Wild Falls Resort—Alex’s Office

Pam knocked lightly on the light colored wood door of the office. Her mind and heart were both racing with the memories of the night before. The kiss she and Alex had shared that later led to them to sleeping together. She knew deep inside that this could never happen again, no matter how free and open she had felt in his arms. Knowing for the first time that she could give herself to a man again, and not be afraid. She had never been able to fully give herself to Kip, and she later learned why. Then there was Sam, whom she realized now she had fallen in love with a long time ago. Only they were nowhere near each other, and nothing was going to change that, well unless fate was playing some very twisted joke on her.

“Come in!” Called out the deep, husky voice that belonged to Alex Montgomery.

Pam opened the door and stuck her head in. “Hi Alex, could I talk to you for a moment?” she asked as she came into the office and closed the door behind her.

Alex looked up and smiled. His eyes gleaming and bright as he looked at her in her red skirt and black top, “Yes of course Pam. Though lock the door. I doubt we’d want anyone to just walk in on the conversation.”

Pam nodded and clicked the lock on the door before taking a few steps forward and standing in front of his desk. “Alex, I am so very sorry. I have no idea what came over me last night. I’ve never behaved like this before in my entire life.” She said as she sat down in one of the chairs he had for visitors.

Alex stood up, his Khaki pants hugging his body in the right places and his crisp white shirt doing the same as he walked in front of the desk and stood there between it and Pam. “Are you sure it was a mistake Pam? Because I’m not.” he paused for a moment, knowing this would be difficult, “I know I’m a married man and your boss, and I know I’m older. But fate puts people together for reasons, we might not always know.” he reached out and brushed the hair out of her eyes.

Pam felt her heart beating like crazy as she looked up at him, “Alex I agree, fate does things for a reason, but I think we need to stop this before it goes over board. I mean really I don’t want to come between you and your wife.”

Alex laughed, “Trust me, Carmen would probably prefer it. Especially considering she’s more interested in her laptop then she is in me. Carmen and I are at a time in our lives together where looking to find ourselves something new outside of the marriage, rather then in it.”

“I’m not quite sure I understand Alex.” Pam said as confusion washed over her.

“Let me show you.” he said as his gently took her face in his hands and kissed her, his mouth tasting the sweetness of hers as she opened hers awaiting the sensation of his tongue and the taste of his mouth.

Sam nervously played with his hands as he waited for his interview, he was just glad he could schedule it around his classes.

“Mr. Adams, he’ll see you now,” said the secretary who barely looked up from her computer screen.

Sam went into the other room and met Kevin Allen the head of Personnel for the hotel.

“So Sam, it says here you worked for several different companies back in Pinõn Hallow, all as a delivery boy?” Kevin asked looking over the application.

“Yes that’s correct; I was saving up so I could attend the university here. I’d like to be able to have extra cash during the school year and figured this would be the perfect place for a part-time job.” Sam explained, hoping to God he was right.

“You’re lucky you applied when you did. We’re hiring new waiters for the ballroom. I think you’ll be a perfect addition to the staff. You’ll be reporting to two different people depending on what the ballroom is being used for. Everyday events such as weddings you’ll report to Constance Jared and to, Damnit I forgot her name. We just got a new social director. You won’t have to work with her until later this month anyways, probably for the Valentines Day social. It’s a fund raiser that goes to support the Opera House here in town and this year I think the committee to get a new boardwalk down at the public beach.” Kevin told him as he reviewed a few other details and then noticed the phone number on the application. “Is Ricky Kensington you’re roommate?”

Sam held back the urge to roll his eyes, “Yeah he is. Why?”

“He’s another new waiter we just hired. I guess neither of you will have trouble finding a ride to work.”

“I guess not.” Sam said, wondering how much time he could really spend with his roommate.

Carmen looked at the binder safely tucked away in her bag just before she saw Carlotta come in. “Hey Hon, how are you?” She asked her friend as she sat down.

The stress was very present on Carlotta’s face as she quickly went for a drink of water, “Frazzled beyond belief, with Kate in the hospital and having to get Paula ready for her debut as the star. I just hope we can survive, this island adores Kate, though sometimes I wonder why.” she explained before picking up the menu she knew by heart. “And what about you dear one, how are things with you and Dustin Hoffman?”

“Not funny and there over. I broke up with Eddie; sadly I don’t think he’s taking it very well at all.” Carmen said before taking a sip of her own water. “I think he was actually falling in love with me. I mean I’m old enough to be his mother.”

Carlotta rolled her eyes, “Carmen, darling you were after all using him as research for your next project. I mean am I wrong? Or has the great Virginia Covington messed up?”

