‘Shit!’Leo pulled the blankets over both of them as Alex emerged from the stairwell.Mab heard his breathing, light and fast, and Alex’s voice whispering, ‘Yeah, I’m cool.They’re all asleep, see you soon.I know, it’s incredible.’Alex’s phone beeped as he switched it off.Mab sensed rather than heard him move away, and finally there was a soft ‘click’ as the bedroom door closed behind him.
Mab felt Leo move away from her slightly as he checked that Alex really had gone.
‘Phew, that could have been a bit embarrassing, pet,’ he whispered, pulling her back into his arms as he lay down again.But Mab knew that Alex’s arrival had been her cue to leave.She ought never to have let things go this far.It would have been much better to have taken the opportunity to sit down with Leo and tell him what she’d done, and how badly she’d screwed up.The temptation of his body, his kisses and his burning passion had almost ruined everything.She stood up.
‘I have to go.We’ll talk tomorrow.’
Ignoring Leo’s anguished, whispered protests, Mab went into her room and closed the door firmly behind her.
29
Early the next morning, Leo sat at the table with Harry and Alex.They were looking somewhat bleary, and had eaten far too much buttery, eggy toast with maple syrup.Leo was relieved that Alex had decided not to make a full English breakfast.As it was, they would all need to go for a five-mile walk to burn off the excess calories.A pot of strong coffee was on the table and Harry poured them all generous mugs full, stirring two spoonfuls of sugar into his own mug.
‘Dad, after all that sweet stuff, surely you don’t need any extra sugar?’Alex said, moving the bowl out of reach.
‘I’m not as young as I was, and I’ve just met a wonderful woman, lad.If anyone needs an energy boost, it’s me.’He looked at Alex expectantly.‘Go on then, lad – spill the beans.What’s all this about?’
Alex shuffled his papers for a moment; he’d printed out Josh’s email, and also had some notes of his own.He took a deep breath.‘Right, I’ll try and be brief.’
‘That’s good news,’ said Harry, ‘if unlikely.’
‘Mmm… anyway, here goes.You, Dad, have built up a fantastic business, which is going from strength to strength.You are now approaching sixty-three years of age at great speed, if my maths is correct?’
‘Well, yes, but I know all this.You can’t have driven all this way to remind me about my birthday?’
Alex smiled.‘No, I’m here to put a proposition to you.Why don’t you let Den and Josh run the business between them in the future, and take early retirement?You can be with Nina and begin a new life, help Leo to get started and have time to enjoy yourself and relax a bit more.What do you say, Dad?’
‘Do you know something that I don’t?Do I look as if I’m about to pop my clogs or something?’Leo took pity on Alex and joined in.
‘Nothing like that, Dad, it’s just time for a rethink, that’s all.Life’s too short to work all the time, isn’t it?That’s what you always used to tell us, anyway.’There was a silence.Harry cleared his throat.
‘So… let’s just get this straight… you want me to hand the business over to Den and young Josh, who incidentally hasn’t left school yet, and was supposed to be going on to sixth form?And, come to think of it, what about you, Alex?Where do you fit into this cunning plan?’
‘I want to change my life too, Dad.I think that if I have more spare time, I can make a living as an artist.There’s a chance I could have an exhibition up and running by Christmas.’
‘What?’
Leo sighed.This was even harder than he’d expected it to be.Might as well get the whole lot over with.
‘And also, I’m not marrying Sophie now, Dad.She’s going to marry Den and live in a posh penthouse flat overlooking the Tyne.’
Harry opened his mouth to speak, but just at that moment, the telephone began to ring.Leo dived for it, delighted by the reprieve, and the others listened intently.
‘Yes, this is Leo Lamb.Oh, Mr Collingsworth, we’ve been looking forward to hearing from you…’ Leo looked across at Harry and Alex and crossed his fingers, suddenly pale.
‘No, really?Honestly?I don’t know what to say.Well, um, th… thank you.I’ll be in touch.Bye.’
Leo sat down suddenly, and ran a shaking hand over his face.He looked up.
‘It’s OK, it’s all sorted.We can open whenever we like!’
As Harry and Alex leapt to their feet, cheering, Mab emerged from her room and George burst from his, followed by Jess.
‘What’s going on?Have we won the lottery?’asked George, looking on in amazement as Harry, Leo and Alex all tried to hug Mab and Jess simultaneously.
‘Better than that, George.The person who reported us has withdrawn their complaint, saying they made a mistake, but the report came back clear anyway.There’s no trace of any sort of pest on this property, apart from you, of course, mate.’
George hurtled towards Leo, regardless of his damaged leg and arm, knocking over a plant stand and a vase in his haste to retaliate.Jess stood in the middle of the room, hands on hips.
