Page 65 of It's All Sun and Games

Andrea peels off his life jacket and throws it onto the boat.

‘I’ll tell you what, I’ll race you,’ James calls out, untethering himself from me, taking off his own life jacket and throwing it into the boat too before jumping into the water.

‘Okay, let’s go,’ Andrea replies with a laugh.

And, just like that, they’re off.

‘Shall we have a swimming race?’ I dare to joke to Liz.

‘You really would embarrass yourself if you and I raced,’ she replies with a totally straight face. ‘Let’s stick with the boat, yeah?’

As the boat speeds ahead, carrying me and Liz back towards the beach, it’s no surprise that we arrive back at the shore first.

‘The boys are swimming back,’ I tell Rick. ‘They’re racing.’

‘Oh, this ought to be good,’ Rick replies. ‘England vs Italy.’

As we all stand there, waiting for Andrea and James to surface, it isn’t all that long before one of them gets much closer. It’s hard to tell who is who when they’re wet, but I know who my money is on – and I know who I want to win too.

Suddenly, Andrea emerges from the water, striding to the shore with the super-sexy, effortless grace of Daniel Craig as James Bond. The water cascades down his sculpted muscles, highlighting every contour of his body as he walks in what feels like slow motion.

‘I finally understand the term “Italian stallion”,’ Cait says under her breath with a giggle.

Moments later, James appears behind him, but his exit from the water is considerably less graceful. As he pulls a clump of seaweed from his hair, he must catch his foot on a rock. His face contorts and he turns the air bluer than the sea.

‘Fuck, shit, fuck,’ he blurts, holding one of his feet in his hands, hopping on the spot.

I just ignore him, though. Instead, I run to Andrea and I leap into his arms.

‘I am so proud of you,’ I tell him – and I am. I really am. Not for show, not because it will impress Rick or make James jealous. I really am well and truly proud of him. I’m proud to call him mine, even if he isn’t really, and even if it’s only briefly.

‘Hey, it looks like we both won something,’ he says excitedly as he spins me around, his hands firmly cupping my bum to hold me steady in the air.

‘We really did,’ I reply with a smile.

I like to think that it’s just because I am loving feeling like I’m winning for once but, I don’t know, it’s starting to feel like a bit more than that.

But what? I’m not sure.

28

After yet another delicious meal – four and a half courses this time, because Andrea claims he’s prepping me for the wedding feast tomorrow – we’re all gathered around the table at the open-air restaurant, having a chat.

Tonight’s dinner was a reward for the winners, and it’s amazing how far we’re stretching that definition. I suppose it’s for the best, otherwise it would have just been me and James, and I would be having to navigate another romantic meal for two.

The food has been nothing short of incredible. The first course was a delicate antipasto platter, adorned with more cured meats, artisan cheeses, and marinated vegetables than I can name. It’s almost like a starter-starter, which I love. Definitely something I can take back home with me and get used to in my day-to-day life.

Then I had my actual starter – a creamy risotto, made with (what Andrea told me was) Arborio rice cooked to perfection in a rich, savoury creamy mushroom broth. For my main, while I was tempted to go for a pasta or pizza dish (because, ciao, I’m in Italy), I decided instead to let Andrea choose something for me. What I ended up with was, essentially, an Italian roast dinner. We had tender braised lamb shanks, slow-cooked until they practically melted off the bone, seasoned beautifully with garlic, rosemary, and red wine. The meat was served with a variety of vegetable dishes, as well as a side of velvety-smooth polenta – something Andrea said I had to try, and I’m glad I did. Finally there was dessert, which was a classic tiramisu, which I love because it feels like a dessert, a cocktail and a coffee all rolled into one.

I am so, so full. I think everyone at the table is, to be honest. As ‘dinners for winners’ goes (as Rick described it when we arrived this evening), this one has been great. We have stretched the definition of ‘winners’, though – quite a bit.

There’s me and James, the actual winners of the banana boat thing. Then there is Andrea, who won the swimming race (which wasn’t officially a part of the competition but, to be honest with you, I think that Rick just really likes having him around). Oh, and Liz is here, because she complained that it wasn’t fair that the other half of her team got to be here, especially when it was Andrea who made her lose. And finally we have Rick who, despite not having won anything, and being the person to survive for the shortest time on the banana boat, is here too. Another fine example of how the system will always be rigged to favour those at the top.

With Rick’s big day just around the corner, the wedding is all he wants to talk about tonight.

‘I just can’t wait,’ he says for, I don’t know, the hundredth time. ‘It’s going to be incredible!’

‘I’m looking forward to seeing what you have planned,’ Andrea replies politely.

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