Love After Friday (Paperback)

Some connections defy distance, time, and practical impossibility.

When Kai, a Hawaiian surf instructor with deep island roots, meets Jordan, a mainland architect on vacation, neither expects the profound connection that forms over just seven days. Their brief time together reveals a rare understanding that transcends their different worlds-but when Jordan's vacation ends, reality intrudes. With careers and lives anchored to opposite shores, they part ways believing some stories aren't meant to continue.

Five years later, Jordan unexpectedly returns to the same Hawaiian beach for a professional project. The attraction between them reignites immediately, but the fundamental challenges remain: Jordan's career flourishes in urban environments, while Kai's life is intrinsically woven into the island's culture and community.

As they navigate this unexpected reunion, both must confront difficult questions: Is love enough to bridge such different worlds? What sacrifices are worth making for connection? And can a foundation built in just seven days support a lifetime together?

From breathtaking sunrise views atop Mauna Kea to the hidden beaches of Oahu's North Shore, from architectural projects honoring indigenous design to a surf therapy program transforming young lives, their journey unfolds against Hawaii's stunning backdrop. But when a powerful storm forces them to confront their deepest fears and desires, Kai and Jordan must decide whether to surrender to practical impossibilities or fight for a future neither had imagined possible.

Spanning seven years of separation and reunion, sacrifice and growth, Love After Friday is a moving exploration of how we build homes in people as well as places, and how sometimes the most unlikely connections prove the most enduring-if we have the courage to follow where they lead.

Nicholas Michael Matiz is a bold voice in the realm of Gay fiction, known for his gritty, raw storytelling that pushes the boundaries and explores the darker sides of human nature.