Starcross Manor

by Christie Barlow

  Petra held the mirror in front of Julia. ‘Take a look yourself, what do you think?’

  It took a second for Julia to even recognise herself, when she saw the face of a pretty girl staring back at her. ‘It looks so different,’ she said amazed, finally tearing her eyes away from the reflection. ‘It just doesn’t look like me. I absolutely love it.’ Julia couldn’t stop swishing her hair from side to side.

  ‘It’s taken years off you!’ added Eleni. ‘It really does suit you.’

  ‘Thank you so much Petra, what do I owe you?’ gushed Julia, standing up and brushing the loose hair from her body. She walked over to her bag and pulled out her purse.

  Petra put up her hand. ‘You owe me nothing, it was my pleasure.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ asked Julia, looking in the mirror once more, still mesmerised by her appearance.

  ‘I’m more than happy to help. Enjoy your date.’

  ‘Thank you, thank you so much.’

  Eleni began to sweep up the hair from the floor. ‘I can’t get over it, you look like a different person.’

  Julia felt different, in fact she felt like a million dollars. She was surprised how different a haircut could make her look and feel.

  ‘Now for your make-up and clothes,’ suggested Eleni, putting the broom back in the cupboard.

  ‘As long as you don’t make me look like a clown.’

  Eleni was undeterred. ‘Now there’s an idea, what do you reckon Callie?’ Eleni giggled. She reached inside her bag and brought out her make-up bag then tipped the contents onto the table. ‘Okay we need subtle, we need natural.’

  ‘And it’s hot out there again today. I’ll go and have a look through your clothes, between us all we’ll get you sorted,’ Callie disappeared out of the kitchen and headed for Julia’s bedroom.

  Eleni ordered her to sit on the chair in the middle of the kitchen. Julia couldn’t help but smile at the concentration on her face. ‘You look so serious.’

  ‘This is serious. How you feeling about your date?’ probed Eleni.

  ‘Nervous… excited, I just hope I don’t make an idiot of myself somehow.’ Julia was looking forward to the afternoon. The weather was glorious and the only details she knew were to meet Flynn at the Boathouse at 1pm and that he was bringing lunch.

  ‘Now keep as still as possible, otherwise you will end up looking like a clown,’ Eleni teased as she switched on the radio and set to work.

  Fifteen minutes later, Eleni stood back and studied Julia’s face like she was a professional make-up artist. ‘Mmm, I just need to blend the eye shadow.’ Eleni narrowed her eyes. ‘There, I think you are all done.’ Eleni handed Julia the mirror and waited for the verdict.

  For the second time today, Julia stared at her reflection and did a double take. She tilted her head from side to side. ‘Is that really me?’ she asked open-mouthed. ‘I look…’

  ‘You look smoking!’ interrupted Eleni, really pleased with her efforts, ‘even if I do say so myself.’

  In a matter of an hour Julia was transformed and amazed by the results. ‘You have actually made me look quite decent.’

  ‘Did you doubt me?’ asked Eleni putting her hands on her hips.

  ‘Maybe, just a little,’ replied Julia, with a grin. ‘All I need now is some clothes.’

  Julia and Eleni walked back upstairs and into her bedroom to witness Callie stumbling across a clothes mountain. ‘Do you never clear out your wardrobe? And what the hell is this?’ Callie held up some sort of baggy brown tweed dress. ‘This needs to go, no arguments.’

  Julia wasn’t about to argue. She couldn’t ever remember sorting out her clothes, they’d just hung there, year after year. Half the stuff she couldn’t even remember buying in the first place.

  Callie took control and threw it on top of a pile of clothes already on the floor. ‘That pile there is for the charity. And what is this?’ Callie looked amazed at the garment she was now holding up in her hands.

  Immediately Julia took the oversized pantaloons from Callie’s hand and threw them down in the growing charity pile on the floor. ‘They were all the rage once you know!’

  ‘Put these on with that T-shirt… simple but stunning,’ ordered Callie, handing Julia a pair of skinny jeans with a simple pale blue T-shirt.

  Julia held up the jeans, they looked like they’d shrunk and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d tried to squeeze into them. Whipping off her jogging bottoms she sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the jeans onto her ankles. ‘I’m not sure I’m going to get these on!’ She stood up and attempted to pull them over her thighs. Julia forced some jollity into her voice, ‘I’m going to die if I wear these, I can’t even fasten them.’

