The Pirate & The Adventurer & The Cowboy

here to the islands, Max?" Kate buttered a croissant and popped a flaky bite into her mouth.

    "So long ago that I can no longer remember the exact date, but I do remember the marvelous sense of adventure I felt at the time. Quite extraordinary. Everything seemed so exotic, you know. I was certain I was destined to be famous and in the little biographical notes at the end of my books it would be mentioned quite casually that I lived and worked on a tropical island."

    "That sort of thing always makes a nice touch in an author's biography," Kate conceded. "Gives the writer a larger-than-life image, doesn't it?

    "It does, indeed, and when I first arrived here I fully intended to live a larger-than-life sort of life. But somehow time has gone by so much more quickly than I had planned. My novel is still waiting to be written, but in the meantime I have had to support myself with small jobs on the side and here and there a travel piece." Max shrugged massively and polished off the rest of his croissant. "Life seldom turns out as one had thought it would, does it? But one learns to adapt. Tell me about yourself, Ms Inskip."

    "Not much to tell. I live and work in Seattle. I've managed to make a living doing something I love, so I consider myself lucky." You can't have everything .

    "You are. I consider people like you and Jared Hawthorne extremely fortunate, and I must confess I envy you. I cannot tell you how much I envy you. You are both making a living doing what you love."

    And we both worked hard to earn our luck , Kate thought, glancing around at the beautiful resort and thinking of what it must have cost Jared in terms of time, work and money. Then she reflected on the frustrations she had endured in her writing career and recalled the number of rejections she had received over the years.

    It was odd to think that she and Jared actually had something in common in terms of their success. Neither of them had been handed anything on a silver platter. They had both paid their dues.

    "I still have a few faint hopes," Max went on, sipping his Bloody Mary. "One never gives up entirely, I suppose. Once in a while we are fortunate enough to be given a golden opportunity to reshape our private destinies. I'm keeping an eye out for such a chance."

    "I wish you the best of luck, Max." Kate smiled at him, willing herself to be a little more understanding. She knew how she would have felt by now if she had never gotten published.

    "Thank you, my dear. You are very kind."

    "I saw you on the terrace having coffee with Kate this morning," Jared said as he sat down across from Max in the bar. "Why?"

    "So blunt. Are you jealous of me, by any chance? I am truly flattered. When one reaches my age, jealousy from a younger man is always welcomed, even if there is no cause."

    "You know damned well this isn't a question of jealousy." Jared leaned back in the fan chair and studied Max through narrowed eyes. "What did you talk about?"

    "Nothing that need concern you, my boy. We merely chatted about our shared interests."

    "What shared interests?"

    "Writing."

    "Don't give me that. You haven't written a thing except one or two obscure travel articles in all the years I've known you, Max."

    Max's eyes went cold. "That does not mean I have no intention of writing again. I was a good writer once, Jared. Editors said I had potential. A great deal of it."

    "Well, you're in another business now, aren't you?" Jared was feeling annoyed and when he got annoyed, he got a little ruthless. "And you've dragged me into it, too. The sooner this whole thing is over, the better. I don't like it."

    "You've made your feelings on the subject quite clear right from the start." Max smiled benignly. "My supervisors are aware of your attitude. They understand that you are doing us a very big favor and they have asked me to convey their appreciation."

    "Screw their appreciation. I want this thing brought to a quick end and then I don't want to hear from you or your supervisors again. When you write up your final report, Max, I want you to make it clear that there will be no more favors from me. We're even."

    Max lifted his glass of rum in a short, mocking toast. "Understood. No more favors."

    "When is it going to be over, Max? I'm tired of being kept on the line. This is my island and I don't like you and your friends playing games on it. I want a day and a time."

    "Calm yourself, my friend. Everything is scheduled for the regular cruise ship day