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When it was time for Zeph to drive again, he was asleep, so Jack kept going. As they drew closer to their destination, Jack was glad Zeph was still sleeping because he didn’t need directions and preferred Zeph didn’t notice.

The village they were heading for, south of Mimizan in the heart of C?tedesLandes on France’s Atlantic coast, was called Léon.

The single-story dwelling was several kilometres west of the village and near the beach.

Jack could have waited to buy food in Léon, but hadn’t been sure the supermarket would still be open by the time they arrived, though they’d made such good progress that it wouldn’t have been an issue.

Tomorrow morning, they’d go into Léon to buy fresh food in the market square.

Thomas paid a local couple to visit the house periodically to ensure all was well.

They changed settings on security lights and kept the place aired.

Beno?t had been informed someone was arriving and knew to stay away unless called.

Jack hoped he’d been told not to acknowledge he knew him if he came to service the pool.

It was close to nine when Jack pulled up outside the house. The sun wouldn’t set for another hour. He left Zeph sleeping and emptied the car, unpacking everything including the food they’d bought on the way.

Jack liked it here. It was a short walk over the dunes to the sea.

He’d learned to swim in the pool. There were two large bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living-dining area with a TV and comfy couches with a blue-grey theme, a utility room, pantry, and study lined with shelves of books.

Between the study and garage was a hidden room where Thomas kept weapons and a computer.

In the garage were bikes, surfboards, kite surfing equipment and inflatable kayaks among other items. Everything anyone snooping would expect to see.

Coming here with Thomas was the nearest Jack had ever had to a holiday, but there was always some reason why they were there.

Never solely for pleasure. Sometimes he’d longed to just lie on the beach and not think about how far he’d have to run to find cover, or why that man was wearing clothes unsuited to a beach.

Thomas had taught him to be suspicious of everything and now it was engrained in him.

When Jack was younger, Thomas had left him there for a month with a couple who’d taught him Farsi and martial arts until Thomas returned.

No other language was spoken. Every moment of the day was spent learning.

He huffed when he thought about it. Little pleasure then, but now pleasure sat outside in the car.

Jack went out to wake him. The sunset was going to be spectacular.

Zeph opened his eyes as Jack squeezed his shoulder.

“Have you unpacked everything yet?” Zeph asked. “Cooked dinner? Poured wine?”

“You little…”

He laughed and stretched. “I’ve only just woken up.”

“Come and watch the sun go down.”

Zeph climbed out of the car. “This is where you booked? Not some random place you’ve broken into?”

Jack tsked . “You guessed. I tied up the owners and shut them in the garage with two dogs and three cats. Ignore the yowling.”

He locked the car, took Zeph by the hand and led him into the house.

“Wow,” Zeph said. “Good choice. It’s like a home. You have to let me pay half the rental.”

“Fine.” Clearly not going to happen.

He handed Zeph a glass of red wine, picked up his own and they went outside.

Jack slid the door closed behind them. On one side of the decking was a grey table and chairs made from synthetic rattan.

There were matching sun loungers by the pool with parasols ready to put up.

The outdoor furniture was new. He hadn’t seen it before.

Jack led Zeph along the wooden boardwalk built after Thomas purchased the house.

It protected the dunes from erosion caused by tramping feet.

Two wooden Adirondack chairs, faded like the pathway, sat in a sheltered hollow with a view of the beach.

Jack had sat with Thomas and watched the sun set.

Sand had filled the space beneath them so the seats were barely above ground.

Zeph stared out at the horizon. “That view. The sky looks huge. You can almost see the curvature of the earth. And America.”

Jack laughed. “The laser eye surgery was very effective.”

He sat down and Zeph joined him. There were cushions in the garage. Jack hadn’t thought to get them. He’d lift the chairs out of the sand tomorrow, sweep the boardwalk.

“To our fabulous holiday!” Zeph lifted his glass to Jack’s. “To sun, sex, sea, sex, sand, sex, sandwiches, sex, swimming, sex, sangria, sex— I’m stuck.”

“Sand and sex aren’t the perfect combination.”

Jack set his glass on the arm of the chair and reached for Zeph’s hand. Their fingers twisted together.

“This is fantastic,” Zeph whispered. “If it wasn’t for the lights to the right and left of us, I’d think we were on another planet. Maybe the sand doesn’t get into places it shouldn’t in a location like this.”

“I wouldn’t count on it.”

The sky grew brighter at the horizon, colours bleeding together into a breathtaking gold as the sun slowly melted into the sea.

