Annabeth Albert returns to Safe Harbor for Make Me Stay, book two in her trilogy featuring three long-time friends set in a small Oregon town. This one is a mature, hurt/comfort romance between two wounded men who have spent so many years denying any vulnerability that they are now stuck, in their different ways, with a persona they’ve presented to the world that isn’t really who they are.

The wonderfully – and aptly – named Professor Holden Justice is a former detective who suffered a debilitating injury early in his career and is now a professor of criminal justice who also presents a popular true crime podcast. From his appearances in book one, Bring Me Home, we know he’s a life-and-soul type – outgoing and cheerful, a joker who is always ready with a quip or funny one-liner. He and his friend Monroe have been assisting the local PD – their friend Rob is Chief of Police – with a cold case that has recently been re-opened, the murder of the mother of one of their closest friends, Worth Stapleton, who fled Safe Harbor afterwards and has never been back. At the end of Bring Me Home, evidence led Monroe and Holden to believe there are answers to be had out at the nearby lake, and when Make Me Stay opens, Holden is on his way there to join Monroe for the recovery dive he’s organised.

On his way, Holden unintentionally cuts up a battered old RV chugging along the same road; of course, said RV pulls up to park shortly after Holden does, and turns out to belong to the diver Monroe has engaged, former SEAL Chief Callum Phillips. Oops. With his military bearing, unshaven jaw, compact frame and long strides, Holden has to admit that he does, at least, look the part of a legendary diver. It’s a shame he quickly reveals himself to have “the personality of a weathered fence post.”

Cal doesn’t ‘people’; he’s in Safe Harbor to dive, do a job, get paid and then move on to whatever is next. He’s not pleased when Holden expresses concern over Cal’s intention to dive alone, and firmly shuts him down – but he can’t help being grateful when Holden takes over wrangling the local volunteers, assigning tasks, checking people in and out and generally making sure things run smoothly. Even so, the guy’s perpetual smile, continuous stream of jokes and general aura of bonhomie rub Cal the wrong way – although he has no idea why.

Holden’s concerns turn out to be valid when Cal surfaces bearing a big gash across the back of his neck and down his arm. Cal wants to get back down to look for more evidence, but Holden won’t hear of it; Cal needs urgent care, not another dive. When Monroe agrees, Cal reluctantly allows Holden to drive him to the clinic, where Holden realises that he’s

…never known someone who needed fussing over more or wanted it less.

Just about patched-up and almost completely broke, Cal leaves Safe Harbor the next day, only for his ancient RV to finally give up the ghost. It’s not fixable, and Cal can’t afford a new vehicle; Earl – the local mechanic – asks if there’s anyone Cal can call to help him out, and the only person he can think of is Holden. Cal absolutely hates asking for help and hates the idea of being an object of pity – but luckily for him, fate takes a hand and he doesn’t have to ask; Holden appears at the garage for fuel, Holden and Earl get talking, and very soon, Holden has himself a new – temporary – housemate.

Having Cal around makes Holden realise how much he’s missed having someone at home (his sister used to live with him, but she recently moved out) and that, despite his regular protestations to the contrary, he has been lonely. To his friends, he’s always the upbeat extrovert, but he’s become so used to using that persona to hide behind on his bad days, the days when his body hurts and his constant struggle with chronic pain becomes almost overwhelming, that he’s reached a place where he feels unable to show them any other facet of himself. He’s a wheelchair user because the injuries he suffered mean he finds walking painful and difficult, but in his determination not to let that hold him back or define him, he’s allowed the people around him to think he’s okay when he isn’t, worried that if he tells his friends how bad things can get, they’ll get tired of hearing about it. But Cal gives him the space, quiet support and understanding that allows Holden to be his whole self, to be not okay when he’s in pain, and to be more than the ‘class clown’ he’s shown his friends for the past thirty years.

Cal is struggling with (largely untreated) PTSD and a fuckton of survivor’s guilt and repressed grief over the deaths of his best friend (with whom he’d been in (unrequited) love) and two other divers who were lost during a rescue mission some years earlier. He doesn’t like being around people and tries to have as little interaction with others as possible; he’s walled himself off – he doesn’t want to be responsible for anyone or anything other than himself, and doesn’t want anyone to depend on him for anything.

Somehow, this odd couple start to find some common ground and quickly become more than simple housemates after Holden inadvertently interrupts Cal during one of his rare moments of ‘alone time’. Thanks to an unfortunate incident with a toaster and the smoke alarm, Holden discovers not only that Cal enjoys a bit of rope-play, but that his own bossy streak is most definitely up for indulging Cal’s need to be tied down and controlled. It’s one of those scenes that walks a fine line between humour and embarassment! But Ms. Albert does a terrific job of developing their relationship in and out of the bedroom, showing their growing connection as they hang out, share meals, watch bad TV and generally take care of one another, and their growing trust as they explore their kinks and learn to let themselves be themselves with someone else.

The conflict in the story arises mainly because Cal has had one foot out the door since he entered it – he doesn’t think he’s a good bet for any kind of relationship and has shut off his emotions for so long that he can’t trust that he’s allowed to keep things that make him happy. But somehow, Holden has begun to push his way through those barriers; he sees Cal and his pain and doesn’t judge – he just wants to make things better – and for the first time in a very long and lonely five years, Cal is beginning to as though his load is lightening and that he can finally begin to move past his grief and loss.

It will come as no surprise when I say that the disability rep, in terms of its impact on Holden both mentally and physically, is excellent, because Annabeth Albert always takes great care to be well-informed and respectful of such issues, and Cal’s gradual acceptance of his demisexuality is nicely done.

Watching these two lonely guys fall for each other is a delight; there’s banter, kindness, honesty, and acceptance, and I loved the way they are able to see beneath the other’s surface and know when to check in and provide support.

Make Me Stay is an emotional, sexy story about self-acceptance, about learning to ask for help, open up and trust in the people you love – and most of all, about finding home.