by Sofia Grey
“She thought… Well let’s just say it’s their business.” Anita was firm and wouldn’t say any more.
Kathy joined us at the table, and poured fresh coffee for everyone. “Poor Danny, he doesn’t have much luck.” She turned to address me. “We grew up next door to the Websters, and Anita’s known them all her life. Danny adored her from the time she was tiny, but she never paid him any attention. We used to joke they would end up together, but she always had other ideas.” Kathy took a sip of coffee and smiled warmly at me. “To be honest, I’m glad. They would have made a disastrous match.”
“Mum. Jon doesn’t want to hear about Danny.” Anita’s voice held a warning note, and I glanced at her, amused. She’d gone bright red. I was happy not to hear anything more about that bastard, but I was very interested to know just why Anita was blushing such a deep shade of crimson. And wouldn’t meet my eyes.
18.3 Anita
I was keen to change the subject and equally keen to forget Danny’s embarrassing outburst. Why had I never seen this before? Never understood what he really wanted? And the bigger question, could we go back to being just friends? It was too much to think about, so I pushed it from my mind.
Reaching across the table for my lovely Charrington trophy, I showed it to Jon. “You didn’t see my cup. I won the Blue Riband competition at Charrington on Sunday.”
He stared at me with a strange expression on his face. As I watched, he snapped out of it and duly admired my prize.
“Well done. I’m very impressed with the way you ride.” The double-entendre was blatant, and I had to suppress a gurgle of laughter as he gave me a wicked leer.
“Why don’t you show Jon around while we finish packing?” Mum shooed us out of the kitchen and with Maddie firmly at our heels, I led Jon round the house. Six guest bedrooms—of which he’d been given the largest—lounge, playroom, sunny conservatory, and dining room. Outside, in the weak September sunshine, I showed him the bunkhouse for campers and the sweeping gardens, the borders filled with cheerful sedums and Michaelmas daisies.
Sinking onto one of the swings, I kicked it into movement. Jon sat on the other and gazed at the scenery. It alarmed me how pale he was. I’d do my best to look after him this week.
I pointed out some of the local landmarks. “On the other side of the mountain, only about three miles away, is Holyhead, our nearest town. Trearddur Bay you’ve already seen, closer, and handy for basic items from the general store. We’ve a sandy beach within walking distance, although we often drive down to Trearddur to watch the windsurfers in the Bay. Just up the road is the local riding school. Their fields back onto ours, but they don’t tend to use them in the winter months.”
Jon flashed me a lazy smile. “How long have they been here? Your parents I mean.”
“They’ve had this place for three years, but we’ve been coming here on holiday since I was tiny. Not here exactly, but round this general area. I know it almost as I well as I know Cumberley.”
“It’s peaceful.” He swung a little, scuffing his toes on the ground. “I sometimes think about living somewhere like this.”
I laughed, surprised. “Isn’t it a bit remote for you?”
He inclined his head. “Probably. I bet it gets cold in winter.”
“Not as cold as you might think, but it does get windy. There’s a storm on its way over the next few days. If you want to go out exploring, we should do it today.”
He smiled and held out a hand. “Or we could stay in, do a different sort of exploring.”
“We could.” I paused, still worried by his paleness. “How do you feel now? Are you still in pain?”
He quickly suppressed a flash of irritation across his face. “I’m fine, and I want to keep off the pills. Everything is healing nicely. I just need to keep myself mobile. I don’t want to get out of condition.”
“Surely a few days rest won’t hurt?”
“No, a few days are okay,” he conceded, “but it feels strange to not be working out in the gym and running. I do that most days.”
I squeezed his hand gently. “We’ll take Maddie to the beach later. I guarantee she’ll give you a workout.”
****
Mum and Dad were ready to leave, and I hugged them tight. I was both sorry to see them go and glad to have some privacy with Jon. Mum gave Jon a quick, gentle hug, which drew a surprised smile from him. Dad shook his hand with care. “I must say, you look familiar. Have we met before?”
