The Captain and the Best Man

by Catherine Curzon

  Josh’s fringe whipped him across the forehead and he laughed as he clung onto Guy. “How are we even going to get to the beach?” he shouted over the wind. “Will the sand all blow to Florida?”

  “It might take us with it!” Guy shouted in reply. As a strong gust of wind sent them stumbling down from the veranda and onto the sand, Guy’s hold on Josh grew tighter still and he steadied them, turning his head as a spray of sand showered down around them. In the few seconds between surges Guy swept Josh clean off his feet into his arms and told him, “Keep your head down, darling, I’m getting you safely back to base.”

  Josh’s heart leaped at such a romantic gesture. He rested his head against Guy’s shoulder, never having felt so protected before. Rain fell now, pitting the wetter sand that was too heavy to be stirred by the wind. The gale roared with increasing fury and the waves battered the beach.

  He couldn’t recall a time when he had felt so utterly cared for as this, so safe despite the raging storm that was building around them. It felt as if nothing could touch Captain Collingwood, even the howling winds of a tropical storm. But Guy was right, this really wasn’t the sort of weather that made for a good beach wedding.

  Maybe it’ll calm down in the next hour.

  But Josh couldn’t convince himself. And how would Guy get safely back to his house?

  Once they had rounded the headland and were on the deserted main beach, Josh couldn’t see anyone, apart from a couple of hardy souls swimming in the shallows. None of the sunbeds were laid out across the beach, and the shutters were up on Noah’s beach bar, the tables and chairs on the veranda stacked and chained. Even without the spotty towel to act as his beacon, Guy was heading for the right hut. They didn’t go up onto the small veranda though, but edged round the side toward the front door where, thankfully, there was finally some respite from the battering wind.

  “Well, that was an adventure!” Guy set Josh’s feet down on the sand and let out a long breath of relief. “Didn’t want you to get blown out to sea!”

  Josh slipped his arms around Guy’s neck and rested the tip of his nose against Guy’s chin. “And I don’t want you blown out to sea either. Do you want to stay here for now? I’m worried about you getting back home safely.”

  “I’m going to make a run for it before things get worse.” But Guy’s arms around Josh’s waist didn’t seem to suggest he was in too much of a hurry to face Mother Nature’s wrath just yet. “I’ll text as soon as I get back indoors. Don’t you worry about me, Josh, this is just a light island breeze!”

  “Please be careful, darling.” Josh looked round as a child’s plastic bucket clattered across the hotel’s patio at surprising speed. Guy watched it go, then put one hand on Josh’s cheek, keeping it there as he kissed him.

  “I’ll see you soon,” he promised tenderly. “And when they decide to move the wedding indoors, just let me know where I need to be. You stay safe, darling, all right?”

  “I will. I’m not all that sure about staying in this hut during a storm. I might see if I can get moved indoors too!” Josh kissed him, then said, “I really don’t want to say goodbye. But seeing you in your uniform at the wedding will be totally worth it.”

  “You could always move into this little place I know over the headland?” Guy quirked his eyebrow. “Why don’t you have a think about it and let me know if it appeals? I hear they do a marvelous breakfast in bed. The best in the islands, according to this poet I know.”

  Move in?

  Was this all going a bit too fast? But it was only for the remainder of his stay—it wasn’t as if Guy was inviting him to cohabit permanently. “I’d really, really love to. I’ll pack now, and after the wedding I’ll only need to grab my suitcase!”

  “You should know that I’m an incurable old romantic.” Guy smiled, just the hint of a blush on his cheeks. “And if that’s too much, too soon, I’d understand. But if it’s not too much, too soon, I’d love you to stay at my place before you have to answer the siren song of Basingstoke.”

  Josh tweaked Guy’s pink cheek. “I don’t want a waste a moment—of course I want to stay with you. Imagine waking up every morning like we did today? I’d be a right idiot to say no to that!”

  Guy beamed, then pressed a soft kiss to Josh’s lips. “Stay safe, Mr. Robertson, and I’ll see you very soon.”

  “See you, darling. I’m going to wait here and watch you go round the headland before I go inside.” Josh held on to the door handle as another gust roared over the beach. With one more kiss, Guy finally took his arm from around Josh.

