With the finishing of Gloria's new home bar room, house parties became a regular occurrence at the Benali home. Sometimes Salim invited over one of his coworkers, but more frequently, Gloria caught up with her large circle of friends. She loved entertaining and playing the part of the hostess while her guests enjoyed tropical drinks, in the style of the themed bars that were popping up around Los Angeles. It was also a great excuse for her to show off her chic wardrobe.
It was at one such event, however, that Gloria's brother Salvador was approached by his friend and former lover, Anton Pavlenko. Things remained amicable between them though not without an air of tension.
"I talked to your wife, Sal," Anton admitted, driven by liquid courage, "and she knows about our past, and knows you still harbor feelings for me. Don't deny it."
"And? What are you suggesting?"
"What if you didn't have to choose?" Anton asked.
It sounded impossible, yet he knew how understanding Mary had been when he'd admitted his attraction to men. As he found himself drawn closer to Anton, a million questions ran through his head. "I'll talk to Mary."