Jon was polite. “I don’t think so. I just have one of those ordinary faces.”
But at last, they were on their way, and we had the house to ourselves.
We retired to the kitchen where I made fresh coffee and introduced Jon to the last two members of the family. Noah, the big black cat he’d seen earlier, and Thing, a sleek black and white cat. I wound my arms around Jon’s neck, and we kissed properly for the first time that day. “I thought Dad was going to recognize you, he loves to watch motor racing. Do you mind about that?” I gazed anxiously into his brilliant blue eyes, and he smiled back at me.
“I don’t mind at all. It’s one less worry for them, along with the fear of the leather-jacketed-hairy-biker.”
I groaned. “I can’t believe he said that.”
“I think the next step would have been thumb screws,” he teased. “Perhaps I got off lightly.”
A faint whine behind us reminded me Maddie was waiting for a walk.
“Come on, I’ll show you the beach, and then we can come back and chill out. It’s not far, maybe ten minutes each way, and not a steep path. Will you be okay to walk or should we take the car?”
He sighed. “Please, Anita, don’t fuss. My mother drives me mad, fussing over me. If I have a problem, which I won’t, I’ll tell you. Okay?”
I had to be satisfied with that, but made sure we strolled gently down the path to the beach.
Jon gazed round in delight. “It’s perfect. What’s it like for swimming?”
“At this time of year? Okay if you don’t mind frostbite.”
“No skinny dipping then?” He teased me again.
The wind was already getting up, and I could tell we were in for a rough few days. White horses in the distance—flecks of foam cresting the waves—usually heralded a storm. I pulled my jacket tighter and let Maddie off her lead. Barking in delight, she charged into the shallows and bounded back to me to splash me with water.
We spent the next hour on the beach throwing sticks for Maddie and skimming stones into the sea. Jon kept stopping to look at shells and pretty pebbles while I investigated the rock pools left by the outgoing tide. Maddie was soon soaked and sandy, but with no visible loss of energy. Jon however, looked paler by the minute. Rather than asking if he felt okay, I whistled Maddie back and pretended I was cold.
“Come here.” He wrapped his arms around me. “Is that better?”
“A bit, but a hot drink will speed up the thawing process. Come on.”
I was relieved to see his color coming back once we’d warmed up with mugs of cocoa. The wind rattled the roof, and the skies had turned an ominous gray so I was happy to stay in, and it was a good excuse for Jon to get some rest. I suggested he sit in the warm kitchen while I fed the animals, then we’d raid Mum’s freezer and decide what to have for dinner. He settled at the table and hunched over his laptop, pecking slowly at the keyboard.
“Can I help you with that?”
He glanced up. “I’m good, thanks. I’m just updating my blog. My fans and sponsors like to hear what’s going on with my career.”
“You’re not going to spend all week on that are you?”
He laughed and coaxed me to sit beside him. “Absolutely not. I’ve far better things to do with my time, but I have an obligation to my fans to keep them informed. I can only type slowly at the moment because my wrists are stiff, but give me half an hour and I’m all yours.”
I did just that, while I tidied up and moved my things into his bedroom. Looking over his shoulder,
I saw him reading an online edition of the local Cumberley news.
“Won’t be long, I promise. I’m just catching up on everything.”
I snuggled next to him and watched idly as he flicked through news reports and emails.
His breath hitched and he stared at the screen, before closing the lid with a snap. He looked upset, and I stroked my knuckles down his cheek.
“What’s the matter?”
Jon looked away for a moment, then back at me. I saw the worry etched on his face, the tightness of his jawline. “It’s Pedro, my team-mate. He’s still in a coma. There’s no sign of improvement yet.”
There was nothing I could say. I could only hold him tight, and say my silent prayer of thanks that Jon was unhurt.
18.4 Anita
The weather was foul for the next few days. High winds and squally showers battered the house, so we stayed in. It was idyllic.
