Page 6 of Protecting his Heart

Owen grinned, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I doubt anyone would.”

Evan inhaled through his nose, letting it out slowly before asking, “What’s wrong?”

Owen looked away and drank, wincing because it was undoubtedly too hot. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Yes, there is, Owen. I know you,” he chided softly.

Owen sent a glare his way. “Nothing,” he said again.

Evan studied him. “Okay. I’m here if you need anything.” He pulled his phone free and scrolled through the different apps. From the corner of his eye, he watched Owen drain his cup, put it on the coffee table and stand.

“I’m going to nip to the supermarket to get some stuff. Do you need anything?” Owen slipped on his coat and that damn scarf.

Evan glared at the offending object, wishing he knew who had sent it, and looked away again. “No, I don’t think so.”

“All right. I’ll see you in a bit. Message me if you think of anything.”

With that, Owen left, leaving a silence that burrowed beneath Evan’s skin and set his nerves on edge. He threw his phone to the coffee table, the unoffending object sliding across the surface and off the opposite edge. He had no idea how to even start bridging the gap between them. If anything, with each moment of silence, the gap widened. Would he have to be the one to reach across it and keep it from widening?

Despite picking up where they almost left off, the minute differences felt bigger, more fractured. He wasn’t sure anyone could tell just by looking at and being around them, but soon, if they didn’t work it out, Dominic would sense something was wrong and investigate it. He was, by nature and job, a tenacious son of a gun.

Maybe this dinner with Owen’s mother would help them. He’d barely seen her since he’d returned, and it would be wonderful to sit and chat like they used to. He had no doubt she would see something between them, but he didn’t think she would call them on it. Not when they were together, anyway. She might grab them individually at some point, though.

He put both feet on the floor and sat forward, scraping his fingers through his hair. If only he’d had Antonio to ask for advice. He’d seemed so worldly and wise, and Evan was floundering. Any friends he’d had before he left—bar Owenand Dominic—had all moved on now, and although he’d made friends since he’d returned, he wasn’t sure anyone could help him make sense of what was happening. He knew, without a doubt, that something needed to change. Something needed to kick their asses, even if it was to know, once and for all, whether or not they had a chance at a relationship. It was the hanging on that was destroying him.

Glancing at the clock, he saw Owen had been gone for an hour already. Evan grabbed the remote, retrieved his phone and flicked through the movie offerings. Even though it was Friday night, he wasn’t expecting Owen to go out—it wasn’t an impossibility, just unlikely—so he might as well find something to help ignore the silences between their sporadic conversation. Deciding on the newest release, something he remembered Owen mentioning in passing a few weeks prior, he moved to the kitchen to prepare some popcorn and chocolate raisins—Owen’s favourite—and set them on the table. They didn’t have any beer or anything because they rarely drank it at home. Giving Owen vodka in his lemonade at New Year’s had been a risk, but he hadn’t seemed too upset about it.

The door lock rattled, and Owen entered, carrying two bags full to the brim.

“Just a little light shopping, eh?” Evan said, rising and grabbing a bag from him.

Owen’s mouth quirked. “Couldn’t resist.” He glanced at the TV. “Oh, fuck yeah. I’d lost track of time and hadn’t realised that it was out already.” Refocusing on Evan. “You up for a movie night?”

Evan pointed at the coffee table. “Popcorn and chocolate raisins are already waiting. Just need to decide on drinks.”

Owen put his bag next to Evan’s on the kitchen counter and riffled through it, producing a bottle with a “Ta-da!”

Evan raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure whiskey is a good idea?”

“Probably not, but I’m doing it, anyway.”

So much for not drinking at home. Evan opened his mouth to argue but sighed and reached for his phone. “In which case…” He dialled. “Hello, can I order for delivery, please?” Owen gave him the thumbs up, and Evan ignored the spark of heat that flowed through him. He couldn’t help his need to look after Owen, even if the guy didn’t want to look after himself sometimes.

One day, if he could get them back on track, he would make sure Owen had everything he ever wanted.

****

Chapter 3

Owen

The movie session the previous night had Owen feeling like things were back to the way they had been before Evan left, and it was difficult to go back to the silence again. But as they made their way through the town to his mother’s house, Evan had not stopped talking.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Sally again. It feels like I’ve not seen her for years.”

Owen chuckled. “You’ve definitely seen her since you’ve been home. Several times, in fact.”

“I know. It just doesn’t feel like it. I need to make more time for everyone. I don’t get as much time with anyone now. These shifts are worse than before I left.”

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