Page 16 of The Making of Jonty Bloom
Getting to see the hotel rooms should have been more difficult than it was, but he told Sally-Anne, who was far more amenable than Jonty Bloom, that he was thinking of holding a conference here and wanted to see where guests would stay. She handed over four room keys and left him to it.
The rooms were all a good size. Those on the seaward side had balconies and fantastic views, and those on the landward side had pretty impressive panoramas too, a variegated mosaic of pink and white heather moorland, green meadows and rolling hills. He’d pick up a selection of those brochures downstairs and maybe check out some of the places. He’d never been to Northumberland before and the idea of exploring appealed. But not a holiday. What point was there taking a holiday on your own?
His mood soured. He turned away from the window and inspected the last of the four rooms. No different to the other three with the same awful artwork. They all needed updating, particularly the bathrooms. New fixtures and fittings, re-plastering, modernised décor, replacement windows and doors. Maybe two rooms could be made into one. He’d have to work out if that would be cost effective. Plus the whole place might need re-wiring.
Devan was beginning to wonder if it would cost too much to do a complete renovation. In addition, while its remoteness was in part an attraction, it was also a disadvantage. At least six hours by car from London, and it had taken him over nine plus a two-hour kip in a motorway service station parking area. But although it was remote, there was room for a heliport.
He needed to run some numbers. If his initial judgement on this place was a no, he could move on and forget that a cheeky bellhop had made his dick twitch back to life.
Chapter Four
THIRTY MINUTES AFTER HIS SHIFTwas supposed to end, and forget the idea of being paid for unapproved overtime, Jonty changed out of his suit, brushed it with a lint roller, then hung it in his locker with his tie. He sighed at the creases in his trousers. Maybe he’d get the iron out when he came back tonight. After a wipe with a damp sheet of kitchen roll and a quick polish with a dry one, his now shiny leather shoes went on a shelf at the bottom. He cycled to and from work and only took his suit home if it needed cleaning. He reckoned he could wait another few days.
He stared at the packet holding the dildo that he’d stuffed into his backpack. Yet another item received in the mail over the last few months that he hadn’t ordered. It had to be Brad sending them. Jonty knew the guy liked sex toys. A thought that made him shudder. What he didn’t know was why Brad was doing this. Five months since they’d seen each other, apart from a few times in Alnwick when Jonty had bumped into him and quickly walked the other way, and those other times when he’d felt he was being watched and wondered if it was Brad.
Jonty bitterly regretted ever agreeing to go on a date with him. A potentially nice boyfriend had morphed into a nightmare that wouldn’t let him go. Telling Jonty he spent too long with Tay had been the last straw. Well, the penultimate straw. Jonty swallowed hard. They hadn’t split amicably, but he’d assumed Brad would leave him alone. Not an unreasonable expectation, considering the way it had ended, except that wasn’t what had happened. Well, the guy wasn’t going to spoil his day.
He pulled on jeans, a pink T-shirt and a grey hoodie, then stuffed his dress shirt and socks into the backpack along with his towel. Once he was wearing his trainers and helmet, he left through the rear of the hotel, unlocked his bike from the rail and set off for a beach a few miles down the road.
Getting out on the water would push thoughts of BradandDevan Smith from his head. On the other hand, sitting waiting for the perfect wave would give him plenty of time to regret having ever said yes to Brad and to recall all those stupid things he’d said to Mr Trouble, which were enough to get him the sack.
You think?
Jonty glanced at Tay cycling at his side. He was wearing yellow shorts and a flowered Hawaiian shirt and he was laughing. His bright eyes were full of fun, except they really weren’t.
Why weren’t you more careful?
I was being careful.
Taywasa careful guy, which made what had happened to him all the more upsetting. Because even being careful couldn’t keep you safe. Jonty knew that. Tay wasn’t around anymore and that was all that mattered.
Dead.
Jonty sucked in a breath.You’re not.
As good as.
His heart felt like someone had reached into his chest and crushed it, kept crushing it.
Say it.
Shut up.
I know what you’re thinking.
No, you don’t.
You like Devan Smith. You’re coming back to life, Jonty.
I want you to be okay again.
That can’t happen for me, but it can for you.
It didn’t feel like it.
I can’t stay with you forever.
I know. Just be my friend for a bit longer.