  He smiled again and said, “I’m off to get into my party frock,” then turned away and jogged down onto the beach.

  Josh peered around the corner of his hut and watched as that fine figure of a man ran through the storm as easily as if it was a breezy day in Surrey and not the edge of a tropical hurricane.

  I love you, Josh mouthed to Guy’s retreating back. Stay safe, darling.

  “Josh?” He heard a woman’s voice call his name as Guy disappeared around the headland. “You got a minute?”

  Josh turned and saw Stella there in a toweling robe, her face shiny without makeup and her blonde hair in rollers. “Yeah…come on in.”

  Was this usual for the best man to be visited by the bride on the wedding morning like this? Josh took his key from the pocket of his swimming shorts and let Stella into the hut.

  “I…I’ve met this amazing bloke, Stella… I may not have stayed in my own bed last night!”

  “That’s really sweet.” She smiled—sort of—then her face crumpled and fat tears began to roll down her cheeks as she said, “I really need someone who’s not a mum or a bridesmaid to talk to, Josh! I need a gay mate!”

  Josh put his arm around Stella and sat her down on the side of his perfectly neat, unslept-in bed. He gave her a hug. “Let’s be nice and relaxed. Enjoy the magic of St Seb’s!”

  She sniffed and nodded, hugging him in return. This was normal pre-wedding nerves, surely? It wasn’t a full-on meltdown. It couldn’t be.

  “Everyone’s shouting about the weather and freaking out and I wish we’d just gone to Vegas or something and never come here and Rey’s mum is going on and on and on about the island and—” She finally took a breath, then surged ahead again. “We all get on really well usually, but since Rey suggested St Sebastian she’s just been permanently angry and really stressed! And he just mentioned his dad last night and Pris went through the roof. I want a nice wedding, Josh, not…this!”

  “You mean Rey mentioned his biological dad, not Martin?” Josh hugged her, trying to avoid the tiny spines on Stella’s rollers. “I was thinking at the rehearsal that Pris was stressed, wanting your wedding to be perfect because her first marriage wasn’t. But at the end of the day, I suppose it’s only natural at a wedding for Rey to think about his dad. Pris is being a bit of a dick if she can’t see that. It’s a special day for you and Rey, and everyone else should feel lucky they’ve been invited, not see it as an opportunity to boss you about.”

  “I tried to get in touch with his real dad, but I couldn’t.” She rested her head on Josh’s shoulder. “I found him on Facebook and I typed out this long message trying to explain but… When it came to it, I daren’t send it. And I know Rey wishes his dad was here really, but he doesn’t want his mum to know. And he doesn’t want to admit it to himself either, or Martin, but Martin’s amazing, he wouldn’t mind and—”

  Another sob escaped and she shuddered, her tears damp through Guy’s shirt.

  “Shhh… Shhh…” Josh patted her shoulder. He was glad Rey had found Stella—that Rey had someone looking out for him. He couldn’t imagine how frustrating it must’ve been for Stella to be that close to speaking to her future father-in-law but having to hold back. “It’s okay. Maybe when we get back to England, you can message him then? I’ll help if you need a hand. Seems like a best man thing to do. But not today. Poor Rey, it’s not fair when kids get caught up like that when their parents
split up.”

  “I bet they’ve sent a search party out.” She lifted her head and managed a teary smile as across the room, Josh’s phone buzzed. He’s safe. “Will you really help me get this sorted when we get home? Rey and his dad?”

  “Yes, I promise I will.” Josh kissed the top of her hair. “This new man of mine… He has a son he’s lost contact with, and when I was telling him about your wedding, he looked so sad for a moment. Wondering what his own son was up to. So if I can help reunite Rey and his dad, I definitely will.”

  “You’re the best man. I can’t wait to meet your boyfriend, I hope he knows how lucky he is.” She wiped her eyes and pecked a kiss to Josh’s cheek. “I suppose I’d better go back to the mums and make myself look like a proper bride. Fingers crossed this storm just does one, I can’t have the hassle of that going wrong too. Pris’ll explode!”

