Mountain

Fresh out of college, Jake Landon’s heading to the mountains for a season as a forest ranger. A gap year before returning to school might give him enough time to sort out his residency and his sexuality - he’s deep in the closet and a complete rookie. Some crusty old partner who speaks three words a day won’t entice him.

Forest rangers in summer, ski bums in winter - the snows send Jake Landon and Kurt Carlson to the exclusive Wapiti Creek Ski Resort. The snow is perfect, the mountains gorgeous, but they’re there to work. A novice skier, Jake’s been assigned to run the bunny lift, but Kurt, the expert, is instructing at a private ski school. That should be his dream job, but it brings giggles and sideways glances among their new friends. All summer, Jake and Kurt were alone in the wilderness. If Jake wanted to stay in the closet, it didn’t matter.

Every night ski patrol Mark McAvoy relives the avalanche that took a life on his watch. Emotionally fragile and single by choice, he's aghast at his friends' taking charge of his social life. Hosting a potluck will at least provide him with a good meal. Invited to the potluck on a whim, Allan Tengerdie catches Mark's eye - and taste buds. This cuddly chef could be perfect for a lonely, too-thin skier; too bad Allan falls better than he skis.

Jake Landon thinks a second ranger season in the Colorado Rockies with his hyper-competent lover Kurt Carlson is close enough to heaven, and a national forest is big enough to be his closet. City life, school - and the luxuries of electricity and running water - can wait, maybe forever, as long as Jake doesn’t have to come out. He doesn’t plan on Kurt’s vision of his future being as narrow and direct as the single track roads through the trees.

Growing up poor and desperate on the edge of a lush mountain resort leaves Gary Richardson hungering for a better life, not only for himself but for his friend turned lover, Seth Morgan. Seth’s dreams aren’t so large - he’s content with Gary and enough spare cash for greens fees. When even a prescription of antibiotics seems out of reach, Gary’s not above spending some time on his knees to make sure he and Seth have what they need. Gary would do anything for Seth.