After being robbed by a black assailant, white Chicago dentist Mark Cross is hesitant to go out at night, let alone get involved in an interracial relationship, but that’s exactly what happens after he meets Darren Nichols, a black high school teacher and basketball coach. When Mark and Darren are introduced at a party, their attraction to each other is immediate and intense, and they soon begin dating. As their relationship progresses, Mark realizes he loves Darren. But he’s hesitant to ask Darren to move in with him because Darren’s last relationship ended poorly and Darren is scared to get involved with another man so quickly after that experience. Mark also worries he doesn’t live up to Darren’s expectations and fears Darren ultimately longs for a man who isn’t white. And Mark is still haunted by the man who mugged him and harbors fears about black men in general. Despite his worries and insecurities, Mark asks Darren to move in with him and Darren agrees. Though they both bring baggage to their bond, Mark and Darren work hard to build a life together. But when Darren invites over some of the guys he plays basketball with, Mark suspects one of the players, Terrance, is the same man who assaulted him. Mark shares his suspicions with Darren, but Darren isn’t convinced his friend could do something so terrible. Mark is determined to uncover the truth, but will he jeopardize his relationship with Darren in the process?

Pivot

“I need to be home to help Deena with the snow,” was his excuse.


Now that I’d actually met Deena, she certainly didn’t strike me as the damsel in distress Darren made her out to be and she seemed perfectly ready, willing, and able to deal with a typical Chicago snowfall.


As Darren climbed out of bed that night and got dressed, I pleaded with him to stay and leave early the next morning after the snow had stopped and the roads had been cleared, but I might as well have been talking to myself. He was determined to go back to Evanston that night and that’s exactly what he did. Still, I wasn’t sure why Deena was sharing information about Darren’s flaws with me. Was she trying to be helpful, or was she being vindictive? Darren had never really said much about his family’s reaction to his homosexuality. I recalled him mentioning they were disappointed when they found out he was gay, but that’s it. Maybe Deena was trying to sabotage our relationship before it went any further.


Chapter 7