Page 14 of You Float My Boat

My hand paused mid-air, half the tomato I was holding flopped on to the bread. ‘What?’

‘He wants to see everyone from last year’s Blue Boat.’

‘Why?’ I asked, forcing myself to concentrate on finishing Oz’s sandwich instead of panicking about meeting Violet, because if I had to be down at the boathouse I would have barely any time to discuss the much more pressing issues of Violet and me fake dating.

Oz shrugged as I pushed the sandwich back, his focus taken by food. The first half almost got swallowed in one.

‘Umghawditssogoodgeniusyouare.’

Oz continued mumbling incoherently through each bite, while I cleared up and put the shepherd’s pie away just in case Brooks got home early and decided to eat it, and tried to figure out what to do about my plans which had been blown up. This wasn’t a conversation to rush.

‘Are you not having one?’

I turned to Oz and shook my head, ‘Not hungry.’

That was another thing. The guilt had robbed me of my appetite. Except for Jaffa Cakes, I could always fit them in.

With the remainder of his sandwich in his hand, Oz got up and flicked the kettle on, ‘Want a cup of tea?’

‘No thanks.’

I stood there silently while he pulled a mug from the cupboard. I stood and waited. I knew there was no point in talking until I had his undivided attention. Plus I was still figuring out where to start. I watched in silence as he poured the boiling water, squeezed out the teabag and dropped it on the counter. Once he’d added his milk and finished making a mess, he leaned back against the kitchen cupboard.

‘Are there any biscuits?’

I sighed loudly, marched into the pantry, grabbed the chocolate digestives and placed them in front of him.

‘Um … are you okay?’ he asked. I was about to respond when he snapped his fingers. ‘Shit, sorry mate, I completely forgot. How’s it going with Evie? Have you seen her yet?’

I took a deep breath and nodded slowly, ‘Yeah. I …’

‘What’s happening with Violet? Have you managed to get hold of her? Is she going to help you?’

Brooks hadn’t been the only one swept up in beginning of term chaos, though in Oz’s case he returned from the Christmas holidays later than we had so he could spend more time with Kate. In fact, as I stood there trying to figure out an answer I realized I’d managed a small miracle with it not being mentioned at all until now.

I hadn’t even told them about Violet breaking into the house – though I’d probably keep that to myself.

‘Yup,’ I nodded, hoping I was giving off the calm, chilled vibe I was trying to summon, even though I could feel beads of sweat forming down my back, ‘Yeah, yes she’s going to help. I’m going to see her now, actually.’

Oz dunked a chocolate digestive into his tea, then shoved it whole into his mouth. A little puddle of brown liquid was forming under where he’d left the teabag; I picked it up and tossed it into the bin, then wiped down the counter for the second time.

‘So the plan is all in place then? Get rid of Evie for good. Violet was cool with it?’

‘Yeah, she said she’s going to use it for acting experience.’ I laughed, and the tension between my ribs loosened a fraction. One good thing about this mess was how calm Violet had remained. She didn’t even blink when I asked her. And the only thing which had lessened the guilt I’d been feeling was the knowledge I might be helping her in some small way too.

‘Amazing work, Charles. I’ll admit I thought the plan was a little out there, but I have full faith you’ll pull it off. And it’s Violet … so it’s not like you’re going to be tempted to make out with her or anything. I mean, could you imagine …’ Oz’s head fell back with a loud guffaw, hard enough that he banged it on the cupboard door. ‘Ouch.’

He was too distracted to notice my face had lost all colour. I knew it had. I’d felt the warmth drain from my cheeks the second he mentioned kissing her.

Oz was still laughing as I took a step back, followed by another. Making a big show of looking at my watch,I grabbed my backpack from the table and hurried to the door.

‘Shit, is that the time? Must dash. Don’t eat the pie. Meet you at the Tank later.’

I was on my bike and down the road before he had a chance to reply, peddling away like my life depended on it. Oz was far more perceptive than Brooks, and he’d be able to suss out any secret I was keeping within a matter of minutes. And if Oz thought kissing Violet was a bad idea, then it definitely was.

I needed a solution, and fast.

With each turn of my wheels the cold January air invigorated my lungs. By the time I arrived at St Anne’s and chained my bike up, I hadn’t exactly come up with a better plan, but the fresh oxygen had given me a renewed optimism that perhaps it wasn’t as bad as I’d been thinking it was.

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