Page 45 of Below the Deck

Lucy couldn’t avoid Mark any longer. After the disastrous dinner party last night, she’d fallen asleep before he returned to the cabin; today, she’d gone up for breakfast alone before he even woke up. Truth be told, they’d barely spoken since the morning after he’d drunkenly approached Rory. But she couldn’t carry on like this – not with so much tension on board, not with everything she was carrying. She felt adrift and rudderless – Mark was her anchor, and she needed him.

They settled into the cushioned seats of the sun deck’s bow; Lucy edged her bottom closer to Mark, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder in response. This time, she didn’t want to pull away.

‘Nice to have a bit of space from everyone,’ said Mark. ‘If I had to listen to one more piece of patronizing advice coming from that sanctimonious prick … as if we’ve got anything to learn from someone that age, anyway. He’s a fuckingdinosaur.’

Lucy snorted. ‘He’s notthatold. Only mid-fifties.’

Mark’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘Is he? I thought he was seventy-odd.’

She grimaced. ‘Seventy! Jesus, why? He acts like a bloody teenager half the time.’

‘Yeah. That prank with the jet ski was proper schoolboy, to be fair,’ said Mark. ‘No, it’s more … I dunno. His sense of humour. The stuff he says about women. It’s so outdated. Like, the sort of stupid jokes and comments my gramps used to make.’

Lucy picked at her fingernails.As if that’s the worst thing about him.‘I know. It’s pretty cringe, isn’t it?’

‘Like how he calls you allgirls– and the thing about how Michaela is more than just a pretty face?’

Lucy wrinkled her nose in disgust. ‘Gross. But that’s Rory, isn’t it? He’s in his own little world of wealthy, white, male privilege. He doesn’t think about how the stuff he says or does impacts anyone else. He’s never had to. He gets away with whatever he wants.’

Mark stiffened; he lifted up his sunglasses and turned to stare at her. ‘Like what?’

Shit. Had she gone too far? She needed to manage this carefully. ‘Ah, I don’t know … I didn’t mean anything specific. Just that he’s clueless about how most people live their lives, you – you know?’

Mark nodded and looked away; he stared out to sea for a moment, but the silence was loaded. ‘Last night went off a bit, didn’t it?’ he said finally.

Lucy groaned. ‘Tell me about it. What a disaster. I’ve got no idea what Sam’s problem with Rory is.’ She took a deep breath. ‘And I thought it was pretty out of order, the way youspoke to Rory too – and to me. Accusing me of spending more time with my boss than I do with you … saying that in front of everyone. It wasn’t cool.’

Mark scowled. ‘I wasn’t wrong, though, was I? You’re obsessed with that place – obsessed withhim.’ Lucy opened her mouth to interject, but Mark raised a hand to quiet her. ‘But fair enough. I shouldn’t have said it in front of everyone. You’re right – it wasn’t okay.’

Lucy stared down at her hands. ‘I’m not …obsessed,’ she said quietly.

Mark scoffed. ‘Oh, come on. Do you really not get where I’m coming from? Do you not think it’s been hard for me, these last few months – you’ve been completely consumed by Ashworth. I’ve not seen you – you’ve barely even spoken to me!’

Lucy flushed hot with rage. ‘Barely spoken to you? Don’t be ridiculous, Mark. We live together, for God’s sake. We talk to each other everyday!’ She was raising her voice now – shouting – she didn’t even care if the other guests heard her.

‘No’ – Mark was shaking his head in frustration – ‘that’s not what I mean. Yes, we’ve talked about who’s taking the bins out and whose turn it is to cover the online shop. But we haven’t talkedproperly. And this whole time, it’s felt like there’s stuff to do with work – to do with Rory, especially – that you’re keeping from me.’ He stared at her now; the intensity in his gaze almost hurt, but Lucy couldn’t bear to look away. ‘Lucy … do you remember when you first went to the interview at Ashworth?’

Can’t he just leave it?‘Yes,’ she answered coldly. ‘I mean, it was a few months ago, but I remember it. Why?’ Oh, she remembered it. It was etched in her mind in permanent marker.

Mark frowned. ‘You were so excited about it, weren’t you?’

‘Yes. And rightly so. I knew it was going to be the opportunity of a lifetime.’

‘And remember when you came back after – you said you’d blown him away with the data analysis you did beforehand?’

Lucy closed her eyes at the memory; she’d been so proud of herself. Before the interview, she had printed out highlighted spreadsheets of an analysis she’d made of last year’s annual report. She’d already found areas for the company to improve. Rory had been impressed by her initiative; he said she was the first and only candidate he’d seen who’d put that kind of effort in. ‘Of course,’ she said. ‘He offered me the job on the spot.’

Rory’s offer had come as a sweet relief: she was convinced she’d blown it, earlier in the interview. When she’d first stepped into his office, Rory had stared at her for a moment, in intense curiosity. ‘You’ve interviewed for a role here at Ashworth before, have you?’ he’d asked.

She’d been momentarily stumped. ‘Ah – here? No. This is the first time I’ve ever been in the building.’ Rory had looked baffled; he said he could have sworn he’d seen her before – that he hada memory for faces. She’d racked her brains, managed to come up with a plausible explanation about doing work experience at a nearby brokerage, and passing him on the street. He’d looked unconvinced – but, thankfully, he’d moved on.

Mark examined his fingernails. ‘I’ve never seen you so determined about anything as you were to get that job. But you were doing okay at Baker Hartwell before, weren’t you? You were happy enough. I still just don’t understand why you wanted to move so badly, to Ashworth – to work with him. With Rory.’

Lucy’s mouth went dry. ‘Well, it was a decent pay rise,’ shesaid carefully. ‘We needed the cash – I’ve got so many outgoings, and we want to save up for a deposit, don’t we? I’d love us to get on the property ladder one day. And Ashworth have excellent benefits – just look where we are.’ She gestured towards the sea.

‘So you’re saying it was nothing to do with Rory? And him treating you like aspecial fucking caseis just – what, because he’s so interested in your career?’

Lucy swallowed.Oh no. Mark’s got this so, so wrong.‘Hang on a minute … do you think there’s something going on with me and Rory?’ Mark watched her closely, but said nothing; only raised his eyebrows in subtle challenge. ‘Do you – do you think I’msleepingwith him or something?’