The Easy Way Out
by Stephen McCauley
Patrick O'Neil is a travel agent who never goes anywhere. His closestconfidante, Sharon, is chain-smoking her way to singles hell, passing up manafter man. His parents, proprietors of a suburban men's store whose fortunesare sagging more visibly than its customers, can't agree how best to interferein their sons' lives. And his lover, Arthur (a nice golden retriever of a guyto whom Patrick can't quite commit), wants to cement their relationshipby buying a house.Then a call comes in the middle of another sleepless night. Tony, Patrick'sstraight-as-an-arrow younger brother, has fallen in love with a beautifullawyer who is turning him on to...opera. Unfortunately, she's not the woman he's already pledged to marry. Tony's life is a mess. Finally, the brothers have something in common.