Welcome to...The Island...

It was almost two years ago that I published The Resort.

And it was almost three years since the story started as a newsletter serial for my readers.

If you didn't know me then The Resort started as a photo prompt from a reader. Before I knew it I had the first chapter written and then the second and so on.

I never imagined the story of the three men who fell in love after a sizzling hot encounter would capture the interest of my readers. The Resort was my first, and so far only MMM romance. I wrote a short story set in the same world, The Vacation, which is also MMM.

After many promises to write a second story with three characters from The Resort, I am delighted to say the boys are finally ready to come out.

If you haven't read The Resort I recommend you do, even if it's to refresh the story in your head. You can also read the The Vacation. This is a freebie for my newsletter subscribers but I'll drop the file in the member's area so you can download it from there.

Without further ado...

Gabe

I inhaled until I couldn’t take any more air in my lungs, letting the smell of the salt water wash over me. The ocean was never as blue elsewhere, I'd found.

The rocking of the ferry on the waves, the breeze that threatened to undo the bun I’d carelessly tied my hair in.


Home.


"Smells great, doesn't it?"


I opened my eyes and followed the voice that had cut through my thoughts.
 Big brown eyes stared back at me. A slightly crooked nose and the infectious happy smile of someone who didn't have a care in the world.


"Yes, it does," I answered, finding myself smiling back.


"I'm Carter."
 I took his stretched hand and shook it.

"Gabe."


"Are you a local, Gabe? I'm moving to the island so you can say I'll be a local soon enough. Did you know this ferry runs six times a day and it's the only way to get in or out of the island? You'd think people would feel stuck on such a tiny island, but I can't wait. I never did like big crowds, or big places."


I couldn't help the laugh that came out.


"I'm sorry," he said. "I can be a little too much. My mom always said I'd grown so big because I have a big spirit. Don't know what that means. I guess I just get easily excited, and when you have six other brothers competing for attention you don't waste a good opportunity when you have someone...and I'm being rude but not giving you a chance to say anything." 
Anyone else would probably look a little embarrassed, but Carter seemed to accept who he was. I liked that.


"To answer your questions," I started. "I grew up on the island so you could say I'm a local, although I haven't been back in two years. I do know how often the ferry runs but I'll tell you a little secret." I let my voice go down to a whisper, "It's not the only way in and out of the island."


His eyes bulged and his smile grew wider.
 Damn, he was attractive. Easily seven feet tall, with muscles that had his shirt stretch over his chest and arms, but with an innocence to him that made it feel like he would be anyone’s safe harbor. He was probably straight, although it didn't matter if he wasn't. 


"I guess we'll need to be friends so you can tell me your secrets."


"I guess we will." Well, at least the friends part. I wasn't so sure about the secrets. I was hiding too many of them and they were too tangled. 
The island came into view in the distance.

Beside me Carter almost vibrated with excitement. How I wish I felt the same way.


"You can take a man away from La Catarina but you can never take La Catarina from a man. If you belong to the island you will always find your way back." These were the words my dad had said to me many times since I was a kid. More so when as a teenager I couldn't wait to get away from the small island.


I wanted to explore the world. Meet people who didn't know who I was, especially when my father owned the largest business on the island and employed sixty percent of the local workforce. 


People respected me because they'd respected my father. As a young man it was a responsibility I struggled with. How could I grow up, make mistakes, and be myself if everyone measured me against the amazing person that was my dad.
 Not only that, I'd had to measure up to my big brother, too.

Jake was actually my cousin. The son of my dad's sister. But he'd lived with us for so long that I didn't remember a time when he wasn't around. For all effects he was my big brother and 
I worshiped him.

He was the best big brother anyone could have. But while he himself struggled with wanting to fit in and be the best nephew for my dad, I struggled with coming up short with everything I did.


My grades weren't good enough. The only sport I enjoyed was sailing, but I hated competing so I didn't have a room full of medals and awards, like Jake did.


The island grew in size as we got closer, as did my anxiety.

When I'd told my dad I was coming home he practically cried on the phone.


"Are you looking forward to being back?" Carter asked, once again bringing me back from my less-than-happy thoughts.


"Sure."


"Are you trying to convince me, or yourself of that?"


I laughed but it was a dry, choked laugh. "Maybe a bit of both."


"Can I borrow your phone?" he asked and I gave it to him without thinking, unlocking the screen. He typed something on it and then gave it back.


"There. Now you have my number. Call me anytime you need to talk, or tell someone the secret pathways in and out of the island."


I laughed again but this time I meant it.

"There's no secret. Anyone with their own boat can easily get out of the island."


