Silence.

The barista slinked away, outclassed. Sounds in the café started to filter back in—spoons clinking, laughter, steaming milk, all normal everyday sounds which seemed jarring; Theo was with him, and today was not a normal day.

“Thanks for that,” Jack said, half sarcastic and half truly grateful to be rescued. “I sort of expected you to eviscerate him.”

Theo sipped at his coffee, then stirred in a little cream. Less, now, than he used to. “I was young, once. Prone to throwing myself at handsome strangers. And you’ve always been—”

He shut his mouth and looked a bit like he’d swallowed a frog. It was a terrible face, and it made something in Jack’s chest melt.

Theo was so beautiful when he was accidentally unattractive.

“Hi.” Jack’s voice was soft, and he desperately hoped they could start again—at least, start today again.

“Hello, Gardner.” Theo looked down at the cup in his hands, as if only now noticing it, and frowned. “Please tell me I’m not drinking someone else’s espresso.”

Jack laughed a little, awkward. “No, I, um. I ordered it. For you.”

“Oh.” Theo pinked up around the edges. “Thanks.”

“So I—”

“Would you—”

They spoke at the same time, then fell silent. Jack gestured at Theo—you first.

“Yes, well... Your email was—unexpected.” He took another sip, then set the cup down, “And pretty much incomprehensible, by the way.”

“Yeah.”

Jack rubbed the back of his neck, an old habit. He heard Theo’s breath catch and saw him clench his jaw and look away.

“Is there—do you have some explanation as to why you wanted to, to talk, after...” Theo trailed off, and behind his still-perfect pale skin and his shining fall of hair and his undoubtedly expensive suit, he looked deeply unhappy.

“I do, yeah.” Jack cleared his throat, about to explain, when Theo interrupted.

“It does seem that our children...get along.”

Jack smiled, and he saw a hint of laughter in Theo’s gray eyes. “Get along, yeah—I’ve gotten a lot of emails along the theme of ‘Jazz Beaumont is our lord and king.’”

Theo looked pleased but shuddered dramatically. “Horrid nickname, I don’t know why—”

“Well, with a name like Jasper—”

“Oh, right, and Gwilim Linwood Alistair is such a winner—”

“Hey, I—” Jack stopped and wrinkled his nose, “Yeah, okay, that’s on me.”

Theo almost smiled, brows lifting, “Did you really name him after the bartender at The Thirsty?”

Oh my God, Jack thought—“Um, I guess I did.”

Theo looked like he might laugh now, sharing in the memory. And then his gaze frosted over. “You didn’t let Margaret pick his name?”