“Have a seat.”
Martin slid into one of the two club chairs across the desk. Having something so formal set up in someone’s home seemed odd, but he supposed if anyone was going to do it, Philip Stevenson was the most likely candidate.
“How did you like the campus?” Philip said, and Martin frowned. Philip couldn’t have asked him here to talk about this. They could chat about the scenery over cocktails at the party.
“It was very pretty. Busy today. You could see them setting up for the football game.” He didn’t know much about football, but Philip smiled, so it must have been an appropriately safe answer.
“Yes, the homecoming game. We always play the team from Hume College. They always lose. It’s how the narrative is supposed to go.”
“Oh.” Martin hadn’t even given much thought to the narrative of football games.
“Do you know Edward Scott?” Philip asked.
The spit in Martin’s mouth dried.
“I think you know I must.” Edward Scott was the president of Mount Garner College, so anything else Martin could say would be evasive or an outright lie.
Philip smiled at him, and Martin had the distinct impression he might be a mouse with his tail caught under Philip’s paw. “Edward and I went to college together. I spoke with him last night. I mentioned you were here this weekend with my son.”
Martin wasn’t sure if Dr. Scott knew he was gay, but it should have been irrelevant, particularly since he was no longer employed by Mount Garner.
“Edward said it’s been very difficult, what with everything that happened last spring.”
Martin nodded. To say more would invite the panic rippling along his ribs to spread farther, like it always did when he tried to talk about those last months.
Except when he’d told Seb. He trusted Seb to keep his secrets and help him when he needed it, and in exchange, Seb had made him feel more powerful than he had in years.
“According to Edward, you took it especially hard.” Philip’s eyes narrowed. Every inch the predator.
“As you said, it was a difficult few months.” Despite his growing courage, Martin wished Seb was there to tell his dad to fuck off. He’d do a better job of it than Martin ever could.
Philip’s smile grew. Hewastoying with him, but Martin didn’t know what his endgame was. They were strangers for all intents and purposes. Some common colleagues and one horrible dinner barely made them acquaintances.
“You said you were on sabbatical,” Philip said.
Ah.
“I did.”
“Edward said your time away was a little morepermanent than that.”
“I’m not sure—”
“We all have our moments of...” Philip waved his hand. “Weakness.”
The word stung.
“I’m not—”
“I read your book.” Philip’s change of topic made Martin’s head spin.
“Oh?”
“Last night.” Philip shifted in his chair, the first time he’d shown any discomfort. He seemed to catch himself and smoothed a hand over the blotter on his desk. “After that unpleasantness, I had some time on my hands, more time than we’d expected given we’d planned an evening with family. Sebastian and Oliver...” He coughed. “I read your book.”
“All of it?” It wasn’t an encyclopedia, but he’d like to think it would take more time to get through than a little light bedtime reading would allow.
“The parts you wrote.” Philip’s smile grew as Martin froze. He was listed as the second author while his thesis supervisor had taken the first place. Martin had regretted it for years afterward. But for Philip to know they had written the chapters separately...that was extraordinary.
