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

“Damn it to hell.” He had a brief, if impractical thought about calling a locksmith to rekey the locks on his door. Could I really do that? If I did, he’d wait outside until I got home, which wouldn’t solve the problem. He’d want to know why I did it. Mark could imagine replying, “There’ve been a couple of break-ins in the building, so I figured better safe than sorry.” Like he’d believe me.


“Bite the damned bullet,” he said angrily as he dumped what was left of his breakfast down the garbage disposal—having lost his appetite. “Quit being a coward. I’m only prolonging things if I don’t end it tonight.”


An hour later, he unlocked the door to the costume shop, still wondering how he was going to handle seeing Todd when he showed up that evening.


“You look like you’re ready to kill someone,” Norma commented, coming up beside him.


“Or myself,” he muttered, holding the door open for her, and Sara, who appeared seconds later, before closing and locking it again.


Chapter 10