PROLOGUE

Cooper Anderson loved his little brother from the day he poked his chubby little fingers through the bars of his crib and touched his face for the first time. Sure, he wasn’t the best brother at times. He played his share of practical jokes and scoffed at Blaine’s artistic decisions more than he should, but deep down he cared a lot about the little guy…which was why he now found himself rowing a small dinghy across a choppy stretch of water, seated across from the best lawyer he could find willing to make the trip.

He stepped gingerly out of the boat and slung the heavy rope around the jetty, securing it tight. He then helped the lawyer, Mr John Wilcox, out onto the rocky terrain. It was a short walk up to the lighthouse from there, and he could already see his brother making his way down the slope to greet them.

Blaine Anderson was a loner. He hadn’t always been that way, but things happened during his time as a student that he thought he would rather forget. A falling out with his father about his ‘lifestyle choices’ didn’t help and he had somehow gone from starting his second year at law school to being the sole inhabitant of Laiste Island as the lighthouse keeper. The irony of the fact that his actual lifestyle choice meant his father got his wish wasn’t lost on him. You couldn’t act on being gay if you didn’t see people.

Blaine greeted his brother and inclined his head towards the lawyer. Cooper pulled Blaine into a hug and Blaine returned it awkwardly, before turning around and making his way back up to the lighthouse without a word. Cooper shrugged apologetically to Mr Wilcox before following right behind him.

Blaine set a cup of tea down in front of each of his guests and sat down without a beverage of his own, there would be plenty of time for coffee later after his guests were gone and he needed to go and light the lamps, tending to them several times during the long night. The lawyer cleared his throat, impatient to get started, and Blaine gave him his full attention.

“The situation is this.” Mr Wilcox began. “This lighthouse is a necessary guide for the many ships passing close to this stretch of coastline to warn them away from the rocks. The lighthouse itself, however…” He looked around pointedly. “Is in a state of disrepair and the local government has deemed it much cheaper for them to tear it down and set up beacons near any dangerous rocks than keep this lighthouse running. There are lobby groups discussing the importance of preserving the heritage sites in the area, but in all likelihood you are on your way to being evicted.”

“So, basically I need to find a new line of work?” Blaine sounded almost bored, although Cooper knew that was just a front. Blaine had never seemed more at home than he did in his lighthouse. He just wished the kid had more company.

“Not necessarily. You just need to find a way to convince the council that the lighthouse is worth preserving, or find some way to fund the renovations yourselves, provided that is what you want to do. I discussed it with Cooper on the way here and I think the best idea would be to let out rooms to tourists. This is a beautiful stretch of coastline and the remoteness will appeal to more people than you might think.”

Blaine suddenly wished he had made himself that coffee, or something a bit stronger. “You want me to let complete strangers into my home?” The thought of anyone intruding on his little corner of the world bothered him.

“I’ve had a look at the floor plans for this building. It has more than enough rooms and you only need to rent it out until you can afford to perform the necessary renovations. The council will be satisfied with both the fact that the lighthouse is promoting tourism in the area and paying for its own upkeep.”

Blaine rubbed a hand through his short, unkempt beard. “I suppose I could put up with company every now and then as long as it means I can stay here. I don’t exactly have many other choices.”

Cooper looked at his brother exasperatedly. “You know that’s not true. You can come and live in LA with me. You’ll get used to the crowds again soon enough and you’re a talented guy, I’ll set you up with my agent.”

“I’m sorry Coop but I don’t think singing the jingles to TV commercials is really my thing, as completely riveting as that sounds.” Blaine’s sarcasm was lost on Cooper, but Mr Wilcox caught it and chuckled.

“Assuming we go ahead with this plan, we are going to need to do some advertising. Cooper here has agreed to fund any promotional materials in the interim, until such time as the business can fund itself. We’ll start by advertising through and agent online and see if that brings in any clients. How good are you at taking photos?”

They spent the afternoon taking scenic pictures of the lighthouse and coastline, as well as some shots of the most hospitable looking room that actually had a spare bed. They then sat down and worked out the details of what any prospective guest may expect during their stay. Cooper offered to go to the nearest town and pick up some new linen and kitchenware, as everything Blaine currently owned had probably been there since last century. Blaine agreed reluctantly, he didn’t like depending on anyone for anything, but made sure Cooper accepted some money before he left on his errand. Mr Wilcox left as well, citing that he would return in a couple of months’ time to either help with presenting a proposal for self-sufficiency to the council or look into other options if plan A didn’t work out.

Blaine saw his visitors back down to the jetty, giving his brother another hug before helping him into the boat. He watched until he saw the reach the other side of the narrow stretch of water, and let out a deep sigh. If he was going to have visitors staying on his island he needed to get used to company again very quickly. Perhaps it was also due time for a shave.

“Kurt, you know I love you, and I love the way you can mix patterns and make it work like breakfast cocktails on a Tuesday. But these designs…” Isabelle Wright of Vogue’s editorial department hated to say no, but had gotten to the point in her career that any wrong move could snatch her hard earned position right from under her feet. She pointed to the designs in question. “I like bits and pieces of them, but I can’t possibly do a feature on these. They lack originality, and this cotton tunic takes us right back to 2005, and we both know you shouldn’t be going anywhere near 2005.”

Kurt Hummel slumped back in his seat. He knew she was right, because it was the same thing he thought himself. He had gotten so used to having a quarterly feature in Vogue; he didn’t know how to deal with his first real failure of a clothing line. Nothing he designed worked for him anymore, and it certainly wasn’t working for the patrons of New York’s fashion elite. He was in a slump.

“Look, it’s fine Isabelle, I just need to hit the sketchbooks again. I’m sure some other young aspiring artist will gladly take my spot in next month’s issue and I’ll be back to bump them out next season.”

“I think it’s a bit more than hitting the sketchbooks, love.” Isabelle smiled apologetically. “You came to New York with such enthusiasm, but I think you have gotten so caught up in city life you’ve forgotten that fresh from Lima Ohio positivity you had at the start… You need to get that back.”

As soon as Kurt got back to his apartment he switched on his laptop and began to search for a place to help him get away from it all. He could go back to Lima, of course, but he felt like he needed something completely new to get his creative juices flowing again. The more remote the better, he reasoned. He scrolled through the usual suspects, a farm stay in Kansas, a private cabin in Montana. None of them seemed to be what he was looking for, until…

“Laiste Lighthouse…?” Kurt read. His interest peaked immediately. “Located off the coast of Washington State only a few kilometres shy of the Canadian border. Laiste Island has one sole inhabitant and is only accessible by boat. Perfect for those travellers wishing to get away from it all. The island boasts excellent fishing and spectacular views. All inquiries please contact Cooper Anderson, Hopewell Studios, Los Angeles.” Kurt scrolled through the pictures of the lighthouse and its surroundings, his creative mind already making use of the picturesque scenery. He knew he just had to be there and see it with his own eyes. He picked up his phone and dialled the number on the screen. Laiste Lighthouse was going to save his career.