Jonathan Sims

He doesn't understand why John is still pushing him, rather than letting him take his own clumsy exit, and there's a split second danger of genuine indignation as John turns fully toward him with acute, disarming intensity. And then comes that question, and Martin freezes, hit with such outright shock that his jaw actually does drop open.

"Wh—" Alarm bells are going off in the back of his head, and the worst of it is, he has no right to the surprise. If anything, he'd become far too complacent. It's just he'd been so certain that if this hadn't ever come up before, it never would. Because John's not a child, and neither is Martin, and no matter how obvious he is, his failure to get along with Norah is a mutual affair. So why would John ever think this? Why would he ever ask it?

"N-no!" he sputters, and opens his mouth as if expecting more indignant denial to come forward. His voice betrays him though, and he just sits there like an idiot, clutching his tea.