12. Chapter 12
‘Right, listen up, people,’ the kayak instructor bellowed, clapping his hands together sharply.
Ollie and his friend Dave were whispering something. The instructor waited, arms folded until they had finished, like a schoolteacher. Everyone stood obediently still, watching.
Ollie, realising everyone was now looking at him and Dave, said, ‘Oops, sorry,’ and grinned. The kayak instructor shook his head wearily with the air of a man who’d seen it all before.
‘Right.’ He looked pointedly at Ollie and Dave. ‘Now I have everyone’s attention, let’s go over the rules of the water!’ He barked the word water.
‘My name is Tristan, and my job here today is to get you the right kit and make sure you can operate this safely,’ he gestured at a kayak and oars. ‘Has anyone here been kayaking before?’
Hardly anyone put their hands up. Tristan nodded and puffed his chest out. Lucy sensed he was pleased.
‘Okay, good. We’ll go through everything you need to know to be safe out there today. There are rules on the water.’
You’d think they were about to navigate the Panama Canal in a tanker.
Tristan started pacing up and down.
‘You need to know and obey these rules to be safe.’
‘He’s gotta be ex-military,’ Jack whispered in Lucy’s ear as they listened to Tristan bark out instructions. ‘I think I might accidentally salute in a minute.’
Lucy giggled, then stifled it as Tristan shot her a look.
Tristan started reciting the rules.
‘No standing up in the kayak, no pushing other boats with oars, no dropping the oars in the water, no drinking. Don’t go off on your own, don’t go out of sight. Be careful with the oars. The edges can be sharp. They are not to be used as a weapon.’
Crikey,what kinds of groups was this guy used to teaching?
‘Get your life vests on now!’ Tristan roared, and everyone scrambled obediently to find a life vest from the huge crates.
Lucy was giggling as she sorted through them, looking for one that didn’t have too many suspicious-looking marks on it––Was that blood? From previous kayakers who had used oars as weapons…?––not helped by Jack muttering, ‘Yes, sir, right now, sir,’ in her ear.
‘Sun protection,’ Tristan barked. ‘This is not a rule of the water, but you will find,’ he was pacing again, ‘that the water will be reflecting the sun back at you, increasing your chances of getting burned.’
The group started rummaging in backpacks for sunscreen. No one wanted burnt noses or singed forearms in the wedding photos.
Ollie had pulled the straps of Sophie’s swimming costume down her arms and was vigorously massaging sun cream into her shoulders and back while mumbling something into her ear that was making her hoot with laughter.
Lucy fished out her factor fifty and started smoothing it over her arms and shoulders. She reached around to get her neck.
Ollie glanced over and saw her straining to reach.
‘Jack,’ he called. ‘Lucy needs you.’
‘Oh no, it’s okay, I can—’ then she stopped.
Of course a boyfriend would help to apply sun cream. Jack, who was holding a wet life vest by the straps between finger and thumb, as if it was diseased, happily dropped it to come to Lucy’s aid.
‘Ah yes, fake boyfriend at your service,’ he whispered as he squirted a splodge of sun cream into his palm.
Lucy stood in her swimming costume with her back to Jack while he started smoothing cream over her back. His touch was firm as his fingers splayed across her skin. She caught her breath as his fingers dipped down below the edge of the fabric where it met the small of her back and at the sides. His hands moved upwards, and he gently pulled up the straps of her swimming costume and rubbed cream over her shoulders and down the backs of her arms. He took his time as he massaged the cream into her warm skin, and she found herself relaxing into the pressure. She could feel him standing close behind her, feel his breath in her ear, and she fought an urge to lean back into him, into his solid warmth. To tip her head back and rest it on his shoulder. His hands slipped up her neck and around the base of her throat, his fingers grazing her collarbone and dropping to skim the very tops of her breasts. Her body reacted to the intimacy of the touch. She swallowed as she fought a sudden desire for him to drop his hands a little lower. The heat of the sun and the sensual, mesmeric touch of Jack’s fingers had lulled her into a trance. She shouldn’t be enjoying this quite so much.
There was a squeal of laughter from nearby as Sophie fell into the water while trying to clamber into her kayak. Suddenly the spell was broken, and she snapped to. Jack wasn’t her boyfriend—he was pretending at her request. She had no business getting turned on in response to his touch.
Lucy stepped forward suddenly.
‘I can do the rest,’ she snapped, more sharply than she had meant to, and turned and snatched up the bottle, then saw Ollie and Sophie looking over.
Jack held his hands up. ‘I was all done,’ he said.
Lucy swallowed.
‘Sorry, it’s just….’
He was gazing at her intently. She looked at his broad shoulders and the scattering of dark hairs on his chest. She kept her eyes on the bottle of factor fifty, then cleared her throat and asked, in a slightly squeaky voice.
