Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:03:11 -0400
From: Randy Zak <beyondanytherapy@gmail.com>
Subject: Love with a View - Chapter 4

Author's note:

I wanted to take a moment to say a huge thank you to everyone who has
written me expressing their thoughts on this story. I cannot even begin to
tell you what it means to me to hear from readers and know that you are
enjoying the story. I began working on this little tale quite a while ago,
and at first, there wasn't much that I was attached to about it. When I
started posting it here, it began to grow and evolve into something that I
think is becoming really wonderful. I am so thrilled to hear from everyone
who is reading! Thank you for writing me!

In pretty much all of my writing, I usually have a song that inspires me
for each of my stories. Sometimes more than one! Until now, this story
hadn't revealed to me what song was meant for it. Then, one day it just hit
me. I already had the perfect inspiration piece!

 The song that now has come to represent this story to me is "I Know Him So
Well," originally from the musical "Chess." Of course, I'm using the John
Barrowman/Daniel Boys version!!! I am a huge, huge, HUGE John Barrowman fan
-- of his acting, his singing and just the incredible man in general -- so
when I realized what a perfect compliment the song is to this story, I was
thrilled. I think the lyrics really match the plot and the emotions of the
characters -- John's part represents Michael and Daniel's part represents
Ethan. Plus, any excuse to hear John's amazing voice is always a bonus. I
highly suggest you check the song out if you haven't heard it before now!

 And not to forget, I came up with an idea about the company! Dynatech, and
Jack's company Pinnacle, are architecture firms! I'm still using very broad
ideas and concepts, but this helped me get a handle on some of the ideas.

 As always, please send me a note with comments or questions to
beyondanytherapy@gmail.com or check out my blog for story updates at
http://randyscorner.blogspot.com.

Thanks!
Randy Zak

----------


The months rolled by after Ethan and Michael's weekend together, and things
seemed to be going well. They went to dinner together several times a week,
sometimes just enjoying a to go meal with a movie in one of their
apartments. On weekends, they would run errands together, something that
amused Michael to no end. Knowing what laundry detergent and shampoo Ethan
bought seemed like such a tiny thing, but somehow it made it all the more
special to Michael.

Michael wasn't a stranger when it came to dating men. He had been actively
involved since his college years. Yet it never seemed that he would ever
find someone he could spend the rest of his life with. Deep down, he was a
romantic, and all the time he spent with Ethan had Michael convinced that
the younger man was the perfect person for him. He had never been with
anyone who complimented him so well. Ethan was intelligent, allowing them
to have hours long conversations about almost any topic. It made for such a
relaxing time together that Michael didn't want it to ever end.

Michael was on cloud nine almost non-stop at having Ethan so close at hand
after hours. Even on nights they didn't meet up, he sometimes managed to
get an hour or two of a phone conversation that allowed him to get the
younger man to open up to him. He could tell Ethan was trying to be
reserved, as if he was unwilling to fully commit for fear of the end
result, but Michael tried not to let that upset him. He understood Ethan's
reservations, and was doing his best to acknowledge them.

That didn't mean it was easy.

Every day, Michael wanted to let slip about his move to Pinnacle. He knew
that he should have just waited to develop the relationship with Ethan once
he moved and they didn't have to worry about policy. Yet he couldn't find
it in himself to stop. Ethan was such an incredible person and being with
him made Michael feel more alive than anything else. He couldn't give that
up, even for the short time he had left at Dynatech.

It was hard to keep his secret to himself. He wanted to tell Ethan, to let
the other man in on the important news, but he had to keep it a
secret. Thankfully, Ethan was his usual dedicated self at the office. He
never pried into Michael's work any more than he had to. Every now and
then, it made Michael feel a pang of guilt at not telling his lover the
truth, but he kept telling himself it was all going to be worth it in the
end.

One day, he was busy going over more figures for the Skyline project when
Ethan came into the office.

"Mail's here."

Michael looked up. "Oh good. Anything on the new proposal from Aston?"

Ethan nodded, holding up a large manila envelope. "Looks like this should
be it right here."

