Brian Thompson is living a lie. A successful businessman, Brian can't stay focused in a real relationship and cheats on Timothy, his longtime lover. A phone call from his younger brother Joey, whom Brian hasn't spoken to in years, makes him recognize the uncanny resemblance between the two men.<br><br>Joey is, in a word, perfect. In Brian's eyes, he always has been. When their mother is hospitalized, Joey asks his older brother to come home. He tells Brian he needs him, which is just what Brian wants to hear. But the long trip north gives Brian plenty of time to think about his brother, and he comes to realize an unsettling truth -- he is in love with Joey.<br><br>Suddenly Brian admits that he wants Joey in ways he knows he shouldn't. Can he come to terms with the way he feels before his unrequited love threatens to tear him -- and his relationships with Timothy and Joey -- apart?

Between Brothers

Down the hall, the pipes squeal as the shower cuts off. I didn&rsquo;t notice it before, but once the whoosh of water is gone, I realize he&rsquo;s in the bathroom, the one off the master bedroom. Should&rsquo;ve taken some of these plates in with you,I think, picking through the sink. Wash yourself and the dishes at the same time&mdash;gotten them out of the way and hey, saved water while you were at it.I feel a pissy attitude descend over me, a palpable emotion like jealousy or anger, and I have to force myself to calm down. He didn&rsquo;t know I was coming home. If I had called, he would&rsquo;ve had a chance to clean up.


Chapter 57