‘If the last place they were seen was Norman Reef, then I would try that,’ Vanessa says.

‘What are the odds we could do our afternoon dive there?’ Hugh asks. We have two more dives today, a midday and a late afternoon.

‘I can ask Aaron . . .’ There’s a pause. I remain as still as possible. ‘Wasn’t Millie the one looking for the butterfly wrasse?’

‘I’m just trying to be helpful.’

The fist around my heart relaxes. Seconds later, I hear Vanessa call out to Aaron to come down into their room.

‘Norman for the late afternoon dive?’ he asks. I can picture him poking at a map.

I hear footsteps coming around the platform and close my eyes, pretending to be asleep. For a second, I think it must be Andrew, because I hear Pippa shift in the hammock above me.

I crack open one eye ever so slightly.

Hugh is seated right next to me, staring at me. He clears his throat when he sees me opening one eye.

Pippa climbs out of the hammock. ‘I’ll let you two catch up,’ she says, making her way into the shade of the captain’s room.

I stare at my feet. I should thank Millie for making me get a pedicure before this, I think.

‘You’re not very good at pretending to be asleep,’ Hugh says.

‘I wasn’t pretending. You woke me up,’ I reply, although my voice comes out a little higher than normal, exposing my lie. ‘You didn’t have to do that,’ I mumble.

‘Do what?’

‘Ask Vanessa and Aaron where to find the butterfly wrasse.’

‘Yes, I did.’

I pull myself out of my reclined position and sit up straight. ‘No, you didn’t. You don’t have to prove to me that you want to help me. It’s too late.’ Why is staying angry at Hugh so hard? I think, watching the sun catch on the perfect slope of his nose.

‘It’s never too late,’ Hugh says matter-of-factly. ‘And I am not just doing it for you.’

‘Really?’ I raise my eyebrows. ‘Because I feel like you lied to me, then you tried to downplay it, then you realised,’ I drop my voice to a whisper, ‘Andrew wasn’t as good a buddy as I was, and now you’re trying to make up for it by helping me find the wrasse.’

‘Did you ever think that maybe I like to do things by the book, with integrity, and that means giving you the best shot at finding the butterfly wrasse even if that means proving me wrong?’

I pick at the hem of my T-shirt. ‘No.’

‘Well then. And—’ Hugh drops his voice low, ‘—yes, you are a better buddy than Andrew, and I was hoping you would consider trading back.’

I fight off a smile. ‘I’m still mad at you,’ I say under my breath.

‘Andrew,’ Hugh calls, getting to his feet, ‘we gotta talk, buddy.’