Page 59 of Sparring Partners
“Instead of blunt, uncompromising, and bloody minded you mean?” Alex raised a brow, but his eyes held a hint of mischief.
Adrian didn’t know if the sound that came out of his mouth was a huff or a laugh.
“I have to say, it’s not often somebody has the balls to tell me to fuck off. Which, of course, is what you were really doing. Or at least not in recent years. Ryan did it, when I came back to the village, and now you’re doing it too. I don’t blame you, because I’d do the same thing in your place.
“Luca and I were serious at one point, as you know, and together for a long time. Of course, in the end we went our separate ways. How I feel about him has changed, obviously, but I’ll never stop loving him and looking out for him and I know he feels the same about me.” Alex chuckled, shaking his head. “Listen to me harping on, but I never forget I have not one incredible man in my life, but two.”
Serious…together for a long time… I’ll never stop loving him…Alex’s words echoed in Adrian’s head, against the backdrop crackle of white noise. Luca and Alex Love? Old friends, sure, but more than that?Muchmore? The wine that had tasted so good on his tongue was battery acid in his gut.
“Got it. Brought two up, just to be on the safe side.” Luca, grinning, held up the bottles as behind him Ryan brandished a couple of bottles of Badger’s Arse Ale.
“I’m showing my common roots,” Ryan said as he laughed. “Good ale trumps wine every time.”
Luca opened one of the bottles, putting the other in the ice bucket. About to top up Adrian’s glass, Adrian placed his palm over the top and shook his head.
“Oh. Okay. Farmers and their early mornings. Thought I had to get up early enough, but it still feels like the middle of the night when he gets up.” Luca laughed as he nodded towards Adrian. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Alex.”
The wine poured, Alex and Luca chinked glasses. Adrian sat back, and tried to assume a relaxed, easy pose when all his limbs felt stiff and wooden, as the conversation flowed over and around him. Inhaling a long, deep, silent breath, he held it for a beat before letting go to a count of eight only he could hear, forcing the iron in his muscles to soften and bend.
Luca and Alex. It made sense. They had met years ago, had been part of the same sleek, urban world. There was a connection between them, clear in the way they laughed and joked and in all the tiny touches and smiles. The smiles and touches of affection, of good friends. He’d told Alex he got it. And he did. But what hedidn’tget was why Luca hadn’t told him that one of the most important relationships of his life, with a man he worked for and saw all the time, had once been a lot more than friendship.
“Sorry, what?” Adrian blinked at the three pairs of eyes trained on him, waiting for the answer to a question he’d missed.
“I’ve got a home in Andalucia in southern Spain?—”
“It’s stunning, and Alex has invited us for a long weekend. The four of us. You could arrange it with Harry and Elena, couldn’t you? It’d only be a short?—”
“No.”
“Oh.” Luca put his glass down, the disappointment at Adrian’s one word blunt answer wiping the smile from his face. “You can’t get away even for just a couple or so days?”
In Adrian’s peripheral vision, Alex and Ryan exchanged a quick glance. His snapped, unthinking response had put him in the spotlight.
Shit.
“I’m sorry. That came out all wrong.” Had it? If he wasn’t fully convincing himself, there was no way he was convincing the others. Heat prickled just beneath his skin. Jesus, he couldn’t remember when he’d last felt like such a dick. “The problem is, when you farm for a living, any time away, even a few days, needs to be carefully planned. Autumn’s always really busy on the land because it’s harvest time?—”
“That’s true.” Ryan held his bottle up to Adrian in acknowledgement.
“We’re all busy, Adrian.” Alex shrugged, his voice cool and detached.
“I realise that, but I need plenty of notice. It’s a great idea, though.” Could he have sounded any less enthusiastic…
“Perhaps.” Alex’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“We should go nearer Christmas,” Ryan said. “All that sun, sea, and Santa.” He laughed, before a frown took over. “Mind you, Christmas is really busy at the pub, and probably for the hotel, too.” He got to his feet and rubbed his eyes. “Gonna be a party pooper and turn in.” Landing a sloppy kiss on Alex, he waved his goodnight and left.
It was the signal, clear and unequivocal, to leave. Adrian stood and held his hand out to Luca, who ignored it.
Ah, shit…“Thanks for this evening, Alex?—”
“Give the weekend some thought — after you’ve consulted your diary, of course.” With a nod to Adrian and a big, tight hug for Luca, moments later the door closed on them.
“I’m sorry about coming down hard like that, but I?—”
“Leave it, okay?” Luca walked, fast and stiff backed, along the path, leaving Adrian behind and staring after him before he dashed to catch up.
Away from the house, it was darker but there was still enough light left for Adrian to have seen the upset and anger battling for dominance in Luca’s eyes. The tension since Alex’s revelation, and a whole bundle of other, crippling emotions, drained from him, leaving him feeling tired and shaky. He rubbed his hands down his face. The evening had ended on a sour note, and it was nobody’s fault but his own.