"Good." Michael sighed heavily. "Maybe Kingston will back off a little bit
now."

"Not likely," Ethan muttered, giving him a little smirk.

Michael chuckled. "True."

Ethan continued to sort through the mail then set it on his desk. "Here you
go. Also, don't forget that today is when the representative for Mythos
Builders will be here."

Michael groaned. "I almost entirely forgot about that project. With all the
hype over the Skyline job, this one nearly escaped me entirely."

A knowing smile crept over his assistant's lips. "I thought it might
have. They'll be here at 2. I have the East conference room on the 3rd
floor booked for the meeting."

He sighed with relief. "Thank you, Ethan. I don't know what I would do
without you."

Michael smiled at the blush that crept up his assistant's neck and touched
his ears. The other man still didn't take praise very well, but Michael
meant every word of it.

After Ethan left, Michael lost himself in his work for a few hours. Lunch
came and went without his notice and he didn't pull himself back in to the
world until Ethan appeared at his desk with a sandwich and drink. Michael
sat back and stretched, trying to work the kinks out of his neck. "What
time is it?"

"Well after when you should have taken a break," Ethan replied, putting the
food on his desk. "Honestly, if I had known you were going to work through
lunch, I would have taken away those papers."

Michael looked up, smiling. "You're too good to me. Thank you."

Ethan shook his head. "You're right, I am." He smiled. "Eat up. You have
about 45 minutes before we need to be in the conference room."

Michael quickly ate his meager lunch, looking over the information for the
upcoming meeting to refresh his memory. The job was simple enough, but one
that Michael found himself looking forward to.

One of the charitable jobs that Dynatech allowed itself to become involved
in, the Tyson House was going to be a much needed home for homeless
orphaned youth in the city. It allowed the children a place to stay and get
schooling to give them a chance at life they might not have
otherwise. Dynatech had agreed to design a large, multilevel home that
would be constructed by Mythos Builders. Everything was free of charge in
donation to the Connor Fund, a local charity that led the project. The land
had been purchased with money that the organization raised through
donations and fundraising efforts. Michael found himself looking forward to
the job and doing a little bit of good in a sea of corporate moneymaking.

As he was gathering up the materials for the meeting, Ethan came to collect
him. Together, they made their way to the conference room and Michael saw
that Ethan already had everything prepared. He favored his assistant with a
smile and set his notebook down on the table.

"I hope this isn't delayed. I'm actually looking forward to this."

Ethan smiled. He appeared to be about to say something when his phone
rang. The younger man retrieved it from his hip to answer. A short
conversation later, he hung up. "He's here."

Michael nodded. "Good. I like a punctual man."

Ethan gave a quiet chuckle, smirking at him. Michael smiled back with a
wink. A few minutes later, the door to the room opened and Michael glanced
up. Instantly, he felt a shock rush through him at the familiar face that
smiled back at him. Well, more than just his face was familiar. Michael
remembered nights spent endlessly sharing skin, worshiping a broad, thick
cock and alternating between being filled by it and sinking into a perfect
heat of a firm, tanned ass.

By the glimmer in the deep brown eyes and the smirk on the other man's
face, Michael figured the memories were just as strong with his old flame.

Michael stepped forward, offering his hand with a grin. "Angelo! My god,
how long has it been?"

His ex smiled broadly, walking over to take the offered hand then pull him
into a tight, manly hug. "Far too long, khriso mou."

Michael laughed, returning the hug and stepping back. "God, you're looking
good these days. What are you up to?"

Angelo gave an eloquent shrug. "Work mostly."

Michael smirked. "You aren't a workaholic like me, Angelo. Surely you are
out prowling more often than you want to admit."

Shaking his head, Angelo smiled. "I am a new man these days. My old life of
excess is behind me, and now I work."

"Really? That's a surprise. I thought you would never give up your old
ways." In their time together, Angelo had been a carefree spirit, content
to spend his days traveling and his nights drinking with handsome men all
around him. To know that the once playboy had settled into a working man
was a bit of a shock.

Angelo gave him an enigmatic shrug, smiling. "Everyone is required to grow
up at some point, I suppose. It just took me a little bit longer than
most."