  Much to Callie’s and Eleni’s amusement Julia lay on the floor and wriggled and writhed, pulling and tugging until the jeans were around her waist. The tightness of the denim felt like it was about to cut off her circulation.

  ‘OMG! Pull them off me, I can’t breathe, I’m overheating.’

  Laughing, Eleni and Callie took a leg each and pulled with all their might, toppling over onto the pile of clothes on the floor.

  ‘Okay, no jeans, maybe just a simple pair of shorts, that T-shirt and a pair of Birkenstocks.’ Callie threw her a pair of denim shorts. ‘Let’s keep it simple and classy.’

  With ten minutes to go, Julia set off from the B&B with a handful of cheers from Callie and Eleni as she strolled down the path. This had been the first date she’d been on in a while, and she felt nervous.

  With her new hair swishing from side to side Julia clutched the duffle bag over her shoulder stuffed with a swimsuit and a towel, and waltzed down towards the river oozing confidence. She felt like a new woman. Why hadn’t she had her hair styled sooner? Her face was beaming, her heartbeat racing and she tried to imagine the day ahead. For the first time in a long time she felt good about herself and pressed her lips tightly together to suppress her smile. It was only a five-minute walk to the Boathouse and as she ambled along the path at the edge of the river she stopped in her tracks and lifted up her sunglasses to stare. The river looked like a mini St Tropez, with boats of all shapes and sizes bobbing on the water. Julia noticed the Boathouse had been painted and stacked up outside were paddleboards and canoes, and floating on the water outside the Boathouse was the most magnificent yacht Julia had ever set eyes on – and there was Flynn waving straight at her from the deck.

  ‘Wow!’ Julia muttered under her breath. ‘That doesn’t look like a cheap specimen.’

  ‘It’s not!’

  Julia spun round to see Jack standing behind her.

  ‘Where did you come from?’ she held her hand to her chest. ‘You made me jump.’

  ‘Sorry! I’ve just dropped off the lunch for Flynn – and you’re right, that yacht isn’t cheap, it’s worth over a quarter of a million,’ continued Jack. ‘It’s an absolute beauty.’

  ‘That’s bigger than some of the houses in the village, including my B&B,’ exclaimed Julia, her eyes still firmly fixed on the boat.

  ‘That boat is everything a boater wants – beauty, function and performance. The cockpit is smartly executed, a double adjustable helm, a portside lounge, state-of-the-art audio and flat-screen TVs, it’s the finest of the finest on the water.’ Jack was in awe, he sounded like a salesman as he reeled off all the features. ‘And you get to be the first one that sails in her today.’

  Julia was completely taken by surprise, she wasn’t expecting anything of this magnitude; she was expecting more of a tiny speedboat, this was something the rich and famous owned – but then again, thinking about it, Flynn was a successful property developer. ‘All I know is that boat is worth more than the value of my B&B, and the extension I’m building.’

  Jack laughed. ‘You mean the extension that I’m building. Now go and enjoy yourself.’

  Julia carried on walking along the path and noticed Flynn had left the boat and was now walking towards her. He looked casual but handsome dressed in a w
hite T-shirt and a pair of navy smart shorts, Julia couldn’t take her eyes off him.

  Flynn’s smile was wide. ‘Your hair,’ he noticed straight away, ‘you’ve done something different with your hair. It really suits you. You look amazing,’ he said, holding out his hand to help Julia over the rocky ground, the touch of his skin sending shockwaves through her body. Her heart gave a little leap when he stepped forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

  ‘Thank you,’ she replied, catching a whiff of his inherently spicy masculine fragrance. For a brief moment she closed her eyes and inhaled, there was something about a man’s scent that caused her to feel a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

  ‘Are you ready to set sail?’

  ‘We are actually going to sail? I thought we were going to have lunch on the boat?’

  ‘Absolutely, we are going to set sail. I’m taking you to a very special place for lunch.’

