Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Owen paid the taxi driver, while Matt dealt with the bags. Once they were inside, Owen drew Matt into his arms and kissed him.
“I’ve been waiting to do that ever since we left Edinburgh.”
Matt smiled. “You could’ve done that on the train or in the taxi.”
Owen shook his head. “Not the safest option.” He kissed the tip of Matt’s nose. “Ready to eat? I’m starving.”
Matt opened his mouth, but the doorbell interrupted him.
He chuckled. “That’ll be Mum. She was probably listening for the taxi.”
Owen opened the door, and sure enough, Mum stood there with a tea towel-wrapped casserole dish. She stared at Matt for a second, and then her face crumpled.
“Oh, thank God.” She thrust the dish into Owen’s hands before seizing Matt in a bone-crushing hug. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
“Mum,” he protested.
“I know, I know.” She squeezed him harder. “I’m allowed to be pleased to see my son.”
“You saw me before I left.”
“That was ages ago.”
“It was four days.”
“Exactly.”
Matt laughed into her shoulder.
Then she pulled back, cupped his face between her hands and looked at him properly. “You’re all right?”
“I’m fine.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t give me that.”
“I really am.” He glanced past her to where Owen stood, and smiled. “Now.”
Mum swallowed. “Oh.” Her eyes widened. “Oh!” She pulled her phone from her pocket.
“Mum, what are you doing?”
“Calling your father.” She stabbed the screen. “Hello? Yes. Come to Owen’s. Now.”
Both Owen and Matt stared at her.
She listened for a moment. “No, I’m not explaining over the phone. Just get here.” She ended the call. “He’s on his way.”
Owen was trying very hard not to laugh. “We haven’t even been home for thirty seconds and we’re being invaded.”
Mum looked from him to Matt. “Thank God, you’re smiling again.”
Before Matt could think of a response, there was another knock.
This time, his stomach tightened.
He’d spent the entire journey home thinking about the phone conversation they’d had, and although he’d eventually forgiven his dad enough to tell him the truth, forgiveness wasn’t the same thing as forgetting.
Mum let him in, and Owen laughed. “Sure, it’s only my house.”
Dad stepped inside, glanced at Matt, and smiled. “Hey. Welcome home.” Then he turned towards Owen. “Good to see you.”
“You too.” Owen peeked under the tea towel. “Oh, nice.” He grinned. “That solves the dinner problem. We have lasagne.”
Dad glanced at the dish, then at Mum. “That’s why you called me? To tell me you’ve given Owen a lasagne?”
Mum rolled her eyes. “I called you because our son has been away for four days and apparently he’s come home with a boyfriend.”
“Mum.” Matt gave her a hard stare.
Owen cleared his throat. “Well, seeing as Babs has provided enough food to feed the five thousand, why don’t you both stay and help us eat it?”
Matt was torn between kissing him for changing the subject, and wanting to complain about sharing him with his parents.
“Good idea,” Mum said. “I’m starving.” She took the dish from Owen. “I’ll put it in the oven. You set the table.”
Owen stared after her as she bustled into the kitchen. He glanced at Matt, his eyes twinkling. “Now I see where you get it from.” He followed her into the kitchen.
Matt knew he couldn’t sit down to dinner while his stomach was in knots.
“Let’s go out onto the patio,” he suggested, then headed through the house without waiting to see his dad’s reaction.
He unlocked the patio door and stepped outside. It was still light, and the sky was pink at the horizon.
“Something on your mind?”
Matt sat on the low wall by the steps. “Yes.”
Dad sighed. “Yeah, I thought you might have.” He perched on the wall facing Matt.
He took a breath. “You talked to Owen. You told him to think about the future.”
“I did.”
“And you made him think he was doing the right thing by leaving me.”
His dad lowered his gaze. “I never meant for that to happen.”
“But it did.” Matt swallowed. The anger was still there, but underneath it was something more complicated. Hurt. Love. The knowledge that his dad had been trying to protect him, even while doing something that had nearly broken his heart.
Dad winced, but Matt wasn’t finished.
“You were scared for me. I understand that. But you were so busy being my dad that you forgot to let me be an adult.”
Dad stared at him. “I thought I was protecting you.”
“You were—from something I hadn’t asked to be protected from.”
His dad’s shoulders sagged, and his expression grew pained. “I’m sorry. I saw how much older Owen is than you, and I thought about all the things that could go wrong.”
“You thought about things that could happen years from now. But you didn’t think about what was happening to me right then.” Matt sighed. “I love you, Dad. And I know you did it because you love me. But I need you to understand something else.”
“What?”
“You don’t get to decide whether Owen is worth the risk. That’s my decision.”
Dad said nothing.
“And if one day it all goes wrong—which I don’t believe will happen but what do I know?—I know you’ll be there for me.”
Dad’s mouth tightened. “Resisting the urge to say I told you so.”
Matt laughed despite himself. “I don’t think you’ll resist it all that hard.”
“But it’ll still be your life.”
He breathed a little easier. “Thank you.”
Dad stepped closer. Matt stood, and Dad pulled him into a hug.
Matt whispered against his shoulder, “You really hurt me.”
Dad’s arms tightened. “I know.”
When they separated, Matt wiped beneath his eyes. “I don’t want this to be weird for you. Me and Owen, I mean.”
“It won’t be.”
“You promise?”
“I promise I’ll try.”
Matt smiled. “That’s probably the best I’m going to get.”
His father smiled back. “Probably.”