‘Shall I do you? The sun lotion, I mean.’
She felt her cheeks flush, and her hands, slick with sun cream, fumbled to open the bottle. She swore under her breath.
‘Sure,’ Jack said.
She glanced at him but couldn’t read his expression. She moved behind him and began to smooth the cream across his shoulders.
A few yards away by the shore, Dave was being told off by Tristan for undue care when carrying an oar. Sophie bent double with laughter as she tried once more to step into the bobbing boat that Ollie was trying to steady for her. Georgia, one of Ollie and Sophie’s friends from university, was already on the water and going in circles as she tried to work out how to use the oars.
Lucy could feel the tension in Jack’s shoulders, and she kneaded at the knots as she rubbed in factor fifty and felt them loosen under her fingertips.
Jack murmured, ‘That’s nice.’
Lucy rubbed cream down into the small of Jack’s back, to the fabric line of his swimming trucks. Her mouth felt dry as she slid her fingers just below the waistband. His skin was a light golden colour. She resisted the urge to press her cheek into his back between his shoulder blades, against his sun-warmed, sun-creamed skin, and slip her arms around him from behind.
She shook the thought out of her head.
‘All done,’ she squeaked and cleared her throat.
She tried again. ‘Finished.’
She couldn’t meet his gaze, and she tossed the bottle of sun cream towards her bag, missing by about four feet.
Oops.
Jack smiled.
‘Thanks’, he said, dark hair falling over his forehead and casting a shadow across his eyes.
Lucy broke her eyes away and said, with a little too much volume, ‘Right! Let’s get on the water, shall we?’
She tried to put her life vest on, but got her arm and head stuck in the same hole. Jack patiently released her and then helped her put it on, tightening the straps on her.
‘I can do it,’ she protested as she tugged at the straps.
‘Yes, looked like you had it all in hand,’ Jack grinned.
It gratified Lucy when they got down to the water’s edge, and Tristan told Jack he had his life vest on back to front.
She stood and grinned as Tristan monitored Jack to ensure he put it on properly.
‘Oh, that’s much better,’ she nodded. ‘Good to see you have it all in hand now.’
Jack shoved her. ‘Shut it,’ he said, and she giggled and pushed him back.
‘No messing about on the water!’ Tristan shouted.
‘Sorry!’ Lucy trilled as they dragged their kayaks into the lake.
‘Hurry,’ Jack whispered, eyes wide. ‘Run!’
Lucy was giggling, and the laughing made her lose all strength as she tried to drag the kayak.
‘I think you mean paddle!’ she replied, and Jack snorted.
He passed her an oar as Tristan watched on disapprovingly. Lucy clambered into her kayak.
‘Save yourself,’ Jack intoned, in a doom-laden voice. ‘Don’t look back.’
Lucy chortled and started paddling out into the lake.
‘I won’t leave you, Jack!’ she called over her shoulder. ‘I’ll wait for you.’
She turned the kayak and saw Jack pushing off from the shore, as Tristan shook his head, no doubt disapproving of banter on the water. Jack caught up with her.
‘Quick, go!’ he said, ‘before he catches us!’
They paddled out toward the rest of the group, but the others were far ahead of them now, and spreading out across the lake.
Plenty of people were out in search of some relief from the afternoon heat. Off to the side, in an area of the lake cordoned off from kayaks and water sports, clusters of people splashed in the water, and an ice-cream van did a roaring trade.
‘Race you to that buoy,’ she said, pointing, and started paddling like crazy. She leaned forward into the strokes, her arms felt like they were whirring she was moving the oar so fast. She revelled in the feel of the boat surging through the rippling water and the relief of a breeze in her face. Jack overtook her in just a few swift strokes of his oar.
‘Oh, fuck’s sake,’ Lucy gasped.
Her initial spurt of energy and adrenaline rapidly evaporated in the heat, and she wiped sweat from her eyes.
‘Argh, that’s not fair. You’re bigger than me,’ she shouted as Jack drifted to a stop beside the buoy ahead of her.
Jack shrugged and flexed his arms in a muscle man pose. All the football and yoga obviously paid off.
‘Best not to challenge me to feats of speed or strength, then,’ he called back. ‘I don’t want to make you feel bad about yourself.’
‘Oh har-dee-ha.’ Lucy panted, as she pulled up alongside him. ‘I thought you might give me a head start.’
‘Luce,’ Jack said, and looked at her earnestly. ‘I know you’d only want to win on your merits. And lose on them, too.’
She flicked water at him with the end of the oar.
‘Mmm, nice and cool.’
