Page 15 of Oar Than Friends

‘Oz, your dad’s calling,’ he announced, quietly.

‘Kill it,’ I snarled.

He placed the phone back in the centre console. ‘Have you spoken to him at all?’

I shook my head, ‘Nope. Not since June when it all hit the fan.’

‘What are you going to do?’

I took a left down towards the main road leading out of Oxford, ‘Nothing, he can go fuck himself.’

‘How’s your mum?’ he asked, opening up the porridge I’d made him and spooning in a mouthful.

I shrugged, letting out a heavy sigh, ‘She’s okay, beyond being embarrassed. It’s not like we haven’t all known he can’t keep his dick in his pants, but the amount of press at the moment isn’t ideal.’

‘Have you seen her?’

‘No, she’s still in Greece, avoiding it all, which is somewhat of a blessing. But my sister’s at the country house and said the paparazzi were parked at the front gates all weekend. Thankfully, my brothers are already back at Eton. I just wish they’d get bored and move on to some other politician who’s screwing someone he shouldn’t be.’

‘Want me to see if I can find one?’ he asked with utmost seriousness, and I wouldn’t put it past him to do it either. Charlie was capable of many things which probably shouldn’t be discussed.

I snorted. ‘I’ll let you know, but I appreciate the offer.’

The rest of the journey was completed in silence while Charlie finished his breakfast, then leaned his head back on the rest, and I wasn’t certain he hadn’t fallen back to sleep. Twenty minutes later I pulled into my usual space at the boathouse to find Joshi getting out of Brooks’ car, followed by Pete and Frank.

‘Morning, boys.’

‘Good morning,’ replied Charlie, much more buoyant now he’d been fed, watered, and further rested.

‘Heard anything yet?’ asked Frank, hoisting his gym bag over his shoulder.

‘Nope,’ I shook my head, pressing the car fob again to double check I’d locked it.

‘Wonder if Coach will say anything.’

‘Let’s go in and find out.’

We weren’t the first to arrive, but we weren’t the last either which was never a good place to be. There were easily thirty guys in here already, half of last year’s boat race squad of twenty-four men, along with our head coach, his two assistant coaches, our physio and the boathouse manager, while more guys filed in all hoping to be part of a crew making history.

This meeting would be a full house.

‘Shit, busy this year,’ muttered Brooks as we all inched along the back wall.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a couple of nudges and whispers. I couldn’t be sure if it was about the renewed tabloid interest in my family or because the eight of us together were usually considered some kind of quasi-university celebrities, which made me cringe to my core, but I tugged the peak of my cap down lower anyway.

‘Quiet, quiet!’ shouted Coach Lassiter as the room filled up. ‘Quiet!’

There were so many of us now that it still took a minute for his instructions to seep through, but slowly volume levels dropped to nothing.

‘Good morning, boys. I hope you enjoyed your lie-in.’ He grinned, and a couple of the wider administrative staff behind him let out a chuckle. ‘For all you newbies who spent the summer developing your skills in the hopes of a spot this year, it will be the last lie-in you’ll have.’

I glanced around, seeking out any shocked faces, but came up blank. You didn’t try out for the Oxford squad if you weren’t a fan of early mornings, Charlie excluded.

‘We have one race to win, and six months’ hard training until we do. And I mean hard. Quite possibly the hardest thing you have ever done. Four point two miles of your lungs burning, while your muscles scream at you to stop. For the final sixteen of nineteen minutes your entire body will feel like it’s about to collapse, if you’re not lucky enough to complete it quicker. And it will be all while trying to stop Cambridge from gaining the advantage. This race is win or lose. There are no second places. Is anyone not clear?’

The room was more silent than I’d ever known it to be, even as Coach waited for someone to make a break for the door, never to be seen again.

‘Good.’ He looked around the group for a double check. ‘We have a few housekeeping rules, then we’ll hit the water. First, I hear we are in possession of a set of golden oars.’

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