“Hey.” Owen stood in the doorway. “We’ve decided it’s nice enough to eat out here.” He glanced at Dad. “There’s a bottle of wine and four glasses in the kitchen.”
“I’ll get them.” Dad squeezed past him and disappeared into the house.
Owen walked over to where Matt stood. “Everything okay?”
Matt gave him a smile. “It will be.”
There wasn’t a smear of lasagne left, and only crumbs where the garlic bread had been.
Jeff put his fork down and wiped his lips. “What’s the plan now? You don’t get your master’s until November, but we all know that’s a foregone conclusion. So what will you do after that?”
Matt shrugged. “I need to find a job.”
“A proper job?” Babs asked.
Matt’s lips twitched. “Yes, Mum. A proper job.”
Jeff gave a confident nod. “You’ll find something.”
“I hope so.”
Owen glanced at him. “And in the meantime, you can help me put my book together.” The more he thought about Matt’s idea, the more he liked it.
He jerked his head in Owen’s direction. “What? The photo book?” Matt stared at him. “You’re really going to publish it?”
“Of course.” Owen grinned. “I know a fantastic idea when I hear one.”
Matt’s grin matched his. “I thought you’d forgotten.”
“I never forget anything you say to me.”
The warmth in Matt’s eyes made him feel amazing.
Babs smiled. “That sounds like something worth doing.” Then she peered at Matt. “Providing you’re also looking for something that pays.”
Matt laughed. “Yes, Mum.”
Jeff pointed his fork at him. “And remember, our house isn’t a hotel.”
“I wasn’t planning on moving back home permanently.” Matt insisted.
“I know. I’m just reminding you that if you do, there are rules.”
“Such as?”
“Laundry.”
Matt chuckled. “I’m quite capable of doing my own laundry.”
“Cooking.”
“He’s already a dab hand at that,” Owen volunteered.
That earned him a grateful glance.
“Contributing to the grocery bill.”
Matt sighed. “I knew there’d be a catch.”
Everyone laughed.
Owen smiled. Then he looked at Matt. “Want to help me make the coffee? And I’m sure there’s ice cream in the freezer.”
“Sure.” Matt pushed back his chair and followed Owen into the house.
As soon as they stepped into the kitchen, Owen reached for Matt’s hand. He lifted it to his lips and kissed Matt’s fingers.
“That’s sweet,” Matt murmured.
Owen took a second to collect his thoughts.
“Live with me.”
Matt stared at him. “What?”
“I mean it.”
“Owen…”
“I don’t want to waste another day.” He stepped closer, sliding his arm around Matt’s waist. “You’ve helped put this place together. You’ve spent most of the summer making it feel like home.”
Matt swallowed.
Then Owen leaned and brushed his lips against Matt’s cheek. “You belong here,” he whispered. “This is your home too. If you want it.”
Matt pulled back, studying his face. “You’re serious.”
“Completely.”
His eyes shone. “Then… yes.”
Owen let out a breath. “Really?” He wrapped his arms around Matt and crushed him against his chest.
Matt laughed, and the sound reverberated through him. “Really. If you’re sure.”
Owen kissed his temple. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
Then Matt cupped Owen’s cheek. “Then there’s something we need to discuss.”
He stilled. “Should I be worried?”
“It’s about your parties.”
Owen hadn’t even given them a moment’s thought. “What about them? Do you want me to call it a day, is that it?”
Matt shook his head. “No, don’t do that.”
“I don’t need them, you know. They filled the void after Ben died. And I didn’t throw them when he was alive.”
“I know, but you have so many friends. Don’t cut them off.”
Owen studied him. “And should the… nature of the parties change?”
Matt shook his head. “No. Why should it?”
“Because we’re together now.”
“Exactly. Which means we get to decide what that looks like.” Matt smiled. “Your parties are your parties. People can come here, have fun, and be themselves. I know what I’m getting into. I don’t want you giving that up because you’re with me.”
God, I love this man.
Matt stepped closer. “But there’s one thing I am sure about.”
“What’s that?”
“Whatever everyone else does at a party is their business. I’m not going to be doing anything with anyone else.” His fingers were gentle on Owen’s cheek. “I’ll only have eyes for one man.”
“And that man will only have eyes for you.”
“And anything we decide to do at a party will happen behind our bedroom door.” Matt grinned. “That stays between us.”
Owen smiled. “I can live with that.”
“Good. Because I’m looking forward to surprising you.”
He laughed. “Consider me forewarned.”
Matt kissed him again, slower this time.
From the patio came Bab’s voice. “Are you two planning on bringing that coffee out here?”
Matt laughed.
Owen kissed the tip of Matt’s nose. “We’ll discuss this later.”
Matt chuckled. “I might have other plans for later.” Then he inclined his head towards the coffee machine. “You do that, I’ll sort out dessert.”
Own tugged an imaginary forelock. “Yes, boss.”
By the time they emerged onto the patio, the sun had gone, and the solar lights had winked into existence, colouring the trees and shrubs, reflecting in the still water of the pool.
Matt handed out the bowls of ice cream, then glanced at his parents.
“I’ve got something to tell you.”
Jeff smiled. “Something tells me I already know.”
Matt’s grin widened. “I’m moving in with Owen.”
Bab’s eyes glowed in the lights. She slapped a hand against the table. “I knew it.”
“And I only have one house rule,” Owen said after taking Matt’s hand in his.
Jeff bit his lip. “I dread to ask.”
Owen looked at Matt. “I have to make sure you never have to wonder whether you belong here.”