Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Matt took a moment to breathe.
“This feels like the day Zach and Beth got married.”
Owen looked up from plumping the cushions on the outdoor sofa for what had to be the fifth time. “Oh God. Nobody’s getting married here.”
Matt snorted. “Then why are you behaving as though they are?”
So far, the caterers had delivered trays of food, ice, and enough alcohol and soft drinks to stock a small pub.
Matt had threaded solar lanterns through the trees and shrubs, arranged candles in hurricane lanterns, helped set up the bar in the pool house and another in the barn, stacked rolled towels beside the pool and scattered cushions across every wall, bench and chair.
Owen had inspected every last detail at least three times.
“By the way…” Matt nodded towards the far end of the pool. “When did the outdoor shower appear?”
“The plumber came yesterday while you were working on your dissertation.”
Matt laughed. “You really have thought of everything.”
Owen shrugged. “Old habits. Years of working in the hospitality sector.” He glanced around the garden.
“You spend long enough running hotels, you start seeing everything from the guest’s point of view.
” He nodded towards the shower. “Somebody gets out of the pool, doesn’t want to drip through the house, wants somewhere to rinse off… so you give them what they need.”
Matt smiled. “You really can’t help yourself, can you?”
Owen gazed at the garden one last time. “Not when I’m hosting. If a guest has to ask for something, you’ve already missed an opportunity.”
It was then Matt noticed the bowls on the patio table. They were filled with packets of lube and condoms.
He smirked. “Are you expecting a busy evening?”
Owen laughed. “Not necessarily. Some of my friends are in open relationships. Some are single. Some might decide they’d like some… private time together. I’d rather they had what they needed than took risks.”
Matt shook his head. “That is so you.” Owen cocked his head, and he smiled. “A well-prepared host.”
“I try.” Owen peered at his watch. “We’ve got about an hour before the first arrivals.” He grinned. “Officially, anyway. Unofficially, they’ll start drifting in about fifteen minutes from now. FOMO is a terrible affliction.” He looked Matt up and down. “Did you bring a change of clothes?”
Matt chuckled. “What—you don’t want me at your party in my tiniest shorts?”
Owen narrowed his gaze. “I’ve already spent one afternoon failing to read a book because of those shorts.”
“So the problem isn’t the shorts—it’s me.”
He sighed dramatically. “I’m afraid the evidence is mounting.” Another glance at their surroundings. “I was hoping people might remember the garden.”
Matt laughed. “You’re saying I’m stealing its thunder?”
“I’m saying the hydrangeas never stood a chance. One look at you, and half my guests will forget my name.”
Matt blinked innocently. “Because of my shorts?”
Owen bit his lip. “Among other distractions.”
Matt had to laugh then the first guests arrived exactly forty-three minutes before the official start time.
Owen opened the front door and pointed at his watch. “You’re early.”
“We’re experienced,” the taller of the two men replied, stepping inside with a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a cheesecake in the other. “Never trust a host who says, ‘There’s plenty of food.’”
“There is plenty of food.”
He narrowed his gaze. “So you say.”
Owen rolled his eyes and accepted both offerings. “Matt, this is Ian and Marcus.”
Matt shook hands.
Marcus looked him up and down before smiling warmly. “You’re the gardener.”
Matt blinked. “How do you know that?”
“Owen’s been talking about you for weeks.”
Owen groaned. “I have not.”
Ian laughed. “Pants. On. Fire.”
Matt glanced at Owen, who suddenly seemed fascinated by the cheesecake.
“Oh dear. Have I become one of your stories?”
Before Owen could get a word out, Marcus interjected, “You’re practically a recurring feature.”
After that, people kept arriving.
Friends wandered through the side gate with bottles of wine tucked beneath their arms. Someone arrived balancing two enormous bowls of homemade pasta salad. Another couple apologised for being ‘terribly late’ despite being ten minutes early.
Within half an hour the garden had begun to fill. Music drifted from hidden speakers. The smell of burgers and marinated chicken floated across the lawn.
Some guests gravitated towards the pool, feet dangling in the water while they nursed beers. Others gathered beneath the shade of the pergola, debating everything from football to politics to whether the latest Jurassic Park film should ever have been made.
Matt couldn’t stop smiling.
This isn’t what I’d imagined at all.
Then again, he wasn’t sure what he’d expected. Something louder, maybe, or more provocative. More… He searched for the word.
Purposeful.
Instead, it felt familiar. If anything, it reminded him of Zach and Beth’s barbecue last summer.
Just… gayer.
A lot gayer. He’d counted three rainbow shirts before giving up.
“Matt!”
He turned to find Owen beckoning him over.
