Love Overboard

Chapter Forty-Eight

Chapter Forty-Eight

As the three of them left the room, Sofia was having a hard time understanding all that had just happened. For now she had not lost her job, of that she was sure, but in the whirlwind, everything else still felt up in the air. Miscommunication had gotten them into this mess and she wanted to be sure that this wasn’t just another misguided strategy from Jack to keep their jobs.

The captain headed back upstairs, and Sofia looked up at Jack, lost for words. Where to start.

‘Well, that’s a first, Sofia Harlow rendered speechless,’ Jack teased.

‘Nah, I thought I’d leave all the talking to you from now on. That was quite the soliloquy in there, dragged on a little bit by the end though.’ She grimaced playfully. As ever it was easier to make a joke than say what needed to be said.

She took a deep breath and watched Jack’s expression turn sombre to match her own. ‘Did you mean what you said in there?’ She was surprised to hear her own voice trembling as she spoke. ‘About...’ She paused, plucking up the courage. ‘About love... about loving me?’

He laid the palms of his hands flat against each cheek, waiting until their eyes met before he replied, ‘If you’re asking me if I love you, Sofia, the answer is yes. Somehow after...’ he frowned, calculating in his head ‘...fifteen days, I have found myself irrevocably, undeniably, some might say madly, in love with you.’

As Jack continued, Sofia fought back tears, unsuccessfully, and two firm thumbs wiped them as they fell. ‘You’re stubborn, sarcastic, completely incapable of having a serious conversation, but you’re brilliant, Sofia, and I love you not in spite of any of those things, but because of them. Every day with you, every conversation, in fact, is an adventure where I don’t know where I’m going to end up next. Being with you is like being with myself in a way I haven’t been able to do in a very long time. It feels like being home and I like it, which is saying something from someone who has spent the past decade running away from that. The last two weeks have shown me that maybe I don’t know myself as much as I thought I did, but this...’ He shook her gently. ‘This, I know. So yes, I meant it.’

Sofia found herself in the grips of some strange combination of a sniffle and a snigger, quite unable to handle the surge of contradictory feeling.

He pulled her into a hug, and waited for her to quieten. ‘I knew for certain yesterday, on the deck,’ he whispered into her ear. She pulled away, suddenly fortified.

‘That’s when I knew I loved you too,’ she said simply, and he grinned. She was not the effusive type. She hoped in time she might be able to return the favour with her own romantic proclamation, but for today that would have to be enough.

They stood for a moment, the words settling between them, eyes searching eyes and finding certainty. All of a sudden, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She found herself yelping, giddy with childlike delight.

‘That’s quite enough of that for now, Harlow, we’re colleagues after all; we gotta keep things professional.’ He marched across the deck with her legs dangling across his chest.

‘Put me down!’ she demanded, but she was laughing.

As they walked past the downstairs saloon, she spotted the guests lounging behind the glass.

‘Jack! They’re going to see!’ But it was too late. Brian was prodding Milly and wolf whistling. Even through the glass, the shrill of Milly’s squeal was piercing.

‘Jack and Sofia for ever,’ she called, clapping excitedly. Jack gave a salute and Sofia waved as she was carried past.

Outside the door to the mess, Jack put Sofia down. They were both breathless with excitement, but as they looked at each other, the world slowed. She smiled, he smiled, and then she couldn’t stand it anymore – she grabbed his collar and pulled his lips to hers. Instantaneously the furnace was lit, burning ferociously in the pit of her stomach. It was going to be hard to keep her hands off him long enough to get food on the table. He groaned and grabbed at her waist, pulling her in to him. Just before the fuzz in her brain took over her better judgement, she pulled him away, panting softly.

‘We can’t do this here, we’re on a test run, remember? We can save that—’ she slapped his arse playfully ‘—for the bunk.’ She winked at him, revelling in his look of horny bewilderment and swung open the door.

Patricio and Declan were sat together in one corner, and Petra and Stuart in another. The chatter died immediately as they stared expectantly.

‘So, guys, we have a little announcement.’ She was trying to be coy, but she couldn’t stop grinning.

Patricio was not going to indulge her in the dramatic build-up. ‘OMG! Yes, love it, love it!’ he exclaimed before trilling his tongue.

‘She hasn’t even said anything yet!’ Petra said impatiently. ‘Go on!’

‘We’re both staying on the boat.’ Jack took the reins, and Sofia was overwhelmed by the cheers. Next it was all hugs, a little perfunctory from Stuart and Declan, but longer and tighter from Petra and from Patricio, who had tears in his eyes as she leant back.

‘And just to be clear, you two are...?’ Petra was not going to let them get away with any ambiguity.

‘Together,’ Sofia and Jack said at the same time.

‘Now that’s too much,’ Petra said dryly before breaking out into a grin.

‘One charter, two couples. Poor Captain Mary must be having to rethink that famous rule,’ Declan chimed.

‘Well if she will keep inviting people onto the Lady Ixchel, what does she expect?’ Everybody turned to Stuart, confused. ‘Lady Ixchel? Ixchel, like the Mayan goddess of love?’ His insightful observation was only met with shrugs and murmurs. ‘Never mind,’ he mumbled.

‘Well it seems she’s scrapping that rule now,’ Petra interjected, coming to Stuart’s aid. Sofia spotted Patricio glancing over at Declan.

‘So, what now?’ Declan wondered, ever full of questions.

‘Well,’ Petra took a moment to compile a list in her head. ‘The top deck needs scrubbing.’ She pointed at Declan. ‘The beds need stripping.’ She pointed at Patricio. ‘Our next stop needs to be mapped out and our spot in the harbour reserved.’ The finger spun to Stuart and then Jack. ‘Dinner needs to be cooked.’ Sofia’s turn. ‘And I have a pile of ironing sitting in the laundry room with my name on it.’

They all stood for a moment. ‘Chop, chop, this isn’t a holiday!’ And with the clap of Petra’s hands, they all scattered.