Foxed

FOXED JAY HOGAN SOUTHERN LIGHTS PUBLISHING Published by Southern Lights Publishing Copyright © 2023 by Jay Hogan This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution by any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Any ebook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. To request permission and all other enquiries contact the author through the website https://www.jayhoganauthor.com Trade Paperback ISBN:978-1-99-110404-5 Digital ISBN: 978-1-99-110405-2 Digital Edition Published January 2023 Trade Paperback Published January 2023 First Edition Editing by Boho Edits Cover Art Copyright © 2023 Reese Dante Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model. Proofread by Lissa Given Proofing and L. Parks Printed in the United States of America and Australia For my family who read everything I write and keep on saying they love it all, blushes included. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As always, I thank my husband for his patience and for keeping the dog walked and out of my hair when I needed to work, and my daughter for her incredible support. Getting a book finessed for release is a huge challenge that includes the help of beta readers, editing, proofing, cover artists and a tireless PA. It’s a team effort, and includes all those author support networks and reader fans who rally around when you’re ready to pull your hair out and throw away every first draft. Thanks to all of you. BLURB FOXED: To be thrown into a state of uncertainty—flustered, bamboozled, bewildered, puzzled, vexed. AKA, me. Jed Marshall. 55-year-old successful classic car mechanic; divorced, mostly closeted, and whose wholly inexperienced bisexuality has suddenly awakened after one smouldering look and said, ‘Damn, who’s the hottie?’ Or words to that effect. Cue, Nash Collingwood. 53-year-old scarily smart high school principal; out, gay, confident, and sexy as hell. He’s also my daughter’s boss. So, not complicated at all, right? Nash could ignite a bonfire with a single sultry look, comes fully accessorised with a charm offensive Churchill would be proud of, an easy-going flattery that thrills my heart far too effortlessly, and an impressive track record with men many decades my junior. In short, Nash is everything I’m not, and everything I’ve avoided for roughly my entire life. He’s the classic Mustang to my second-hand Fiesta, that is if you like your Fiesta with a few dents, creaky suspension, unexpected backfires, and a dodgy stick. The last thing I need is a relationship—especially with a man. I buried that pipe dream a long time ago and a little loneliness is a small price to pay. The festive season and long summer vacation are on our doorstep. I’m finally getting things right with my family who mean everything to me, and I don’t want to mess that up. But Nash doesn’t care about my awkward inexperience, or clumsy excuses, or any of my insecurities. Nash only sees me. He wants me. For the first time in years, I feel alive and sexy and a whole lot more than just a good father and grandfather. I should walk away, but the closer Nash and I become, the more he fills my grey world with colour, and the promise of a second chance at love I never thought possible. CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Epilogue More by Jay Hogan About the Author INTRODUCTION FOXED: To be thrown into a state of uncertainty—flustered, bamboozled, bewildered, puzzled, vexed. CHAPTER ONE Jed “One more, Poppy. Pleeeeeease.” Bridie hugged Tigger to her chest and gave a commendable pout, which, along with her sparkling green eyes and cascade of dark waves, was guaranteed to melt my heart and likely that of every boy or girl she aimed it at in about twelve years’ time. Dear God, please let it be at least twelve years. I tapped her playfully on that cute-as-a-button nose. “You’re going to give your mummy and daddy conniptions when you start dating, and Poppy’s gonna be there to witness every glorious second of it.” Bridie’s brow bunched up. “What’s a nipshun?” “Poppy needs to hush his mouth.” Abbie appeared through the bedroom’s open door and crossed to give me a quick hug. “She’s already got Scott wrapped around her little finger. If I left the discipline side to her daddy, she’d have to go to school with a hazardous warning label.” I snorted. “She does have a way about her.” “That she does.” Abbie’s green eyes danced, so much like her mother and her daughter. And with their dark waves, infectious smiles, and similar bubbly personalities, the likeness between the three clutched at my heart like it always did. “She gets that cuteness overload from you,” I reminded Abbie. “For the first few years of your life, you could do no wrong in my eyes. It drove your mother crazy. Then you hit adolescence and I wanted to wrap you in cotton wool covered in barbed wire and lock you away.” “Oh god, stop.” Abbie slumped onto the bed and kicked off her shoes with a groan of relief. “I don’t know how you and Mum did it. Scott says it only took one smile from me