“Is it only old ladies now who object to doing ninety miles an hour on country roads?”
He tosses the Porsche’s keys jauntily and catches them. “Lighten up, for Christ’s sake.”
I look around. “Posh place.” The hotel is situated just outside Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds, and it’s a beautiful sprawl of honey-gold stone and windows twinkling in the bright sunshine. A wisteria vine hugs the front of the building, the purple petals looking almost psychedelic. “Just the right environment to meet a long-lost family member.”
“Oh, shut up.”
“Aren’t you even a little bit nervous?”
He looks blank. “Why?”
“You’re meeting a son you didn’t know you had, Jez. I think I’d be nervous.”
He shrugs. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Fine? I mouth as I follow him to the boot, where he grabs my bag and hands it to me before bending to get his own. I stare at the top of his blond head. “Are you sure you want me here? It still seems a bit odd.”
He spins around, and I take a step back at the expression on his face. “You said you’d do it,” he snaps. “Are you backing out now?”
“Hey,” I say sharply. “Chill. Of course, I’m not backing out.” He subsides and rubs his eyes. When he takes his hand away, his face is set in its usual genial expression.
I wonder if anyone else sees the wildness lurking beneath his surface. It’s what has always made him an amazing journalist, but lately it’s escalated, and I don’t mind admitting he concerns me. I push that thought away quickly. You can’t do my job with fear. It either makes you dangerous or gets you killed.
“I want you as a buffer,” he says stubbornly.
“I’m not a bollard. It’s just a kid, for fuck’s sake.”
He shrugs. “He’ll probably be really irritating.”
“That’s not bloody nice.” I’m seeing more of his spiteful edge lately. I’ve put it down to his son contacting him a month ago. According to Jez, he’d spent a weekend with the boy’s mother years ago and never knew she’d got pregnant.
“His grandma said he’s very shy.”
“So be nice.” I reach into the boot and grab my suit bag and start to walk towards the Palladium entrance of the hotel, the gravel crunching under my feet. “It’s not hard. Try to show your charming side.”
“As opposed to?”
“Your arsehole tendencies.”
He laughs and throws his arm over my shoulder. “You’relovingthis.”
“I’m really not.” I stop and look at him. “Be nice to the boy. It’s not his fault you don’t like commitment.”
“I never wanted children. Why did this have to happen to me?”
I push down my impatience. “He just wants to meet you. That’s not a strange thing.”
“It’ll be okay if you’re there.”
“Well, don’t get used to it. I’ll stick around, but I’m not spending every moment with the two of you.”
“Why not?”
“Because this is your blood. Yourson, Jez. Please take it seriously. Be nice to the kid. He might be the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”
“I sincerely doubt it.” He has that sulky edge to his voice that always makes me want to punch him.
“Try.”
