Page 49 of It's All Sun and Games

‘It’s okay,’ Andrea insists. ‘Get in.’

I hover at the edge of the pool, chewing my fingernail anxiously. There is no way I can get in that contraption with him and for the whole thing to stay afloat, right?

I suppose there’s only one way to find out.

I don’t overthink it, I just do it, and I’m not sure how it happens but I am in the boat with Andrea. I mean, maybe I should have thought about it for a second, because I’m straddling him, lying on top of him, my body pressing down on his, my hair in his face.

Cheers erupt from around the pool – I suppose we must have attracted a little bit of a crowd.

‘Robin, we did it,’ Andrea tells me, hugging me tightly. I’m not sure if it’s to celebrate or to hold me steady but, either way, I’ll take it.

‘We did,’ I reply. ‘I can’t believe it, it’s just so… wait… hang on a second, how do we get out?’

Andrea just laughs.

‘I don’t know,’ he replies. ‘But, for now, let’s just enjoy our victory.’

‘Okay,’ I say, mumbling my words into his chest.

We may be stuck, for now, but – weirdly – I can’t think of anyone else I would rather be stuck here with.

20

After giving Andrea the evening off to spend time with his family, I head over to James’s apartment for our dinner. Well, I say ‘head over’, but his apartment is right next door to mine, so it’s not like I have far to go, is it?

James opens the door, greeting me in true Italian fashion with a kiss on each cheek.

‘Ciao, ciao,’ he says, not quite nailing the accent – but who am I to (quite literally) talk?

‘Hello,’ I say cheerily. ‘Wow, you smell nice.’

I blurt this out without thinking. It makes James smile, though.

‘Thanks,’ he replies. ‘Come in, please.’

James steps aside, so that I can join him. He’s looking good – like he’s made an effort, in a smart pair of trousers and a white shirt. I have also made an effort, putting on one of my new sun dresses; however, I have tried to make it look like I haven’t made any real effort at all, so my hair and make-up are understated (well, no, again, I want my ‘natural look’ make-up to look understated, but I’m actually wearing a frankly tremendous amount to achieve the look).

Once I take my eyes off James, the next thing I notice is his apartment. Wow, okay, it is definitely much bigger than mine. It’s no surprise, though. Rick loves to play favourites, and James is definitely his favourite.

Oh, and I’m noticing something else too, now that I’m in here. I’m the first one to arrive so, for now, James and I are alone together.

‘Just the two of us so far, hmm?’ I point out, stating the obvious.

‘Yes, well, it’s not often I get to see you on your own, is it?’ he replies. ‘Not lately, anyway. I’d almost forgotten what you looked like, without Andrea attached to you. He’s a bit much, isn’t he? Sort of… clingy.’

I don’t think James was intending to let all of that out but the words just flowed from his lips, like he’d sprung a leak, one that he couldn’t stop.

Honestly, it really does seem like it’s coming from a place of pure jealousy. It’s actually hilarious, how much more desirable having a boyfriend makes me appear to other men – well, to James at least. And the fact that James believes Andrea is my fiancé only seems to intensify things. The more he thinks he can’t have me, the more he seems to want me.

‘Anyway, what’s he doing tonight?’ James asks. ‘Where is Andrea?’

‘Oh, he’s next door, in our apartment,’ I reply casually. Lying, obviously.

James peers at the wall between our apartments, as if trying to see through it, as a sly smile creeps through his lips.

I can still smell his aftershave, even from here. Now that I think about it, it’s all I can smell.

‘I can’t smell any cooking,’ I point out, suddenly wondering what’s for dinner, and – I was going to say hoping it’s not just Lemon Soda and crisps, but I don’t think I’d hate that.

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