A Song of Me and You by Mike Gayle

Author:Mike Gayle [Gayle, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781529344813
Google: vm1FzwEACAAJ
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Published: 2023-07-05T23:00:00+00:00

20

Ben

As the imposing black metal security gates at the entrance to the Sea House slid back to reveal not only a long, winding tree-lined drive but also a bank of security cameras pointing in every direction, everyone in the car, with the exception of Ben, let out a huge gasp.

‘My goodness!’ exclaimed Helen’s mum, Sue, who was sitting in the back with Esme and Frankie. ‘This place is like Fort Knox! Who did you say it belongs to again?’

‘Nice try, Sue,’ said Ben jovially, as Helen drove slowly through the entrance and continued along the drive. ‘But you know I’ve already told you I can’t tell you. All I can say is that it belongs to a good mate of mine.’

Sue laughed. ‘By any chance is your “good mate” a famous singer like you, who likes outrageous outfits, big glasses and Watford Football Club?’

Ben couldn’t help but smile. ‘My lips are sealed.’

‘I reckon it’s Ed Sheeran’s,’ said Esme, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. ‘He’d definitely have a holiday home like this.’

‘We should check all the plugholes for ginger hair,’ joked Frankie. ‘If we find any it’s definitely him.’ At this, the kids and Helen’s mum collapsed in a fit of giggles.

They rounded a bend and a breathtakingly beautiful modern-looking architect-designed house loomed into view. It was made up of a series of geometric shapes all piled artfully on top of each other – an elegantly proportioned rectangle here, the gentle sweep of an ellipse there, each form punctuated with huge floor-to-ceiling windows. It was at once imposing and inviting and reminded Ben a little of his home in Malibu.

‘Well,’ said Helen, as her mum, Esme and Frankie fell into an awed silence, ‘whoever it belongs to it’s very kind of them to let us stay, so let’s stop speculating about who it is, because it’s rude, and no snooping because that’s rude too.’ She paused and looked in the rear-view mirror. ‘And I’m including you in all that, Mum! I know what you’re like.’

Ben was glad Helen had agreed to accept his offer of taking her and her family on holiday. It felt like the very least he could do for her after everything she had done for him. He’d made the call to his friend out in LA the moment Helen had changed her mind and, while they had been surprised to hear from Ben given all that had been in the news, thankfully they hadn’t asked any questions about what was going on. Instead, without any fuss they had told Ben they were glad he was safe, and told him to enjoy his stay at the Cornwall holiday home.

Armed with this news, Ben had given Helen the green light to tell the kids. Esme’s first response had been to ask if Josh could come along too, to which Helen had replied that not only couldn’t he come, but she couldn’t even tell Josh where she was going. For a moment Ben had thought that Esme

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