Page 171 of In at the Deep End

His silence was unsettling. Jeff was choosing his words. That worried him more than anything Jeff might say.

“Where’s Matt?” Jeff’s voice was way too quiet.

“He’s in the barn, talking to his tutor. Just last-minute stuff before he hands in the dissertation.” Owen frowned. “Why? What’s wrong?”

Jeff didn’t answer immediately, and Owen felt the first real flicker of apprehension.

“What’s wrong?”

Jeff’s gaze slid past him towards the closed hatch, then back again.

His expression had changed since he’d walked through the door. The easy familiarity Owen had known since university had disappeared, replaced by something much more serious.

“How long?”

Owen frowned. The question made no sense. “How long what?”

Jeff held his gaze.

“You and Matt.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

For a heartbeat Owen simply stared at him.

There it was, the conversation he’d known might happen one day, but had somehow convinced himself could wait.

He drew a slow breath. “This was because of what you saw here.”

Jeff didn’t speak for a moment. Then he shrugged. “Let’s just say I’ve been adding up a lot of things, and the answer kept pointing me in one direction.” He didn’t break eye contact. “Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you’re not sleeping with my son.”

Owen could have lied.

He could have laughed it off, told Jeff he’d lost his mind, or reminded him Matt was an adult who could make his own choices.

Instead, he looked down at his hands.

“It’s true.” Then he raised his chin. “It’s not what you think.”

Jeff snorted. “I think you’re in love with him.”

Owen went still. The words struck hard.

That was the one thing he hadn’t allowed himself to examine. Not properly, not honestly. Not in words.

He thought about Matt constantly. He worried about him. Wanted him. Missed him when he wasn’t there.

But love?

That was a word he’d kept locked away.

Jeff watched him. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Owen shook his head. “You don’t know that.” The denial felt weak before it left his lips.

“No?” Jeff leaned forward. “Then tell me I’m wrong.”

Owen opened his mouth.