“Keep that down about Virginia Covington.” Carmen said as she reached into her bag and took out the binder and handed it to her friend, “and you tell me if Virginia Covington messed up or not.”

Carlotta smiled, “And what’s this one called?”

Carmen folded her hands together before resting her chin on them, “Its called Pool House Passions.”

“Scandalous, though dear how long do you think you can keep this up? Don’t you think that eventually someone is going to want to know who Virginia Covington really is?”

“That, my dear friend is when Virginia Covington disappears and a new pen name shows up.” she sighed leaning back in the chair and dropping her hands to her sides, “No one can ever know that Alex Montgomery’s wife writes romance novels.”

Max kissed the back of Peter’s neck to wake him up. Peter rolled over and looked up into Max’s dark eyes. His heart was racing, last night had really happened. Which also meant Abigail was probably still waiting for him.

“Morning.” Peter said with a smile.

“More like Afternoon. But then again, we were up pretty late last night.” Max said as he looked at his new lover’s body.

Peter reached over and touched Max’s face, “But it was fun.” he said before letting his lips touch Max’s starting out slowly before bursting into full on passion.

Max’s hands ran down Peter’s muscular chest, resting on his abs for a moment before moving down. “Wait.” Peter said breaking the kiss.

“Why, what’s wrong Peter?” Max asked, shocked by the abruptness.

“Max, I would love to stay, but I need to get home. I have a family dinner tonight to go to and well, I figure if I don’t leave now—I’m never going to.”

Max sighed, “You make a good case. I guess I can let go of you for now.”

Peter smiled, “What are you doing Tuesday night?”

“I don’t know what do you want to do?” Max asked.

“Care to see that new Ashton Kutcher movie?” Peter asked, “I know its playing down at the high-five this week.”

“Sounds great.” Max said as Peter got out of bed and quickly found his boxers and pulled them on, before going in search of the rest of his clothes.

“Wonderful, I’ll e-mail you tomorrow with the time and such.”

The crowd at the center was much younger this time when Michael walked in and looked around, trying to spot his favorite redhead. The music was already playing as people were mingling and meeting each other. A part of him still wondered why he was taking these dance lessons with Karen, but every time he questioned it he always realized one thing and one thing only. He did it because it made her happy, and anything he could do to make her happy was great. Just seeing her smile opened up a whole floodgate of feelings he had been suppressing since high school.

“Hey, you ready to dance?” asked the ultra smooth and calm voice from behind him. Michael turned around and smiled at his best friend.

“With you? Always, haven’t you figured out that I’m at your beck and call all the time?”

She smiled, her eyes looking down just a bit as a slight blush engulfed her cheeks, “Yeah I have.” She said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him out onto the dance floor with the other couples. “Though I have to ask you something buddy.”

Michael’s heart was racing as his eyes glanced into hers for a second before he blinked and broke the connection and said, “Shoot.”

“When was the last time you actually had a date?” she asked.

Michael looked back, there eyes locking for a moment, “Um a while, I don’t remember. Why?”

Karen smiled; “Well” she started just before he stepped on her foot, “ouch!”

“Sorry.” he mumbled, he knew what was coming he was going to get set up on a date and that was the last thing he wanted.

“It’s okay, as I was saying. I know this girl that would be perfect for you Michael, come on give her a chance. Please?” she pleaded.

He could say no, well theoretically he could, but for some reason he couldn’t remember denying Karen anything at all, ever. “What’s her name?”

“Betsy James, shes on the boardwalk committee with me.”

Michael groaned, “Karen tell me you’re not setting me up with some trust fund spoiled brat.”

“Hey, should I be offended by that?” she asked looking at her friend.

He shook his head, “No, you’re not a spoiled brat at all.”

“Good.” She said before they moved into a breakaway move.

Pam buttoned her top and adjusted her skirt once she got up from Alex’s lap and he buttoned his pants again. A million thoughts were traveling through Pam’s head like a marathon runner. What the hell had she just done with her boss? She wasn’t like this at all, it had to be island fever or something, right? It was the loneliness, knowing that Sam was back in Colorado, probably stumbling upon some crime at that moment.

Alex reached out for Pam, but she pulled away. “Alex, we need to stop this. This is so unlike me you have no idea. I don’t want this to be my life.”

Alex nodded as she went to the door, “Are you sure about that Pam?” he asked her.

She looked down at the floor for a moment as she put together her thoughts, “Yeah I am Alex. I mean my life has been insane since this summer, and here I thought it was about to calm down but it hasn’t. And sleeping with you is just making it even murkier then it was before. Maybe if it was a different time and under very different circumstances we could’ve continued but not the way things are now.”

