I meant that this place is different to what you’re used to. A big change.’
‘That’s why I’m here,’ said Gaby firmly, determined not to show a moment’s weakness.
He exchanged a glance with her, very like the one they’d shared when she’d teased him about his buns. This one lasted slightly longer but had the same effect: giving her a prickly sensation that was both pleasurable and a little bit worrying.
He glanced away first though. Re-sult.
‘Right. I’ll leave you to it,’ he said, taking a strong interest in the tassels on her bedside lamp for some reason. ‘Oh. I’ve remembered the reason I wanted to pop in in the first place. I don’t know if Jess told you. Training starts tomorrow. Seven-thirty sharp at the packing shed. Len will show you the ropes and we’ll see how you shape up.’ He smiled encouragingly as if he regretted his choice of words. ‘I’m sure you’ll be OK with the right training, is what I meant. We’ll give you plenty of support.’
‘Sounds terribly exciting. I can’t wait.’ She tried to keep the edge of sarcasm out of her voice and failed miserably.
Damn Will Godrevy, how dare he come in here being nice to her – because he was trying to be nice in his own blunt way, she was convinced. Whereas she was acting defensive because she was tired and suddenly horribly afraid she had, in fact, made a huge mistake in running away to this outpost where no one gave a monkey’s that she had a PhD in poetry and only cared if she could pick a daffodil correctly.
‘Exciting?’ He gave the kind of tiny smug smile people do when they think they know some great truth about the world that you clearly don’t and wait until you do … ‘That’s one way of describing Len’s training. I expect Jess’ll be back later to see how you’re getting on and you’ll get to know everyone in the common room tonight. Enjoy yourself. See you tomorrow.’
Enjoy yourself? Gaby picked up the photo and sighed, then pushed up the corners of her mouth with her fingers. She was here. She knew what he was thinking, what they were all thinking: Grouchy Will, Scary Len, Gentle Giant Adam and even kind-hearted Jess. Despite fixing the pump, they all thought she was an airy-fairy flake and that she’d crumble within five minutes.
Gaby ran her finger over Stevie’s face. ‘And, Stevie, forgive me, but I may well do exactly that.’
After showing Gaby to her room, Jess was waylaid by Len to deal with a problem with the flower refrigeration room. Adam came to help her and when it was sorted they found Will in his office, tapping away furiously at the desktop computer and muttering curses.
‘I decided to reorder some cardboard boxes because we’re running low, but the order site keeps throwing me into a loop. Every time I think I’ve cracked it, I get thrown off the site and have to do it all again. I should be down at the quay now, helping to unload a new load of packing materials. And please don’t mention it’s a bank holiday.’ He lifted his hands from the keyboard and sat back in disgust.
‘Let me take a look. Maybe a fresh pair of eyes will help,’ said Jess, bundling him off the seat. ‘Why don’t you make a coffee or something.’
Will hovered by her shoulder. ‘I don’t see how you can do any different. I’ve tried it five times.’
‘Let Jess have a go, mate,’ said Adam. ‘We’ll grab a coffee and you can tell me about the Athene. I’ve been to look at her. Do you think she’ll be ready for us at the start of the new season next spring?’
Will seemed to perk up at mention of the Athene. ‘I hope so. We need a crew for her first. We’re two women short at the moment.’
‘There’s always Jess – she can step in if we’re desperate.’
Jess glared at Will. ‘Thanks a lot! And tough because I’m already committed to the Women’s boat. You might enjoy rowing twice in a race meet, but not me. Now, do you really want this stuff ordered or shall I let you suffer?’
‘It’s your business too,’ said Will with an infuriating grin.
Adam winced. ‘Come on, mate. Let’s make a drink before she takes you at your word.’
Jess heard them discussing the progress of the Athene in the kitchenette before the hiss of the kettle drowned out the conversation. She didn’t mind a bit of teasing from Will and while he could be short-tempered and annoying, he was a loyal brother and friend. He and Adam had been mates almost since the first time Adam had set foot on St Saviour’s. Although Jess’s first encounter with him was when he’d delivered a bag of mail to the farm two summers previously, it was through Will that she’d got to know him better. As Adam had played rugby semi-professionally in his Cumbrian home town, he was soon roped in as captain of the Scilly Corsairs. Will had soon realised Adam would also be ideal rowing material and persuaded him to join the St Saviour’s Men’s crew.
The two of them had hit it off quickly and Adam had been grateful for the excuse to visit the farm to see Jess before he’d eventually asked her out. He’d confessed as much to Will, who’d rolled his eyes and complained he’d never intended to ‘play matchmaker’ and must make sure he never did it again.
Ah. Will. What on earth was Jess going to do about his love life – or lack thereof?
With his rowing in the summer and rugby in the winter, plus the farm, her brother’s life seemingly was a full one. There hadn’t been much time for relationships, although he had dated a few women over the years. The longest lasting one had been with a Belgian woman who’d come to work in the ferry office in Hugh Town. She’d decided to go back to Ghent to study, so that had been the end of that. Will had wandered around in a gloom for a week or two but soon snapped out of it when rowing season started in the spring, so Jess had suspected he wasn’t too heartbroken.
Since then, he’d managed to acquire a reputation for being an impossible catch and even though he’d had a couple of flings with temporary visitors to the islands, he didn’t seem to have fallen hard for anyone special. That wasn’t so unusual because finding a partner among a small and ever-changing community was difficult in itself, not to mention when you were very busy and tied to a business, as Jess had also discovered over the years.
Before Adam, she hadn’t had the best romantic track record herself. A couple of flings that had fizzled out; one with a doctor who’d inevitably left to further his career on the mainland, and one with a policeman: ditto.
She counted herself incredibly lucky to have met Adam. She knew that moving in to his place was on the cards and she was looking forward to making a life together, and fingers crossed, having a family of their own one day.
And then Jess thought of her best mate, Maisie Samson. They’d been friends since their schooldays, although Maisie was a few years older. All the children from the smaller isles boarded at the high school on St Mary’s because it was too disruptive for them to constantly travel back and forth on boats every day. Maisie had taken Jess under her wing in the first year, and during the holidays when she’d returned from sixth form college on the mainland. As Jess grew up, they’d become firm friends.
Jess had supported Maisie through some dark times lately. Maisie had miscarried her previous
