Page 56 of Just the Beginning

Rick set down the vehicle on the trolley and grasped at his chest as if shocked. ‘What’s this? Ed Penrose discovers self-awareness at the ripe old age of twenty-five? ’Tis truly the end of days.’

‘Oh do piss off,’ Ed said, managing to hold onto a wounded expression for all of two seconds before he burst out laughing. ‘God, you are in a brutal mood today. Whatever’s happened to you, I don’t like it. I want the old Rick back; he’s nice to me even when I have been a complete idiot.’

That stopped Rick in his tracks. It wasn’t fair to take his bad mood out on Ed, regardless of the way he seemed to lurch from one scrape to another. ‘What did you do?’ he asked, making sure to keep his voice soft.

His brother looked away, one foot scuffing through the sand. ‘I got involved with someone at work that I shouldn’t have.’

Oh bloody hell. ‘Who?’

Ed’s cheeks began to flame as he risked a peek up at Rick through his lashes. ‘Umm, the head of area sales?’

Rick closed his eyes for a second. So not even a regular coworker. ‘Go on.’

‘We umm, kind of had a thing at the staff Christmas party?—’

‘This has been going on since Christmas?’ Rick interjected.

Ed shook his head. ‘No, not really. I mean, I thought it was aone-off dirty snog in the photocopying room, nothing serious. But she split up with her husband a couple of months ago, and well, one thing led to another.’

Rick shook his head as he turned to pick up the next ski. ‘I’ve changed my mind, I don’t want to know.’

Ignoring him, Ed picked up the other end of the ski and carried on yapping. ‘It was all going so great and there was a temporary job on the sales team which she arranged for me to move into.’

Rick sighed. ‘Of course she did.’

‘Hey,’ Ed protested. ‘It was a good deal. Not only did I get the chance to spend more time with her, but the money was way better too.’

With both skis loaded, Rick began the trek across the sand again. He didn’t need to ask what happened next. ‘She changed her mind and went back to her husband and your temporary job vanished, right?’

Ed stopped short. ‘How did you know?’

Because it was glaringly obvious to everyone, apart from you apparently, how things would play out.‘So now what?’

Ed fixed him with the beseeching stare he’d been using to twist their entire family around his little finger since he’d been old enough to speak. ‘Didn’t you say something about needing extra help for the rest of the summer?’

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Rick instead dug a hand in his pocket and pulled out the keys for his lockup. He tossed them to Ed, who just managed to catch them before they hit him. ‘Fill your boots.’ Without another word, Rick turned and walked away.

‘Hey! Where are you going?’ Ed called after him. ‘I can’t manage this stuff on my own.’

‘If you want a job then you’ll figure out a way,’ Rick called back, not turning round.

28

Rick was running by the time he reached the top of the steps, barely pausing at the kerb to let a car pass before he sprinted across the road towards the hotel. He needed to talk to Anya, but not until he’d found out exactly what had happened between her and Davy. The reception area was empty and so was the office by the looks of things. Davy must be making a cup of tea, because if he was off doing something around the building he always made sure to lock up the office. Rick dodged past the desk, intent on heading down the corridor to the kitchenette, when he spotted a foot sticking out from behind Davy’s desk and then he heard a soft moan.

‘Davy?’ He ran into the office to find his uncle flat on his back on the floor, white faced and sweating. He had his hands pressed to his stomach as he moaned again. ‘Bloody hell, what’s wrong?’

‘Just help me up,’ Davy muttered through gritted teeth as Rick crouched down beside him.

‘But if you’ve fallen over, I’d better not move you until the ambulance arrives,’ Rick protested as he pulled out his phone.

‘I didn’t fall and I don’t need an ambulance, I’ve just got a bit of a stomach ache. Now help me up, please.’

Shocked by the desperate pleading in his great-uncle’s voice, Rick put an arm around his shoulders and began to lift Davy. The old man cried out and Rick immediately lowered him back down. ‘Enough of this, I’m calling for help.’

He got through on 999 and, after what seemed like a million questions, the call handler told him an ambulance would be with them as soon as they could. ‘Any idea how long?’ Rick asked, shoving a worried hand through his hair as he stared down at Davy. ‘He’s got cancer and I’m not sure how bad it is but he’s got an appointment for a scan soon.’

‘We’re very busy at the moment, sir, I’m sorry. Can you give me details on his condition and I can add them to the notes for the paramedics?’

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