  Inside Julia began to panic a little. She’d only ever been on a boat once in her life and it hadn’t gone well. As a child her parents had taken them on a family holiday to France, which was an extravagant treat back then. Julia remembered that ferry crossing like it was only yesterday and could still remember the swirling motion sickness she’d endured. She’d spent the whole crossing bent down with her head in a paper bag as the travel sickness took over her life for a few hours. Even when she finally stepped off the boat she could still feel herself rocking. Julia prayed to God that she didn’t go throwing up in front of Flynn Carter – the sheer embarrassment.

  Flynn was still holding Julia’s hand as they walked along the wooden jetty. He finally let go when they got to the end and he pointed towards the tied bottle of champagne that was hanging down on the side of the boat.

  Julia looked puzzled.

  ‘I know I’m not in the navy, but this is the first official outing of this boat and I do love this tradition.’

  ‘I’d be too worried about chipping the paintwork and not to mention the waste of champagne.’

  Flynn grinned. ‘Go on, grab the bottle.’

  Julia brought her hand up to her chest. ‘Me? You want me to smash it.’

  ‘Why not? I can’t think of a better person. Go on,’ he encouraged. Flynn stood on the edge of the jetty and leaned forward to grab the rope.

  For a split second Julia hesitated, then grasped hold of the bottle from Flynn. ‘This is an absolute first for me, I’ve never launched a boat before,’ she revealed, feeling a sudden sense of importance. ‘And what’s the boat called?’ asked Julia, her eyes scanning the side of the boat.

  ‘Starcross,’ replied Flynn.

  Julia took a deep breath, she hadn’t got a clue what to say but then remembered a line she’d once seen in a movie. ‘I name this ship Starcross, and may she bring fair winds and good fortune to all who sail on her.’ Julia swung the bottle and brought her hands up to her head. To her amazement the bottle didn’t smash, it bounced.

  Flynn stifled a laugh.

  ‘Oh my gosh, the bloody thing is plastic,’ remarked Julia, hooting with laughter and playfully swiping Flynn’s arm. ‘And here was me panicking that I wouldn’t have enough wellie to smash the thing.’

  ‘Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Did you honestly think I would chip my paintwork?’ he gave her a cheeky wink. ‘Let’s get you on board and you can have a glass of the real stuff.’ Flynn took her hand in his and helped her onto the deck of the boat. ‘Are you ready to set sail?’ he asked.

  ‘Aye aye Captain,’ she saluted. ‘I’m more than ready.’

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The Starcross was not just an ordinary run-of-the-mill kind of boat, it was more like a mini mansion on water, with all its mod cons and leather upholstery. In her head Julia pretended she was a Bond girl about to accompany her 007 on a secret mission. It oozed expense and class. She’d never seen anything like it. There was a separate deck up above on the roof, and another at the back of the boat. There was a champagne bar, a TV larger than the local cinema screen, and oversized white leather seats. So this was what it was like to be a millionaire, with expensive toys and champagne on tap.

  ‘This is amazing; you really have done so well for yourself,’ exclaimed Julia, admiring her surroundings.

  ‘Thank you… shall we?’ Flynn gestured towards the front of the boat. ‘Let’s get her started and on our way, then we can pour you a drink.’

  Julia followed Flynn over to a wooden crate which he opened and pulled out a life jacket.

  ‘Don’t worry, it’s just a precaution. You are precious cargo, and I don’t want anything happening to you.’

  This declaration from Flynn was met with a flip from Julia’s stomach that had nothing to do with the fact they were on a boat. He’d just said she was precious cargo, and Julia quite liked that.

  ‘Here let me help you on with it,’ offered Flynn, holding out the jacket as Julia slipped her arms into it. She turned to face him and felt her heart pound as Flynn leaned in extra close and with a short sharp tug zipped up the life jacket.

  ‘How does that feel?’

  ‘Snug,’ she replied. ‘Very snug.’

  ‘Good,’ he said, not making eye contact. ‘That’s exactly how it needs to feel.’ Next, he grabbed the buckles and pulled the first one in tight. Julia inhaled.

  ‘Just breathe normally,’ he said, moving on to the second buckle.

  Julia observed the concentration on his face. She noticed he was biting down on his lip, which she found quite sexy. Trying to avert her gaze was unsuccessful, she couldn’t take her eyes off him. This wasn’t helped in the slightest by the scent of his aftershave again, which was beginning to stir up feelings inside her. Flynn pulled in the last buckle causing Julia to gasp, bringing her back down to earth.

