Renowned interior designer Fredi Zimmer is surprised when outdoorsman Max Greene, owner of Greene’s Outdoors, hires him to revamp Max’s rustic cabin in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Fredi is an out-and-proud Metro male whose contact with the outdoors is from his car to the doorway of the million-dollar homes he remodels, and to Fredi, Max is a typical straight man’s man. When Max blatantly and clumsily flirts with Fredi, Fredi’s stereotypical view of Max is shattered. Is this a build-up to a gay bashing? Cautiously believing Max is closeted and is trying to come out, Fredi decides he’s game to put a little spice into Max’s life, whether it’s in the colors and fixtures he’ll use to turn Max's dilapidated cabin into a showplace or over one of the many lunches and dinners they share talking about the remodel. Who can blame a guy for adding a little sensual pleasure as he retools Max’s life visually? Besides, Fredi has a backup plan if he’s wrong about Max’s intentions. Life would be all wine and roses if it weren’t for Max’s former friends and their conservative families. Alarmed with Max’s obvious infatuation, they make it their business to save him from sliding into hell. With the battle on, will Fredi and Max win the fight for a life of happiness together?

Redesigning Max

Saturday bloomed a rose of a day. Beautiful clear skies, mild temperatures, the perfect day for a barbecue. Surprisingly, at least to me and not Max, nearly everyone, including the sheriff and his husband, accepted the texted invitation almost immediately. Everyone was enthusiastic about getting together with Stone Acres’ newest gay couple.


I walked into the kitchen to check that the bar was set up and ready to go right before seven when everyone should arrive. Max did a little double take and stared at me.


“What?” I asked. I was nervous, and when I get really nervous, I’m irritable. Why was he looking so surprised?


I looked down at my outfit. “Jeans and a T-shirt. Why?”


“They’re blue jeans. The shirt’s white.”


“You never wear blue jeans or white shirts.”


He was serious and seemed to be puzzled.


Chapter 34