Two battle buddies. One fateful deployment. Two vastly different sets of wounds. One friendship changed forever. A childhood in foster care taught Carey Everett to hold tight to what he has. Enlisting in the Marines gave him purpose, but a life-threatening injury ended his career—and took his leg. Now fully recovered, Carey's happier than he's ever been. He has a fulfilling job, a chosen family and, best of all, a cherished friendship with Jase DeSantis, the platoon medic who saved his life. Despite Jase's heroism in combat, he remains haunted by his actions overseas. Playing music with his band helps keep the demons at bay, but it's a battle he's starting to lose. After a week of sun and fun in San Diego, Jase and Carey's connection takes an unexpected turn. With change comes a new set of challenges. For Jase, it means letting someone else into his deepest pain. For Carey, it's realizing love doesn't always equal loss. In order to make their relationship work, they'll have to come to terms with their pasts… …or risk walking away from each other for good. This standalone M/M romance is approximately 65,000 words.