Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
Oliver made a face. “So Grump fits.”
Way to turn him on. Now tell him about the time you got pantsed in fourth grade.
“And the front desk guy is related to William’s wife, right?”
Matthew grinned. “Yes, that’s my brother-in-law, Robert. The Waynes are an even more recent addition. Another big family, and what with two of them marrying into the Finn clan and bringing the rest with them, you can see what I mean about the rapid growth issue.”
“Two Waynes married two Finns?” Oliver snorted. “Sounds confusing.”
“Bronte’s other brother, Hugo, married my cousin, Solomon. And yes, confusing is the word. I took to calling it incestuous once they started making noise about me having a lot in common with the youngest Wayne girl, Shelley.”
When Oliver choked, Matthew quickly added, “I didn’t mean literally, of course. No one’s marrying an actual relative.”
“Do you? Have things in common?”
His head shake was adamant. “We’re both good with computers. That’s the beginning and the end of it.”
Rory was right. This talking shite was for the birds.
“You enjoy them.”
“I suppose I do. Still, I’m not used to the glut of opinions and advice, well-meaning or not. And with so many of them around all the time, it’s impossible to keep anything private. It’s why I had to leave town for a while. Breathe a bit, before coming back.”
“God, yes.” Oliver rolled his eyes. “I can definitely relate to needing space.”
Matthew latched on to that sliver of information like it was made of gold. “Is that why you’ve been hanging out at William’s place? How did you find it before they started advertising?”
Oliver inhaled another chocolate chip cookie before answering. “I was driving around, saw the new sign from the street and thought I’d give it a try. I like the location. Speaking of the gym, you obviously don’t work there, so what is it you do for a living? I bet it’s something to do with those computer skills you mentioned.”
Matthew had the strangest urge to look down at his flat stomach to make sure the washboard was still there. What did he mean it was obvious he didn’t work with William?
And why did he keep changing the subject? “Technical support for software glitches, which is about as exciting as it sounds. Decent health benefits is about all it has going for it.”
Oliver tilted his head curiously. “You’d rather be doing something else?”
“Who wouldn’t? But no matter how desperately I long to be a cowboy, the paycheck keeps pulling me back in.”
The truth was he’d rather be learning from Kenneth Tanaka. The man was a legend among wannabe hackers and pros alike. When he wasn’t helping out the feds and saving the world at large, he was running his own security company and looking after the family. To Matthew, nothing sounded more exciting.
But Tanaka was Brady Finn’s fiancé, and it would feel too much like a handout to ask if there was an opening. His cousins had already done so much for his family, including putting a roof over their heads, getting them into school and saving William’s arse from going to prison. Asking for more would seem ungrateful.
“What are you thinking?”
Matthew leaned his elbows on the table and looked Oliver in the eye. “I’m thinking that you keep redirecting my questions without sharing anything about yourself, and I’m wondering why that is.”
Oliver’s gaze flickered down to Matthew’s lips before licking his own. “Most people like to talk about themselves. I’m not one of them, but I am interested in you.”
“I can respect that. You’ll note for the record that I’m answering all of your questions, however, which makes this coffee date a wee bit one-sided, if you don’t mind my saying.”
“Your accent gets thicker when you’re trying to be charming. If you don’t mind my saying.”
Matthew flattened his hand against his chest dramatically. “Trying to be charming? First, I’m not as attractive as my freckle-faced brother, now this. You’re hell on a man’s ego, Oliver Garcia. For the moment I have enough of it to spare, but it’s not an infinite resource. It could run out eventually.”
“I never said your brother was more attractive.”
“He’s built and I obviously don’t work at the gym.” Matthew grumbled out the reminder in case he’d forgotten.
Oliver rolled his eyes. “Yes. Fine. Those are undeniable facts. But it’s also obvious you’re no couch potato. You have eyes and a mirror and, like you said, a healthy ego. You know you’ve got that dark-haired, blue-eyed Disney prince thing going on.”
“Disney prince?” Matthew rubbed his jaw to hide his grin, enjoying the stubble scratching his palm. “Are you calling me a pretty boy? You?”
“Are you trying to tell me you didn’t know?”
He pretended to scowl. “You should have seen me when I had my beard. You wouldn’t have called me pretty then—it was a fierce thing to behold.”