GENRE: Gay Paranormal Spicy Romance
LENGTH: 15,167 words
RATING:

Milo Burnbrook has had a setback.

After being fired from his assistant manager position at an iconic Hollywood Hotel, he decides to return home to Rockport, Maine, as the new event coordinator for Rocky Cliff Lighthouse. But Milo ran from Rockport six years ago for a reason, and he quickly realizes he will have no choice but to face his past.

Milo may not be ready to make amends with his twin sister and all his old friends, but when sparks fly between Milo and Jackson, the man whose rejection sent him running to California in the first place, it looks like facing his past is exactly what he needs to do to finally have everything he has always wanted. That is, until he discovers Jackson was the prime suspect in the death of his previous boyfriend, Jason Reese, who fell from the top of the Rocky Cliff Lighthouse.

When Milo’s best friend, Robert, and his new true-crime podcaster girlfriend come to visit from California, suspicions run high, things get complicated, and Milo will come face-to-face with the truth of what happened at Rocky Cliff the night Jason died.

It's not a fall. It’s a setback.

EXCERPT:
Note: may contain sexually explicit scenes of a homoerotic nature.

“How long are you staying?” The question came from Bree, sitting across from me. She still looked about thirteen. “Or is this more than a visit?”

“It’s hard to say. It’s up in the air at the moment. But I’m working at Rocky Cliff while I decide.” I glanced over, feeling Jack’s eyes on me from the other end of the table -- Jackson now, I guess -- and smiled. He didn’t smile back.

It was a struggle to look away. There had always been something about him that drew me, something that I couldn’t put my finger on. Maybe it was the nails always smudged with paint or charcoal, or the way he’d looked at me since we’d gotten older, like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to paint me or kiss me. Or maybe it was as if even as a kid, I knew he’d eventually grow into his looks. And he certainly had. All cheekbones and pointed chin, and cupid bow mouth.

Was it any wonder I’d run away like I did?

“Oh.” When I turned back, Bree flicked her eyes momentarily to Jackson. Had I been that obvious? “I thought that place was closed down?”

“Yeah, I guess it was. But I’m helping to manage the reopening. Not sure if I’ll want to stay on after, but we have our first guests booked in just a few weeks. They’re only reopening the house, though, not the light. The lighthouse needs too much work.” Or at least more than the fresh coat of paint I’d been told it received every other year. “There are a hundred and fifty-five stairs, and half of them are nearly rusted through.”

The table was quiet for a long, awkward moment, and if I had felt self-conscious before, I felt doubly so now.

“It’s the sea air.” Joshua broke the silence. His father owned a fishing boat he chartered to tourists, or at least had, and Joshua had spent his summers helping with the tours. “It’s corrosive as fuck.”

After we placed our orders and Lemon ordered a round of drinks for the table, the conversation picked up again. I let it float around me, my eyes on my drink, making what I thought were the right conversational noises at the right time. And I was relieved when the food came.

I could have enjoyed all of it if I had let myself, but I couldn’t. After having packed up and taken off without a word to anyone? Not even a goodbye to Mabel? I felt like everyone was waiting for an explanation. Everyone but Jackson. But I didn’t have any better idea now than I did then, as to how to explain what I was feeling six years ago. I’d been twenty-two and been handed a piece of paper that represented the last four years. It should have felt like freedom. But instead, I looked around at my life and felt trapped. And when I’d seen an opportunity to escape, I’d done just that.

“Mabel says you were working at ...” Bree leaned closer to be heard over the other conversation. “The Hollywood Roosevelt?”

“Yep.” Until I’d called the police on a certain abusive celebrity, and I’d been terminated to mitigate the fallout. “You?”

“Peterson, Peterson and Wilde.” She made a dismissive sound, as if I shouldn’t be impressed. “I’m just a Junior Associate.”

“Well done, Bree.” It was my first genuine smile of the night, and she grinned back.

“It really is cool, isn’t it?” She was beaming.

“Fuck, yeah. And now I know who to call when I’m arrested. I hope you work pro bono.”

“What exactly do you plan to get arrested for, Mr. Burnbrook?” She was teasing me, and I laughed. The sound of Jack ... Jackson’s shifting in the booth made me look over at him. He was watching us. No, not us. Me. He was watching me, and there was something in that stare that made me long for things to be different.

“I ...” I’d lost my train of thought. “I think I’ll keep my options open.”

When dinner finally came to an end, and everyone was making promises to meet up again, Mabel and Lemon invited me to hit a bar for another round of drinks. I declined. I’d already had more alcohol than I’d had in years. And I was tired, more tired than I should have been, maybe, but stress did that to a person. All I wanted to do was climb into bed.

“Well, I’ll drive you home, then.” Mabel had already pulled out her keys.

“No. You’re in no better shape to drive than me.”

“I haven’t been drinking.” I looked at her, not sure I believed it. “Not a single drop.”

“Really?” Had she stayed sober so she could take care of me? I felt my eyes welling up. “I’m so sorry. You’re such a good sister.”

“For fuck sake. I think you drank enough for the both of us.” She went to lead me to where she was parked at the curb, but I held up my phone.

“I already ordered a car. “That did not thrill her, but after some arguing, she let it go, and said she’d call me after work the next day so that we could talk, and that I’d better answer or I’d regret it.

I hugged Lemon again, Joshua, and Bree. When Jackson pulled me into a hug, he pressed his lips close to my ear, and I felt my knees go weak. “Take care of yourself, Milo.”

Before I could respond, or worse, try and lick his pretty mouth, he let me go and disappeared down the sidewalk, waving his goodbyes to the other. And I couldn’t not watch him go.