‘Lex?’
She glanced at Robyn. Blinked. ‘Missing each other? Yes.’
Robyn was reminded of an earlier conversation, Lexi confiding that she wasn’t sleeping well, felt anxious. Was it about the pregnancy, or the wedding? She couldn’t recall whether Lexi had said. She made a mental note to find a moment to check in with her.
‘Still in the mood for a beach fire tonight?’ Robyn asked the others enthusiastically, trying to shake the strange atmosphere. ‘I was thinking we could take lanterns and blankets down to the bay, plus there’s a big cooler in the pantry we could stock with drinks.’
‘Sounds great,’ Fen said. ‘There’s plenty of wood set to burn. It’ll be blazing all night.’
Bella’s gaze travelled to the cove below, eyes glittering. ‘Let’s make sure it’s a memorable end to the hen weekend.’
53
Lexi
After breakfast was finished, Lexi found Eleanor in the narrow courtyard at the back of the villa, hanging tea towels on the washing line. Her movements were careful and precise, strong hands smoothing each towel, straightening the edges. She wondered if it was agony to be out here, forced to celebrate someone else’s upcoming wedding.
‘Hey,’ Lexi said, stepping forward.
Eleanor startled. She adjusted her hat, keeping the glare from her eyes.
Lexi said, ‘I was thinking of taking out the rowing boat this morning. Exploring the next bay along. Fancy coming?’
She saw Eleanor’s hesitation, the way her eyes slid to the side as if searching for an excuse to refuse. ‘I was going to prepare lunch …’
‘We’ve not long finished breakfast. Anyway, I’m taking care of that. You’ve been working too hard on this trip. If you do one more thing in the kitchen, I’m going to have to start paying you. Please, come. There’s no wind and it’ll be gorgeous and calm.’
A bee thrummed in the bougainvillea that trailed over the wall, a fragrant scent lifting in the heat.
‘Yes. Fine.’
Pleased, Lexi took a damp tea towel from the pile and smoothed it over the line. It would be nice for her and Eleanor to spend time together – she worried she’d been neglecting her this weekend. Plus, it would give her a chance to talk about Ed. She wasn’t sure what she wanted from Eleanor. Reassurance? To hear Ed was besotted with her? She just knew she needed something.
Eleanor turned, staring over her shoulder. Lexi followed the direction of her gaze and saw Ana returning from her walk. She was looking uncertainly between Lexi and Eleanor.
‘Nice stroll?’ Lexi asked.
‘I went up the cliff path to get a signal so I could call Luca.’
‘You must be missing him.’
‘Can’t say it’s mutual,’ Ana said as she reached them, positioning herself in the shade. ‘He was desperate to get me off the phone so he could get to the skate park.’
‘Lexi and I are taking the boat out,’ Eleanor said, folding her arms across her chest. ‘It’ll be a nice chance for us to talk.’
Ana’s eyes darted across Eleanor’s face. There was a light sheen of sweat across her forehead. ‘Great,’ she said, smiling tightly.
It was strange being the bride-to-be on a hen weekend, Lexi thought. Whenever she entered a room, it felt like everyone was polishing their smile, ready to tell her what a wonderful weekend they were having. ‘Is everything okay?’
A fly buzzed in the still air, the scent of warming stone lifting from the villa walls. A gecko watched from the shade, eyes like black glass beads.
Ana looked at Eleanor. ‘Couldn’t be better.’
When we first arrived at the villa and caught sight of the blue rowing boat pulled up on the shore, it seemed so gorgeously quaint, evocative of the perfect Greek holiday we were anticipating.
Strange how that same boat now evokes different memories. The sound of frantic splashing and the panicked scratch of fingernails clawing at the hull. The hot-eyed sting of tears, oars gripped in fists. The scrape of wood against pebbles as two pairs of hands dragged it up the beach in the dark.
54
Eleanor
The blue rowing boat waited on the shore, varnished oars tucked at its sides.
‘Ready?’ Lexi said, gripping the boat, a casual straw hat keeping the sun from her eyes. A light breeze lifted the hem of her summer dress.
On the count of three, they heaved it towards the shore, the hull dragging across the pebbles. ‘Not sure lugging boats while pregnant is on the recommended list,’ Eleanor said.