Page 33 of He's the One

“Should I rush in and rescue you if I see you with a guy?” Theo asked. “Though knowing my luck, it might be a policeman. Is your ex a policeman?”

“Robert’s a lawyer.”

Theo pouted. “That might be worse.” Suddenly, the tent was filled with the sound of voices. “They’ve just opened up for people to come and see if they’ve won. At least we’ll blend into the crowd now. I’ll go first. You come out after.”

The moment for another kiss had gone. So had Theo.And why didn’t he want to be seen with me?Col wondered if he was overthinking it. It wouldn’t look good if they’d crawled out from under the table together. That was all it was. He waited a respectable amount of time, then slid out and pretended be looking for something on the ground before he pushed cautiously to his feet. He needn’t have bothered with the subterfuge. No one was looking his way. The marquee was still filling with people, and he spotted his mother. There was no sign of Theo. Or Robert.

Col made his way over to his mum who was beaming at a first-place rosette for her flower arrangement.

“Well done,” Col told her. “Good job you changed the position of that flower. It made all the difference.”

“Obviously.”

“Did Robert see you?”

“Yes. I told him you didn’t want to talk to him, but he’s not taking no for an answer. He shouldn’t be harassing you. It’s not right.”

“If he finds me, I’ll deal with him.”

“How did your photographs do?”

“I don’t know.”

His mum tucked her arm into his and pulled him through the bustling crowd towards the bottom end of the marquee. No rosettes next to either of his photos.

“You were robbed,” his mum said.

Col chuckled. His mum was always on his side. He gave her a hug. “That image of a cockerel that’s won the poultry class is really good, and a hawk zooming down out of the sky is a superb shot for the nature one.”

“Both of yours are better. I’ve a good mind to have a word with the judge.”

“Don’t you dare.”

“The one of the hens pecking the packs of stuffing is hilarious. I can’t believe you didn’t get an honourable mention for that. It’s making people laugh. Look!”

Col tugged her away before she told those around the table that her son had taken that shot. “Let’s go and see how dad got on.”

“Col.”

Col’s shoulders dropped as he turned.

“I need to talk to you,” Robert said.

“Stop pestering him.” Col’s mum stepped between them, a belligerent, albeit tiny, ball of fury.

Robert stepped back. “I just want to have a word with him, Merlene.”

“He doesn’t want to have a word with you. I’m very disappointed in you, Robert. You’ve—”

“Mum. It’s fine. I’ll speak to him. Go and find Dad.”

Col walked out of the tent against the flow of people with Robert on his heels. Col turned to face him. “You shouldn’t have come here.”

“I had to. There’s something I want to tell you. Can we go somewhere quieter?”

Once they were away from the crowds, but still in sight of the tents, Col stopped walking. He steeled himself before he faced Robert. The guy looked drawn. His skin seemed to have lost its tan and there were dark circles under his eyes. Weird that Col felt so little for him now.

“I’ve done it,” Robert said.

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