Page 114 of In at the Deep End

Owen’s expression softened. He reached over and squeezed Matt’s hand.

Matt glanced down at Jamie, who was now trying to persuade a wooden cow to travel by train.

“And I’m very glad you were here.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Owen sat on the patio, enjoying the view.

Matt had turned up early that morning, and Owen suspected the desire to work was his mechanism to drive away memories of the previous day. He’d come back from the funeral quiet and withdrawn.

Owen had given him tea, biscuits, and had listened to his stories of his granddad, letting him talk as much as he wanted. Then he’d taken him into the lounge, let him choose a film, and they’d watched it together, Owen’s arm around him, Matt’s head resting on his shoulder as if it belonged there.

Right then, Matt was working on one of the flower beds, digging around the base of a hydrangea that was long past its best, according to him. Matt also said it had got too big for its boots, whatever that meant.

Owen suspected that was Matt-speak for ‘taking up too much room.’ Whatever the reasons, the hydrangea would soon be on its way to the local dump, to become compost. Well, most of it: Matt had already stripped off a lot of the dead spindly limbs and had amassed a pile of them on the lawn, ready to go into the chipper he’d had Owen buy.

Meanwhile, Owen had a glorious view of Matt’s broad back, bare and glistening with sweat, the muscles there and in his thighs flexing as he bent to work at making a hole around the shrub’s root system.

Then Matt paused, stretched, and glanced over his shoulder. “Enjoying yourself?”

Owen didn’t even pretend to misunderstand. “Very much.”

“Good. Just checking my hard work wasn’t going unnoticed.”

He grinned. “Oh, I’m definitely noticing.”

“You realise you’ve been sitting there for ten minutes without turning a page.”

Owen glanced at the untouched book on his lap. “Have I? Then it must be a fascinating chapter.”

Matt snorted. “Liar.” His face lit up in a grin. “Careful. You keep looking at me like that and I’m going to start charging admission.”

Owen folded his arms. “I already paid.”

Matt frowned. “When?”

“Garden centre. Chipper. Tools. I believe this counts as the deluxe package.”

Matt laughed so hard he had to lean on the spade.

“Is your sister-in-law okay? And the baby?”

“They’re both fine. Mum is in seventh heaven, having a granddaughter at last.” Matt smiled. “I keep finding Zach standing next to the crib and just staring at Rosie. Mum says he reminds her of Dad. Apparently he was the same when Hannah was born.” Then he paused. “Oh, I meant to tell you. I got my results through this morning.”

Owen gave him an inquiring glance. “And all is well?”

Matt grinned. “All is extremely well.”

His cock definitely got interested at that point. The thought of sliding bare into that tight arse was suddenly more appealing than his book.

“Then maybe we should⁠—”

A loud metallic rumble shattered the quiet, and Owen cocked his head.

I know that engine…

He smiled. “I think we’re about to be invaded.” Whatever delicious plans he’d been entertaining would have to be put on hold.