Page 30 of Hold On

When he got back downstairs, everyone was in the car. He climbed in the back with Ren who shot him a smile.

“What do you do, Ren?” Col asked as Theo set off.

“I’m an analyst.”

“Ah. What do you do, Ren?” Theo repeated.

Ren chuckled. “Collect, organise and study data to provide business insight.”

“My eyes have glazed over,” Theo said. “Sorry.”

“Unglaze them,” Col said. “You’re driving. So who do you work for?”

“Iwasworking for the government on data modelling, cleansing and enrichment, plus data quality assurance, validation and linkage.”

“Nowmyeyes have glazed over,” Col said.

Ren laughed.

It sounded to Dominic as if Ren had quoted straight from a job description for a data analyst.

“You must have to do the same sort of job here, Theo,” Ren said. “Looking at the best way to bring visitors to Asquith. That treetop adventure thing looks new. Does Asquith own it or are you paid rent?”

That set Theo off and Dominic had the feeling that was Ren’s intention. He only became aware that the other three had been chatting for some time without him doing anything but listen, when Ren nudged his knee.

“When was the last time you went into the sea?”

The question threw Dominic. “Years.” Never to swim. He and Col had only paddled.

Dominic could see the water now ahead of them, glistening in the sun, and a lump formed in his throat. Ren was saying something about not caring about the temperature of the water when he was a child, but now he was concerned about freezing his bollocks off. Dominic didn’t care. He was desperate to get into the sea.

Theo pulled off the coast road onto a narrow track and slowed down.

“I hope we don’t meet anyone coming the other way,” Col said. “I came down here with Dad when he was teaching me to drive and there was this couple in a car coming towards us and no room to pass. There was a pull-in just behind them that the driver could have easily reversed into, but he didn’t. I’d have had to reverse all the way to the main road, but the guy didn’t move. In the end, Dad got into the man’s car and reversed it for him and I drove past and waited for my dad to get back in. Apparently, the man didn’t like reversing. I mean, does anyone?”

“Why did you make me drive?” Theo said. “I don’t like reversing.”

Col laughed.

“Was that story even true?” Theo demanded.

“Yes.”

Dominic was glad Col had had someone to teach him. He owed Col’s foster parents a huge debt of thanks, and wanted to go and see them but was nervous about it. Their disapproval of him had been clear. They’d wanted him out of Col’s life and he didn’t blame them for that but he hoped now he was no longer in prison, they’d give him the chance to be a brother to Col.

Theo made it down the lane without meeting anyone and at the point where the road ended, there was a small rough area of ground that he pulled onto.

“Ta da!” Theo said. “Everyone out.”

What they couldn’t get into the cart for Theo to pull, they split among the three of them and set off along a footpath towards the sea.

“Did your dad not offer to teach you to drive too?” Ren asked.

Dominic had a brief moment of realising how easily he could get caught out before he answered. “Different father.”

“Ah, sorry.”

And even though Dominic wanted off this topic, he asked, “Did yours teach you?”

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