We took long baths, made love in front of the fire and spent most of the time with our bodies entwined. Jon was insatiable. Perhaps a near-death experience made him more aware of life? As his body strengthened and healed, his capacity for lovemaking expanded even more.
At one point, we sprawled in front of the open fire, the remnants of a bottle of wine beside us. We were playing strip poker, and I was losing, badly. He was still almost fully dressed, while I only had my knickers. I laughed so hard my sides ached. Maddie stared at us; the cats were fully occupied trying to inch even closer to the warmth. The wind rattled the roof tiles, but inside, we were warm and cozy.
I took a sip of wine and regarded him over the top of my glass. I was mildly drunk. Easily achieved since I rarely touched alcohol.
He’d started shaving again. His cheeks were smooth and soft, and his eyes twinkled in the flickering firelight. I was happier than I’d ever felt before, but with an ache, an awareness of what was to come. It made the moment even more poignant. I knew loving Jon was like playing with fire. I could only hold him for a short time.
Danny was right, Jon was ethereal; he burned hotter than most people, with a zest and capacity for life that made everyone else dull in comparison.
I wondered with a pang if I’d ever be able to love anyone after him.
He gazed back at me, his eyes dancing across my almost naked body. “Do you really want to finish the hand?” His voice sounded husky. I wanted to hold him close, never let him go, bind him to me. The alcohol made me daring.
“Do you ever wish you could capture a perfect moment? What would yours be?”
He considered, his lips curling up as he thought. “When I won my first F3 race. I was the rookie, the new boy that came across from Indy cars, and nobody expected it. Nobody except me. I knew I could do it. And I stood on the podium and took the applause and knew it was mine.” He looked away for a moment, and then focused on me. “What would yours be?”
Oh God, dare I say it?
I took another swig of wine to bolster my courage. “It would be now. You and me here—the firelight and the wine. It won’t last forever, but just now, this is it. For me.”
Jon stared at me for a long time. I willed him to acknowledge it. Eventually he moved toward me and took the glass out of my hand. “No, this isn’t perfect. Yet.” He gazed at me steadily, dared me to look away. “This is perfect.” He dipped his head to my breast and moved his hand between my legs. I was lost.
Chapter 19
19.1 Jon
It was Saturday morning, and everything felt different. I lay in bed, Anita snuggled beside me as usual, while I tried to decide what had changed.
It was quiet. Instead of a howling wind, I could hear birdsong, and sunlight peeped through the curtains instead of the cold gray light of the past few days. I kissed Anita’s neck, ran my hands over her breasts, and willed her to wake up. She grunted, tugged the covers higher, and stayed resolutely asleep. Oh well, she’d had more wine than usual last night. I’d let her sleep longer.
The two cats, Noah and Thing, had taken up residency on our bed, while Maddie lay guarding the doorway. I admired her persistence. She was getting bored with being confined to the house while the storm raged and we stayed in the warmth. If it looked nice today, we’d take her on the beach. I’d felt confined too. I missed my running. I normally ran an hour each day, but my doctor had been adamant I could do no vigorous exercise for at least a month.
I lay back and flexed my arms, feeling the muscles stretching and tensing. I’d drive today. I hadn’t been behind the wheel since, well since Spa, now a week ago. I thought briefly of Pedro. There was still no change in his condition. I contemplated how upset my mother had been when they eventually caught up with me in hospital. She’d begged me to give up racing, while Dad stood by, stony-faced with worry. I couldn’t do that, not now, not this close to everything I’d worked for.
I looked back at Anita and kissed her again, wondering how long it would be before she made demands like that. And how I’d react when she did.
****
Over breakfast, I suggested we go out and explore, for Anita to show me some of the places she loved, and she jumped at the chance.
“Let’s take Maddie for a walk first, and then we’ll go out for the day.”
She kissed me, her pretty eyes dancing, delighted with my suggestion.
