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Kate laughed. “I’m not sure anyone uses the wordwooingthese days. You choose the film. Just make sure it’s nothing toomanly.”
Bob grinned and began scrolling through Netflix. In the end they chose to watchLittle Miss Sunshineafter Kate discovered to her horror Bob had never seen it before. They propped themselves up against the headboard, Kate’s laptop forming a natural barrier between them. The film was only half an hour in when she heard a snorting sound and turned to see Bob slumped against the pillows, snoring away.All that walking and cycling has caught up with him, she thought, pausing the film to save it for another day.
Kate grabbed a blanket from the armchair beside her and spread it over Bob. He looked like an overgrown child, mouth open, snoring away. He stirred and curled up on his side, his messy hair falling across his forehead. Kate smiled, grateful that she had made such a good friend so soon after moving to the town.
Kate picked up the book from her bedside table, and had read half a page when her phone buzzed. She grabbed it quickly so as not to disturb Bob and saw a message pop up from Alex. He’d started messaging her several times a day. Nothing of any consequence, just a series of YouTube videos that she either didn’t understand or didn’t find funny. Needless to say, she always responded with a laughing emoji, reluctant to show her ignorance. She tried sending a few conversational textsHow are you? Good day at work?But as the only replies she received were in the form of cat videos, she’d stopped trying. It was enough that he was in contact with her in the first place.
Kate threw her book down in surprise as Bob began flailing his arms, mumbling in his sleep. It was hard to make out what he was saying, but she picked out the phrasesI can’t. I’ve tried everything. I don’t know what to do.The next thing she knew, Bob was whimpering beside her, actual tears streaming down his face. She wasn’t sure what you’re supposed to do with someone having nightmares, but decided it was better to wake him than let him be tortured any longer.
A gentle tapping on the arm achieved nothing. Bob flailed his arms all the harder and Kate had to duck to avoid a flying fist. Next, she tried saying his name. “Bob, Bob,”she whispered. Nothing. Kate said his name as loud as she dared for fear of waking the guests. She tapped his arm harder until it verged on a slap. Eventually Bob’s eyelids flickered and he turned his head towards her.
“Where am I?” His voice was groggy with sleep, and Kate wondered if she’d done the right thing in waking him.
“You’re at my house. We were watching a film, remember? You fell asleep and had a bad dream.”
Bob wiped his mouth against his sleeve and rubbed his palms against his eyes.
“Sorry about that. What time is it?”
Kate checked her watch. “It’s nine o’clock.”
Bob leaped out of the bed, running his hands frantically through his hair. “No, no, no. Are you sure? Nine o’clock?” Kate nodded. “Argh,” he wailed, bashing his palm against his forehead. He turned to Kate his face like thunder. “Why didn’t you wake me sooner?” His tone was accusatory, as if she’d done something terribly wrong.
“Sorry, I…”
“Oh no, oh no, this can’t be happening. I have to go, I have to…”
Before Kate could ask what he had to do, and where exactly he needed to be, Bob ran out of the room and slammed his way out of the front door. Kate looked at the empty takeaway cartons and faces frozen mid-sentence on the laptop screen. What the hell had just happened?
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
NICHOLAS HAD READhis newspaper from cover to cover by nine-thirty, and decided he couldn’t leave Ryan to sleep any longer. The surf lesson was booked for twelve, and he needed to find the beach, somewhere to park and the wetsuit hire before then. He folded the paper and threw it on the nearest table before padding through to Ryan’s room. Nicholas gave a tentative knock but there was no answer. He tried again. Nothing.
“Ryan?” No answer. “Ryan?”
“Fuck off,” came a voice from behind the door.
Nicholas recoiled, feeling simultaneously hurt and angered by the way his son spoke to him.
“Not a morning person then?” he called back cheerfully.
He heard Ryan groan, and guessed his son had put his head under a pillow. Nicholas opened the door to find Ryan had done just that. He walked into the room and sat on the edge of the sofa bed, which squeaked in protest at his weight.
“Look mate, I’m sorry to wake you, but we need to get going if we’re to make it to the surf lesson in time.”
“I’m not your mate and I don’t want to go surfing.”
Nicholas shoved his fist in his mouth to stop him saying something he’d regret, and took five deep breaths as his meditation teacher had taught him. What he’d give to be back in his Hong Kong office right now.
“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice,” Nicholas said, sounding calmer than he felt. “You need to get up now or it will be the cold-water treatment for you.”
Ryan couldn’t help removing his head from under the pillow. “Cold water treatment?”
“A trick my dad used on me when I was your age. Trust me, you don’t want to find out how it works. I suggest you get up before I’m forced to use it.”
Ryan threw his pillow on the floor and moved to the edge of the bed. “Aren’t you going to give me some privacy while I get changed?”
“No problem. I can wait downstairs if you want to use the bathroom in peace too.”