"That's certainly the truth. What is your part in this job?" Michael
couldn't remember Angelo ever expressing any interest in building when they
were together. To be honest, he couldn't recall the other man ever working
a day in the time they had been an item.

"My brother Niko owns the company. He enlisted my help in this to be the
final say. Apparently, he does not entirely trust your company. Why I do
not know!"

Rolling his eyes a bit, Michael muttered, "he must have met Kingston
before."

Angelo gave a look of disgust. "Yes, I am familiar with your illustrious
director. I am only grateful that it is you I am working with and not him."

Michael smiled. "Same here." He motioned to Ethan. "This is my assistant,
Ethan Harper. Ethan, this is Angelo Rivera."

Ethan stepped forward and held out his hand. "How do you do?"

Angelo's wide grin was turned on Ethan and he accepted the handshake before
pulling Ethan close. He was treated to a fervent kiss on each cheek and a
boisterous hug as well. "I am very well! And even better now that I have
met such a good looking man today!"

After he pulled back from the hug, Ethan seemed flustered. Michael smiled,
patting him on the shoulder gently. "Don't hound him too hard, Angelo. He's
too good at keeping me in line!"

Angelo smirked. "Ah! In that case, we must be careful. Anyone who can
manage keep you in line is very important!"

Michael laughed. "Knock it off! Come on, let's get down to business."

* * * * *

Ethan stood near the doorway in the conference room, reading through emails
on his Blackberry while Michael continued to charm, and be charmed by, the
representative that Mythos Builders had sent over for the charity
project. So far the meeting was going well. In the first half hour, the
conversation between Michael and Angelo had flowed easily, and they both
had a solid grasp on what their parts of the project would entail. Ethan
was pleased to see the representative had everything in order for the job
and he seemed to get along with Michael very well. Perhaps a little too
well.

Ethan struggled to keep his composure as he thought about it. It shouldn't
bother him. It really shouldn't.

The look on Michael's face when he greeted the man who was apparently very
familiar with him shouldn't have given Ethan such a pain in his chest. It
was obvious there had been something between them, and Ethan could only
imagine.

But he didn't want to imagine it.

Angelo Rivera was nothing short of a Greek god. His heritage blessed him
with shoulder-length raven black hair that he kept tied back in a modest
low ponytail and a perfectly smooth complexion of dark olive skin. He was
tall and muscular, oozing confidence and vitality. Ethan struggled against
visions of him embracing Michael in bed, and felt his stomach drop at the
thought of how perfect they would be together. Angelo stood equal in
height, though he was broader shouldered than Michael. Both were strong,
confident and handsome men. Men like that should be together, evenly
matched in every way to complement one another. It reminded Ethan painfully
of just how inadequate he was for Michael.

It was another hour before the meeting wrapped up. Angelo treated both
Michael and Ethan to another round of bone-crushing hugs and enthusiastic
kisses before he made his way out. As they walked back toward Michael's
office, Ethan felt his mind spinning rapidly with all the crazy thoughts
racing through it. Michael seemed energized after the encounter, and he
spoke excitedly on the way back to the office.

"I think this project is going to turn out great, I really do! I didn't
know what to expect when I first started it, but damn, I think it's going
to be something special."

Ethan nodded, managing to muster up a smile at his boss' enthusiasm. He
hadn't seen the older man so fired up about work in a long time. Ethan
wondered if this strange man had more influence on Michael than he knew.

The rest of the day crawled by. By the time he was ready to leave, Ethan
felt mentally exhausted. His mind hadn't stopped supplying him with wild
visions of Michael falling for Angelo and the two of them running off
together. On one hand, Ethan had to acknowledge that it would certainly
solve his worry about him and Michael getting into trouble over their
relationship.

But Ethan knew that wasn't what he wanted. True, he didn't want either of
them to suffer for the fact they were together, but he certainly wasn't
interested in losing Michael to a rival. Especially to someone who was
clearly better looking and already had a history with Michael. Ethan
wondered if he would have any chance should Angelo decide he wanted Michael
again.

