Page 62 of Hold On

Ren pretended to zip his lips.

“What if there’s something under there?” Dominic asked.

Ren groaned. “Don’t say that. It’s Will’s worst nightmare. Along with the most significant find turning up on the last day when funding’s run out.”

“Like Howard Carter,” Dominic said.

Will nodded. “I don’t think we’re likely to uncover another Tutankhamun.”

“The Romans should have mummified their important people,” Ren said. “I mean, I know the Egyptians believed they’d return to life, hence all the stuff they were entombed with, but they have lived forever in a way. We’re still talking about them.”

Will chuckled. “I remember you telling me you thought people should have used material that would survive for centuries instead of stuff that decayed and disintegrated. And that they should have used labels so we knew what was what.”

“When I was four!”

“More like fourteen.”

“Ha ha.” Ren grabbed Dominic’s elbow and tugged him back towards the kitchen tent. “Want breakfast? It’s a help-yourself buffet. Cereals, fruit and yoghurt. Bread if you want a sandwich.”

Ren helped himself to everything but when he went to sit next to Dominic, he found he’d only taken a banana. He thought about saying something, then changed his mind. When Brett came to sit next to them, Ren mentally groaned.

“Hi, I’m Brett Ellis, the site supervisor.”

“This is Nic,” Ren said before Dominic could speak. He knew exactly why he’d used a nickname, but wondered if Dominic would mind. “We’ll be working mornings for a while.”

“Have you been on a dig before?” Brett asked.

Ren didn’t like the way he was looking at Dominic, as if he looked tastier than the food he had on his plate.

“No, he hasn’t,” Ren said. “But he has a degree in Classics and Ancient Civilisations.” Except that was going to attract Brett.Damn.

“Does he speak?” Brett smiled.

“When I let him,” Ren quipped back. “He has to imagine the ball gag when we’re out in public.”Shit!

Dominic almost choked laughing.

Thank fuck for that.Didn’t matter that Brett looked as if he’d had a lucky escape.

“He’s very good at it, aren’t you?” Ren smiled at Dominic.

Dominic’s mouth twitched.

“Where did you study?” Brett asked.

“Open University,” Dominic said.

“He’s occasionally disobedient, but likes being punished,” Ren said.

Brett seemed thrown until he saw Dominic’s smile.

“Only when it’s my turn,” Dominic added.

“Did you have an area of special interest?” Brett asked, an edge of desperation in his voice.

“Ancient script.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve beaten my brother to solving the mystery of Rongorongo.”

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