  “Imagine—massive earrings and kitten heels strewn for miles! Now, I’d offer you a tissue if I had one to hand, but…” Instead, Josh used the cuff of Guy’s shirt to wipe at Stella’s tears. “Big hug for the bride, then I’m hopping into my tux!”

  “Big hug.” Stella smiled, throwing her arms round him. “We all love you, Josh. You’re so sensible!”

  Josh hugged her back. “You wouldn’t think that if you knew what I’ve been up to lately, but I blame this fab island for that!” Goodbye, sensible Josh! Hello, romantic Josh. “You’ll meet my man later. You’ll swoon, I promise!”

  “And when you need a bridesmaid,” she teased, “I might know just the girl!”

  Stella kissed his cheek and rose to her slippered feet. “I’ll see you later. You can read your man’s message now!”

  Josh opened the door for her. The child’s bucket was still doing circuits of the patio. “Do you think the wind’s quietening down a bit now?”

  “Let’s just tell ourselves yes and cross our fingers?” She scrubbed his hair and hurried away, her rollered head bowed against the storm.

  Josh watched her go, then checked his phone.

  Safely home. Time for a cuppa then into my glad rags. Can’t wait to see you. Xxxxx

  Josh replied, Safe trip back to the beach later! Slow dance at the wedding reception for Gosh. Packing and tuxedoing now. xxxxxx

  Love was very definitely in the air.

  Chapter Nine

  The wind had got up again, so strong now that it was turning the waves into mountains of foam. By the time Josh had packed and got into his tux, the wedding flowers that decorated the chairs set out for the wedding had been blown out of shape, their petals scattering over the sand.

  Josh was stopped in his tracks by a blast of wind that came out of nowhere and carried with it a lilo and a plastic chair flying three meters above his head. He ducked and struggled on against the fierce blast, his tie whipping his cheek with each gust of wind, sand rasping his cheeks. Ahead, he saw the wedding party clinging for dear life to the lectern set up for the marriage ceremony.

  “Rey!” he shouted against the roar of the wind. “We should be indoors, mate!”

  “They said at the reception desk that it should just clip the island and move on, but it’s not feeling very clipped to me!” Rey turned to the minister, the man Guy had identified as Una’s husband and Noah’s father. “What do you reckon? Have you had weddings in worse than this?”

  “Sometimes!” The minister’s reply was almost snatched from his mouth by the wind. “Could we wait half an hour?”

  Josh couldn’t imagine Pris waiting for anything. She had run the rehearsal as if drilling troops. She’d even made them synchronize their watches. Martin held up his hand and turned to Pris, who was waiting in the inadequate shelter of the palm trees with the bridal party. Josh couldn’t hear what was being said, but eventually Martin shouted, “If you think it’ll help!”

  Then he saw Guy.

  Not naked and drowsily satiated as Josh liked to picture him, nor casually dressed in one of his loose shirts like the last time he had seen him, but resplendent in uniform, his cap tucked beneath his arm as he strolled over the sand toward Josh. Even gale force winds didn’t seem to faze his captain.

  Josh started to jog toward him over the beach. He waved, but just as he did, he heard a shriek. Josh stopped. Had someone been hit by a flying sun umbrella? But as he turned he saw Pris, her hand over her mouth. She looked suddenly haggard, and Josh couldn’t grasp what had caused her to change so abruptly. Surely it wouldn’t matter too much if the wedding was delayed a little, or even if it was held indoors?

  But his answer soon came as Pris yelled against the wind, in Guy’s direction, “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I’m going to a wedding,” Guy replied, a look of utter bewilderment on his face. “What’re you—”

  Rey was thundering over the sand though, his voice raised into a furious shout. “I told you, you’re out of my life! How dare you show up at my fucking wedding like— How dare you?”

  “You’re not a part of this family anymore!” Pris wailed. “You deceived me and walked away!”

  Josh stared. Words crashed against his skull with the force of the storm-churned waves thudding along the shore.

  ‘I have a son and the divorce was a mess.’

  ‘Martin’s my stepdad.’

  Rey was Guy’s son.

  The ground lurched under Josh’s feet again and it was only the force of the wind that held him up.