“Well then, I’ll see you soon Pam. We have a meeting tomorrow about the Valentines Day Social. Until then.” he said from behind his desk, as his eyes became glued to the computer screen in front of him.

“Until then.” Pam said before leaving his office and walking into Jeff. “Hey, how are you?” she asked him

Jeff looked at her, “I think I should be asking you that after your private meeting with Alex. Was this a repeat of last night?” jealousy pounced each of his words like a bullet hitting its target.

Pam’s eyes grew dark and her hands were shaking, “Jeff, what are you talking about?”

Jeff leaned in closer, his lips half a breath away from her ear, “I saw you and Alex kissing at your door.”

“Yes well Jeff, what you saw doesn’t matter because Alex is my boss and that’s all he is.” She said before quickly walking away, wondering if moving to Hawaii had really been the best choice she had ever made, or if perhaps she should’ve stayed in Pinõn Hallow where right now she could be wrapped in Sam’s arms, sitting on her couch watching a movie or watching the snow fall outside her window.

Carlotta scanned over the manuscript before removing her reading glasses and looking at her dear friend. “Another number one for sure!”

Carmen grew red with embarrassment as she took the binder back from Carlotta. “You think so? I mean its so different from the others, its contemporary rather then historical.”

The waiter arrived and placed their lunches in front of them as Carlotta strung words together in her head, “Well you’ve done it very well. I think your devoted readers will be thrilled with what you’ve done and the story. I mean this steamy tale of Monique Revere and the pool boy Evan Lancaster is amazing. It’s provocative and it’ll get the tongues in the romance business wagging for sure. You might not be able to hide much longer though dear. So before sending it to the publisher, ask yourself if this is really want you want and if you’re ready to admit who you are.”

Carmen hugged her manuscript, “Do you really think the world gives a damn who Virginia Covington is?”

“I know I did before finding out it was you. You’ve built this up into a huge mysterious thing. The biographies at the back of your books basically state you’re married with two adorable children, and the last three titles you’ve written. I think any devoted fans of your stories will want to know who’s behind them.”

Peter walked into the apartment, a light flashing on the answering machine. He groaned, who ever it was could wait. Right now all Peter Montgomery wanted to do was go to sleep. As he walked passed the coffee table he tossed his keys into the decorative bowl.

When he opened the door to his room, he was greeted with a shock; laying on his bed in an angelic sleep was Abigail. Her dark hair fanned out over the pillow. If Peter wasn’t gay then he knew he an Abigail would be married, probably planning the birth of their first child right about now. He loved her, but not in the ways she needed, wanted or deserved to be.

He crawled onto the bed and over to her, pushing away the hair from her eyes before trying to wake her. “Abigail, honey wake up.”

Abigail’s eyes slowly opened and focused on the sight of Peter looking down on her. She had stayed up all night long waiting for him to come home. She knew she had to take this chance to know for herself, and even for him. “Peter.” Escaped her lips a fraction of a moment before they took his prisoner in a scorching kiss of raw desire and passion bringing a shocking reaction from Peter as he pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss she started.

The music ended and the couples broke apart and clapped before they started to leave the gym. Michael had barely said a word to Karen since she brought up the set-up. He started out the door of the building and to his golf cart when Karen came up to him.

“Michael Ballantyne what the hell is wrong? What are you so mad about?” She asked as she spun him around to look at her.

His eyes were tense, and stern, his jaw frozen as he looked at her.

“Michael! We’ve been best friends our entire lives, we can tell each other almost anything. Why are you mad?”

“Because you’re trying to set me up on a blind date!” he said crossing his arms, which caused his muscles to bulge against the material of his shirt.

Karen gulped, “Michael, I want you to be happy. I mean my goodness the only girl I ever know you talk to is well me or your sister! I want you to find someone to love.”

“But I do love someone Karen. I love you.” He said as his body suddenly became free from the anger and a new sensation took over as his eyes pleaded with hers for something, anything at all.

Pam sat on the beach, watching the water crashing against the sand. The foam spraying her every so often. A shadow appeared over her and she looked up and into the eyes of Alex once again. “Hi.” She said softly, almost inaudible against the waves.

“I figured I could find you here.” He sat down beside her, letting his hand sink into the warm sand. “I thought about what you said, you’re right this—whatever it is, should stop.”

“Thank you, I’m glad you see that.” She told him as she placed a hand gently on his rugged face and leaned over and kissed his lips softly before getting up, “Bye Alex.”

Sam stared at the computer screen, the scene he had witnessed earlier playing through out his head over and over again.