Chapter Four

This couldn’t be good.

As I drove over the Black Warrior River, there weren’t any lights on the horizon. I’d heard Alabama Power had issued alerts that the electric grid was straining in some areas. Would they get the power back on before morning?

I wondered if I’d get in trouble if I went back to campus and slept in my office.

As I continued down a mostly deserted McFarland Boulevard, I headed into the outage area. It started a half mile from my place and, as I made the turn into my apartment complex, it looked like it went far beyond.

“Great,” I said to the empty car.

A lot of people were outside. It looked more like a block party than a power failure. Folks used candles, flashlights, and whatever else they had on hand to provide some light. Many were near the pool, which typically got locked up after ten. I guessed they either jumped the fence or management unlocked it because of the situation.

As I parked in front of my building, my headlights blinded a group hanging out on a patio. They shielded their eyes until I turned off the car.

“Sorry about that,” I said as I got out with my backpack. “How long’s this been going on?”

“Four or five hours,” one of the guys said. I’d met him a couple months ago, but couldn’t remember his name.

“It’s not so bad,” said the girl sitting next to him. “Turned into kinda of a cool party. There’s a lot going on back there.” She pointed down the breezeway I was about to walk through. The path led out into the grassy area that ran up the hill between the buildings.

“Nice. I’ll check it out. See you later.”

I waved goodbye and headed towards the back. As I approached the staircase, I saw dozens of people hanging out. Many sat on blankets or lawn chairs, reminding me of the outdoor concerts I’d been to at the amphitheater at Oak Mountain. One of the largest groups sat around a guy strumming softly on his guitar.

I looked back, hearing someone coming down the stairs. “Hey, Ethan, long time no see,” Leann said, carrying a six-pack of beer.

“Yeah. With this heat I stay on campus as much as possible enjoying the free A/C.”

“It’s been crazy, right? Go put your stuff down and join us. That dude with the guitar is fantastic.”

I smiled. What was one more night with little sleep? I had an eight o’clock to teach, but impromptu parties should never be passed up.

“Can’t turn down that invitation. Be back in a sec.”

“Cool.” She gave a brief nod and joined the gathering.

I didn’t know her well, but she was always friendly whenever we’d run into each other. That made saying yes even easier.

Upstairs I let myself in to my hotbox of an apartment. I dropped my pack by the door and looked out to see if Shadow Man was on his balcony. He wasn’t. Maybe he was downstairs somewhere.

After a quick swish of mouthwash—just in case I needed to make a good impression—I went to the party and staked a spot near the guitarist. I scanned the crowd, but I had nothing to go on. Identifying his outline wouldn’t be easy.

I whispered hello to Leann, who sat nearby, and she handed me a beer. I raised it in thanks and popped it open. The jarring sound overshadowed the gentle melody being played and I immediately regretted it. I smiled sheepishly and took a large drink.

I got comfortable, positioned so I could see if anyone went in or out of Shadow Man’s apartment. I sipped my beer and relaxed, enjoying the music. I learned the guitarist’s name was Wally and that he was a saxophonist for the university’s marching band. His guitar playing was exceptional, and his singing was good, too. He played some instrumentals, but also sang a few songs I recognized.

This was nice. Relaxing like this was something I didn’t do often enough.

“Excuse me,” a deep voice said between songs. I looked up to see a guy wearing only denim shorts towering over me. He gestured with the red cup in his hand. “Is this patch of grass taken?”

“It’s all yours,” I said, patting the ground.

“Cool.” He sat down, legs stretched out in front of him. He was tall, and even though we were sitting, I had to tilt my head up to meet his eyes. Although I didn’t mind looking at his muscular chest, which was dusted with hair between his pecs. In the soft light of candles and lanterns, his curly brown hair, bit of scruff and cute smile captivated me. “I’m Marcus Wilcox.”

“Ethan Holden. Nice to meet you.”

I clanked my beer can against his cup, and we drank. Wally played another song and we listened. I didn’t recognize the melody, but it was very intricate and showed Wally’s talent. As he finished, he received an enthusiastic round of applause.

Wally put down the guitar and said he was going to take a brief break. Leann handed him a beer, which he turned down for a bottle of water instead. The group around us broke up, but Marcus and I kept our seats.

“He’s good,” Marcus said.

“Yeah. It’s cool how you get to meet your neighbors at times like this. I hadn’t even seen him before.”

“It’s a big complex.”

“True. I’m bad though. I get caught up in work too much. Other than my neighbor—” I pointed at Leann—“I don’t recognize any of these people.”

He drank while he watched me. “I’ve seen you,” he said as he lowered the cup. “A couple times.” He leaned in closer for a whisper. “You’ve seen me, too… sort of.”

My eyes went wide—if I was a cartoon, they would’ve shot out of my head.

He winked at me.

“It’s you?” My gaze darted between him and his balcony.

He nodded.

“I hoped I’d somehow run into you.”

“I saw you go into your apartment. That’s how I figured out who you were.”

He was adorable and wasn’t dwelling on what we’d done or being creepy about it. Suddenly the sound of air conditioners popped on along with some lights signaling the return of electricity. A chorus of approving voices sounded as we just looked at each other.

“Why do you sleep outside?” he asked, acting as if the power hadn’t come back.

People drifted back to their apartments, while a few others seemed content to continue with the party.

“With the fans blowing on me, it’s actually cooler than I can afford to keep the apartment.”

Marcus nodded. “I’m dreading the bill I’m going to get. When I get home, I crank it down to sixty-eight until it catches up, then I raise it to seventy-two.” He stood and offered me a hand up. He gave me a sexy, warm smile as I brushed grass off my shorts. “Come with me?”

Next Friday: You know Ethan is going to go with Marcus, right?

Fun fact: I mentioned previously that Ethan lives in the apartment complex that I did back in the mid-90s. This grassy space mentioned here is a place I hung out with neighbors often. We'd talk, toss a football around, using the space as extensions of our patios to host grilling parties. The couple of times it snowed, the hill made for some good sledding. I had many fun times in the three years I was there.