Bitter Legacy by Dal MaLcean

Author:Dal MaLcean [MaLcean, Dal]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay, mystery
ISBN: 9781935560425
Publisher: Blind Eye Books
Published: 2016-08-23T04:00:00+00:00

19

The next day, James went in to work riding a new wave of euphoria and exhaustion. He’d taken breakfast with Ben, and they’d smirked at each other like two kids who’d done something they shouldn’t and got away with it. He found himself picking up a coffee for Scrivenor, just because he felt that good.

His arse was definitely tender, and emotionally he recognized an odd vulnerability that bit when he dwelt on the night before. But it didn’t feel bad—he didn’t feel weak or threatened. Instead, he felt…renewed.

Scrivenor eyed his surprise latte with exaggerated suspicion, but he took it without verbal question. James even beamed at Kaur as she dumped a huge mountain of files on his desk, and began to sort them into smaller hills in front of him.

“Mulligan’s got a bloke in the cells,” Scrivenor announced, as he sipped blissfully. “The Vauxhall-nightclub thing.”

James nodded, though Mulligan’s case felt like ancient history. Before he could say that, Scrivenor scrunched up his nose and leaned closer.

“D’you get a haircut?” he asked accusingly.

James’s reactions were definitely delayed by tiredness but, “What?”

“A haircut. When d’you get the time?”

“I haven’t had a haircut,” James protested. He could feel Kaur studying him too.

“Have ye no?” Scrivenor took a long sip of his coffee, leaving a fringe of froth on his moustache, but his eyes remained fixed on James, as if he were trying to place a suspect. “There’s just…I dunno. There’s somethin’ different. Is that a new tie?”

James rolled his eyes and mocked Scrivenor’s attention to James’s appearance, and his off-beam observational skills. He wondered if he were actually still asleep in Ben’s bed, having a particularly quirky dream.

But…he’d already accepted that today he did feel a bit different. Could there actually be…something other people sensed? Perhaps allowing…that…really did affect something profound. Or, perhaps that was just James. Overthinking everything.

“Ah know whit it is,” Scrivenor pronounced. “Ye look glaikit.”

James bridled. “What the fuck is glaikit?”

“Bet he has a new boyfriend,” Kaur put in. “That’s why he’s smilin’ into space.”

“Aye. That,” Scrivenor approved. “Smilin’ in tae space. Glaikit.”

James knew too well that his complexion would be approaching pulsating crimson. But with beautiful simplicity, it struck him that he had no reason to deny anything. He had nothing to hide, nothing to be embarrassed about. For the first time in his life, he had a happy relationship with someone of whom he felt incredibly proud, a relationship they’d just taken to a new level.

It felt like a huge moment, indescribably liberating, when he said casually, “Well, I am seeing someone.”

“I knew it!” Kaur said triumphantly. “What’s he like? Is he good looking? I bet he’s good looking.”

“Um. Yeah, he’s…good looking.”

“Oooh!” Kaur grinned. “How tall is he?”

“About my height.” James was aware that somewhere along the line, the chain of command had disintegrated into girly gossip but he didn’t stop it. Scrivenor seemed struck dumb.

“What’s his name?”

“Ben.” He felt a rush of pride saying it out loud. That the amazing, elusive Ben Morgan had chosen him.

Scrivenor waited

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