Chapter 35
Tobias arrives back at the hotel to find the staff laying out tables and chairs in the grounds; white cloths, gleaming cutlery, glassware that sparkles in the late afternoon sunshine.
A couple of separate gazebos have been erected and additional fairy lights and paper lanterns are being strung about the place.
It all looks very ostentatious to his mind but he expects his wife and many of the other guests will appreciate it.
As long as they’re serving something good and properly chilled tonight – none of this Prosecco nonsense.
He strides across the lawn, paying no heed to the designated gravel walkways, and ploughs his way through the staff who are busy up ladders or carrying laden trays.
In desperate need of a long shower, and perhaps something stiff to get him in the mood, he continues on into the hotel foyer and up the main staircase.
Idly, he wonders where Olivia and the kids are, whether he will be first to claim the bathroom.
He nods at a couple of familiar faces as he scales the stairs, breathing noisily.
‘See you tonight,’ he calls with his usual bonhomie and realises he has forgotten their names.
Not to worry. They all know him in this hotel.
It is why he has been staying here year in, year out.
He briefly considers whether it wouldn’t be more fun to venture out into the streets tonight, down by the harbour, to watch the fireworks with the rest of the hoi polloi.
They are going to be living here soon – after a fashion.
But then he thinks about the pristine tablecloths, the private view, the complimentary champagne on ice and dismisses the idea out of hand entirely.
Once inside the suite, he is relieved to find it empty.
Livvy and the kids must still be out somewhere but he is happy to have first dibs on the shower without anyone else pestering him to cut it short.
Divesting himself of his sweaty clothes – he gingerly holds his shirt to his nose for a second before throwing it into the corner of the bathroom – he steps in and braces himself against the fierce cool jet of water.
It occurs to him that he was supposed to be doing something, some admin or other, and he racks his brains.
It has been quite the day already and he finds his head is spinning after the heat of the sun and the noise of the site, not to mention the run-in with the local man, Ted, and the bamboozling revelation about Livvy and her plans.
Soaping himself down, scrubbing at his head and inside his ears, he tries to remember what he was meant to be doing.
Finally it comes to him. He was going to find a spare minute to go through the footage on his phone, see whether his hidden camera has picked up anything interesting at the site.
Find out what the hell his daughter has been up to and where those missing tools have gone.
He lodges this thought, promises himself he will prioritise it when he is clean and dressed and rested.
Later on tonight. If not, definitely first thing tomorrow.
On Sunday morning, in the calm after the storm, when the dust of the fireworks has settled.
With that, he finishes rinsing himself and shuts off the water.
The sound of his family piling into the suite drifts through to him.
They are all back; Liv and Drew and Belle.
He hears their voices rising and falling, recounting the events of the day, their anticipation of the evening to come, the fact that they are hot, tired, ravenous.
His family. He does love them, though he might not always show it in the best of ways.
He pauses for a moment, extending this final moment of peace, and tugs at his belly fat a little, wonders if he should make a bit more effort to be healthy, fit, and attractive for them all.
Then he resolves to start the diet on Monday.
Shame not to enjoy himself this last weekend.
This is the big finale, after all. What they have all been waiting for and he, for one, intends to enjoy himself.