jay needs it.

Who thinks that Aidan didn’t believe Jay for one second when he said he was going to be a fried potato for dinner? That little smirk 😏 There’s really a lot of goodness about this chapter. Lauren is such a dynamic character. He continues to amaze me and also to draw me in. There is a lot about him that I see in myself. Jay is perfect, which is great but what’s his fatal flaw? Loren is real. He is every single one of us. I haven’t seen a playfully scheming Jay. I can’t wait to see what he has planned

I’m just getting caught up. This is such a great story! I’m loving Will!

Yes! They’re small glimpse but they really show how big and important these guys are!

What made me laugh: I feel like I’m part of the King's court and my sole purpose is to make the guy with a big complex and a small penis feel good about himself when really I just want to correct him because he’s absolutely terrible at the game. I damn near spit my coffee out. After a minute, Jay kisses my temple. “Could you grab me a glass of water?” I get up without hesitation. It’s the least I can do. I come back and hand him a glass of water. He looks at it. “Uh, could I get it with no ice?” I turn around to get him water with no ice but stop short of leaving the room. When I look back, he’s grinning at me. The son of a bitch. I set the glass down on the coffee table. “Get your own damn water.” He rolls off the couch and grabs me, dragging me back to the sofa, and forces me to sit next to him. “So…light BDSM choking, eh?” I agree with @drsawzall in that I'd have to quote the whole friggin' chapter. I didn't think the last chapter could be beat. But here we go.

I think it’s absolutely plausible that all the answers are right. The answer can be both simple as @kbois explain and as complex as a guy who is riddled with trauma from childhood. neither answer makes the other less accurate.

Jays pulsing ovaries has me rolling. And the last line had me swooning

This chapter made my heart want to explode. Jay was on cloud nine the whole time. I just know it. I can’t help but wonder if Loren was secretly relishing all the attention. Between Aidan and Jay Loren was smothered in love all week long. He can gripe and complain all he wants, but I can just see that scar on his heart slowly healing ❤️❤️❤️ You captured everything so well. Thank you for this. I’m so glad we got to spend time with Aido Potato.

I cannot unsee this now lol

This comment really hit home. I didn't read the last line as telling until you mentioned it, but I did think how it showed Loren's growth. It's such a vulnerable statement. He's really putting himself out there. Which I suppose is what Drsawzall means as 'telling'. I will never be a book critic.

What a smooth chapter. It highlights that their relationship is in fact relatively solid. When push comes to shove, they're there for each other. There were so many sweet moments between them. I was smiling the entire time. I needed this chapter. I don't really see the elephant, but then again I don't see a lot of things. I guess we'll see what MrsGnomie has in store for us. I loved Boss Nanny and I am SO EXCITED for the next chapter!!!!

Chapter has been posted for 3 hours and I'm like the 40th comment lol. It's really a race to get here. Anyway, what a diverse chapter. You really took us readers for a ride through all the feelers and then landed in a heaping cliff hanger. What has me scratching my head is, did Loren purposely not tell Jay that he was rock climbing while he was away in Mexico? Did he know in advance? Was it a spontaneous trip? I really hope he wasn't being deceptive. Though, and not to make excuses for him, he's still adjusting to having to be held accountable to someone else. I can definitely see Loren pushing that boundary the same way a teenager would. He's in love with Jay but I get the feeling he still struggles with aspects of the relationship itself. Curious if we will learn more of this. Did you mention something about voting for an early release chapter? Is that still a thing???

I read it as he recovered by dinner but Loren couldn't get over and kept laughing? It's not a pretty processes, not something I enjoy, but if it took a week to recover.. not good! Hopefully that's not the case!

Loved this chapter. Loved the comments to this chapter. Holy smokes, I feel like I missed so much. Overall I thought this was such an cute chapter, even with the fighting. I didn't see the deeper crap, I just saw two men and the growing pains of relationships. The hardships of traveling. I'm falling in love with Loren a little more with every chapter. He really is amazing. And he's so willing to learn new things and try new things and not let the crap from his past really hold him back. When faced with the rock climbing issue, he called his friends and cancelled because he knew it was important to Jay. I don't think it's the end of rockclimbing but I have respect that he took a second to realize that he could forfeit it for this trip, maybe until they're able to hash it out more thoroughly, to keep the peace. I don't agree with Jay's reaction but I think Loren was the bigger person here and that made me smile. Lot's of perfectly written bits from this chapter, all of which were highlighted. Can't wait to see how it continues. Before I leave, I just want to note that I'm not even THAT late to the party. It's only been a few hours since it was posted but I feel like if you're not the first to read the chapter, you're last lol.

This! I read this and my jaw dropped. This is so huge for Loren to share, not just to his fans but to voice this out loud. Wow. I'm impressed.

I’ve been thinking about this chapter all day and just finished re-reading it. I think it’s huge when Loren realizes how undressing can have such a big affect. It’s never a big deal until he meets someone who he loves enough that he wants him all to himself. That has to be a really tough pill. I can see why he’d want to delete everything in an effort to make up for it. it’s a sweet gesture.

You can write a emotionally depressive chapter just as well as you can write an exceptionally happy chapter. I was wondering what you l’s do. This was everything I could’ve asked for. They’ve come so far. I’m so happy for them. Loren’s onion is peeling more and more. He’s a very diverse person and the more I know him, the more I see Jay’s attraction.

I am not okay. I imagined so many things but not this. It explains so much. My heart is so broken right now I can’t even process my emotions. I don’t want to re-read this chapter but I will have too, there’s too much here. well done @Mrsgnomie

Me trying to figure out what time the next chapter will go live…

I had to read this chapter twice and will probably go back again. There are too many details to absorb. Stratego is the perfect representation of someone’s internal struggle I’ve seen in a long time. He’s playing, rather regretfully, a war game while struggling to fight within himself. Chefs kiss. I’ve recently retired as an expert in global pandemics and this morning I put my notice in as a leading specialist in international relations and war laws so I can hone my skills as a psychologist who specializes in family trauma. It is my opinion that his family is the worst and also the cause for all of Loren’s issues.

I think it’s funny that everyone thinks Jay is the boss here. Jay is not the boss. Loren is the boss. Jay was the one who was a celibate little puppy for almost 2 years. Jay brings a lot to the table and I think Loren will grow immensely because of Jay, but Jay is not the boss. I bet he would fold like an origami if Loren was serious about wanting to have sex or anything else for that matter.