Page 38 of Below the Deck

‘No worries! So sorry to bother you in the middle of your preparations. I was just checking you were all right?’

Talia flinched; she wondered how obvious it was that she’d just been crying. ‘And why wouldn’t I be?’

A flash of hurt marred Eleni’s warm brown eyes. ‘I … well, it’s just that you’ve been in your cabin for a while, and you seemed a bit upset after what Rory said to you earlier, on deck …’ She tailed off.

‘I appreciate your concern, Eleni, but really, I’m—’

‘Actually, can I come in for a sec?’

Oh for goodness’ sake.Talia was still in her day dress, her hair wasn’t done, nor her make-up. The bed wasn’t made after her crying session, and damp, scrunched-up tissues lay next to her pillow. ‘I was in the middle of getting ready—’

Thankfully, she was rescued that very moment by her husband, stomping down the staircase and along the passageway. ‘Ah – not ready yet, Mrs Ashworth? Hurry up, we’re about to get started. Finally managed to get a bloody signal up there.’ He turned to Eleni and made a soft whistle. ‘And don’t you look the business?’

Eleni laughed and gave Rory an extravagant twirl; Talia stifled an eye-roll.

‘I’d better get dressed, then,’ she muttered. She backed into the cabin, then to the bathroom to shower and dress and put on make-up that, no matter how long and hard she tried, would never make her look as effortlessly beautiful as Rory’s young, fresh-faced colleagues.

The atmosphere was strained as Talia took her place for dinner under the awning, despite the elegant black-and-white decorations and blaring Bond theme tunes. Rory – at the head of the table, dapper now in his tuxedo and bow tie – was clearly on edge, checking his phone and muttering frustrated profanities about data usage limits amid the ongoing lack of on-board Wi-Fi. Opposite Talia, Lucy and Mark had shifted their chairs slightly apart; they wouldn’t even meet each other’s eyes.

‘Wow,’ said Eleni, smiling as Talia sat down across from her, in between Sam and Rory, accepting a cocktail from Johanna once she was settled. ‘You look stunning.’

‘You all do,’ said Sam. ‘And us gents have scrubbed up pretty well too.’

He was right – all four men looked astonishingly handsome. Sam’s beard was neatly trimmed, Nick’s muscular frame filled his fitted shirt almost to bursting; Mark had slicked his hair back with gel and left the top button on his collar undone. They were all – as Chloe would say –hot as hell.

‘Hear, hear,’ said Rory. ‘Look at the lot of us – you’ve all made a real effort. Cheers to that!’

He raised his glass and the group clinked their martinis together. Talia took a long sip. It was strong; the gin and vermouth burned pleasantly down her throat as she swallowed.

Johanna reappeared with their starters – grilled shrimp withhoneydew gazpacho – just as Sam asked Rory: ‘Did you manage to get onto your emails in the end, then?’

‘Yes, just about – managed to get on using 4G.’ Rory paused, spoon already halfway to his mouth. ‘And I’m glad I did. Someone thinks we might have a way to get back in with Rosenberg, but for the Southall site. It would be quite the boon, to get them locked in – potential for a lot of new sales.’

Eleni’s cutlery clattered onto her side plate. ‘Rosenberg?’ She looked at Sam. ‘Hang on a second. I thought we were already in with them. Didn’t you—’

‘No,’ Sam said, with a shrug. ‘It fell through.’

‘Oh – I didn’t realize. Not sure how I missed that. So then, how come you—?’ Eleni stopped talking abruptly, and covered her mouth with her hand. Nick glanced at her sharply.

Sam’s shoulders hunched almost to his ears. He put his spoon down too, took a sip of his drink. ‘How come I what?’

Eleni shook her head. ‘Sorry – I didn’t mean … it’s nothing.’

Sam dropped his shoulders back down. ‘I can take a good guess at what you were about to say. How did I win the bonus trip if Rosenberg fell through – right?’

Eleni shrugged and said nothing; Sam turned to Rory. ‘Would you like to explain to our colleagues why I still got a place here? You’ll do a better job than me, I’m sure.’ Sam stared at Rory, a challenge in his expression. Talia squirmed; Sam’s daring tone was making her uncomfortable.

Rory swallowed his mouthful of gazpacho then began nodding emphatically. ‘Well, as you’ll all know, Sam is quite the standout employee – he’s been working at Ashworth for more than ten years, and that sort of loyalty merits reward.’ He was rambling; talking much too fast.What’s got him sorattled?‘Besides, it’s not always about bringing in the big accounts! I wanted to do something different this year – as we can see with my choice of winners.’ Rory gestured towards Lucy as he spoke.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Mark interrupted. ‘Was Lucy something different, then? Aspecial case?’

Rory and Mark glared at each other for a moment, flashes of last night’s tension still alive between them.This is going to get out of hand.‘Yes, I suppose she was,’ said Rory. ‘But only in the sense that I’ve never brought along a colleague from finance before – however, Lucy’s work is so impressive, it wasn’t a hard decision.’

A muscle twitched in Mark’s jaw, but he stayed quiet.

‘And I’m very glad I did,’ Rory bumbled on, as Johanna cleared away their starters. ‘Because look at you – the journalist and the data analyst, both keen-eyed and ambitious! Just the kind of people I like around me. A real power couple.’

Mark snorted. ‘Hardly.’ He lifted his martini glass to his mouth.