Page 48 of In at the Deep End

“What did he say?”

“He said, ‘I don’t know. But you don’t get to decide she won’t.’” He sighed. “So yes, you’re in a tiny minority. Other people know I was married. They know I came out later in life.” A sad smile touched his lips. “Most people stop there.”

Silence settled again, and Matt found himself thinking about Cyn, about how she’d laughed with Owen only days before, teasing him about university. About how easy they’d been together.

She forgave him.

Not because what Owen had done hadn’t hurt, but because she’d eventually understood why.

That somehow made the whole thing even sadder.

He looked back at Owen. “You really did love her.”

“With everything I had.” Owen met his eyes. “It just wasn’t everything I was.”

The words settled over Matt like a blanket. For the first time, all the pieces he’d been trying to force together finally clicked into place.

Owen hadn’t gone from loving a woman to loving a man. He’d always been the same man. He’d simply spent years trying to be someone else.

Matt’s chest tightened. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone explain it like that.”

Owen gave a weary shrug. “I wish I’d found the words sooner.”

“So my parents don’t know any of it?”

He shook his head. “They only discovered the other day that Cyn and I had married, we’d had Callum, we divorced, I came out…” He huffed. “Quite a lot of information to digest.”

“That must have been one hell of a shock. Except now they have the story backwards. Mum’s been trying to make sense of it ever since she found out.”

Owen didn’t answer.

Matt tilted his head. “Maybe she doesn’t need every detail, but I think she’d understand you a lot better if she knew the truth.” He met Owen’s gaze. “You’ve finally let me understand you. Maybe the people who loved you all those years ago deserve the same chance.”

Owen sat very still. “You really think so?”

“I do.”

Silence settled between them.

At last Owen gave a slow nod. “Maybe… maybe it is time.”

Matt glanced at the small clock on the sideboard. “Mum and Dad should be done with dinner by now.”

Owen followed his gaze. “So if I went over now…”

“I think they’d be pleased to see you.”

He let out a long breath. “Then I’d better stop putting it off.”

Matt smiled. “Go.” He gestured towards the remaining boxes of DVDs. “I’ll keep busy. This isn’t my conversation. It’s yours.”

Knowing the truth about Owen when they didn’t felt wrong.

Helping Owen to decide to tell them everything?

That felt right.

Chapter Eleven