Page 75 of An Italian Wedding Adventure

He gave Katie a tight smile. ‘There you are. All okay?’

When she beamed up at him, he gave them a push to shove the boat off the crunching shingle and all the way into the water.

When he straightened, he realised a queue had formed for his help and Kira was rolling her eyes from her position, sitting at ease in her single kayak as it bobbed on the clear, blue water.

‘I’m Chigozie,’ the next member of the hen party introduced herself with another bright smile. She held out her hands and he helped her into the boat.

‘Rita,’ said the next one and with a grunt, he pushed them off.

‘Does anyone want to have a go themselves?’ he asked no one in particular.

Lily appeared next to him and mouthed, ‘Sorry,’ but he reassured her with a shake of his head and a genuine smile.

‘Here, let me help,’ he offered quietly, settling her into the front of the kayak.

She looked up at him. ‘I’m not sick.’

He gave her a nod in acknowledgement.

‘But Sophie might be sick with jealousy,’ she added in a whisper.

‘I hope not,’ he grumbled, helping the other bridesmaid into the boat behind her.

‘I’ll manage myself.’

He froze at the sound of Sophie’s voice, cool and calm. But her steps wobbled a little as she picked her way over the shingle and into the shallow water.

‘I can’t believe you said, “arse first” to my clients,’ she muttered.

He grimaced. ‘What should I have said? Bottom first? We’re not precious about the word “Arsch” in German.’

As she leaned over to grip the sides of the plastic boat, there were a few more jokes he could have made about his view, but he looked away and bit his tongue.

When she slipped one foot gingerly into the boat that was bobbing in the gentle waves, Andreas saw a flash of what was about to happen, but he was too far away to stop it.

The boat tipped and then shot out of her grip, leaving her teetering in the water on one leg for a moment before she came crashing down with a shriek. A cheer went up from the hens out on the water and they raised their paddles in salute as Sophie spluttered.

Andreas fetched the kayak before it floated away and then crouched next to her, where she was sitting in the water hanging her head, the waterproof camera clipped to her life jacket. ‘I hope that thing isn’t recording,’ he said gently, tipping her head up and brushing a few drops off her cheeks.

‘I’m guessing that’s not what you meant by “arse first”.’

A smile touched his lips and it felt like the first genuine one all morning. Sliding his palm down her arm, he gave her a squeeze because he couldn’t give her a kiss. ‘No, that’s not what I meant.’

29

Sophie had the perfect view for keeping calm. The blue-green water lapped at the kayak. Sunshine warmed her skin. Mountains rose on three sides, enclosing the lake in their protective magic, and the water stretched out as far as she could see to the south.

The movement of the boat was a gentle bob, not the frantic wobble she’d pictured. Unlike the shrieking and giggling hens, Sophie’s kayak moved smoothly and powerfully through the water – thanks to Andreas acting as the engine and captain in the back.

But Sophie was still struggling. She had a pregnant bride, an emotional bridesmaid, a small boat and a raging bout of irrational jealousy.

‘Have you done this before?’ Andreas asked her.

She shook her head. ‘Not here. Hen parties are usually spa days with pedicures and facials. This isn’t the kind of hydrotherapy I’m used to at Lake Garda.’ As though to emphasise her point, her paddle clattered against his and was nearly wrenched out of her hands. ‘Sorry,’ she mumbled.

‘It’s okay,’ he said smoothly. ‘Tandem kayaks aren’t called divorce boats for nothing.’

‘Divorce boats? This is the last time we go kayaking as part of a wedding.’ She peered over her shoulder at him and immediately regretted it. He wore a red life vest but it couldn’t hide his broad, tanned chest. And the way his arm muscles bunched as he rowed was enough to make her woozy.

---