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‘My phone’s in the car. I didn’t check it.’
He moved closer. ‘If you’d rather not come, I’ll understand.’
‘I want to. For you.’
‘This could go horribly wrong.’ He traced his thumb down her arm. ‘I don’t want you to get hurt.’
‘Is that likely?’
‘Emotionally. They’re not mean people but…’
‘I know. The history.’
‘Exactly.’
‘Let’s go with it for now. If things go pear-shaped, I’ll walk back to the ferry and come home.’ She pushed up and kissed his cheek.
‘Ok.’ He strode around to his side of the car, hyper-aware Rhona had kissed him. His parents would have noticed. Bang went the story they were just friends.
He peered at them in the mirror but they weren’t looking back. Instead, they passed a loaded glance between them. Nobody spoke. Calum had never known them to be so quiet. The atmosphere was like smog. As they descended into the ship’s dark hull and parked the car, the gloom closed in around him. He was stuck between two warring factions. And soon he’d have to abandon Rhona. All the joy of having her with him was being sucked away.
They gathered their jackets and headed up the steep stairs in the ship’s centre onto the main deck. The silence was now grating. Anne marched directly from the stairs to the little shop and busied herself looking around.
‘I might go for a walk about,’ Ron said.
Anne checked up. ‘I’ll come with you.’ She squinted at Calum but he gave a brief headshake.
Once they’d gone, he let out a long low whistle. ‘I’m sorry.’
Rhona threw her arms around his neck and he pulled her close. ‘It’s ok, really.’ Her palms soothed his shoulders, rubbing gentle strokes along them. ‘I want to support you. I know this will be awkward, but I want to try.’
He buried his face in her hair, inhaling the floral conditioner and drawing comfort from it. ‘I just don’t want to hurt anyone.’
‘You won’t.’ She planted a kiss on his cheek.
They broke apart and wordlessly agreed to walk out on deck. The sun had burned its way through the clouds and the sky was as blue as Rhona’s eyes. Calum leaned on the rails. The karate competition was now the least of his concerns. Losing early was the best plan; they could go home. Except he’d booked a later ferry. They’d planned to spend all day in Oban, shopping, walking, dining – anything. Passing the time in Rhona’s company was the most important thing. Now it was hours and hours of torture to get through. He slipped his hand over hers and held it as they leaned side by side.
They were almost in Oban when Ron and Anne found them. Calum and Rhona were still resting on the rail hand in hand, neither speaking much. Calum took comfort just from her being there. Now he was the adjudicator stuck between the three people he loved most in the world.
‘I’m going to the loo.’ Rhona gave Calum a little pat and smiled briefly at Ron and Anne.
Calum stared forward as the heavy door clunked shut.
‘Calum, what’s this all about?’ Anne asked.
He focused on the small rocky islets at the head of the bay and didn’t answer.
‘I know she’s not her parents or her brother, but she’s still one of them.’
‘Please, Mum.’
‘I’m not judging. I’m just curious.’ She grasped his arm. ‘I can’t bear the idea of you being hurt again. She looks like a nice person and maybe she is, but Arran was exactly the same. He was your best friend for years and look what happened.’
‘But she’s not Arran and she’s nothing like him. Do you think I’ve entered into this lightly or without any thought?’ He rubbed his forehead, willing this to resolve itself painlessly.
‘Maybe you know best.’
‘I don’t know if I do or not, but please, don’t make it any harder.’
