‘Great to meet you, Ally,’ she said. ‘Reallyexcited about working together and if you haven’t guessed, I’m wearing two hats – I’m also heading up PR. That’s what I did back in Brissie. But when this opportunity came up… I couldn’t sayno. You know, thirty-something Greek woman, living at home with Mum and Dad, and your cousin’s cousin hears about this great job in the Cyclades and your family’s from there – way back, I mean. So, it’s a no-brainer, right?’
‘Absolutely,’ I agreed.
She was certainly…effervescent. Maybe before working in PR, Niki was one of the Wiggles.
‘Oh, sorry,’ she said, slapping her forehead dramatically. ‘This is Minh, Aetheria’s photographer and videographer.’
Minh nodded. ‘Hey, everyone,’ he said quietly, his accent American.
‘Right,’ said Niki, ‘now before we chuff off, let’s get some footage of you arriving at the boat.’
Minh may have been the total opposite to Niki – softly spoken and with considered gestures – but he was clearly experienced. Without hesitation, he directed us into position, explaining precisely what he needed.
Now I’m used to this sort of thing – photoshoots, filming – but Trudy was a deer in headlights from the onset. We had to film our approach to the boat several times because she kept flubbing her one line,What a beautiful sailboat!
In the end, Niki gently asked Trudy and Dale to step aside and for me to deliver the line, which I did – perfectly in one take.
‘Great job, Ally!’ said Niki. ‘Now, let’s go aboard.’
I was still basking in the glow of Niki’s praise when Tommy called out, ‘Hello, everyone!’
Only two words but they hurtled straight at me, obliterating any hope of breezing through the day with cool-headed professionalism.
Hah! I was further from cool-headed professionalism than a newsreader doing shots on air.
But I had a job to do, and I could not allow myself to get distracted by Tommy’s voice. Or any other part of him.Especiallyother parts of him.
Only, then I caught sight of him and my remaining shreds of self-control flew out the window.
Gah!Get it together, Ally!
It would be challenging, that was for sure – like climbing Mount Everest in stilettos. For one, that uniform really suited him, the bright white of his shirt offsetting his tanned skin and dark hair. And he was barefoot, and Tommy has beautiful feet. Even the statue of David has ugly feet compared to Tommy.
But most of all –worstof all? – he looked so at home on that boat, it was as if he’d always sailed. Whatever was going on with him – whatever reasons he had for this dramatic lifestyle change – he seemed to be on to something. It clearly agreed with him.
He stopped in the cockpit, regarding us with a broad smile.
‘You must be Trudy and Dale. I’m Tom,’ he said, flashing that smile at Trudy. I swear, she almost swooned and I readied myself to catch her.
‘Hello, Ally. Nice to see you again,’ he said, as if we were acquaintances who’d only met last night. Which was exactly what we were pretending to be.
‘Hi, Tom, good to meet ya,’ said Dale. ‘Shoes off, I’m assuming?’ he asked as he undid the buckles of his sandals.
‘That would be great.’
Trudy and I exchanged a look, then stepped out of our shoes, letting them dangle from our fingertips. Dale climbed aboard, then Trudy stepped closer to the boat, eyeing the gap between it and the pier.
‘I’ve got you, babe,’ said Dale, reaching for her hand.
Trudy placed her hand in Dale’s and peered at him adoringly. I thought back to what she’d said on the golf cart, about Dale driving her mad sometimes – that she’d even fantasised about divorcing him from time to time. Yet here they were after decades of marriage, and he still called herbabe.
‘Ally, need a hand?’ asked Tommy.
I didn’t want to fall between the pier and the boat either, but I also didn’t want Tommy to hold my hand. I mean, Ididbut I also didn’t.
‘All good,’ I replied brightly, carefully stepping aboard.Do not fall. Do not fall. Do not fall.I made it, prouder of myself than I should have been.
Tommy reached out his hand, which confused me for a sec – I was already aboard – but he was asking for my shoes. Feeling foolish, I handed them over and he put them away with the others under a bench in the cockpit.