After spending almost two hours throwing sticks on the beach, Maddie was finally tired, and we headed back to the house. Anita picked up her purse and the car keys while I collected our coats. As we tossed the coats on the back seat, along with my camera, she went to climb into the driver’s seat.
I stood in her way. “My turn. Keys please.”
She hesitated. “But…”
“But what? I’d like to drive now, please.”
Anita relinquished the keys and got silently into the passenger seat. Heaven only knew what she thought I was going to do.
I flexed my wrists again. The car was an automatic. I could easily get it into gear and operate the indicators, and my hands were nearly back to normal anyway. We fastened our seatbelts, Anita absorbed herself in the contents of my iPod, and I started the car. Into reverse, turned round on the parking area, and I pointed it down the track. Then the oddest thing happened. The wrist muscles in my right hand went into a spasm.
“Shit.” I stopped, and flexed my right wrist. “Fuck, that hurt.”
“What? What’s the matter?” Anita abandoned the iPod and stared at me, her eyes wide and startled.
I huffed a short laugh. “My muscles locked, it’ll be all right in a minute.” I let the brake out, and we moved forward again, my right hand resting in my lap. As we turned onto the drive, my left wrist started trembling. I stared at it, horrified. It was just from keeping them strapped up all week. I stopped the car again and ripped the elastic supports from both wrists, tugging them off with my teeth. Anita stared at me in increasing alarm.
“There.” I forced a confident grin. “That’s better.”
We took off down the track, bumping on the uneven surface, and I pulled to a stop at the road.
“Okay, which way? Right or left?”
“Umm, let’s go right.”
“Right it is.” I lurched out onto the road, my right hand still resting on my lap and my left trembling even more.
What the fuck?
I gripped the wheel harder, while tightening and relaxing my fingers a few times to get the blood flowing. We cruised along the road a short way, and Anita indicated a left turn.
“Let’s take this one, South Stack Road. I’ll show you the lighthouse. You get some fabulous views.”
We approached the turn and my left wrist sent a shock wave up my arm, the muscles going into spasm. “Fuck.” I howled in pain and pulled to the side of the road.
Anita stared, her face white as I nursed both hands in my lap. “What’s the matter?”
I was sweating, my heart pounding. For a moment, I thought I was hyperventilating. I forced myself to breathe normally. “My fucking left wrist has gone as well. Shit.�
� I released the seatbelt, yanked the door open, and scrambled down from the car. I heard her following me.
Breathing heavily, I walked a few yards to a ditch and feeling suddenly nauseous, bent over it. I held the contents of my stomach, but only just. I slowly straightened up and looked back at the car. Anita stood there, worry written all over her face.
What the fuck had happened to my hands? Could it just be muscle spasms? Or something more sinister?
Driving meant everything to me and had since I first whizzed round the garden in a pedal-kart. I wiped a mostly numb hand across my face and took a few breaths. Conjuring up a smile, I walked back to the car.
“I must have had too much wine last night, I just felt a bit off. Are you okay to drive for the moment?”
Anita gazed back. I could tell she didn’t believe me. I waited for her to challenge me, but no. She ducked her head, as though thinking, then gave me a quick kiss.
“Of course. Shall we go to see the lighthouse?”
19.2 Anita
I didn’t know what to think, so I chose not to. Instead, I drove us to the car park at the base of Holyhead Mountain where we admired the view of the South Stack lighthouse, then on through Holyhead, and back toward the mainland. It was a Saturday, so there would be no flying from the air base today. Where else should we go?
I headed for the pretty town of Beaumaris, close to the Welsh mainland. The half-hour drive would give Jon time to get his composure back. By the time we pulled onto the sweeping car park overlooking the Menai Straits, he’d started smiling again and asking questions.
“This is Beaumaris.” I pronounced it again slowly. “Bow-morris. It actually originates from the French words beau—beautiful—and marais—marsh. The Normans named this lovely town as it was an important guard post in the border wars between England and Wales.”
“History lessons too?”