Mark is a man on the horns of a dilemma. He's in the midst of a five-year affair with a married man and he wants out ... but isn’t sure he can give up his lover.<br><br>Austin, who lives in the apartment building across the street from Mark, has his own problems. Two years earlier, the man he loved died in a horrible auto accident. Austin is still trying to come to terms with seeing it happen, and dealing with the aftermath.<br><br>After watching Mark from his balcony, making up stories about what he sees, Austin decides to meet him. Will the meeting help the two come to grips with their problems? And if it does, can they move on to something more than possible friendship?

The Man on the Balcony

Halfway through, his phone rang. When he saw who it was, his pulse rate accelerated as he answered.


“Hey, you,” Todd said. “I can get away Friday to come out there. Janice is taking the kids to visit her family. You know how much I dislike her parents, and vice versa, so…”


Mark took a deep, if silent, breath. I can do this. I can. I have to. “That’s great,” he replied. “There’s only one problem. I’m going to be busy this weekend.”


There was a long, pregnant pause. Then Todd asked, “Doing what?”


“Some stuff with friends. A party, actually.” He purposely didn’t say he was the one throwing it.


“Oh, really?” Todd’s voice was chilly, to put it mildly. “Anyone I know?”


Chapter 5