When 5 o'clock struck, Ethan gathered his things and made a swift exit. He
and Michael hadn't made plans that night, so he managed to get away with
just a brief farewell. Walking through the parking garage to his car, a
thought struck him. He climbed in his car and stopped by one of his
favorite restaurants to order a meal to go. A nice relaxing evening with
dinner and a movie would get his head back on straight.

Walking in to Topper's Bar and Grill, Ethan felt himself unwinding already
just from the familiar atmosphere and the incredible smells coming from the
kitchen. Despite the fact that the place looked like a dive from the
outside, they had some of the best food in the whole city.

"Hey there, Ethan," the bartender called. "What you getting tonight?"

Ethan smiled as he approached the bar. The bartender was like an old friend
now with as long as Ethan had been coming here. "Hey Tony. I'm gonna grab
something to go. I've got some work I want to look over and I just did not
feel like making anything."

Tony smirked. "Do you ever?"

Ethan laughed. "Yes!" He sat down at the bar to look over the menu and make
his decision. A waitress came over soon after and he ordered his food to
go. In the meantime, Tony brought him a drink for while he waited.

He barely registered the other patrons coming and going as he waited,
watching the television over the bar. There was a baseball game on, and
Ethan was pretty certain that the local team wasn't going to be winning
today. They hadn't won a game in almost two months.

A man sat down next to him and ordered a drink. He took one look at the
television and groaned. "Oh come on. Are they really going to get their
asses kicked again?"

Ethan couldn't resist a chuckle. "Seems to be the way of things lately."

The man gave a scowl. "It's enough to make me turn in my fan card. I've
never seen them so disorganized."

"That's what happens when your two best players are out," Tony commented as
he slid a beer over to the other man. "Been a while since you came by,
Jack. Busy?"

Jack grinned. "Not too bad. Working on some projects that are really
getting good. I'm just hoping that Aston gets their act together soon and
quits jerking me around. I'm so sick of waiting on the slowest damn company
in the industry to answer a simple question."

Ethan perked up at the mention of the familiar name. He glanced over to the
other man. "You work with Aston Architecture?"

"Not a lot, but they have the best skills for this particular job. Even if
they take a year to make any kind of decisions." The man held out a
hand. "Jack Parrish. I work at Pinnacle Architects."

Ethan had heard of the firm, and it was all very positive. They did good
work, and seemed to be a fair organization. What a strange coincidence to
run into someone in the bar who worked in the same field. He took Jack's
hand in return.

"Ethan Harper. I work over at Dynatech."

A look of recognition came over Jack's face. "Ah, you're one of Kingston's
lackeys?"

Ethan grimaced, shrugging. "Unfortunately yes. Thankfully, he doesn't make
my life too hellish."

Chuckling, Jack sipped his drink. "I don't even know how you can handle
it. From all I hear, that bastard is impossible."

Shaking his head, Ethan smiled. "I don't have to see him too often, but my
boss does. I don't know how many times a day he complains about how he's
treated."

"I can understand. Kingston is a controlling type. He likes to be in charge
and doesn't trust the people he assigns work to. I couldn't work like
that."

Ethan took a swallow of his drink, thinking about how Michael was
struggling under Kingston's thumb. It definitely sounded like the
director's reputation was widely known. Ethan didn't know what he could do
to make Michael's work easier, though.

Jack leaned a little closer. "You know, we're always looking for new minds
at Pinnacle. If you ever want to get out of the control of the puppet
master, come on over. I think we have a job open right now that you would
do well in."

Ethan was taken back by the sudden offer. While he had to admit it was
tempting, he didn't know if it was the right move or not. On one hand, it
would solve the question of policy between himself and Michael, but Ethan
was hesitant to leave a job he knew well and enjoyed doing. "I don't
know. I'm not really looking to change companies anytime soon."

Jack smiled, reaching into his wallet and pulling out a business
card. "Well, just in case you ever change your mind. Here's my
information. I really do think you'd enjoy working with Pinnacle. I
guarantee you'll be respected there far more than you ever will with
Kingston."

