Late on Easter Saturday afternoon, Jess reluctantly made her way through a path in the dunes to the gig sheds. The sun-bleached timber boathouses were situated on a long sweep of bay near the quay. It was five o’clock and a fine fresh evening. Chilly, of course, because it was barely into the second week of April but gin-clear and beautiful too.
The Athene had been towed down to the shed and Jess found Will, Natalia and Lawrence busy transferring it into the water from its trailer. The Petroc crew and the Gull Island boat, skippered by Javid, had already rowed over from their islands, followed by a motor launch of supporters that included Maisie. Hugo had followed on in his own boat, the Kraken, to cheer on his team.
With all the rowing practice and the business, it had been decided that the Godrevys had enough to deal with without preparing for a party too, so everyone was heading to the Gannet Inn for hot food after the race. They’d probably need a few stiff drinks with it, if Gaby’s body language was anything to judge by. Jess spotted her emerging from the public toilets by the gig sheds where Will and some of the other crew were wheeling out the Athene on a small trailer. She looked as white as the sand and seemed to be doing some deep breathing exercises between the sheds and the toilets.
Poor Gaby, thought Jess. She’d done well to turn up for this ‘trial race’ at all, after her initial training session and her first row in the St Saviour’s Women’s boat. The island ladies had enough regular – and better – rowers than Jess to make up a crew for the championships but were happy to help train a novice. Natalia had rowed before while she’d been working in Newquay so she was at home quite quickly. Understandably, however, Gaby had been very nervous. Getting the hang of the stroke rhythm had been a big challenge and her fingers had rubbed raw despite the cycling gloves Jess had handed out. Most of the crew had started rowing when they were in their early teens and no matter how low they kept the rate, it was still too fast for Gaby. Then, to top it all, once they’d finally ventured out into the bay, a swell had blown up and Gaby had thrown up over the side.
But, to give her credit, she’d been determined to carry on and had soldiered on through another Ladies’ session, which had gone better and she hadn’t even moaned about her blistered fingers. By the time she had her first outing with the Mixed crew, she was starting to get the hang of the timing and didn’t feel as sick. To Jess’s amazement, Will had been surprisingly patient, encouraging Gaby and curbing Len’s worst excesses of tyranny with the scratch crew. After their most recent outing, a few days before, they’d managed to complete a trial run of this evening’s course, but they were far from ready for an actual race, even a ‘fun’ one with their friends and neighbours.
Deciding that there were enough people to handle the boat, Jess went to meet Maisie who was walking down the slipway from the jetty. Maisie’s partner, Patrick, was somewhere among the melee of crew. Before she could reach Maisie, Gaby spotted Jess and jogged up the beach, almost slipping in the powdery sand in her haste to reach her.
‘Have you seen … the new g-guy in the P-petroc crew?’ she said between breaths.
‘What new guy?’
‘That one,’ said Gaby, pointing to the crew. ‘You can hardly miss him.’
Jess almost didn’t believe her own eyes, but even from the back, the dark-haired guy laughing with the Petroc crew was unmistakable, even without the business suit. His espresso-coloured hair brushed the top of a pair of deeply tanned shoulders while his vest and shorts showed off muscular limbs and sculpted calves. You could easily have mistaken him for a professional athlete and he stood out even among the fit members of the Petroc crew. But what was Luca Parisi doing in the Petroc rowing crew?
‘He’s very buff, isn’t he? Looks like one of the Boat Race rowers,’ said Gaby. ‘Though he’ll probably turn out to be a complete idiot like Gaston in Beauty and the Beast.’ Jess laughed, relieved to see Gaby had found a distraction from the impending ordeal – and just as intrigued to see Luca there herself.
Will walked over, following their gaze as Luca checked the oars on the gig.
‘Then again,’ said Gaby loudly, ‘just because he looks incredibly hunky and gorgeous doesn’t automatically mean he is stupid. You shouldn’t judge on first appearances, should you, Will?’
Jess stifled a giggle. ‘I think he’s a businessman, actually.’
Will snorted. ‘He’s a bit of a tool apparently.’
‘And you know this, how?’ Jess demanded while Gaby tried hard not to dissolve into hysterics.
Will shrugged. ‘Patrick told me that he works for Hugo.’
‘That doesn’t necessarily make him a tool,’ said Jess.
‘He’s some kind of marketing guru from London. He only arrived two days ago by private helicopter and he’s been holed up with Hugo ever since,’ said Will.
Maisie arrived and must have just caught the end of Will’s comment because she joined in the conversation. ‘Let me guess? You’re talking about Luca Parisi. It’s not the first time he’s been here.’
Will’s eyes widened. ‘How did you know that? And when exactly did you see him?’
‘I thought everyone knew about him,’ said Jess, enjoying herself. ‘Maisie and I bumped into him when we were having lunch a few weeks ago … but I don’t really understand why he’s in the Petroc boat.’
‘He used to row for one of the Oxford colleges,’ said Maisie.
Gaby punched the air. ‘Told you! I knew it. He has that rower’s physique. Broad shoulders, great big guns and powerful thighs. My friend went out with a Cambridge Blue rower, so I got invited to a lot of their socials. Shame Luca’s from the Oxford but …’
Will groaned. ‘That’s bloody typical of Hugo to bring in a ringer. We’ve got no chance now.’
‘I thought this was meant to be a bit of fun,’ said Jess, watching Luca at the centre of a group of rowers of both sexes from his own crew and the rival Gull Island boat, including Patrick. Everyone was gathered round as if some kind of superhero had landed in their midst, although, judging by his stony expression, Will was less impressed.
‘I think we may as well give up,’ he said.
Jess slid a look at Luca’s impressive thighs. She wanted to agree with Will.
