Sometimes Fate can be a bitch and take away everything you hold dear, but sometimes she finds it in her heart to give something back…
Ten years after Charlie’s death, Ben still hasn’t faced the fact his first love is gone. Unable to grieve, he’s acted the office clown and made his life so busy he never has time to think. Upon a return to the home he once shared with Charlie, Ben finally admits that Charlie is gone. Then a black panther appears and chases him through the forest, changing his life forever.
That panther is Francois, a mesmerising man who breaks Ben’s self-imposed celibacy and shows him it’s time to move on. Ben visits Francois at his secluded cabin, and a fever overtakes him, compelling him to have sex with the alluring man. Ben finds he wants to live again, but although the sexual attraction between himself and Francois is strong, he knows Francois isn’t the man for him. He’s just a stepping stone on the path of grief, encouraging him to embrace a new life.
When Ben visits a gay club that caters to people who have fantasies he’s never been able to act out, he meets Dave. There is no instant spark like there was with Francois, no immediate falling in lust or love, but an easy camaraderie and sense of wellbeing makes Ben realise you can love someone over time. Knowing something otherworldy has been involved in his transition, Ben is finally forced to think, to accept that everything happens for a reason. Now all he has left to do is say goodbye to Charlie, something he never thought he would do…
