Naomie sat up. She stared daggers at Andrew and her mother.
“This is news to me,” Steven said. “Tell me about him.”
“Kyle’s a sales executive for Streamline Sports,” Naomie proudly announced. “As well as a DJ in town.”
Steven raised an eyebrow. Streamline were a decent-sized company who had rapidly gained a name for themselves in leisure wear.
“Impressive,” he said.
“He’s great. Dead good-looking,” she enthused.
Andrew and Steven shared an amused glance.
“Does he have a six-pack?” Andrew teased.
“Good kisser?” Steven added.
They were rewarded with taps on the head from their mother.
“That’s enough. Leave her alone.”
“Yes, boys,” Nina added. “Listen to your mother. Stop teasing.”
They had the beach pretty much to themselves. Even so, the odd person walking by gave Steven a double take. He still remained a famous face. Although he planned on fading into the relative obscurity of football management.
Unfortunately, one of Hanna’s patients leapt—was thrown—into the air and landed close to the food.
“Right, that’s it,” Andrew said, getting to his feet. “Time for apaddle, I think. Someone needs to cool off. Do we have time, Mum?”
“We have plenty of time,” she said. “Go and get your feet wet.”
Nina, Andrew and Hanna all ran down the dunes, hollering and whooping as they raced to the shoreline.
Steven’s mother came and sat next to him. Absentmindedly stroking the cuddly toy that had been abandoned in its hour of need.
“I love us being together,” she said. “I wish you’d got a job near home, Steven.”
Ah. She got here in record time today.
His mother never missed a trick of making it clear she would very much like her eldest son to live round the corner. Steven had no intention of moving nearer to the family. He wanted to stay at Brockton long-term. He loved his working relationship with Javier.
“Maybe in the future. Today, I’m going to teach my niece how to kick a football. Shit, I left it in the car.”
He got up.
“Can you bring another blanket as well,” his mother said. “There’s an edge to that breeze.”
She felt the cold wherever she went. It had been a running joke when they were kids. They would all be tearing around in shorts and not much else. His mother would be wrapped up in a cardigan.
He began to climb the dune that led to the car park. Naomie chased after him.
“Need a hand?” she asked.
“Sure.”
They walked in silence for a while.
“Does this guy treat you well?” he asked.
