“Me neither,” Ed whispered.
He had his family, his friends, and now Oliver. What more could he ask for?
As if reading his mind, Oliver kissed him once more and whispered. “There’s no place like home, Ed.”
“No,” he said, pulling Oliver tight against him. “There really isn’t.”
EPILOGUE
Three months later...
Oliver arrived at Ed’s front door after checking in with Betty, like he did most Saturdays after helping out at the animal shelter.
“Hey,” he greeted him, smile fading as he got a good look at Oliver’s face. Pulling him into a hug on the doorstep, he whispered, “Rough morning?”
It wouldn’t be the first time Oliver had come back feeling shitty. He wanted to take all the animals home with him, especially the ones that had been there ages, and Ed knew it sucked leaving them. Today looked as though it had been that little bit worse.
“Yeah.” Oliver buried his face in the crook of Ed’s neck and breathed in deep. Ed held him extra tight. “Monty’s back. Came in last Saturday after I’d left, they said.”
“Again?” Ed let him go, and when Oliver looked up, his expression pretty much said it all. “Why?”
“Wasn’t a good fit for their family, apparently.” He ran fingers through his hair, clearly trying not to get worked up about it again. “It’s such a shame; he’s a lovely cat. He deserves someone that’s going to keep him.”
“He does.” He tugged Oliver inside and shut the door. “He’ll find his forever home soon, don’t worry.” Oliver grunted in reply, kicking off his shoes in the hallway. “What have you been up to this morning?”
“Finished off the odd bit of work, nothing exciting.” Ed led him through to the kitchen where the kettle was boiling, and Oliver took a seat at the breakfast bar. Saturday brunch had also become a bit of a habit—Ed dishing up a sausage or bacon sarnie or sometimes a full breakfast depending on whatever he had in the fridge.
It had fast become one of his favourite times of the week.
They took an hour or so to sit and catch up, to talk about anything and everything. Adjusting to Ed staying in the bungalow hadn’t been without it’s bumps in the road. Ed had suffered from a case of “Have I done the right thing?” and they’d both had to learn how to date and live next door to each other.
The temptation to see each other all the time had threatened to end things before they began. But thankfully Oliver was as firm a believer in talking things out as Ed was. They’d sat down at the breakfast bar one Saturday morning and just let it all out. The result being a much less intense relationship that allowed them each their own space while they got to know each other properly.
But Ed had reached the point where he was ready for more.
He still liked his space now and again but didn’t need nearly as much anymore. Waking up on his own on the mornings Oliver hadn’t stayed over got less appealing by the day.
And Oliver was starting to look for a place of his own.
The thought of not having him next door anymore made Ed’s chest constrict.
When the bacon was done, Ed made them both a sandwich and took the stool next to Oliver. “I also got a date from the log burner people.” Since deciding to stay and buy the bungalow from his sisters, Ed had set about making the place truly his own.
The first thing to go had been the carpets.
Wood flooring replaced the hall and living room ones, and Ed had chosen to take Oliver’s advice and get a log burner installed. Though it was something he was looking forward to using, already imagining cosy nights in in front of it, Ed secretly hoped it might be an incentive for Oliver to move in with him.
Over the past month or so, he’d taken to asking for Oliver’s input on all sorts of things house related. From what colour carpets to put in the bedrooms, what curtains to choose, and what colour wood to put in the hall and living room.
If Oliver suspected anything, he hadn’t mentioned it.
Ed’s sisters, on the other hand, had been very vocal and very supportive. They loved Oliver almost as much as he did.
And yeah, that was another thing.
Four months together might not be long in some people’s eyes, but it was more than enough for Ed to know he’d never felt this way about anyone else. He turned thirty-nine in just over a month, he didn’t want to waste time, and he certainly didn’t want Oliver buying a flat and moving possibly miles away.
“Thanks,” Oliver mumbled around a bite of sandwich. “I needed this.”
