Chapter 15
Still out of breath, Leon returned the bag to the grateful American woman, then came and sat back down next to Fen.
‘Are you hurt?’ Her own heart was racing.
He shrugged. ‘I’m OK.’
‘You were amazing. Like Superman. Except that boy could have had a knife.’
‘But he didn’t. I’m fine.’
Other people around them had applauded and congratulated him as he’d come back with the bag, limping slightly but visibly embarrassed by the attention. He wasn’t fine, but clearly he didn’t want a fuss made, so Fen let it go.
Less than three minutes later, Jamie and Molly returned from their trip to the jeweller’s.
‘Would you believe it? They closed early tonight.’ Molly was indignant. ‘Typical! Never mind.’ She beamed at Jamie, next to her. ‘I’ll take you back there tomorrow when they’re open.’
‘You don’t need to,’ he told her. ‘I know where it is now. I can go by myself.’
‘I think I should be with you, though. You’ll get a better price.’
‘You missed Leon being a total hero,’ Disa chimed in, and promptly launched into the story, interrupted only by the American couple stopping by to thank him again for his actions before leaving the restaurant.
If he was ever in Texas, they told him, he was welcome to come and stay with them on their family ranch for as long as he liked.
When the pair had left, Jamie exclaimed, ‘Hey, good for you,’ and clapped him on the back, causing Leon to say mildly, ‘Ow.’
‘Sorry. But if you will keep swooping in to the rescue, it’s going to happen.
’ He turned to the others. ‘This isn’t his first time, you know.
When we were at uni, he rescued a lad who’d got into difficulty swimming in the river.
Saved his life. And another time he climbed up a tree to help a kid who’d got stuck and was panicking. ’
‘OK,’ said Disa, ‘that makes you a superhero.’
‘What he hasn’t mentioned is that I’d had a few beers before the tree thing.’ Leon pulled a face. ‘I managed to get the kid down far enough for Jamie to catch him, then lost my balance and fell off the last branch. Landed flat on my back in a patch of nettles.’
‘I still have the video of that,’ said Jamie. ‘It was hilarious.’
‘You could have really hurt yourself,’ Disa protested.
Jamie was still laughing. ‘It was just his pride. And those nettle stings all over his arms. We’re never going to let him forget it.’
Dinner was over. As they prepared to leave, Molly turned to Jamie. ‘If you fancy staying out for another drink, I know a brilliant little bar behind the Piazza San Marco.’ Then, when he hesitated for a moment, she amended hastily, ‘I don’t just mean you and me. We could all go.’
‘Not for me, thanks.’ Disa shook her head. ‘I’m going to head back to the ship.’
‘I think we will too.’ Leon checked with Fen. ‘If that’s all right with you?’
‘It’s fine.’ He was limping while trying not to; Fen could see he was in pain. ‘I’m happy to go back.’
‘You can’t turn me down too.’ Molly gave Jamie a pleading look. ‘It’s not that late.’
He hesitated, then said, ‘OK, let’s go.’
‘Yay!’ Molly hugged the rest of them. ‘It’s been so lovely. See you again soon.’
‘She really likes him,’ Disa observed, watching Molly and Jamie set off towards the Piazza San Marco. ‘Oh dear, let’s hope he doesn’t break her heart.’
Leon gave Fen’s hand another secret squeeze and murmured, ‘He probably will.’
Once back on the ship, Disa was swiftly commandeered by a handsome Danish architect and borne off to the top deck for dancing and cocktails.
Fen and Leon retired to his cabin and made love with care because his torso and legs were already coming out in prominent bruises from the vicious kicking he’d received and there was a nasty graze on his back.
‘Be gentle with me,’ he whispered into her ear. Then, a couple of minutes later, ‘Not as gentle as that.’
Afterwards, he swilled a couple of painkillers down with iced water and they lay in each other’s arms.
‘That was a brave thing you did this evening,’ Fen told him.
He smiled. ‘Were you impressed? Does it make you like me more?’
‘I think it does. It’s a shame Jamie and Molly missed it. They’d have been impressed too.’
‘Honestly? I’ll let you into a secret. Jamie’s fitter and faster than me. If he’d been there, he’d have beaten me to it and got all the praise. And maybe then you’d have decided you preferred him to me.’
She shook her head. ‘I wouldn’t.’
‘You might. He would have caught the guy and marched him off to the nearest police station. Not let him get away.’
