Page 68 of In at the Deep End

Owen hadn’t realised how much he’d missed that.

Chapter Fourteen

Matt leaned back in his chair, hands laced behind his head. Beyond the conservatory windows, the day was already warming up, clamouring for his attention, along with his dissertation.

Except his mind kept wandering in a different direction.

It’s been two days. Let it go.

He couldn’t.

He wasn’t embarrassed by what he’d watched on Owen’s TV and on his phone, more unsettled by how much it had affected him.

What does this say about me?

If it said anything at all.

That was the question that refused to let him get on with his morning.

And if I don’t do something about it soon, it’ll follow me through the rest of the day.

There was only one person he could talk to.

The thought made him wince. Saying it out loud would make it real.

He glanced at his phone. Just do it.

Matt scrolled until he found Eric’s number, then composed a short message.

Got time for a chat?

When his phone started vibrating, Matt went out into the garden. “Have I ever told you how happy it makes me that you’re another early bird?”

Eric snorted. “How about you get to the point? You’re not on video because I’ve literally just climbed out of the shower, and nobody needs to see that first thing in the morning.” He paused. “Well… nobody but Garth, and he’s away on business. Lucky for you, because if he were here, I wouldn’t be wasting my time talking to you.” Another beat. “What’s happened?”

“I’ve had an interesting couple of days.”

“With Owen?”

Matt blinked. “How did you know?”

“Because last time we spoke you spent most of the time telling me about him before you remembered you were supposed to be talking about gardening.”

“I hate your photographic memory.”

“So?”

He took a breath. “I watched a film a couple of nights ago.”

Eric waited.

“A gay film.”

“Right.”

“A romance.”

Another pause. “And?”