Page 76 of Fe
“I told you.”
“You did.” Ripley’s hand settled on Fen’s under the table and their fingers curled together. “You think guys would care? That it would deter them from asking you out?”
“I suppose it wouldn’t matter to some, but if I got close to someone, it would start to be an issue. I don’t need anyone to feel sorry for me. I suppose that means I put up my own barriers.”
Ripley nodded.
“On the other hand, if I don’t find a fantastic fossil tomorrow,thenyou’re allowed to feel sorry for me.”
“You could always buy one.”
Fen widened his eyes. “No way. Finding one is everything. Just like the one you and your dad found. I mean, I’d love to trip over—not literally—a pliosaur but I’m not that lucky. Though I probably will trip over. And yes, I’ll try hard not to.”
“Try even harder not to trip me up too.”
17
Something was wrong. Ripley was too quiet as they walked back and Fen didn’t know how to put things right. He hadn’t even asked Ripley about Alejandro and he was pretty surehewas the one Ripley had been talking about, the man in the only photo Fen had seen in the house. As they walked, Fen let his hand brush against Ripley’s and to his relief, Ripley took hold of it.
If it was the business about the money that had made Ripley silent, well, that was what Ripley had wanted. If he’d changed his mind, he didn’t need to have paid Fen anything, but he had. Was it something Fen had said? His lack of experience? He might not be an expert at relationships, but he didn’t lack experience. He cringed as he thought that.Idolack experience.An encyclopaedic knowledge of everything Pornhub had to offer didn’t count.
Fen wanted to ask about Alejandro, but he wasn’t going to. He had his own secrets and didn’t want to be pressed on those. Though he couldn’t help wondering what Ripley would say if he knew what Fen was hiding. Would he even believe him?
Back at the house, Ripley went out to turn up the hot tub and Fen dealt with the pizzas. He noticed Ripley had switched off the lights on the Christmas tree in the main room at some point. That disappointed Fen, but he let it go. There were bigger worries.
Ripley came in and took off his coat. “It won’t take long to get up to temperature. Are we skinny dipping? I didn’t spot any swimming trunks.”
“Are we overlooked?”
“I’m not sure. But being naked in your garden isn’t against the law as long as you don’t cause distress or alarm to others.”
“Does that include some nosy neighbour sitting behind curtains with their binoculars focused on my bum?”
“Is your arse going to cause distress or alarm?”
“I hope it causes some reaction,” Fen said indignantly.
“It would be an interesting legal case. I suppose if they could prove they were looking at a badger and your naked backside got in the way… But I think we’re okay. Like a glass of wine?”
“Yes, please.”
Fen found plates and cutlery and put them out. “Has your mum found anywhere she wants to buy?”
“Not yet. She’ll rent for a while. Better to be sure she likes the town first.” Ripley handed Fen a glass of wine.
“Do you watch much television?” Fen asked. “I gave up with yours.”
Ripley furrowed his brow. “I explained how to do it.”
“Hmm. Use this controller to switch the set on and if it doesn’t work, use the other controller, press that button and not this one, and manually switch on the Sky box. Then wait and if the sound bar doesn’t work, you have to press that button… You took ten minutes to explain. I think your set decided it didn’t like the way I pressed its buttons. All I have to do at my mum’s is press one.”
“I did notice you had no TV.”
Fen shrugged. He couldn’t justify the expense but it was more the risk of seeing people he didn’t want to see. “I couldn’t afford Sky or any of the streaming channels. Plus, I can guarantee the moment I picked one to subscribe to, the show I’d want to watch would be with a different provider. If I’m desperate, I watch stuff on my phone. Or go to my mum’s. Well, there is some stuff Idon’twatch at my mum’s.”
“You don’t want to admit an addiction toNaked Attraction?”
“What’s that?” Fen tried but failed to keep a straight face. “Fine, I do know what that is. My mum watched one episode and was appalled. Well, shesaidshe was appalled, but apparently, she also watched the whole thing, so maybe not that appalled.”
