Lonely Diner

Two gorgeous military men. One Lonely Diner, where people often search for romance. (The food is good there, too.) One man plays it straight. Another grieves over a lost lover. Though clearly meant for each other, Lance, an Air Force computer engineer, and Ryan, a former submariner in the Navy and now a military college professor, are conflicted gay men blinded by painful wounds of their past decisions. A younger Ryan Ball decides he can be happy only by conforming to social expectations. So what does he do? He decides he must have a wife and kids. Though he acknowledges to himself that he can never be straight, he is convinced that, with effort and determination, he can play the necessary roles. At thirty-one, Lance Dingle falls for his best friend and roommate, Randy, a stunt pilot who agrees to a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Then, tragedy strikes. Lance finds himself alone and lonely, living with memories of Randy and an ever-expanding list of "what-might-have-beens." Callie Yenti, a transwoman and drag performer extraordinaire, enters the picture. She owns Lonely Diner and possesses an uncanny insight into the workings of the heart. Even the complicated hearts of her two stubborn friends, Lance and Ryan. An HEA gay romance. Though part of a series, LONELY DINER may easily be read as a standalone. Trigger Warning: This novel includes scenes from a sexual assault and a PTSD episode. Tropes: Military Romance, Coming Out, Overcoming Adversity, Second Chances.