Ethan took the card, looking at it for a moment before looking back to Jack
with a nod and a smile. "I'll think about it."

* * * * *

The weeks crept by and the project continued along smoothly. Michael and
Angelo worked closely, always smiling about something or laughing quietly
over some shared, private joke. Day after day, Ethan watched them together,
hunched over some blueprints or pages of figures as they worked through the
issues that came up. A little twinge of uneasiness would spike through him
as he saw how well they worked together.

Ethan kept himself as quiet as he could, trying not to call attention to
himself. He spent much of his time doing research or running any errands
that might be needed. Michael didn't seem to pick up on his change of
behavior, mostly due to his constantly busy state. It almost seemed like he
was on a mission, working until all hours of the night trying to get
several projects finished. Occasionally, he would apologize to Ethan that
he didn't have a chance to take him out to dinner, but Ethan would brush it
off quickly, acknowledging his work was far more important.

One evening, Ethan was readying to leave for the day when Michael stopped
at his desk. He leaned in, gently touching Ethan's elbow.

"I'm sorry to always be running out like this. I've got a ton of figures to
go over before tomorrow. I hate to not be able to take you out again."

Ethan shook his head, forcing on a smile. "It's alright. I understand."

Michael held his gaze for a long time. "You're sure? I feel like I've
barely had a chance to see you lately. Maybe we can get together this
weekend for a little relaxing time."

"Maybe." He forced a smile. "And I promise I do understand, Michael. You
have a lot going on right now and I don't want to keep you from it."

Michael smiled. "You never keep me from anything, you know that. Hell,
you'd probably be pressing me to work even if you came over."

Ethan shook his head, giving a genuine little smile. "Not the way you've
been going lately. I think you're trying to give yourself a heart attack
sometimes by overworking."

A strange look passed over Michael's face, but he tried to smooth it
over. "I'm not that old, I'll be fine." He gave Ethan a wink and squeezed
his elbow tenderly. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Ethan nodded as he watched his boss walk away. What was that about?

* * * * *

It was early evening, and Ethan was sitting on the front porch swing of his
aunt's home, slowly swinging as he watched the sun set. It was nearly
August, and the evening was still very warm.

The door to the house opened with a quiet creak and Tessa stepped out on
the porch. She walked over, carrying two bottles of beer and handed one to
Ethan.

"You look like you could use this."

He chuckled softly, taking the beer. "Thanks. I think I could."

Settling down beside him on the swing, Tessa looked him over. "Alright, so
let's hear it. What has you all mopey tonight?"

Ethan sighed, slowly pushing the swing into a gentle rhythm with a foot on
the porch planks. "It's a long story."

"Since when has that stopped me from being interested?"

He was quiet for a little longer, just slowly rocking, before he took a
deep breath and began to tell her all the thoughts going through his
head. From his worries over being caught with Michael, to the random job
offer from the man at Pinnacle, to the appearance of Angelo and the
subsequent change in his boss. He even found himself admitting that he
missed the nights they were able to get together, and the guilt he felt
over missing them.

He sighed, looking out in the distance. "It's got me all turned around. I
didn't want to let myself get close, but damnit, now that he's spending so
much time with Angelo, I realize how much I liked him being around. And
seriously, how can I compete with him? They obviously have a history, and
they're so perfect together when you look at them. What in the world could
I possibly offer?"

Out of nowhere, Tessa's hand landed on the back of Ethan's head with a
solid "whack!" Ethan yelped and grabbed his head, looking at his aunt in
shock. "What was that for?"

His aunt glared at him with a stern look. "I didn't raise you to be this
unconfident!"

Ethan looked at his aunt in confusion. "You didn't raise me!"

Tessa gave a sniff. "I practically did, the way your parents were always
working. And now off traveling the world in retirement, it's a wonder you
can call them parents at all." She pointed one perfectly manicured finger
at him. "Don't change the subject. The point is young man that you know
better than to act like this. If you have a problem, you don't mope
about. You face it head on! You don't whine and stew over if you're good
enough for someone. Life is too short to wonder and work all the time."

