“I was hoping you weren't gay. Or that you were only half-gay. Like Paul.""Uh...sorry," I said. "It's pretty much full-time now. The pay's not great, but the perks...”

“I noticed you right away.” She gave me an approving look. “I like quiet, polite men. And men who wear Hugo Boss. I was hoping you weren’t gay. Or that you were only half-gay. Like Paul.”“Uh…sorry,” I said. “It’s pretty much full-time now. The pay’s not great, but the perks…”

“She went on, “Yes, Porter and I did discuss divorce, and we realized we loved each other too much to do anything so silly.”“That’s got to be a comfort to you now,” I said. “I can imagine how painful it would be to have someone you care for die with a lot of unresolved --”“Yes!” she exclaimed. “That is exactly right!” She gave me an approving lashless gaze.“See, gay guys always understand these things!”“We’re born with that understanding gene,” I said.”

“I'm a thirty-something gay man with a dodgy heart. I sell books for a living. Who wants to read about that?”

“Everything a gay man does makes a political statement. Everything matters: where you bank, where you shop, where you eat. When you hold your lover’s hand in public”

“I liked you the first time I saw you. You were sitting on the floor surrounded by books, and you looked up when I opened the door and smiled right at me. It felt like you had been waiting for me, like you were welcoming me home.”

“He said you were on the scene when that Laurel Canyon homicide went down.”“I’m lucky that way,” I said.“So are you two square again?”I halted, mid-ripping open the cookies, and stared at him. “Well, he’s pretty square,” I said. “I’m just a rectangular guy.” With latent triangular tendencies.”