  He shivered.

  I went to bed with my best friend’s dad.

  Guy’s gaze flickered to Josh, filled with both a warning and such pain that he could almost feel it. He gave a barely perceptible shake of the head, as though telling Josh, say nothing.

  Is he really going to try and keep me out of this?

  “There’s been a mistake,” was all he said, looking at Rey now. “I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah, you bloody should be!” Rey bellowed. “You’re not welcome. That’s my dad, not you!” He jabbed his finger toward Martin. “Now get away from my wedding!”

  As the words left Rey’s mouth, the wind seemed to reach a new ferocity and the flower-covered archway beneath which the happy couple were to be wed lifted off and sailed toward the ocean.

  And for some reason, Stella went with it.

  She gave a howl of terror as she was dragged across the sand, her veil tangled hopelessly in the thorns of the roses that were entwined around the archway. Her hands clasped desperately at her hair as she stumbled back into the ferocious waves and the veil finally came free, a moment before the arch dropped down and landed with a sickening thud against Stella’s forehead.

  Nothing felt real anymore. Not the storm, not the pain burning in Josh’s heart.

  He didn’t think about anything other than the life-saving lessons he’d taken at school. Josh threw off his hired jacket as he ran down the beach, not giving a stuff about the deposit, and toed off his shoes. The waves were so strong, and he couldn’t see Stella for all the white foam kicked up by the wind. Everywhere he looked he seemed to see her wedding gown.

  The floral arch rose and fell on the waves, the flowers adorning it torn away and washing up on the shore. Then Josh saw it, a flash of golden hair among the waves farther out. He strode through the water, then dived through a rising wave. Within a few strokes, his hands became entangled in what had to be the train of Stella’s dress. Forcing his eyes open in the salt water, Josh saw a human shape, and he slipped his arms around Stella’s waist, then kicked hard and pulled them both up to the surface.

  As he swam back to shore on his back, with Stella against his chest, he pressed his fingers to her neck.

  There’s a pulse, thank God.

  “She’s okay!” Josh yelled. He was aware of figures gathering along the shore, but the waves were crashing over both him and Stella and his eyes were stinging from the salt. Once he was in the shallows, Josh could stand, and he staggered toward the beach. Stella moaned as he carried her, seawater running from her coral-painted lips.

  Guy, imma
culate, well-groomed, dashing Guy, ran through the surf with Rey a few feet behind, both men nearly knocked off their feet by the winds. They reached Josh as one and as Rey reached for Stella, Guy put his hand to Josh’s face, gazing at him with a look in his eyes that Josh had never seen in his life.

  “I thought I’d lost you,” Guy admitted, and Rey looked first at him, then at Josh. Then he looked at Guy again and realization dawned on the young man’s face.

  “Oh, you rotten bastard,” Rey murmured, a moment before he punched his father in the jaw.

  Stella had found strength from somewhere and groaned. “Rey! For God’s sake!”

  She forced her way out of Josh’s arms and he allowed himself a moment to sag before he attempted his sodden walk up the beach.

  All at once, the sky turned upside down and he saw nothing but a crystal wall of sea.

  Chapter Ten

  Josh awoke in Guy’s bed. For a moment, he wondered if the disastrous wedding had only been an anxiety dream, but when he realized how much his head was throbbing, and that his skin was crusted with salt, Josh knew the fiasco had been all too real.

  He rolled over and tried to peer through the gauze curtains around the bed.

  “Guy, are you there?”

  “I’m here.” Josh, it seemed, had rolled the wrong way. With some effort he managed to turn, and there was Guy, sitting on the edge of the bed. He was far from immaculate now, his jaw showing a purple bruise, the uniform he still wore drenched and stained with salt water. He dipped his head and kissed Josh’s hair. “Bloody hell, darling…”

  Josh reached for Guy’s hand. “Is Stella all right?”

  “She’s fine,” he promised, kissing Josh’s hand. “Because of you.”

  “I did life-saving lessons at school. Just in case.” Josh tried to smile. “I’ve never had to do that before. I didn’t think twice. Where—where are the others? Rey’s going to kill me…”