"But that's just the point! Now that Angelo is around, suddenly work is the
only thing important. He's burning the candle at both ends, and most of the
time it's with Angelo and that project. He barely even thinks about the
Skyline project anymore." He shook his head. "I know Michael is a hard
worker, but I just can't help thinking that since he sees Angelo again,
maybe he'll realize what he's missing. Maybe he wants someone who has made
something more of himself and he's suddenly inspired with that
knowledge. Or maybe he'll find out how much easier it is to not have to
hide with me."

Sighing heavily, Tessa patted his knee gently. "Ethan, I've never seen you
so worked up about someone before. You've never once been so insecure about
yourself, yet this is at least the second time now you're feeling
threatened. What in the world is going on?"

He gave a shrug, picking at the label of his beer idly with one
thumbnail. "I've never felt like this about anyone else before. I really
like Michael, and sometimes I wonder what we will have to do to make this
work. Then I see him with Angelo and it reminds me just how different we
are. But when he still tries so hard to spend time with me, it scares
me. I'm afraid of what will happen though if someone finds out. It's enough
that we're flirting with danger because of policy. Will he think it was
worth it if we are caught?"

Tessa snorted in a very un-ladylike manner. "Policies are made only when
one man is jealous of what another man has. The policy can rot in hell, for
all I care."

Ethan couldn't resist a smile at his aunt's words. "I wish they could, but
in truth, it does worry me. I care for Michael deeply, but if someone ever
finds out, we could be in big trouble. I don't want him to have to deal
with that."

"And what about you, hmm?" His aunt fixed him with a sharp stare. "I
suspect you'd be shown the door faster than you can blink if it came out."

Ethan knew that was the truth. As just an executive assistant, any problems
that would come about from a discovery of policy violation would come down
hard on him. He had to admit, that scared him.

"I know it's a risk. But he said we could make it work. And I want to
believe him." He sighed. "I just keep thinking about Pinnacle, and that
maybe moving there would be the answer. Maybe we could make it work if I
wasn't so worried about being caught."

"You seem to enjoy working with him though. Would you be as happy knowing
he was working so closely with another assistant?"

Ethan blushed, glaring down at the floor. "It isn't like it would be any
different than it is now. He spends all his time working with Angelo it
seems like. At least if I were at Pinnacle, I wouldn't have to see it."

"Have you tried talking to him about all this? Maybe there's an explanation
for why he is working so hard."

He shook his head. "I can't just ask him, Aunt Tessa. He's so caught up
with work, I don't even know if I could get him alone for two seconds. And
even if I could, I don't know what to say. Just 'Hey, I'm jealous you're
spending all this time with a guy who is a million times hotter than me and
has some kind of history with you, but at the same time I'm scared if we
spend too much time together we'll both get fired'? Yeah, that would go
over well."

"If you ask me, there would be a lot fewer problems in the world if people
were just honest and talked when they had a concern." Tessa sighed. "You've
told me a lot about him over the years, Ethan. And the way you talk about
him, he sounds like a good man. But remember -- even the best men can make
mistakes."

Ethan nodded, looking up at the sky. "I know. But something tells me that
being with him isn't a mistake. I don't want to just give up."

Tessa reached over and gently patted his knee. "As long as that's how you
feel. Just be careful."

He smiled over to her. "I will. I promise."

* * * * *

There were some days that Michael wondered what he was getting himself in
to.

Struggling to get everything accomplished before he made the move to
Pinnacle was not as easy as he had thought it would be. He had hoped to be
completely finished and gone before August had settled in. But it was the
middle of the month now, and he was no closer to being finished. It would
probably be mid September or later before he finally got all the projects
completed. Sometimes Michael cursed his inability to leave something
unfinished. He would have loved to just walk out and leave everything to
someone else, but his conscience wouldn't let him.

At least the Skyline project wasn't high on his radar. No matter what he
did, Kingston would do whatever he thought was right in the end, so Michael
just went through the motions, knowing anything he did would be ignored
anyway.