The rest of the group was heading towards the far side of the lake. Lucy was in no hurry to catch them. She enjoyed not having to make small talk or remember people’s names.
They drifted lazily up to the next buoy, oars just skimming the water. They were close to the centre of the lake and Lucy, tired from effort and sun, announced that this was where they should stop for a rest.
Jack swung around the buoy and pulled his oar out of the water. The boats bobbed gently, occasionally bumping into each other and to the buoy.
Lucy sprawled back in her kayak and lifted her face to the sun.
‘It’s so nice and peaceful out here,’ she said as she peered at him through squinty eyes.
‘Mmmm.’
Jack grinned and yawned in the sun. He stretched his arms up, his safety vest riding up to expose the line of dark hairs on his abdomen that disappeared into the waistband of his swim shorts. Lucy flicked her eyes away and concentrated on a bird diving in the water.
They bobbed on the water for a few moments in silence. Lucy enjoyed the warmth of the sun on her face. In spite of the sun cream, she could practically feel new freckles sprouting across her cheeks. The gentle movement of the boat and the lapping sounds of the water soothed her. Occasionally, faint laughter and shouts from people on the side shore reached them.
‘How do you think it’s going?’ Jack asked, breaking her reverie. ‘Me as your fake boyfriend?’
She tipped her head back, and with eyes pinched closed against the sun, considered. ‘Well, I think you get a ten out of ten from Ollie and Sophie—but they love everyone, so don’t get too excited. My dad seemed to like you, so that’s about a seven out of ten. My mother seems to think we’re getting married, so she’s on board. She’s definitely lowered her standards in terms of who she considers a suitable partner for me.’
Jack snorted, but Lucy continued.
‘But Heather…’ She sucked air in through her teeth. ‘She’s a tough cookie and you’ve not met her yet. And she’s suspicious—of everyone. All the time. That’s partly her nature—she assumes everyone is in competition with her for something—and partly that she’s a lawyer. She looks for nefarious motives everywhere. Actually, her natural tendency to suspicion and competition is, of course, what helps make her a brilliant lawyer. It’ll take about three years for her to warm up to you and bother to learn your last name. She didn’t show any interest in Sophie until she was engaged to Ollie and was going to be part of the family. I’d say,’ she shaded her eyes with her hands, ‘I think you’re on about a six-point-five overall from the judges. Not too shabby, but room for improvement.’
‘Well.’ Jack paddled closer to Lucy. ‘We’ll have to give them the full Jack and Lucy Show tonight, then. Put on a real charm offensive and ensure our love utterly bowls them over.’
Lucy, unsure what the full Jack and Lucy Show might involve, cackled and said, ‘Sure, so long as we survive our kayaking.’
‘It’s too hot now,’ Jack said, levering himself out of the kayak and into the water.
He gritted his teeth as the cold water slipped over his shoulders.
‘Sheesh! It looks refreshing, but it’s actually just freezing.’
‘Hope there aren’t any sharks in there,’ Lucy said, arching an eyebrow. ‘I’d hate to see you meet a bloody end.’
Jack splashed idly in the water, tipping his head back to wet his hair.
‘Lucy,’ he sighed, shaking his head. ‘Your knowledge of nature never ceases to amaze me. There are no freshwater sharks in the UK. Where do you get your knowledge of nature from?’
Lucy shrugged. ‘Facebook. TikTok. Cassie. The gardeners at Dulcetcoombe.’
‘There are no sharks in here,’ Jack said, as he floated on his back. ‘Maybe some pike or carp. Perhaps the odd eel, which could be a few feet long, but I think we’re okay.’
Lucy pulled a face and peered into the water on the lookout for eels. She watched as Jack bobbed in the water. ‘Dunn dunn….dun dunn….’ she sang.
Jack laughed and swam a little further into the lake.
Lucy continued. ‘Duuunnnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun,’
Jack had rolled onto his back and was gently kicking backwards when he suddenly jerked in the water.
‘Whoa! What was that?’
‘What was what?!’ Lucy squealed, sitting bolt upright in the kayak and peering nervously over the edge.
Jack looked at her as he trod water a few metres away, eyes wide.
‘Something rough just brushed my leg.’
His voice was quiet and serious, and he started swimming back to the kayaks. He reached Lucy’s kayak and started to pull himself out of the water.
‘I think I need to get out of—’
He abruptly slipped off the kayak and into the water.
‘Argh! Lucy, help me!’
His arms were flailing in the water. Lucy, watching Jack splash frantically in the water, froze in place as he moved away from her through the water. Then, arms shaking, clutching her oars, she tried to paddle over to him, oars slapping the water ineffectually.
‘I’m coming, Jack! Hold on!’ she panted as she edged closer.