"Do you have a boat?" he asked, almost hopeful.


"I do. It's only a small sailboat but it can certainly handle the trip to the mainland."


He gasped. "Can I have your phone again?"


I handed him my phone for the second time and shortly after his phone rang.

"Now I have your number too. You're not getting away from this friendship, Gabe." And then he muttered almost to himself while shaking his head. "I can't believe my first friend on the island has a boat. This was the best decision ever."


"What decision?"


"Coming over to talk to the cute guy with the sexy man bun staring at the ocean and looking like a Calvin Klein advert."


"What?"
 I guessed that answered the if-he-was-gay question.

"Oh crap, that was a bit forward. You're probably not even gay. My mom always says I take things too far. I'm sorry."


I smiled. "Do you always believe what your mom says?"


He nodded. "She's right most of the time. I'm sure your mom is the same."


There was no way to hide the pain I felt hearing Carter's words.


"Crap on a melted ice cream, I did it again, didn't I? I ran my mouth and said something wrong." He looked so genuinely upset.


"My mom died a few years ago. She was as bossy and know-it-all as any other mom. You were right about that. It's still a painful subject for me. I miss her every day. Stupid, isn't it?"


"Not at all. If my mom or any of my brothers died I'd miss them every day for the rest of my life."


I looked up at him. Damn he was tall. "Thank you. That...does make me feel better."


"I'm probably going to make things a little weird but go with it, okay?" he asked.

I nodded, wondering what he was going to do. My answer came when Carter put his big arm around me and pulled me into his chest. I gasped at first but when I realized his hand remained pressed against my shoulder blade and he was doing nothing more than giving me a comforting hug I leaned into it.


I didn't know how much I'd needed that hug until the ocean became blurry from the tears running down my cheeks.


"God, I'm so sorry," I said, my voice coming out hoarse and too emotional.


"You cried on me so I guess now we do need to be friends," he said.


"That's a deal."

He crooked his head a little. “You didn’t deny it.”

“Deny what?”

“That you’re not gay.”

I chuckled. “That’s because I am.”

He stared at me for a moment before he seemed to bring himself out of it. 
"I hate to leave you like this but I need to get back to my car before we arrive. Do you have a car or need a ride home?"


I shook my head. "My dad or my brother will pick me up from the ferry station, but thanks."


"Well then, my good friend Gabe, I hope we see each other again soon," Carter said as he left me.


Despite the unintentional crying, Carter managed to distract from my own thoughts. Hell, it was probably a good thing having a new friend on the island who I could hang out with and who knew nothing about me.

A clean slate.

The last two years were supposed to have been that, but stepping on the ferry again made me feel like running away was just a geographical move. Nothing had changed, because I had run away from the island but not from myself.

I cleaned my face and took a deep breath. The smell in the air had changed into the recognisable smell of La Catarina. The wind coming from the cliffs in the distance always carried the scent of wild flowers, which added to the salt water of the ocean was an odd mix but it worked.


I'd sent my suitcases ahead of my trip so I wouldn’t have to worry about them as I navigated the various airport transfers. All I had on me was a rucksack, which made it a lot easier to get off the ferry.


Suddenly I couldn't wait to see my dad, or Jake, whichever was going to pick me up. Maybe with Jessie. God, I’d missed that dog.


One look at the parking spaces next to the ferry terminal and I saw my ride immediately.


Leaning against his car wearing tight jeans, a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to show his forearms, and sunglasses that hid those playful dark eyes that had affected me from the moment we met two and a half years ago.


I thought I'd have some time to acclimatize myself to being home. Without being too obvious I'd asked Jake if he could pick me up. My plan was to get him to take me to his place before I went home.


Because for the last two years my home was no longer the place I could escape. Not since one of the men I was so desperately in love with had moved in to keep my dad company after Jake moved out.


Zak.


Jake's best friend.


My first kiss...well, half first kiss, because the other half belonged to Sam. 


Anyone would think the crux of my problem was that I was in love with two men, but that was the easiest part of it all. My brother had fallen in love with a couple and the three were as happy and in love now as they could be.


The problem was me. It was always me. 


Because I wasn't enough and I never would be.

I've created a link in the member's area so you can find the posts with The Island chapters easily.

My aim is to write these every Saturday and publish them on Sunday for you. Having said that, this week we have friends coming from the UK so it's unlikely that I can write another chapter but I didn't want to wait to give you this one because I'm just so danged excited that the boys are finally on board!

Disclaimer: This isn't going to be an exclusive serial, as I will offer it in my newsletter as soon as I have the edited chapters back with me, but you're certainly going to get it here first.