The one project that did give him hope was the Tyson House. Learning that
he would be working with Angelo had been a surprise, but thankfully, the
other man had a good head for the work that would be required. He
apparently had matured in the years they had been apart, and brought a lot
of good information and ideas to the table. Michael found himself laughing
more often than he had in a while because of Angelo's playful personality.

The biggest thing that was bothering him was how little time he and Ethan
got to spend together. Granted, he was doing all this for them, to give
them a real chance to be together. But it didn't seem to matter if in the
meantime they barely got to see one another outside of work. Michael kept
telling himself it was all worth it in the long run.

One day in his office, Michael's calendar popped up with a reminder. He
glanced at the time and saw he had to head out or he would be late for his
meeting. Gathering up the folders he needed, he grabbed his raincoat before
he made his way out of the office.

Michael stopped by Ethan's desk on his way out. "I've got a lunch meeting
with Angelo. I'll be back before 2. Is there anything going on I need to be
aware of?"

Ethan shook his head as he consulted his calendar. "No, sir, your schedule
is clear until 3:30 when you have a call with Aston's project coordinator."

"Great, just what I need to help me digest my lunch." Sighing, Michael gave
his assistant a smile. "I'll see you in a little bit. Want me to bring you
anything back? I'm going near that deli you like."

A touch of color rose on Ethan's cheeks at the suggestion and it gave
Michael a little thrill. Apparently Ethan liked it when he remembered the
little things. Michael filed that information away for later.

"I'm fine, but thank you," Ethan replied.

"Alright, but let me know if you change your mind."

Michael reached over and risked a quick squeeze to Ethan's shoulder. He
truly missed their closeness lately, and hoped that he could fix that very
soon.

Michael hurried to his lunch meeting at a quiet little restaurant a few
blocks away. He was sitting in a booth looking over the menu when Angelo
slid in on the other side. The other man was grinning in a way that Michael
knew very well.

He raised an eyebrow, smirking at his old ex. "Someone got lucky."

Angelo chuckled. "I cannot fool you, can I?" He shrugged eloquently. "I was
very lucky to have my partner stop by the office today and we were able to
enjoy a little time alone."

Michael grinned. "You are impossible. But to hear you say partner is a
surprise. Is it that serious?"

Angelo smiled, nodding as he reached into his wallet and pulled out a
picture. He handed it over to Michael. "This is Curtis. He is the only man
in my life now."

Looking at the picture, Michael smiled. Standing with Angelo was a very
slender man with short, well-styled dirty blonde hair and deep brown
eyes. They made a very interesting pair, Angelo's dark skin contrasting
with the pale blonde's. And yet, somehow they seemed to match. They both
wore a look of pure happiness that Michael felt a little envious of.

He handed the picture back. "That's great, Angelo! How long have you two
been together?"

Angelo grinned as he slipped the photo back into his wallet. "Going on a
year and a half now." His face was almost glowing as he talked about his
partner. "He's the best thing to ever happen to me, Michael. You know how
hard it is to live with me. Curtis is really the perfect fit. He keeps me
in line, but allows me to still be myself."

"How did you two meet?"

"I had a dinner meeting one day a few towns away and when I walked in the
door, there he was. He was the host at the restaurant and I nearly stopped
breathing when I laid eyes on him. He was so handsome, so graceful. I admit
I nearly made a fool out of myself the entire night trying to catch a
glimpse of him. Before I left, I made it a point to ask him if he was at
all interested in going out with me. He seemed surprised at first, but I
was able to convince him in a date." The grin stretched over his face a
little wider. "The rest is history."

Michael smiled. "Well, I'm glad to hear you found someone, especially
someone who can keep you under control."

Laughing, Angelo nodded. He took a sip of his drink before pinning Michael
with a stare. "What about you? You seemed to be pretty close to that young
man helping you."

Michael smiled at the thought of Ethan. "Yeah, that is a recent
development. I've had a huge crush on him for a while, but just lately
managed to convince him to let me have a chance."

Angelo laughed. "You always did have a stubborn streak. No matter what, if
you set your mind on something you got it. It seems that extends to your
conquests as well."