‘Hey, there were dozens of people in that square when it happened. You were the only one who did anything. And now you have two new best friends in Texas.’ She kissed him. ‘And I definitely prefer you. Which is why I’m here with you now. I don’t spend the night in just anybody’s cabin, you know.’
‘Glad to hear that.’ He returned the kiss. ‘Mind you, if you spend tonight in Jamie’s cabin, I’m guessing you’ll be on your own, because he’ll be over at Molly’s place with her.’
Echoing Disa’s comment earlier, Fen said, ‘I hope she doesn’t end up getting hurt.’
‘You never know.’ Leon shrugged. ‘One day Jamie’s going to find the woman of his dreams. It has to happen sooner or later, and maybe it’s Molly. She could turn out to be the one he’s been waiting to meet all his life.’
‘You can come in for a drink if you like.’ Molly’s tone had been casual, but hope shone in her hazel eyes.
Jamie shook his head. ‘Thanks, but I’ve had enough.’ They’d spent the last hour and a half in her favourite bar and he’d walked her back to her apartment in Cannaregio.
‘Coffee, then?’ She’d gazed up at him. If he agreed, he knew what would happen next.
‘Best not. I should get back.’
‘Well, that’s a shame.’ Her flirtatious smile wasn’t giving up yet. ‘If you want to, you’re welcome to stay. And not because you’re famous. Nothing to do with that. It just feels as if we have, you know, a good connection.’
For a long moment he’d almost been tempted, because why not?
Where was the harm? But no, he’d made his polite excuses and left, returning to the ship and joining a group of rugby enthusiasts up on deck because Leon and Fen had retired to Leon’s cabin and he knew only too well what they would be getting up to.
Anyway, that had been last night, seventeen hours ago.
He’d slept well, and alone, and had woken early, not regretting his decision at all but at the same time still somewhat intrigued by the fact that he’d made it.
At the grand old age of thirty-one, was this nature’s way of letting him know that it was time to grow up and settle down?
It was now Thursday afternoon and the ship had sailed across the Venetian lagoon earlier, bringing them to Burano.
Along with almost all the other guests on board, they had gone ashore and explored the small but staggeringly picturesque island.
What it lacked in gondolas it more than made up for with its uniquely colourful and photogenic buildings and air of celebration.
Exploring the shops along with Leon and Fen, Jamie chose a striking cranberry glass pendant for his mother while Leon bought a set of multicoloured tumblers and a hand-made lace tablecloth for his parents, as well as an iridescent peacock-blue silk kaftan for Fen.
Then it was time to set sail once more, back to Venice, taking photos and videos all the way.
Once they were moored alongside Riva dei Sette Martiri, Jamie left Leon and Fen to it – it undoubtedly being more sex – and returned to his own cabin to shower and change before his six o’clock stint as guest speaker in the private lounge.
Then, after dinner there was a trip scheduled for a private visit to the Basilica di San Marco, which evidently was an experience not to be missed.
He checked his messages, skimming through the notifications.
A publisher was enquiring whether he’d be interested in writing his autobiography.
His agent had updated him with a couple of upcoming TV appearances.
A male ‘fan’ who’d recently com-plained that he’d worn the same azure-blue shirt twice in a month on TV was now asking him to donate it to him, unwashed, and complaining that the charcoal-grey shirt he’d worn on last week’s show had been boring.
No pleasing some people.
There were other comments on his Instagram account, chiefly from male rugby fans and females keen for him to slide into their DMs.
There was also one from Arabella, one of his and Leon’s friends: Hey, you!
Leon says he’s going to introduce us to this new girlfriend of his when they get back – he looks pretty loved up in the background of that photo you were tagged in, so we’re dying to know what she’s like.
Nice? Awful? You’re the expert on women, so we trust your judgement. Do you like her?
Jamie took a breath and gazed out of the window as a sleek white motorboat sped by in one direction while a longer blue boat chugged past in the other. To the left, several noisy seagulls were tussling over something on the deck of a fishing vessel.
Did he like her?
Do I like her?
There it was, the question he couldn’t truthfully answer.
With a clatter of wings, one of the seagulls rose triumphantly into the air, a small fish clasped in its beak, while the others squawked in protest.
Choosing his words with care, he replied to Arabella: No need to worry, she definitely isn’t awful. You’ll like her, I promise.