“We agreed on sometime in the new year.” Ed shrugged. “Depends on the sale of this place.”
Did it though? Oliver was pretty sure Ed had told him he was staying at the bungalow to save a bit of money while he looked for a house up north. Not that his move was dependent on its sale. Was it even on the market?
Voicing Oliver’s thoughts, Aiden asked the very same question.
Ed shifted in his seat, then looked to Sarah. “I haven’t had much to do with that side of things,” he admitted.
If he was waiting on the bungalow to sell, wouldn’t he be more proactive in helping? Oliver watched him carefully, unobserved as the conversation went on around them.
Sarah set her glass down. “We’ve got the outside photos taken and most of the interior ones done. Just waiting on the bedrooms to be finished. Then it can be listed.”
“Is there much point putting it up for sale now?” Aiden asked her. “Surely no one’s looking for a house at this time of year?”
“Ed is,” Oliver offered, garnering everyone’s attention. “So I don’t see why others won’t be keeping an eye out.”
“That’s true.” Sarah glanced at Ed, as if waiting for him to disagree or say anything on the subject, but he kept quiet, lost in thought as he swirled his glass of wine. “I’ll have a word with the estate agent on Monday. When do you think the bedrooms will be ready for photos?” she asked Ed, forcing him to answer this time.
He looked directly at Oliver. “I know you’ve helped me loads already, but any chance you’d be up for a bit more painting tomorrow?” His expression was hard to read, the muted light in the room not helping matters.
After his little revelation earlier, no part of Oliver wanted to help get the bungalow ready for sale. Didn’t want to help speed up Ed’s departure. But Ed was also his friend now, and Oliver didn’t want to let him down. “Sure.” He even managed a smile. “Of course I will.”
“Thank you.” Ed’s answering smile seemed as forced as Oliver’s felt. “Depending on how we get on tomorrow,” he told Sarah. “Should be ready for photos next weekend.”
“Great.” Sarah sounded as if Ed had given her bad news, and Oliver had to stop himself snorting at the whole ridiculous conversation. Literally no one at that table wanted Ed to go.
Including, Oliver suspected, Ed himself.
Yet no one said anything.
Maybe they’d had this conversation a hundred times already and were leaving Ed to it. Who the fuck knew?
The only thing Oliver wanted was to get Ed alone and figure out the real reason he was moving away from his family, his friends, and a life he seemed perfectly happy with. Because as far as Oliver could see, his heart definitely wasn’t in it now. If it ever had been.
The mood around the table never recovered from that depressing conversation, and soon enough Sarah set her glass on the table, declaring that she and Ian were heading off. She kissed Ed goodbye, hugged him tight, and offered Oliver a warm smile.
“It was lovely to see you again,” she said, slipping on her coat.
“You too.”
She surprised Oliver by giving him a hug too. He half expected her to whisper some sisterly concern regarding Ed, but the hug was all he got.
When Ed came back after seeing them out, they moved back to the kitchen island, perching on the stools there.
“Sorry for killing the mood earlier.” Aiden’s wry grin lightened things somewhat. “I should’ve known bringing up your move wasn’t going to go down well.”
Ed sighed and shook his head. “It’s not like they haven’t had months to get used to the idea.” Resting his elbows on the table, he took a small sip of wine. He’d been nursing the same glass for the past hour, refusing Aiden’s offers to top it up. Much like Oliver had.
Aiden snorted. “I knew before them, and I’m still not used to it.” He sighed, and Cam slipped an arm around his shoulders. “Fuck, Ed, I’m really going to miss having you just round the corner.”
It hurt to witness the raw emotion in his eyes.
“I’m only a couple of hours up the road,” Ed replied, voice rough. “I’m expecting you to bloody well visit.”
“We will.” Aiden’s husband gave him an encouraging squeeze and a subtle nod towards Oliver, that Oliver wouldn’t have caught had he not been looking right at him. “I guess we’d better get going too.”
It was only ten o’clock, not exactly late, but Oliver wasn’t about to protest. Neither was Ed judging by the way he nodded and stood to see them out.
Aiden let out a soft snort and shot Oliver a wink when Ed turned away. “See you soon, Oliver.”
