‘What a great idea,’ Leo said, looking around, then jumping on the bed. ‘Zach and I should have done the same. Although I don’t know what it says about how much you’re enjoying the cruise.’
‘I’m sure you can work it out if you try,’ I quipped. ‘It’s not that cryptic.’
I beckoned him out onto the balcony and lit a citronella candle to keep the bugs away. ‘Can I get you a drink, sir? Red, white, a beer?’
‘I’ll have whatever you’re having,’ he said, eyeing my wine. ‘We can open the red later with some cheese.’
‘Do you mean order some? I’m not sure there’s any…’
He pulled a camembert from his inside pocket and some crackers from his coat. ‘I took the liberty of swinging by the supermarket. I know you like a cheeseboard.’
He had me there. The cheese trolley at the end of each meal was always the best part of the night. ‘I do! How sweet of you to notice. Cheesiness is next to godliness in my book.’ I was entirely delighted. It was rare to find a man with cheese in his pocket. ‘I’ve never been gifted a camembert before – more men should do this. Sod the champagne and roses.’
‘Noted,’ he said, taking the rose he’d given me and opening his jacket to tuck it away.
I snatched it back. ‘Not that one, you big tease. Is this more of your PR-man polish?’
‘Not at all. I just thought you might like it, that’s all.’
‘Well, you’re right. I do.’
‘I’ll help myself to a wine then, shall I?’ he said, disappearing back inside and rattling around in the fridge.
‘Kat! Kat? Can you hear me?’ A woman’s voice floated through the air, but I couldn’t work out from which direction.
‘Hello?’ I shouted, shading my eyes to focus. Was it a spirit?
‘It’s me! Heidi!’
My stomach dropped as I casually slid the balcony door shut and pulled the shutters down.Arghhh!I couldn’t see her and had visions of her leaping over the wall or bungee jumping in from above. ‘Where are you?’
‘Over here!’ she called, and her phone light turned on. She was stood in the shadows of her own balcony on the opposite side of the courtyard.
‘Oh hi! How are you feeling?’ I feigned concern and prayed Leo would take his time.
‘Much better. I’ve been asleep all afternoon and I’m having an early night. Keeping my eyes closed is the only thing that stops the pain.’
Leo was trying to open the door behind me, and I stepped back to stand in front of it.
‘Bath and bed for me too,’ I replied loudly to hide the noise, holding up my wine as if it was evidence. ‘After this one.’
‘What’s that, Kat?’ Leo shouted through the glass. ‘Are you talking to me? I can’t get out – the door’s stuck.’
‘Shhh,’ I side-mouthed.
‘Already in your nightie, I see.’ Heidi couldn’t resist a barb, even with a migraine. Can’t see well enough to type but can throw shade on me from a hundred metres. ‘I’ll leave you to get some rest. Goodnight!’
I raised my glass again and she turned, as Leo rapped loudly on the window. ‘Can you hear me?’ he shouted in a panic as I pulled the shutters up and slipped inside the balcony door, closing the curtains behind me.
‘That was close,’ I said, taking another whisky miniature from the fridge and downing it. ‘Heidi’s room is directly opposite. Five more seconds and she’d have seen you.’
Leo cracked a smile. ‘How exciting,’ he said, wrapping his arms around me. ‘I thought you were trying to trap me in your bedroom.’
‘Sorry to disappoint you, but you’re free to leave anytime. You could have walked out the front door.’
He gave me a flirty smile. ‘Why would I do that? I was warming to the idea of house arrest.’
‘Not sure we can sit out on the balcony now. Shall we have cheese and crackers on the bed and watch Portuguese TV?’
