Chapter 77

He was even

wondering if he should sign up for the local gym.

But it’s not

going to last, is it?

Oh God.

Despite his best

intentions, the doubts crept back in: the ones that he knew stopped him from

announcing their relationship, however it could be described—the doubts that

brought a bittersweet ache to his happiness.

Who the hell

am I kidding? Lee

would eventually want someone younger, cuter, and with more stamina—though

dammit, Patrick may have winced when walking for most of the day, but he’d really

enjoyed the switch in bed on Sunday morning—and it was just a lucky, selfish

interlude that they had now.

All day, he

watched Lee grin at the well-wishers who passed the window with a wave. On

duty, Lee was as cheery as always, checking the painters in and out of the

shop, referring people to Patrick if they needed business decisions, taking on

other matters by himself.

Patrick’s heart

gave a kick of anguish. He and Lee had worked together for such a long time,