One Summer in Santorini. Sandy Barker

righted my shorts and replied, ‘Thanks,’ as nonchalantly as I could. Then I went up on deck before he gave me any more twinges. Twinges were not good when you were trying to stay ‘just friends’ with someone.

      Marie, who had seen the whole thing from the kitchen, joined me on deck shortly after. She raised her eyebrows at me – not like she was being judgemental, but more like, ‘what’s going on with you two?’ I shrugged my shoulders at her. I had no bloody idea.

      ‘You know,’ she said in a low voice, ‘Gary is a younger man.’ She emphasised ‘younger’.

      ‘Oh?’ She certainly didn’t look older than Gary. It also didn’t take a rocket scientist to work out where she was going with all of this.

      ‘Yes, and he pursued me for a long time before I gave in.’

      ‘Gave in?’

      ‘Uh huh. I resisted because I’m ten years older than him.’

      ‘Wow. You don’t look older than Gary.’ I figured I should pay the woman a compliment; whatever she was doing to look after herself was working. ‘So, can I ask how old you are?’

      ‘I’m forty-eight.’

      ‘Marie, you seriously don’t look forty-eight. I would have said you were only a little bit older than me.’

      ‘Thanks.’ She smiled. ‘I think it’s being with a younger man that keeps me young. They have a lot of energy.’ She raised her eyebrows at me again, and this time I laughed. ‘Look, this really isn’t any of my business. I’ll butt out,’ she added.

      But I was quickly learning that when eight people live on a fifteen-metre boat, everything becomes everybody’s business and, besides, I didn’t want her to butt out. I wanted advice. ‘No, you don’t need to. I mean, I don’t know what to do here. I’m not looking for anything – casual or otherwise – and it’s not like we can spend any real time together if you know what I mean.’ I paused. ‘Though I do like him …’

      ‘And he’s so handsome,’ she interrupted.

      It was my turn to raise my eyebrows at her. ‘Really?’

      ‘A blind woman could see that Josh is a good-looking man.’

      ‘A good-looking younger man,’ I said, bringing us full circle.

      ‘Look, you don’t need to decide anything right now. Enjoy the flirtation. If something happens, let it.’

      ‘But—’

      ‘No buts. You can’t control everything, Sarah, especially feelings.’

      I considered what she’d said. I did like to control things. Maybe that’s why the whole thing with Josh was messing with my head – and other parts of me. I didn’t want any kind of romantic entanglement with him – or with anyone – and I did not want anything happening in such close proximity to six other people.

      *

      The sail to Naxos was incredible. Unlike our trip to Ios, we could sail the whole distance without power, and for most of it the boat was at a forty-five-degree angle. I had to wedge myself into the galley to make a ploughman’s lunch of tzatziki, bread, tomatoes, olives and feta. Josh helped to ferry the dishes to everyone who was up on deck, which was everyone except Patricia. She was still sleeping. Shocker, I know.