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

Pretending to be the waitress, Austin said, “You want me to hold the bread, huh?”


They said, in unison, “I want you to hold it between your knees,” before bursting out laughing.


Mark did order the steak sandwich, on sourdough bread, with all the trimmings that came with it. Austin opted for a Swiss and mushroom burger, and they both asked for beer.


“I think that was the first time I’ve seen you laugh,” Austin said when the waitress left.


“In all your window peeping, I never did?”


“I wasn’t peeping,” Austin retorted. “I was observing. And no, I don’t remember you laughing, even during your party.”


Mark winced. “I guess you probably didn’t. I’ve been fighting the fact I should have dumped Todd long before now and it didn’t make me particularly happy.”


“How about we table any discussion of him for now? You’re supposed to be celebrating your freedom, not wondering if you did the right thing. Which, as I said earlier, you did.”


Chapter 13