Breakfast with Paul does not go according to plan. It was supposed to be a chance for them to reconnect but, as is so often the way when they meet up, Tyler finds his attention wandering. Paul slaps butter and jam onto a croissant—the man shovels food into his mouth faster than anyone Tyler’s ever encountered, and burns it off just as quickly—and talks about a factory that went up in flames last night, out toward Doncaster. It’s been a busy weekend for the fire service, with Bonfire Night falling on a Sunday, and Paul’s voice is weary and strangely soporific. Tyler listens to his words without really registering them and then, too slowly, realizes the conversation has stopped. Tyler looks up from the table to find Paul watching him.

“Look,” Paul says, “I know you’ve got a lot on your plate at the moment . . .” He holds up a hand as Tyler begins to apologize all over again. “Just, let me get this out. It’s fine, I understand there’s stuff going on and I’m not going to ask you about it again, you’ve made it clear you don’t want to talk about it. But I’m beginning to get the impression it’s not just that.” He absently wipes the crumbs from his gray T-shirt. “I’m beginning to think it might just be me.”

Tyler senses this is the pivotal moment. If he says the wrong thing—or is it the right thing?—the relationship’s over. He doesn’t think he wants it to be, but neither can he offer Paul exactly what he wants. Not right now, anyway. Maybe never. He’s conscious he hasn’t said anything at all yet and Paul’s face is beginning to harden.

“I want to tell you about it,” Tyler says, and realizes as he says it that he actually does. It will be good to get Paul’s input, to apply that cool, considered, analytical mind of his to the problem that has been dogging Tyler for so many months. He even finds himself with the urge to talk about Jude, and he hasn’t mentioned that to anyone yet. But, as always, he finds himself asking himself the same question—is it fair to involve him in all this? He needs more time to think. “Not here,” he says, checking his watch. “Dinner, tonight? My place?”

Paul hesitates, perhaps considering if Tyler’s worth another chance. There have been so many already. Finally, he agrees. But when they leave the coffee shop there are no hugs, no kisses. Tyler can feel them both teetering on the edge of something, he just isn’t sure which way they will fall.

When he gets to the office, the first person he sees is Guy Daley back from his convalescence. He’d forgotten the man was due back today. They manage exactly two words between them.

“Tyler.”

“Daley.”