"He's not a conquest, Angelo." He shook his head, a smile spreading over
his face. "I think he's it. Ethan is everything I want in a partner. He's
smart, funny, dedicated and knows almost everything there is to know about
me. We work well together and I just enjoy being around him. I can trust
him."

"You certainly seem happier than I remember you in a long time. Even more
so than when we were together."

Michael smiled. "We had fun, Angelo. But I think we both knew that was all
it was. We tried to convince ourselves that there was more, but it was
never meant to be."

Angelo nodded. "We were young. Youth can blind us to the truth. Of course,
we did not know that until we were older."

"How very true." Michael raised his glass with a smile. "To new love. May
it last forever."

Raising his glass, Angelo toasted and took a long pull. He sat back and
chuckled. "Listen to us, clucking about like old hens. Come, we have work
to discuss. We can gloat about our luck with love after."

Michael grinned. "Good point. Alright, what do we still have left to
finish?"

* * * * *

Ethan was sitting at his desk typing up an email, fingers flying over the
keyboard as his eyes moved back and forth between the notepad in front of
him and the screen. He proofread as he went, making minor corrections now
and then. He worked quickly, trying to finish this so he could get
something to eat. His stomach was still growling at him for not having
accepted Michael's offer.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't realize anyone was
approaching until they cleared their throat politely nearby. Ethan jumped
in surprise, looking up from his work to see Director Kingston standing at
the side of his desk.

The director smiled at him. "Good afternoon, Ethan. Is Michael in?"

Managing to recover his composure, Ethan cleared his throat lightly. "Uh,
no sir. He's gone to a meeting with Mr. Rivera."

The dark look that passed over the director's face worried Ethan. "Again. I
see."

Swallowing down his nerves at the other man's demeanor, Ethan managed to
ask, "Is anything wrong sir?"

Kingston looked at Ethan. "Not right now, but just maybe. If that boss of
yours isn't careful, he's going to get himself in big trouble."

Ethan felt a little ball of ice forming in his stomach. "Why is that, sir?"

"This damn project is a kindergarten job - any executive could do it in
their sleep. He's spending all his time on it, and not much on Skyline. And
every time I look, he's with that man. And from what I've heard, they're a
little too close, if you know what I mean."

The curl of the older man's lip told Ethan exactly what the director meant,
but he played dumb. "I'm not sure I do, sir."

"There's rumor about that Andrews might be a fag. I never believed it at
first, but the more I see, the more I wonder if it isn't true. Oh, I know
we can't fire him for it outright, but it makes my skin crawl to think
about it." Kingston scowled. "Damn, it just isn't right. Two men like
that. Not to mention with a client of all things!" He scoffed.

Ethan managed to stammer out a baffled, "no, sir." Apparently, Kingston had
never heard anything about Ethan himself. But then that didn't surprise
him, since the director rarely paid much attention to an underling.

Kingston continued on his ramble, not paying much attention to Ethan's
response. "I heard from a few of the other executives that he was coming on
to you at the Christmas party last year. I'm sorry you had to deal with
that, and I'm just grateful you haven't made it into a big deal. Not
everyone would be so forgiving after being insulted like that. But don't
worry about it happening again. I'll see to it personally." Before Ethan
could gather himself enough to respond, the older director patted his
shoulder. "You just keep up the good work, son. Even if Michael doesn't
stick around much longer, your work is fine. I'm sure we can find you
someone else you can help. Someone who is a little more. . . fitting to
work here."

Feeling like a traitor, Ethan nodded and replied, "Thank you, sir."

Giving him a smile, Kingston patted his shoulder again like he would an
affectionate dog and turned, walking down the hallway toward the elevator.

Ethan sat in stunned silence for several minutes after the director had
left. He felt a cold panic grip him. So many things rushed through his mind
from the encounter. Michael could lose his job just because the older
director was a homophobic bigot. Yet as much as it angered Ethan, he knew
there was very little he could do to stop it. He had no pull at the
company, and if he spoke up, he might call attention to their relationship.

The feeling of hopelessness that grew in his stomach was unsettling and
suddenly Ethan didn't feel hungry anymore.