In the act of taking out wine glasses from the overhead cabinet, Serenity paused and looked at her in bemusement. “Do what, Ms. Somerset? Take out glasses from the cabinet?”
Willow smirked. “That. Sound so musical and feminine even when you’re insulting me?”
Serenity blinked again. “I did not insult you, Ms. Somerset.”
“Oh my. You lie so prettily, too.”
Serenity stared at her. Willow stared back. A moment later, and the ice cracked on Serenity’s beautiful face.
Willow’s eyes widened. “Blonde robots can smile, too?” And it was a smile, albeit small and overly cautious.
The smile disappeared, and Serenity asked, “Shall I start with the overview of today’s tasks?”
“Aye, aye, Captain.”
“It’s Ms. Raleigh,” Serenity reminded.
“Captain Ms. Raleigh,” Willow returned.
The ice cracked even more, and as they worked side by side, Serenity patiently giving her as much instruction as she needed, the ice gradually disappeared, leaving behind an extraordinarily beautiful girl with an even more extraordinarily beautiful smile.
As they prepared another tray of cocktails to offer to the growing number of guests above deck, Serenity suddenly blurted out, “I wish I could be more like you.”
Willow gaped. “Are you serious?”
The younger woman nodded, seriously.
“Then you’re crazy,” Willow said flatly. Waiters had come into the kitchen and as she handed one of them her tray of cocktails, she told Serenity, “I should be more like you.”
Serenity shook her head. “Trust me, Ms. Somerset. You don’t want to be me. If you were me, then the man you love will be as indifferent to you as…” Serenity’s words stumbled to a stop.
Willow said gently, “You don’t know if he really is—”
Serenity’s lip curled in self-loathing. “I’ve known him my whole life, Ms. Somerset.” As they moved to arranging a new batch of amuse bouche on the tray, she said quietly, “Trust me when I say he’s indifferent to me.” A pause. “I try not to take it too personally, though. Mr. de Konigh tends to be indifferent with just about everyone except his siblings.”
The younger girl spoke with such casual disregard that if Willow didn’t know how good Serenity was at bluffing, she would have been fooled into thinking Willem de Konigh’s indifference didn’t hurt.
“I’m sorry.” It was the only thing Willow could think of saying.
“Like you said earlier, there’s nothing to apologize for. His indifference isn’t your fault. It’s…mine. My fault he’s feeling the opposite of—” A flush overcame her cheeks as Serenity forced the word out. “Love.”
Willow flinched at the unspoken hurt underlining Serenity’s words. “Hey, don’t give up yet. There’s always a chance—”
“I don’t have a chance, but you do, Ms. Somerset.”
Willow laughed. “Of course I do.” She tried her damnedest not to sound bitter but failed.
Serenity nodded emphatically. “I saw you yesterday with Mr. Manolis, and…” Her voice turned flat. “You were too nice. You were too proper. You were too much like me, in a nutshell, and if you keep being like that, you’re just making it easier and easier for Mr. Manolis to keep you at a distance.”
Waiters came back inside again, preventing Willow from answering. For a few minutes, they quietly attended to their tasks, making sure that all cocktails and drinks were served according to Willem de Konigh’s exacting standards.
When they were left alone again, Willow heard herself ask, “What exactly are you suggesting?”
Serenity said simply, “If you can’t make him love you, make him hate you instead. At least that way, you’d still be in his mind.”
For a moment, all Willow could do was stare. The advice sounded so crazy it might just work.
Shaking her head, she murmured, “No wonder Willem de Konigh took you in even if you’re barely legal. I see it now. You’ve got a Machiavellian mind hidden under all that prim and proper glacier-like personality of yours.”
“Well, we can’t just all wear our hearts on our sleeves like you do, Ms. Somerset,” Serenity said primly.
“Oooooh,” Willow exclaimed teasingly. “Nasty with class. I like that.”
Serenity was doing her best not to smile again.
Seeing it, Willow added solemnly, “I want to be like you when I’m reincarnated.”
This time, the smile won over the ice, but before Serenity could say something else, the intercom in the kitchen rang. “Excuse me,” Serenity murmured before taking the call. The conversation was entirely in Dutch, but when the girl’s eyes darted towards her, Willow knew whatever it was had something to do with her.