Page 8 of No Kind Words (Calston Cove #3)

As we drive up to the surgery, excitement fills me. All kinds of ideas I want for the practice are cannoning through my head. I’ve researched equipment to update some of the older pieces and budgeted how much I need for this place, but not so much for the cottage. This is where I’ll need a builder’s eye, someone with experience in redeveloping houses.

I park in front of the cottage, and as Drew is nowhere in sight, I take my time to look around it again. When I first came here, I hadn’t paid too much attention. My brain was running a mile a minute trying to work out that not only was it viable, but that it also wasn’t pure madness coming back to a place that had more bad memories than good. Even the ones of Ben were tarnished by the pain from my arsehole sperm donor as well as his lack of contact. I never saw or heard from him again. His talks of love and forever were just that—all talk. It was the easiest way to get me naked.

The rumble of an engine breaks through my bad memories, bringing me back to the present. I’ve been wondering if I’ll recognise Drew, but when he steps out of the cab of his truck, I have no doubt it’s him. The only difference is the muscles and beard; the bright, happy eyes and the easy smile haven’t changed. He shakes his head as he walks towards me.

“You know, I thought Stacey was pulling my leg when she said she’s seen you. Then Ivan said the same, so I had to believe it. I’ve gotta say I never thought I’d see you again. Not after the way you just disappeared. You look good, Jethro. It’s good to have you back again.”

“Thanks. It’s a surprise for me too, but here I am. And from the look of this cottage, I’m going to need your help and expertise. Are you available for work?”

I hate that I sound nervous, that I’m worried he won’t want to work for me after all this time. I don’t want to ask him for anyone else’s number if he can’t do this.

“I’m sure I can help. You wanna show me what it’s like in there? William Gurney has been the vet here forever, and if it’s anything like him, it will be pristine but outdated by a fair few decades. You must remember him.”

I do remember him, mainly because my father would always argue the bill. The old miser never wanted to pay full price. Him leaving his money to me when he died was a complete shock. I thought I would’ve been disinherited the moment I left the farm. But I took it and put the farm up for sale. I never wanted to set foot on that land ever again. Giving the money to the Terrence Higgins Trust was one of my most satisfying moments. A real kick in the teeth to the homophobic arsehole.

“Yeah, I remember him. He was a good man.”

I put the key in the lock and twist it. The door swings open easily. The floor is littered with takeaway pizza and Farm Food leaflets, but past that, it looks clean and tidy. “Your sister gave me a quick tour of the place, but it was all such a rushed weekend I didn’t take much in.”

I let Drew enter ahead of me. He’ll have a better idea of what can be done with the place. The cottage has two small rooms and the kitchen downstairs. The stairs to the first floor are to the right in the small hallway. The upstairs is the same layout, only with two bedrooms and a bathroom. I try to visualise what can be done here, but I don’t have much imagination when it comes to house renovations. The one thing I do like, though, is that it has a lot of space. I’m a couple of inches over six feet and don’t want to bump my head as I walk through the low doorways. Perhaps the walls can be knocked down to make one space.

“What do you think?”

I step up next to him. “I’d like to open it up, get more space and light in. The doorways aren’t friendly to anyone tall, so the less of them, the better.”

“You’ve changed, Jethro. I’m not sure I would’ve recognised you. How long has it been? I mean, one minute you were here, the next you disappeared, and no one knew where you’d gone. We were all concerned. Benny was the worst. He was sure something bad had happened.”

The easy way he says Ben’s name makes my stomach turn. It’s as if Drew knows Ben. I’d heard the shouting, my dad threatening to call the police. My mum wouldn’t say who it was. I had hoped it was Ben. At the time, I thought he’d see what was happening at my place and get someone around on a welfare check. He was twenty-five after all, with much more life experience. But no. Nothing. Instead of trading in my phone when I upgraded, I’d kept it in case he called. My dad took it off me, and I only got it back when he ordered me to get the train out of Calston Cove.

I still remember Dad’s final words to me. “Don’t come back until you change your perverted ways.”

He slammed the door in my face. Mum was crying the whole way to the station, but she never stood up for me. Her tear-stained cheeks as I hauled my luggage onto the train is the last memory I have of her.

Drew clears his throat.

Shit, he’s waiting for an answer. “Um.”

I cough, erasing any trace of emotion I may have. “It’s been fifteen years. Honestly, Drew, I never planned to come back here again.”

“Why now? It’s great to have you back, and I can’t wait to introduce you to Merrick and my girl, Willow. I think the gay population has been multiplying rapidly since he arrived. His friends and family are turning up left, right, and centre. Ivan’s with Brodie. He bought your farmhouse. I did the work there. You won’t recognise the place.”

“I hope he’s happy there. I won’t be setting foot on that land if I can help it.”

I’ve had enough of these questions and revelations. It’s time to get back on track and see what he can do to this place. “Let’s go and get a look at the upstairs.”

Whether Drew recognised my switch in conversation or not, he nods and follows me. Again, I have to duck my head to get through the doorway to the main bedroom.

“I’m not sure I can raise the height of the doorway without having to make some serious structural adjustments. The lintel runs across, making it a supporting wall,”

Drew says, then continues by explaining why cottages like this one only have a certain leeway with developments without it being a major rebuild project.

“I’ll just have to remember to duck, even in the middle of the night.”

I smirk. “I’ve not got deep enough pockets to go too far. All I want is to open up the rooms and have the bathroom and kitchen upgraded.”

I look around the small room with the window in the eaves. “Can this be turned into one room?”

“Yep, that isn’t a supporting wall.”

He points to the one on my left.

“But I recommend keeping an extra room up here.

It doesn’t have to be big, but if we open up everywhere, you’ve got no room for storage. You can keep one of the rooms downstairs and still open up into the kitchen or the same upstairs.”

“The next question is when can you start?”

I rock back on my heels, enthusiasm and interest coursing through me. I want the work done as soon as possible. I can see myself living here.

“You said there was some work in the surgery building. Can I have a look? I may be able to get my crew working in both. It depends on how much remodelling it needs.”

“Shall we go over? Have you got time?”

Drew nods and turns back to the door.

I follow him out, his words about Benny being the most concerned still buzzing around in my head.

My father was more than happy to talk about him running away with his tail between his legs.

That Ben was lucky he hadn’t got the same treatment as me.

He called him plenty of hideous, disgusting words, taking pleasure in watching me suffer. Happy to prove I was nothing but a toy to him.

I knew then that my father would lie and argue over anything and everything he could.

That he always had to have the last word.

He would gloat over every winning word.

Even if I knew he was lying, he couldn’t be contradicted.

So if Drew says Ben was worried, maybe he didn’t leave town. The only way to find out is to ask.

“You said Benny was worried. How did you know that?”