Page 56 of Coming Out at Crofton Hall

“Send it to me, I’ll do it. Have you got an account?”

“I do,” Alex said. “But it’s set to private. If you want I can set up a new public one.”

“Then I can tag you in the public one.”

“All right. But for next time, I don’t want us spending the whole meal on our phones. It’s a bit rude. Right, you should have the photo, post and then phone away.”

If Alex hadn’t become a secretary then Dorian thought he’d have made a perfect teacher for his old school. However, if Mr Reynolds had been one of his old housemasters, he’d have probably wanked off even more, if that was possible for a teenage boy.

“What should I use for the caption?”

Alex thought for a minute. “Dinner for two. Keep it simple, it’s obvious that the hands belong to men.”

He did as he was told and within seconds the post started getting likes and comments.

Alex grabbed his phone out of his hand. “I meant it. Do I need to confiscate it or can you be trusted?”

“Are you always this bossy?”

Alex smirked. “Oh, I can be much worse.”

Dorian took his phone back and put it away just as their first course arrived, along with the sommelier who explained how the wine would complement the dish. Once alone Dorian prodded his food. “It looks a bit like frogspawn.”

“I’m sure the chef will love that. Come on, you must have eaten similar things.”

“Eating out and enjoying it aren’t the same thing. There was always someone watching or a reason not to have pudding or an extra glass of wine.” He scooped up a couple of the little jelly balls and a burst of apple and cinnamon crossed his tongue. “Fuck, that’s brilliant.”

Alex did the same and let out a happy humming noise. “I’ve never had anything like it.” He took a sip of wine. “Ooooh, you have to try it together!”

He’d had dinner with countless people, and he couldn’t remember anyone being so joyful at a mouthful of food. “You’re a bit of a foodie.”

“Never had the chance to be, so I will relish the opportunity while I can.”

“I tend to go the other way. I get this sort of thing all the time so I’ve been known to get teary-eyed over a boiled egg.”

Alex laughed. “Sometimes simple is best. And you’re in luck, as boiled eggs are part of my culinary repertoire.”

“Careful, the kitchen will hear and the chef will have you in there to take over.”

“I don’t mind cooking. But I won’t lie that I’m enjoying being at Crofton Hall and not having to. Beats living on your own and eating the same rotation of dishes.”

“I’ve never had to cook, and I tended to eat out or order in a meal service. Robin used to play chef, after a fashion, and I enjoyed that more than anything else.”

“One of my exes was an amazing cook, shit at everything else, but at least I’ve a few decent recipes.” He cocked his head to one side. “Somehow I don’t see Robin as being overly domestic.”

“He wasn’t, and when I say he cooked it was more those kit things. Looking back, we were playing at making house, it’s quite sad really. You fool yourself into believing things to justify carrying on and not changing.”

Alex reached out and stroked the back of his hand. “You can’t dwell on the past. It’s pointless. But you’ve chosen your future and you need to focus on that. I should also point out that it is very bad form to talk about your exes with the man you’re having dinner with.”

He laughed. “That works both ways.”

“Agreed. I won’t mention my lacklustre love life if you keep schtum about yours. There’s much better things to talk about.”

“Such as?”

Alex grinned. “Did you have a body double forThe Escort?”

Dorian choked on his wine. “You cheeky fucker. I’ll have you know that it was my arse, bared to all.”

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