Page 180 of In at the Deep End

They ate on the patio, the conversation easy enough on the surface. Owen asked sensible questions about his final chapter, and Matt answered them, explaining what remained to be done and how he’d planned to get everything finished.

Then he mentioned the train to Edinburgh.

“I’m going up the day before and staying with Eric. It means I can hand it in first thing Monday. And I haven’t seen him for months.”

Owen nodded. “You could do with a break too.”

Matt bit his lip. “I’ve already had one of those, remember? A certain island?”

“Yeah, but this time I won’t be around to distract you.”

And if I want that distraction?

Neither of them said anything for a moment.

Owen cleared his throat. “When are you going?”

“Saturday the twenty-second.”

He blinked. “I see.”

They both knew what that meant. The housewarming was that day.

Matt forced a smile. “It’s okay. I’ve already been to one of your parties. I think I got the best one.”

Owen’s mouth curved into a half smile.

“Besides…” Matt flashed him a grin. “After the way that ended, I don’t really think you could top that.”

He waited for the reaction. A slow smile, a wicked comment about the office sex. Something that would take them straight back to that afternoon and remind Matt that whatever else had changed, that part of them was still there.

Instead, Owen’s smile felt a bit detached.

Matt’s stomach tightened. He looked down at his sandwich and took another bite, forcing himself to chew.

Maybe Owen was tired. Maybe he was thinking about the housewarming. Maybe⁠—

He stopped himself. Too many maybes.

When they’d finished, Owen collected the plates and carried them inside. Matt followed, expecting nothing more than a few minutes before they returned to the garden.

Instead, Owen reappeared at the patio door.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Matt did his best not to stare.

The words were perfectly ordinary. That was what made them so strange.

He’d lost track of how many times Owen had asked him to stay after working on the garden. Not every time, but there was almost always a reason. Another coffee, a film they’d both seen a dozen times. A beer on the patio. Dinner because he’d made too much food.

Sometimes Owen didn’t even seem to realise he’d asked. The invitation appeared between them as naturally as everything else they did together.

And now? Nothing.

Matt managed a smile. “Yeah. Tomorrow.” He picked up his bag.

Owen walked him to the side gate, but there was no hand at his waist, no kiss, not even a casual touch to his shoulder.