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

Nodding, Mark went over to one of the comfortable chairs in the seating area in one corner of the shop. He wasn’t terribly surprised when the man joined him a few moments later, taking the chair facing him.


“I’m Austin, by the way,” the man said. “And I’m quite harmless, I promise.”


Mark hesitated, then said, with a bit of a smile, “I’m Mark and I’m very harmless, not to say boring.”


“From what I’ve seen of you, I guess I can’t argue the point,” Austin replied. “Although you did have a party a few nights ago.”


“Just people who work for me, and their husbands or boyfriends.”


“Define business,” Mark replied with a brief grin. “I own a costume shop downtown.”


“Interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever been in one.”


“Most people haven’t, unless they need something for Halloween, or for a company event or a party.”


“But you make enough on it to support yourself and your employees?”


Chapter 9