Page 79 of He's the One

“I don’t think I’m cut out to be a spy,” Theo said as they walked up the stairs. “My nerves are shredded. And it might be for nothing. Maybe that envelope held a pack of brochures about Asquith for Nyman to hand out to clients.”

“But you’re not going to be happy now until you know the truth.”

Theo slumped on the couch. “The stupid thing is that the possibility of fraud annoys me less than not involving me in the planning of the artist weekends. Am I being childish?”Please don’t say yes.

Col dropped down next to him. “No. It’s hurtful. Why don’t you work up a detailed proposal of your own so when they next discuss it, you can present yours as an alternative?”

“I’ve already done that.”

“You have? Show me. But first I want to see your metal detecting finds.”

Theo went into the bedroom and pulled two boxes from under the bed. He’d lined them with bubble wrap and carefully laid out his discoveries. Once he’d stacked the boxes on top of each other, he carried them through to the table, then set them out side by side.

“Wow!” Col exclaimed. “You’ve dug up a lot. That looks like a dinosaur tooth.”

“Well spotted. It belonged to a T-rex. I’m hoping to find the rest of it soon. Metal detectors are so good at finding bones.”

“It helps when there’s a filling in the tooth.”

Theo giggled.Oh God, how long since I did that?“Thetoothis actually part of a cross guard on a sword. That’s a fragment of a lead statue—possibly a dog. Seventeenth century knife. First world war shell case. Bit of eighteenth-century jewellery. I think that might be part of an ancient nutcracker. There are lots of coins, most of which don’t have dates I can read. A toy soldier. The rest is stuff I can’t identify. It’s probably all worthless.”

“No, it’s not. It’s your treasure. You’re like a dragon with your hoard. I think it’s great. Every item has its own story. Who owned it? How did they come to lose it? Or did they hide it like the coin I found? It’s fascinating.”

Theo’s heart pinged like his metal detector when he was over something he thought was worth digging up. “Want to come on Saturday and I’ll take you treasure hunting?”

“I’d like that. You bought things for our trip, didn’t you. Mars bars and Crunchies. What else?”

“How do you know there was something else?”

“Because you were very quick to grab the bag from my mum’s hand.”

“I didn’t think you’d want her to have the salt and vinegar crisps.”

“Hmm. Is that your innocent face?” Col reached out and stroked Theo’s cheek.

“Yes,” Theo croaked out.

“Why am I not convinced?”

“You have a distrustful nature. You need to work on that. It’s not attractive.”

Col laughed. “You have to tell me what you need me to do for my promise too.”

“I’m still thinking.”

Theo wondered when he’d last looked forward to a weekend.Please don’t let anything go wrong and this all disappear!

He pulled up hisFantastic Ways for Asquith to Make Money!!!file and handed the laptop to Col. “Click on anything.”

“A winter ball?”

“Well, they said no and then said yes to Dastardly so… But a definite no tofairy themed.”

Theo sat next to Col as he went through his lists and drawings and budget figures. As with every other suggestion he’d made, Theo had been thorough. Not quite a business plan, but the winter ball had been more of a pleasure to spend time on than the others. He’d imagined a fairy-themed spectacle, with everyone in extravagant costumes, the ballroom turned into an enchanted forest with white trees of every size around the edge, imitation snow falling in the courtyard, lots of icicles and twinkling lights everywhere, projectors covering Asquith in mysterious images like unicorns and fairies. There’d be live music, out-of-this-world food where every course had a hidden surprise, magicians and acrobats… People would pay a lot to come, and many of the props would work for their Christmas extravaganza—if they had one.

He tried to clamp down on his renewed enthusiasm, and kept quiet while Col was reading, but when Col didn’t say anything, Theo’s confidence ebbed. It was too much, too over-the-top, too expensive, too…gay.Oh fuck.He’d costed it out—food, extra staff needed, music, props… He’d seen other themed balls in Asquith’s future. Halloween in particular. Maybe even a vampire ball. And if not a fairy winter ball, then a summer one and they could have it outside with lots of foliage and flowers and swings with flowers tied to the ropes. And still have snow, maybe. Or bubble machines. Inside the hidden garden would be perfect. They could get the fountains working again, and the water maze…Slow down!

Col finally shut the laptop and looked at him.

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