Page 17 of The Woodcarver's Model
“Well, she and her husband, Francis, are our first line of defence with that little ferry of theirs.” Mitch sat down on the couch beside Rob, twisting himself to face him, his foot pressing against Rob’s knee. “The people here just want to protect the island. They’ve seen the ownership on the other islands shift from the full-time residents to part-timers from the mainland, a lot of them from out-of-country, and they don’t want that to happen here on Marsh. There’s a fear that with mainland taxpayers comes a loss of the traditional way of life.”
“Sounds a bit protectionist, doesn’t it?”
“Of course it does. They’re fighting for their way of life, and it’s not a bad one. People around here watch out for each other. They help each other. That workshop you saw coming in here, that was built with the help of my neighbours. A regular old-time barn-raising that was, and without them I wouldn’t have a business. They don’t try to keep people out based on race, religion or even sexuality. God, why do you think Frances told you to come and see me? She tries to set me up with every good-looking single guy who comes across on her ferry.”
“Okay, that answers one of my questions,” Rob said, as his heart rate increased.
“Yeah, my parents were so proud. Two for two, and one of them an artist to boot.”
“Speaking of the other one, do you see Kevin at all?” Rob asked cautiously.
“Oh, yeah. He spent some time with me in the spring. He was drying out, he said.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“So good that he says it every time he comes for a visit.”
“Oh.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened between you two?” Mitch asked.
Rob was silent for a moment.
“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” Mitch said, sounding vulnerable for the first time.
“No. You should know.” Rob took a sip from his glass. “Kevin’s drinking had been getting a bit out of hand, but we were what, twenty-five? We’d gone out to a restaurant—just a small local mixed place, we drank way too much and he caught me kissing some cute waiter in the bathroom. It was nothing more than that—a drunken kiss. Your brother went ballistic. It carried on out into the restaurant where a straight co-worker of Kevin’s was having a few drinks with friends. That guy ended up spreading the news at work that the hot office jock was a faggot. In those days, being gay wasn’t as accepted in the world of sports journalism as it apparently is here on Fantasy Island. Anyway, Kevin was fired.”
“I knew he’d been fired, but he never said why.”
“And it gets worse. When he was told he was canned, Kevin punched the boss in the face. That led to a short spell in jail—”
“Wait,” Mitch interrupted. “He told me that was for unpaid speeding tickets.”
“Yeah, well…after that, he couldn’t get another job in his field. That led to even more drinking and who knows what else. He blamed me for everything.”
“I had no idea. I’m sorry. I just knew you guys split.” Mitch blushed. “I fantasised that you broke up with him because you were secretly in love with me.”
“You were thirteen!”
“I know, but I knew what I was and what I wanted. And that just so happened to be Handsome Hanson.”
Mitch shifted his position on the couch and leaned over. Rob stopped breathing. Mitch closed his eyes as their lips met. His body continued its forward momentum and he lay on top of Rob. Their lips parted. Mitch’s tongue slid past Rob’s teeth, penetrating his mouth and soul in one strong motion. Rob wrapped his arms around Mitch’s torso. He felt every muscle, well defined by hard work. He slid his right hand up Mitch’s spine, running his fingers through the thick black hair as he pressed the woodcarver’s mouth harder against his. Rob inched his left hand down Mitch’s back, stopping on the mounds of his perfect ass, which Mitch flexed in teasing pleasure, pressing his crotch into Rob’s.
Mitch pulled away just long enough to say, “I think you’ve had too much to drink to drive home.”
“Yeah. Too much.”
“I think you’d better spend the night.”
“Yeah. Smart.”
“Just to play it safe.”
“Yeah. Safe.”.
Chapter Eight
Rob woke up with the morning sun in his face. He was alone. Well, not entirely alone. Two great big brown eyes stared up at him from the end of the bed.
