Page 120 of Oar Than Friends

‘Yeah, they were there this morning. It was helpful,’ she started laughing again, though it wasn’t her usual loud guffawing I’d become used to, the one where she let out a little snort at the end, ‘at least I wasn’t the one who nearly sank the boat. Not directly anyway.’

But I laughed with her, even if I was only giving twenty per cent. ‘That’s true.’

I was about to speak again when her focus drifted to the left of her screen, then back to me. ‘I need to go, Imogen’s here and we’re late for class.’

‘Okay babe, I love you. I’m going to drive over after training later, I haven’t seen you since last week.’

It was brief, but she hesitated before she answered. I wasn’t one to read into things, but that hesitation did not make me feel good. Quite the opposite, in fact.

‘Okay, see you later.’

The screen went black before I could tell her to have a good day, and before she could say she loved me too, and I found myself scowling into the silence of the car ride analyzing every word she’d just spoken.

‘She seems okay, considering,’ said Brooks, turning off the lane and onto the main road leading into Oxford.

‘I guess.’ I scratched through my hair and tugged hard on the ends, as I really thought about it. Maybe ‘considering’ was all it was that had caused her hesitation. It didn’t make me feel any better however. ‘Yeah, I guess. She’s had a baptism of fire into my life and it’s exhausting enough for me to deal with, let alone someone who isn’t used to press attention. I should have prepped her for this.’

It dawned on me that on top of her mountain of coursework she was also training for the Boat Race harder than anyone else, because she was so determined not to let the crew down. And now this shit storm had hit because of me. What was the point of being her boyfriend if I was the one she needed protection from?

I didn’t want to voice aloud that if I was her, I’d run as far away from me as possible.

I’d never felt so helpless in my life, and the entire situation had me reaching for the Pepto Bismol before my stomach lining dissolved from all the anxiety swirling around.

‘Sorry mate, it fucking sucks. You kinda need to be in two places at once right now, really. Just to make sure she’s okay.’

‘Tell me about it,’ I grumbled. ‘If only time travel was a real thing.’

Charlie’s head popped back through the centre console, ‘It is real.’

‘Not today it’s not, Charles.’ Brooks pushed Charlie’s head back and quickly glanced at me, then snapped his fingers. ‘What about Olly?’

‘What about him?’

‘He could keep an eye on her.’

I turned to face Brooks. He was still focused on the road, but the eager expression on his face was directed to me.

‘Yes. You’re fucking right. He could.’ I hit the voice activation on the car’s speakers, and it only rang once before Olly answered.

‘Hey, mate. How’re you holding up?’

‘Same bullshit, different day. I’m in the car with Charlie and Brooks, and have a favour to ask.’

‘Oh yes?’

‘Are you busy this week?’

There was a muffle of noise in the background followed by the sound of a door closing. ‘I guess it dependson your definition of busy, some of us have less free time than others.’

‘Can you keep an eye on Kate?’

‘How exactly am I supposed to do that?’ he laughed loudly.

‘Aren’t you used to following women around, Ol?’

‘No, Charles. They follow me.’

I held my hand up to silence Charlie before he could snap back; they could banter all they wanted once I’d dealt with my much more urgent issue.

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