“There are some people I’d like you to meet.” Next to him stood four men, drinks already in hand. Owen gestured to two of them, burly guys, one darker skinned and bald, the other fair, with blond and silver hair, both about Owen’s age. “You’ve heard me mention Adam and Gray.”
Matt smiled immediately. “So you’re the Adam and Gray.”
Adam, the bald guy, laughed. “Should I be worried?”
“Owen speaks very highly of you.”
Gray shot Owen a smug look. “Well, that’s going on my Christmas card.”
Owen ignored him. He indicated the other two. “And these are Sebastian and Felix.”
Sebastian appeared to be in his early forties, broad-shouldered, and relaxed. Felix was younger—around Matt’s age—with dark curly hair and an infectious smile.
Felix offered his hand, and they shook.
Matt discovered Adam and Gray were exactly as Owen had described them—funny, self-deprecating and incapable of leaving each other alone for more than thirty seconds without making some sarcastic remark.
It wasn’t long before Matt’s curiosity got the better of him.
“Owen mentioned your… line of work.”
Adam grinned. “I did wonder.”
Gray waved his phone. “But this was the only camera I brought along with me.”
Sebastian snorted. “That’s all you need. You once shot a whole scene with me like that.”
Matt blinked. “Do you… model for them?” It seemed more polite than act in their porn videos.
“We do.”
“Seb films with a lot of models.” Felix smiled. “I only film with Seb.”
Matt couldn’t hide his surprise. “By choice?”
Felix nodded, and Sebastian rested a hand against Felix’s back.
“I was spoiled,” Felix said with a grin. “I started with him.”
Gray laughed. “We’ve never complained.”
Adam nodded. “It makes scheduling much easier.”
Matt frowned. “I suppose I’d assumed—”
“That everyone works with everyone else?” Adam finished.
Matt’s face warmed suddenly. “Yeah.”
Adam shook his head. “Some people do.”
“Some don’t,” Gray added.
“Everybody decides their own boundaries.” Adam shrugged. “Nobody gets talked into anything.”
Felix gazed up at Sebastian with a smile that lit up his face. “I found what I wanted on day one.”
Sebastian squeezed his shoulder. “So did I.” He met Matt’s gaze. “What I do for Adam and Gray? That’s work.” He glanced at Felix. “He’s the person I come home with.”
Matt couldn’t help smiling at that.
As the afternoon wore on and more guests arrived, Matt realised he was being given a tour through Owen’s world.
Lots of men, different couples, differing ages, dynamics, relationships.
Some wore leather, a vest here, a harness there.
The biggest surprise was seeing a few guys in skimpy leather jocks—and dog masks that covered their heads, black with a flash of colour, ears alert.
Then he recalled Owen’s words.
Aha. So those are puppies.
Yeah, this party was definitely educational.
Matt’s favourite occupation was watching Owen moving among his guests, hugging them, accepting kisses to his cheek, some guys flirting with him, and Owen flirting right back, confident and self-assured.
Then it occurred to him that Owen had changed since his university days. Cyn had described him as hating being the centre of attention, being happiest watching people.
This Owen was the complete opposite.
He also kept checking on Matt every time he walked past.
“You okay?”
“Do you need another drink?”
“Have you met everyone?”
Owen didn’t abandon him once, but didn’t smother him either.
The late afternoon heat had a lot of guests removing clothing, not all of it, but enough that what was left barely covered their assets. Matt spied Felix getting out of the pool, and he caught a glimpse of the faint scars across his chest.
There was something he’d been wondering ever since Felix had mentioned he only filmed with Sebastian. Maybe those scars were the answer.
Felix wandered over to him. “How come you haven’t joined the guys cannonballing into the pool?”
Matt chuckled. “Perhaps later.” He hesitated for a moment. “Can I ask you something?”
Felix smiled. “Sure.”
Matt rubbed the back of his neck. “If it’s too personal, you can always tell me to mind my own business.”
He arched his eyebrows. “Now I’m intrigued.”
Matt took a breath. “Do you only shoot with Sebastian because…” He faltered. “Because some models aren’t comfortable filming with you?”
Felix’s smile never wavered. “Because I’m trans, you mean?”
Matt nodded. “I knew a few trans students at university. Most people were absolutely fine about them.” He shrugged. “Some… weren’t.”
Adam, Gray, and Sebastian chose that moment to stroll across the lawn to where they stood. Felix glanced at them before looking back at Matt. “Luckily for me, everyone who works with these two is.”
Gray snorted. “We wouldn’t hire them if they weren’t.”
Adam nodded. “Life’s too short to work with arseholes.”
Sebastian slipped an arm around Felix’s waist. “Besides, he only shoots with me because he’s fussy.”
Felix laughed. “Very fussy.”
“I’d even add hopelessly so.” Adam grinned.