“I’m almost speechless,” Zeph whispered. “It’s spectacular.”

They sat and watched until the colour had gone and the sky eventually darkened.

Zeph moved to Jack’s lap. “Thank you for showing me this. Thank you for everything. For coming back into my life, for asking me to come on holiday with you, for being you—even though you’re good at everything, damn you to hell and back for that.

Apart from keeping in touch. You’re not good at that.

Thank you for being…my friend.” Zeph let out a choked laugh.

“I feel as though I’ve been carrying a heavy weight for a long time and it’s disappeared. I was worried about you.”

Alarm bells rang in Jack’s head. Change the subject. “Want to go for a swim?”

“And the weight’s come back. No. Are you utterly insane?”

“It’s fun.”

“Swimming at night?”

“I dare you.”

“Well, maybe, but only when the moon is full. And when there’s a Z in the month.”

Jack raised his eyebrows.

“Fine,” Zeph grumbled. “I’m not going in above my knees. And not at all if either of us have any cuts because…”

“Sharks don’t feed at night.”

“Oh no. That is a big fat lie. Many species of sharks are nocturnal so they feed primarily at night. The only time we’d be safe if it was the mating season for Grey Nurse Sharks because during that period, the females don’t eat at all, but sadly they’re only found off the coast of Australia, and that’s only the females so… ”

Jack grinned. “There’s a freshwater lake not far away if you prefer. I promise no sharks.”

“Maybe, but there’d be a whole load of other stuff. I like the sea, I just want nothing in it but me. And you… Hey, how did you know these chairs were here?”

“I didn’t. I spotted the boardwalk and thought it must lead to something, if only the beach.”

“We could sit here and read. Maybe under a beach umbrella if it’s too hot. Did you see one?”

“In the garage along with surfboards, bikes, citronella candles and other paraphernalia.”

“I’d love to try surfing.”

“Despite your shark expertise?”

“If we avoid dawn and dusk, we’ll be fine. Oh God. I didn’t mention surfing in that list, did I? Can you surf? Do I even need to ask? Seriously though, what can’t you do? Suck your own dick?”

Jack chuckled.

“That’s not an answer. Have you ever tried?”

“I tried. I’m not that bendy.”

“Nor me. What else is there to do around here apart from sun, sex, sand, sex…?”

“Now it’s summer, there’s a daily market in the village square. There are cycle paths through the forest and one follows an old train line. Plus, a nature reserve connecting Lake Léon to the Atlantic. We can take picnics and explore.”

“I can’t ride a bike.”

“What?” Jack was shocked. “You’re at Cambridge. Everyone rides a bike.”

“Everyone except me.”

“I’ll teach you.”

“Okay. I’m sorry I fell asleep when it was my turn to drive. I’m exhausted and I don’t know why. You ended up doing most of the driving.”

Jack rose to his feet. “Let’s go back before I have to carry you.”

Zeph stayed where he was. Jack smiled and pulled him to his feet.

“Hungry?” Jack asked.

“Not very. I fancy a dip in the pool and bed.”

“Then that’s exactly what we’ll do.”

Jack left Zeph taking his clothes off by the pool and went inside to get some towels.

He hoped the water was warm. Beno?t would have put the pool heater on but whether there’d been time for the water to warm up, Jack wasn’t sure.

When he came back out, minus his clothes, Zeph was swimming up and down and not yelping so Jack assumed the water was fine.

He dived in and came up at Zeph’s side. Perfect temperature.

Zeph stopped swimming and glared at him. “How did you know the water was deep enough to dive into!”

Shit. “I researched the place, remember? Two and half metres at this end.”

Zeph swam over, wrapped his arms and legs around him and took him down.

Jack had never had fun like this, chasing, playfighting, snatching kisses.

He wanted to buy Zeph an inflatable shark and leave it in the pool for him to find.

Maybe he should put it in bed. He liked making him laugh.

Jack made Thomas laugh sometimes but this was different.

Zeph made him different. Jack wanted as long with him as he could get.

He wasn’t going to think about it ending, even though he knew it had to.

The next day, they drove eight kilometres to explore Léon with its pretty brick and half-timbered houses.

They bought fresh fruit and vegetables from the market: chunky tomatoes, curly cucumbers, oranges, apples, grapes, bundles of salad…

While they drank panachés, half pint glasses filled with beer and lemonade, they sat and watched the world go by, though Jack found himself watching Zeph because he was far more fascinating.