Jack, who in his frantic spinning and splashing had ended up in the water with his back to her, suddenly let out a howl of laughter.
‘I can’t do it,’ he gasped. ‘I can’t keep a straight face!’
Lucy stopped paddling and let the kayak drift up to him.
‘You’re so gullible, Luce,’ Jack panted, laughing as he bobbed in the water.
‘You fucker,’ Lucy hissed as she pulled alongside.
‘Did you really think that was a shark in here?’ Jack howled. ‘That was pulling me down?’
‘I should sink you myself,’ Lucy hissed, flicking water at him. ‘Pardon me for thinking you were in some sort of trouble. And I didn’t think it was a shark,’ she lied, ‘I thought…I thought maybe it was a giant eel trying to take you down.’ She shuddered at the thought of what might be in the water. ‘You should be glad I bothered to come to your rescue at all. I won’t bother the next time. You’ll be sorry then. You’ll be the boy who cried shark.’
Jack clung to the end of Lucy’s kayak, still laughing, wet hair slicked to his head. She prodded him with the end of her oar. He looked utterly charming and rudely healthy as he laughed up at her. Like a poster boy for a magazine about the benefits of outdoor lifestyles.
‘Get off.’ She jabbed at him with her oar. ‘I don’t want you near me, taking the piss out of me like that.’
‘Hey,’ Jack said, letting go of the kayak and drifting gently back into the water. ‘Tristan said we’re not supposed to use the oars as weapons.’
Lucy, trying to steer the kayak to a safe distance away from Jack’s antics, huffed over her shoulder.
‘I’m pretty sure he’d fully support me on this occasion.’
Lucy sulked quietly to herself and plotted how she might get back at Jack. Jack, still letting out the occasional snicker and shaking his head in her direction, bobbed happily on the lake, his faced turned to the sun, his hair curling into waves in the heat.
‘Where are the happy couple? It’s not just us still out here, is it?’ Jack asked.
He levered himself out of the water and back into his kayak, squinting across the lake in the vague direction they had last seen Ollie and Sophie paddling.
‘I think they”re out here somewhere. Topping up their tans for their big day.” Lucy trailed her fingertips in the water. ”Why do you dislike weddings so much, anyway?’
She turned her kayak to come alongside Jack’s, so she was facing him.
‘Does the old misery guts in you hate to see other people happy? Or do you get jealous because it’s not your special day with all the attention on you?’
He shrugged, a stiff movement inside the life vest.
‘They’re just not my cup of tea.’
‘Jack,’ she said, persisting. ‘You don’t just find weddings boring, or old-fashioned or overly sentimental—you really dislike them and you’ve never said why. Last year you told Lewis that you were away on holiday on his wedding date and I know for a fact you went to a cricket match instead. And you’re not even that bothered about cricket. I was rather surprised you said yes to coming to this with me.’
His eyes flicked up to meet hers, but she couldn’t gauge what he was thinking.
‘So what’s the real reason?’
Lucy gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. ‘Oh my god, were you jilted at the altar? That’s it, isn’t it? And now every wedding reminds you of how Bertha left you standing there that day…’
She started giggling.
‘That’s right, laugh at your own jokes,’ Jack said, splashing her. But there was a tone of real irritation in his voice. ‘Sorry to disappoint, but it’s nothing so dramatic.’ His mouth pressed into a hard line, and he paddled away from Lucy. ‘Just leave it, it’s no big deal.’
‘No need to get tetchy. I was only asking. I don’t see why you can’t tell me—’
‘Why do you have to keep pushing?’ he snapped. ‘I’ve said I don’t want to talk about it.’
‘Okay, okay. I’m sorry.’
His sharp tone surprised her. Jack usually handled everything with good humour, no matter how delicate the situation. She made a zipping and locking gesture at her lips and threw an imaginary key into the lake.
Lucy resolved to keep quiet and concentrate on minding her own business. Her kayak bobbed gently in the water, and she tried to reconnect with the relaxed feeling she had had when they’d first come onto the lake. Before she asked too many questions.
Lucy studied the inside of her eyelids and wondered at what age she would learn to stop badgering people. She shifted inside the kayak and could feel sweat gathering under her life vest. She shuffled herself into an awkward semi-prone position and tilted her head back to the sun.
The water, disturbed by a group of passing paddle boarders, slapped at the side of the boats, and Lucy and Jack trailed their fingers in the water and splashed cold water over their faces to cool down. A father teaching two boys how to paddle passed by in a large shared kayak.
‘On my count,’ he said, as the boys, overexcited, dipped their oars in and pulled and sent the kayak in a circle. ‘I said on my count!’ he shouted.
Lucy giggled and sank her chin into her life vest to smother it.
Suddenly, Jack broke the silence.