Page 60 of He's the One

“It’s even a map of Belgium.” Col chuckled.

“It’ll work out where it is in a minute. And as far as my mother goes, sometimes it doesn’t feel as if she’s ever happy.”

“Do you eat with your parents?”

“Once a week and occasional breakfast meetings. I used to live in the hall and I ate with them a lot then, particularly with my mother and grandmother. Ugh. I moved into a flat above the stable block six months ago. It’s pretty big, but I only use one bedroom and the kitchen/living room to keep heating costs down. It needs a fair amount of money spending on it to make it comfortable, but my mother thinks I should have carried on living in the hall, so not renovating the place is a way of punishing me. The bathroom is horrible.” Theo shuddered. “I can cope with not particularly nice living areas—it isn’t as if living with antiques is comfortable, but I do like bathrooms to be clean, dry, warm, modern and insect-free.”

“Can’tyoupay for it to renovated?”

“Ha! I don’t get paid a wage, only an allowance and it’s pathetically small. If you thought I was a good catch money-wise, you’d be wrong.”

“Are you a good catch other than that?” Col shot him a smile.

“I’m a fabulous catch. I have seven GCSEs, three A Levels, a one-mile swimming certificate, a collection of ancient artefacts and a Scout Firestarter badge.”

“Only one badge?”

“I set fire to the scout hut and they asked me not to go back again.”

Col chuckled. “Where are you going to take me metal detecting?”

“Oh God, I’ve got to pay you for that.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I asked…well, more or less demanded you bid for it. We can do it at Asquith. Saves having to get the permission of the landowner. I’ll show you what I’ve already found, if you’re interested.”

“What? Of course I am. Have you thought about what you want me to do? I did wonder if I should have withdrawn my promise. You paid so much.”

“It’s fine. I just can’t eat caviar for a few months. If you see anything that you think you could bring back to life at the hall, let me know. Though, to be honest, you’ve already worked that miracle.”

“When the stone fell? You didn’t need CPR.”

“Iamtalking about me, but not like that.” Theo had to pluck up the courage to say anything else. “I feel more alive than I have for years. You’ve given me…hope.” He whispered the word and kept his eyes fixed on the road. He couldn’t look at Col. “I think I was merely existing before, being what others wanted me to be most of the time, and now I feel on the verge of finding myself. Christ, that sounds much too deep. I’m shallow as a puddle, honestly. It’s just that I was…”

Theo hesitated, but he’d gone this far, why not tell the rest? “I was lonely. Apart from James, who’ll always be my friend even though he’s old but don’t tell him I said that, I don’t have anyone at Asquith I can talk to. Not until now. Well, maybe my father a bit but…”

He glanced across and chuckled when he saw Col was asleep. Maybe it was just as well that he’d hadn’t heard what he’d said. But if Col was sleeping, Theo could test out saying a few more things. “I really like you. Probably too much. Is it okay to like you too much?”

Col didn’t say no. Theo smiled.

Col opened his eyes when Theo pulled in at the services.

“Do you need the loo?” Theo asked.

“No, I’m fine. I’ll wait here.”

Luckily, there was an M&S food place, so Theo was able to buy a bottle of wine for Col’s mum and dad. At the shop next to Marks, he bought Mars Bars, Crunchies and a multipack of salt and vinegar crisps, and on impulse, lube and a packet of condoms from Boots. Also toothpaste, toothbrush and shampoo because he didn’t want it to look as if all he was thinking about was sex. But…

As he was heading for the exit, he passed a florist and decided to ought to get flowers for Col’s mum, then ended up spending more than he should have because so many bunches were reduced. Before he went back to the car, he took off all the cut-price stickers and dropped them in a bin.

He sort of wished he’d made an excuse not to go for dinner. Anxiety was making him swallow compulsively. It wasn’t unheard of for him to throw up if he got too nervous, though that usually happened when his mother or grandmother, or both, were having one of theirtalkswith him.

“What have you been buying?” Col asked as Theo laid the flowers on the back seat.

“Tell me your mum likes flowers.”

“She loves them. Did you buy every bunch they had?”

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