Gaby gasped. ‘No. No way. Even if we’re last, we’re not giving up. You’re not going to let the tool put you off, are you, Will?’
Gaby had clearly hit a raw nerve with her jibe.
He snorted in derision. ‘Of course not. I was joking. Javid might have been winding me up about him anyway. Just because he’s rowed in a sliding seat on a city river doesn’t mean he’ll have a clue about gig rowing. When he gets out on the open sea, he’s in for a hell of a shock.’
*
‘I think that went pretty well,’ said Will gloomily, as he locked the gig shed door a couple of hours later.
Jess patted him on the arm. ‘At least no one drowned,’ she said, wondering if her arms could have been pulled out of their sockets. Thirty-six was still young, but the Petroc crew had an average age of around twenty-five, not counting Luca, who was thirty-one, according to Gaby.
‘He really has rowed for the Oxford reserve Eight in the Boat Race,’ she told Will. ‘And for a gig crew in Salcombe. His family have their UK holiday home there.’
‘According to Javid, he rows for a famous Thames club when he’s not in Devon,’ said Will gloomily.
Javid arrived and slapped him on the back. ‘Hard luck, mate. No shame in coming last. We were miles behind the Petroc boat too. I reckon they would have won even if Luca had been in the boat on his own.’
‘Everyone did their best,’ said Jess. ‘Although I think you’ll have to carry Gaby to the pub.’
Will followed her gaze to the forlorn figure lying on the sand and staring at the sky. The rest of the crew were sitting around her looking like they’d been steamrollered too.
‘She did well for a novice,’ he said.
‘She was amazing. I think she was almost sick at one point.’ Jess stretched her shoulders and there was a distinct clicking sound. ‘I’m not sure my shoulder muscles will ever recover and by the looks of the others, I think productivity will take a nosedive for the rest of the week.’
‘I’d better see how everyone is,’ said Will.
‘I’ll come with you,’ said Jess, hurrying after him as he jogged down the beach towards Gaby, but Luca was also making a beeline for her, running over the sand like a Baywatch lifeguard.
Luca arrived a second before Will and crouched next to her.
‘Are you OK? Do you need a hand? Come on, let’s get you up. You need some hydration and carbs.’
Will stood over them both, hands on hips. ‘I can manage. She’s my crew member.’
Gaby waved them both off. ‘I’m perfectly capable of walking to the pub on my own,’ she said, sitting up. ‘I was only having a rest.’
Luca’s deep brown eyes were full of concern. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Of course, but thanks for asking.’ Gaby threw a smile at Luca. He had gorgeous eyes, thought Jess wondering if she should say so to Will just to wind him up a bit more. No, that would be too cruel on top of Gaby’s comments about how handsome Luca was. Will was taking the race far too seriously, but he’d probably heard enough about Luca today.
Luca smiled. ‘No problem. I’ll leave you to your skipper, then. See you at the pub?’
‘Great.’ Gaby smiled back. Jess wondered if Gaby was flirting or just being polite.
Luca seemed to have second thoughts about leaving. ‘Oh, for what it’s worth I thought you did an amazing job in your gig. I heard you hadn’t been in a boat until last week.’
‘I once crashed an Eight into the banks of the Cam,’ Gaby added, wincing as she rubbed her legs.
‘You were at the Other Place?’ Luca laughed. ‘Oh well, no one’s perfect, but if you’ve been to Cambridge, we must see if we have any mutual friends.’
Gaby seemed to brighten instantly. ‘Oh, we must have.’
‘I can tell you’re an experienced rower,’ he said to Jess, almost as if he’d sensed she was being ignored.
‘I wouldn’t say I was that experienced,’ she replied, and he gave her a knowing smile that implied she was only being modest. She had been slightly miffed but she’d also been fascinated by the rapport between Luca and Gaby. She sensed a definite frisson between them, unless Gaby was only responding to wind up Will. If that was the case, it was working because Will muttered in her ear, clearly not impressed at Gaby and Luca’s pally use of Oxbridge jargon: ‘Excuse me while I puke. Patrick’s right, he is a tool.’
Poor Will, thought Jess. Luca had backed off now but hovered by Gaby’s side, a concerned expression on his face. Will offered Gaby his hand again, but she waved it away and got to her feet. Jess thought her legs still looked on the wobbly side.
Some words were exchanged between Gaby and Will and judging by Will’s thunderous expression, they were probably rude ones.
‘Shit. I hadn’t meant to intrude on a domestic,’ Luca said in a low voice to Jess.
‘What do you mean?’ Jess asked, wondering how he could look box-fresh after bringing the Petroc crew home twenty yards ahead of anyone else.
‘Will and Gaby. I was only trying to help but I can see he’s protective of her. I didn’t know they were a couple.’
‘They’re not,’ said Jess, watching Gaby stomp off up the beach, with Will in tow.
Luca arched an eyebrow. ‘Oh. OK. It seemed as if they’re more than just friends.’
‘Actually, they’re both single.’
Luca’s gaze drew back to Gaby who was marching determinedly after the rest of the rowers. He had a smile on his face.
‘Hmm. I see.’ He turned to Jess, and her stomach did an annoying little flip even though she’d been left in no doubt that his interest lay with Gaby. ‘Shall we head for the pub before the bar runs dry? I should probably get the first round in too. I suspect I need to build some bridges with the other crews.’ His dark eyes twinkled and Jess realised he was probably perfectly aware that his brilliance in the gig hadn’t made him the most popular man on St Saviour’s. He smiled and Jess decided that not only was he fit and rather gorgeous, she rather liked his sense of humour too.
‘You know, I don’t think that can do any harm at all …’ she said.