‘I don’t think you need to worry. I’ve seen the way Brian looks at you.’ It wasn’t a lie; she had indeed seen Brian look at Milly, but if she was being totally honest, he was not the most expressive person.
Mostly, Sofia felt the need to defend her friend in a way that wasn’t too obvious. Petra could be a bit of a flirt, but she was also a professional. Sofia knew she wouldn’t cross that line. Then again after what she had learnt earlier, maybe Petra wasn’t as infallible as Sofia had first thought. Right now though the fault lines were clear, and she wasn’t about to be caught bad-mouthing Petra to the guests.
‘I mean look at you, how could he not be madly in love?’ Sofia cringed at herself internally but to her surprise it seemed to have the desired effect on Milly.
She beamed, dropping her head coyly and smiling into her lap. ‘Do you really think so?’
Sofia swallowed her dignity. ‘Of course, you’re an absolute stunner. Any guy would be lucky to have you.’
Milly pounced and, before Sofia could react, she had been pulled into a too-tight hug.
‘Oh, Sofia, you don’t know how much I needed to hear that. You’re always there for me!’ Milly effused into the crook of Sofia’s neck.
For someone who spent most of the day reviewing reams of affirmation from millions of strangers, Sofia was shocked by how fragile Milly’s self-esteem was. She rubbed Milly’s shoulder awkwardly and then extracted herself from the embrace. Both women sensed that the moment of shared intimacy had been a little performative.
‘I’d better start getting the crew’s dinner ready.’ Sofia was eager to get back below deck.
‘Of course. Thanks again, I know you’re probably thinking “silly little insecure influencer getting upset about her sham relationship”.’ Milly tried a laugh to make her self-deprecation more light-hearted, but it sounded hard and forced.
‘Not at all,’ replied Sofia with a sympathetic smile, although she wasn’t sure what she thought quite yet.
Milly waved her away. ‘Anyway, you better be going. I’ve kept you here long enough.’ Another smile, a little wave and Sofia was retreating down the stairs, a little more hurriedly than she usually would.
One last circuit around the boat, a knock on Petra’s door and still no sign. It was time to get the crew dinner ready anyway, so she got to work: a borlotti bean and fennel sausage stew. Patricio helped her bring the plates in and Sofia scanned the table for Petra.
Jack, Declan, Stuart and Captain Mary sat around in what had presumably been a comfortable silence that turned a little sour when Sofia walked in. She tried to ignore it, and the creeping sense of déjà-vu.
‘No Petra tonight?’ she asked. She was aiming for a nonchalant tone.
‘She’s feeling a little... under the weather,’ said Captain Mary in a way that sounded a little euphemistic.
Everybody looked even worse for wear than they had that morning, everybody apart from Patricio, who was chatting away, masking the rest of the table’s general lack of lustre. Sofia had a hard time appearing like she was listening to the conversation when her mind was racing, thinking about what had happened to Petra, how easily Milly had turned against her, how the last thing she needed was a pile-on about Jack. On top of that she was avidly avoiding eye contact with both Declan and Jack.
When they were done, Sofia cleared the plates, grateful for a quick exit, hastily wishing everyone a good night.
In bed, she tossed and turned, her brain running through the day over and over. From Jack to Declan to Petra, she felt like she had woken up that morning with a sense of where she stood with them all. Now she was going to sleep with all three relationships in turmoil. In the life of a yachtie, and in the words of her mother’s favourite singer, what a difference a day makes.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sofia woke up bleary-eyed and, if not totally refreshed, then at least more clear-headed. She needed to talk to Petra; that was today’s goal. Petra, to her relief, was there at breakfast. It had to be said that she still wasn’t looking all that well. She had a dazed look on her face and Sofia had to stand right in front of her to catch her eye.
‘Glad to see you feeling better, Petra,’ Sofia said, spooning scrambled eggs onto her plate.
‘Mhmm, yep, thanks.’ She pulled on a half-hearted smile. It was an answer that signalled to Sofia that she should not ask any more questions, at least not here, and she turned away to watch the crew devouring their breakfast. Jack was sat at the end of table, quietly listening to Patricio, a faint smile tugging at his lips. It was hard to tell if he was hanging on Patricio’s every word or actively avoiding looking over at her, thought Sofia. Probably both.
Declan was turned to face Patricio, leaning on one hand and shovelling eggs into his mouth with the other.
‘So you were actually born in Capri?’ He seemed genuinely enthralled.
‘Yes, and it’s a funny story, because my mother had planned to go to the mainland to give birth but she went out orange picking one day and her waters broke. She was miles from anywhere, with no mobile phone of course, and so she gave birth to me right there in the middle of the trees.’ Patricio was animated as he told the story. ‘My middle name is actually Aranciano, you know likearancia!’ He was met with mostly blank looks.
‘It means orange,’ Jack pipped up.
‘Exacto!Mama’s little orange blossom – that’s what she called me.’ Patricio grinned.
‘That’s crazy, wow, and like you’ve lived there your whole life?’ Declan asked.
‘Yes, pretty much, actually my whole family, they never leave the island, mostly.’ Sofia noticed Patricio glancing over at Jack. ‘We have been Capreses for generations.’
