Page 20 of Strictly Friends
Kenny’s voice tailed off as he visibly tried to regain control. He stood up unsteadily and ruffled Jake’s hair gently before turning to Ruby.
‘Why didn’t you call or write to say you were coming?’ The lilt in his Trinidadian accent sounded stronger than she remembered, and Ruby shrugged defensively. He clearly hadn’t picked up the message she’d left on the answerphone and now she felt like a prize idiot for hanging up on him and then turning up unannounced.
‘It was a sudden decision, and there wasn’t time to... well, you know...’
She nodded towards Jake, who was staring, transfixed, at his father, and Kenny appeared to pick up on her signal. He glanced back in the direction of the boats and beckoned over a stocky man in denim cut-offs and a black t-shirt making his way down the walkway with a mop and a large metal pail. The man obligingly set down the bucket, dropped the mop inside it, and came over, wiping his hands on the back of his shorts.
‘Yes, boss?’ He flashed Ruby a curious glance before turning his attention to Kenny.
Kenny smiled and patted him on the shoulder. ‘Sam here oversees the maintenance of our boats. He’s worked with me for years and he knows everything there is to know about this island. Sam, this here is my son, Jake, and his mother, Ruby.’
Sam’s eyebrows shot up and Ruby winced at the stunned expression he quickly tried to disguise. Not that she could blame him; if he’d known Kenny for years, of course he’d be shocked to suddenly discover his boss had an apparently ready-made family.
Kenny made no attempt to elaborate further. ‘Sam, do me a favour. Can you show Jake around while Ruby and I have a chat in the office? I’m sure he’d like to see the boats, but take him over to the café for an ice-cream first.’ He hesitated and glanced at Ruby. ‘If that’s alright?’
When Ruby nodded without comment, Kenny crouched in front of Jake and cuffed him gently on the chin. ‘Sam will take good care of you, son, and you know what? The marina café sells thebestice-cream! Make sure you ask for two big scoops, okay?’
Jake gave him a shy smile and nodded, and Kenny pointed towards the moorings. ‘You see that big boat over there? It’s our newest one, and it has the coolest dashboard and controls. Sam’s going to take you on board after you get your ice-cream, and your mum and I will be in my office, which is in this building right here.’
Jake looked up at Ruby and she gave him a reassuring smile. ‘Go ahead, buddy. It sounds exciting and you can tell me all about it when you get back.’
Kenny peeled a few notes from a wad in his back pocket and handed them to Sam, who glanced from Kenny to Ruby and then back again, clearly trying to make sense of what was happening. Then, with a shrug, he turned to Jake.
‘Come with me, kid. Since your old man’s paying, let’s go buy you the biggest ice-cream in the shop.’ He lowered his voice into a deep growl. ‘Then we’ll go up on to the boats and pretend to be pirates.’
With that, Sam held up his palm and a giggling Jake slapped his small hand against it in a triumphant high-five before skippingoff without a backward glance. Watching their receding figures for a few moments, Ruby was the first to break the tense silence.
‘So, you’re the boss, then?’ She cringed at the lameness of her question, but it felt so weird to be talking to Kenny that she was amazed she could string together a coherent sentence.
Kenny scratched his low-cut beard – another thing to add to the list of surprises; the Kenny she knew had always been clean-shaven – and took a step towards her. She instinctively moved back to create more space between them.
‘Why do you sound so shocked that I run a business?’ he asked, his voice laced with humour. ‘Were you expecting me to have turned into a beach bum or a drug lord or something? You always did have a vivid imagination.’
Ruby flushed. ‘Don’t be daft! Besides, I didn’t just come out here on a whim. I’d already searched up on the internet and found out where you work.’ She turned and gestured towards the boats moored behind them. ‘It looks like your business is doing well. I’m counting, what, four boats over there?’
‘I’m doing okay,’ Kenny conceded, and she turned back to find his eyes looking straight into hers. His probing gaze was unnerving, leaving her cursing herself for leaving her sunglasses back in her room, and wondering why she felt flustered and confused instead of the uncontrolled fury she had feared.
Fighting to keep the unexpected butterflies in check, Ruby directed her focus on to their surroundings. There were more people milling about the area than when they had arrived, and the activity around the marina was growing busier – and louder – with the piercing squawks of sea birds weaving between the masts of the berthed vessels competing with the noise of workers and crew shouting across boats to each other.
Ruby shook her head in wonderment. ‘I’m really struggling to believe this place is you. You were always such acityboy. I mean,you love – or should I say, loved – clubbing and eating out at the best restaurants. This is so... well, you know...’ She tailed off with a shrug.
‘What can I tell you, Rubes? People change,’ Kenny said lightly, pulling a handkerchief out of the pocket of his jeans to wipe the back of his neck. ‘Don’t forget I come from an island, and, besides, this place is so beautiful that living here isn’t exactly a hardship. We have some great restaurants downtown, as you’ll find out while you’re here, so I’m certainly not missing out on gourmet cuisine.’
Then, as if struck by a thought, he glanced around. ‘Are you here on your own? I mean, just you and Jake?’
‘Yeah. Why?’
Kenny shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I thought maybe Griffin would have come with you.’
‘Why would he?’ She frowned and squinted up at Kenny, using her hand to shade her eyes from the bright sunshine.
‘Oh, comeon. Even when we were together, the two of you were inseparable. After I left London, I assumed—’
She shook her head in irritation, ignoring the fact she had been wishing for her friend only minutes earlier.
‘You know perfectly well that Griffin and I are just friends, so no, he didn’t come with us. Although it wasn’t for want of Jake begging him to. Jake adores him – and Griffin’s been like a father to him.’
As Kenny inhaled sharply and his jaw tightened, Ruby felt a flash of satisfaction that the barb had hit home.
