Chapter 57

It

had been over three weeks since that first date—if that disastrous night could

have been called a date at all. But in contrast, the following day had been, in

Phiz’s words, a spectacular one. They’d spent the rest of the day together,

eating whatever Phiz could create from Bryan’s sparse supplies, then restocking

his larder online. Phiz had checked through Bryan’s wardrobe—with Bryan’s

fascinated agreement—and had thrown out some impossibly old season items.

They’d watched an afternoon movie until they’d got bored, then shared a bottle

of wine—just the one, and Phiz drank some this time—and then had made out

shamelessly on the sofa. There’d been laughter and kissing and general comfort.

Bryan had never thought once about the files he was meant to have been going

through for work. And at no time had Phiz shown any disgust at what Bryan had

done to him: in fact, he’d been even more affectionate afterwards. Bryan had