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Forestville Silver Foxes #related
Returning the Runner
Twenty-five years ago, Hanson Swaim broke my heart and left Forestville without looking back.
I stayed. I built a life, a brewery, a reputation as the town’s most reliably single bachelor.
I told myself I was over him. I told myself I deserved more than a man who would always stay in the closet. I told myself a lot of things.
Now I’m forty-six, boarding a gay cruise with a rolling suitcase and what’s left of my optimism—and there he is, looking exactly like the boy who walked away from me, except older and more tired.
He’s out now. He’s single. And when our eyes meet, twenty-five years collapse.
I have one week at sea to decide if I can trust him with my heart again.
I’m forty-six years old. I should know better.
I don’t think I do
Returning the Runner is a standalone short story in the Forestville Silver Foxes series.
I stayed. I built a life, a brewery, a reputation as the town’s most reliably single bachelor.
I told myself I was over him. I told myself I deserved more than a man who would always stay in the closet. I told myself a lot of things.
Now I’m forty-six, boarding a gay cruise with a rolling suitcase and what’s left of my optimism—and there he is, looking exactly like the boy who walked away from me, except older and more tired.
He’s out now. He’s single. And when our eyes meet, twenty-five years collapse.
I have one week at sea to decide if I can trust him with my heart again.
I’m forty-six years old. I should know better.
I don’t think I do
Returning the Runner is a standalone short story in the Forestville Silver Foxes series.
- GenresM M Romance
68 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2026
About the author
Nora Phoenix
128 books2,423 followersWould you like the long or the short version of my bio?
The short? You got it.
I write steamy gay romance books and I love it. I also love reading books. Books are everything.
How was that?
A little more detail? Gotcha.
I started writing my first stories when I was a teen…on a freaking typewriter. I still have these, and they’re adorably romantic. And bad, haha. Fear of failing kept me from following my dream to become a romance author, so you can imagine how proud and ecstatic I am that I finally overcame my fears and self doubt and did it. I adore my genre because I love writing and reading about flawed, strong men who are just a tad broken..but find their happy ever after anyway.
My favorite books to read are pretty much all MM/gay romances as long as it has a happy end. Kink is a plus… Aside from that, I also read a lot of nonfiction and not just books on writing. Popular psychology is a favorite topic of mine and so are self help and sociology.
Hobbies? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Just kidding. I love traveling, spending time near the ocean, and hiking. But I love books more.
Come hang out with me in my Facebook Group Nora’s Nook where I share previews, sneak peeks, freebies, fun stuff, and much more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/noras...
Wanna get first dibs on freebies, updates, sales, and more? Sign up for my newsletter (no spamming your inbox full…promise!) here: http://www.noraphoenix.com/newsletter/
You can also stalk me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraFromBHR
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nora.phoenix/
On Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nora-...
The short? You got it.
I write steamy gay romance books and I love it. I also love reading books. Books are everything.
How was that?
A little more detail? Gotcha.
I started writing my first stories when I was a teen…on a freaking typewriter. I still have these, and they’re adorably romantic. And bad, haha. Fear of failing kept me from following my dream to become a romance author, so you can imagine how proud and ecstatic I am that I finally overcame my fears and self doubt and did it. I adore my genre because I love writing and reading about flawed, strong men who are just a tad broken..but find their happy ever after anyway.
My favorite books to read are pretty much all MM/gay romances as long as it has a happy end. Kink is a plus… Aside from that, I also read a lot of nonfiction and not just books on writing. Popular psychology is a favorite topic of mine and so are self help and sociology.
Hobbies? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Just kidding. I love traveling, spending time near the ocean, and hiking. But I love books more.
Come hang out with me in my Facebook Group Nora’s Nook where I share previews, sneak peeks, freebies, fun stuff, and much more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/noras...
Wanna get first dibs on freebies, updates, sales, and more? Sign up for my newsletter (no spamming your inbox full…promise!) here: http://www.noraphoenix.com/newsletter/
You can also stalk me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraFromBHR
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nora.phoenix/
On Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nora-...
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
September 24, 2026
Good
I think this could have been a lot longer to allow the reader to get to know the characters more. I felt a bit cheated at how fast this story moved. With that said I liked it.
I think this could have been a lot longer to allow the reader to get to know the characters more. I felt a bit cheated at how fast this story moved. With that said I liked it.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review