Part 9 Summary

Arriving at the San Marquis, Julian and Clay find the room of Mr. Erickson, a real estate businessman from Indiana. Clay briefly wonders is this man knows his father and how humiliating it would be if that were true. The man offers the boys a drink, but Julian and Clay refuse. Eyeing both the boys, the man finally asks which one is willing to have sex and Julian rises from his chair and tells Julian to remove his clothes as Clay watches from a chair positioned near a window.

Clay cannot help but have flashbacks of Julian kicking a soccer ball during a fifth-grade game. Clay desperately wants to leave as the man compliments Julian on his good looks but somehow the words do not come and Clay settles in prepared to see the worst.

When the man disappears into the bathroom for...