  ‘Sorry, is that too tight?’

  ‘It just took my breath away for a second,’ she admitted.

  She couldn’t help but notice both the amusement and challenge in his eyes, which bore into hers and Julia dropped her gaze to his lips. She couldn’t help it.

  ‘Shall we get this show on the road, or this boat on the river?’ He took her hand and led her to the two black leather-bound seats surrounded by numerous dials and levers on an oak wooden dashboard, which reminded her of a cockpit on a plane. ‘How do you know what you are doing?’ she asked, sliding into one of the seats. ‘It all looks so complicated.’

  ‘It’s simple really, all you do is put the key in the ignition.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes really!’

  Julia was mesmerised, it didn’t look as simple as that to her. She watched Flynn take out the key and insert it into the ignition; it really was just like starting a car. ‘Are you ready?’

  Julia felt a tiny surge of excitement and trepidation. ‘I think so!’

  As they left the tiny bay and picked up speed, the boat bumped along the river. Julia’s hair began to waft in the breeze. The boat was beginning to slap the waves hard now with each fall, and Flynn checked whether she was feeling sick, but Julia was far from feeling sick, she was enjoying every minute of it. There were no other boats on the river and their only witnesses were the gulls that were circulating above in the clear blue sky.

  ‘You may need sun cream on,’ suggested Flynn, ‘because of the breeze you think it’s not that hot, but believe me, an hour later you’ll look like a lobster and won’t be able to move your neck and shoulders. I get caught out all of the time.’

  Luckily, Julia had already coated her neck and arms with sun cream before she left. The boat was now incredibly fast-moving. Each time it hit a wave Julia let out a peal of laughter, the rush reminding her of when she was a little girl on a fairground ride.

  ‘As soon as we turn that next corner’ – Flynn nodded, and Julia followed his eyes – ‘it will become a lot calmer. Don’t forget to keep hydrated, the sun is very hot today.’ Flynn pressed a button in front of him and at the side of Julia’s seat a lid popped up, causing her to jump.

  ‘Water,’ he said.<
br />
  ‘Wow! I feel like I’m in a movie,’ she said, taking the bottle of water.

  Flynn smiled at her. ‘Now sit back and enjoy the view.’

  That’s exactly what Julia had been doing, she’d kept snagging a glance at Flynn’s tanned forearms steering the boat, but after giving herself a secret smile she sipped her drink and focused on the water around them ahead. Everywhere was so peaceful, Julia had never ventured up this stretch of river. They cruised past a number of glorious bays that Julia didn’t recognise or even know existed. There were children splashing at the water’s edge and dog-walkers ambling along some of the coastal paths. They sailed past harbours and attractive villages with colourful houses, followed by greater expanses of sand and taller cliffs, with impressive views, the coastline becoming more indented with coves and estuaries.

  ‘I feel like I’ve been transported back to my childhood,’ admitted Julia, her eyes wide, taking in the view.

  ‘What do you mean?’ Flynn asked, slowing down the boat.

  ‘Look at all those secret coves, I feel like I’m in a Famous Five novel.’

  ‘They are impressive, aren’t they?’

  ‘I’m not sure we are even in Scotland; this scenery is so spectacular I feel like actually I should be in Switzerland or somewhere.’

  ‘It’s pretty special, isn’t it?’ Flynn gave her a sideward glance and held her gaze.

  The way he stared, the warmness of his words, made Julia’s whole body tingle. ‘Okay,’ he said, slowing the boat right down. ‘We are nearly there.’

  Taking Julia by surprise, Flynn steered the boat slowly through numerous weeping willows that hung over the water’s edge and manoeuvred it carefully around a cluster of rocks. This looked like a private driveway on water. The Starcross trod calm water whilst Julia took in the view. The white rugged cliffs overhung, protecting a tiny secluded beach of sparkling beige sand. Julia breathed, ‘Beautiful.’

  Carefully, Flynn guided the boat to the tiny jetty and directly in front of them stood a house that wouldn’t have looked out of place on the French Riviera. Julia recognised the place from the photo that she’d seen in Andrew’s room at the B&B. Flynn, Andrew and another man had been posing outside.