Chapter 18 #2
‘I’ve had a truly wonderful time,’ I tell him, when he drops me back at the apartments later.
‘Thank you for everything.’ But with the change in his demeanour, I wonder if I would have just been another conquest to him?
The number of women he comes across at that nightclub certainly gives him plenty of opportunity for casual encounters.
‘The pleasure has been all mine,’ he insists, before he gives me a perfunctory kiss on the cheek. ‘I will call you,’ he says, before climbing back into his car, and roaring off.
Did he really think I was going to sleep with him in exchange for an afternoon on his fancy yacht?
Then again, perhaps he really does like me.
I hope he doesn’t see me as an immature teenager, running off like that.
I remember Lulu’s words then, advising me to only do what I felt comfortable with, and feel happy that I trusted my instincts.
I bump into Irene and Patsy walking out of the apartments and they tell me they are heading over to the Sea Breeze, and ask if I would like to join them for a coffee.
‘Sure,’ I say, falling into step with them. Maybe a distraction from Christos is exactly what I need right now.
‘So have you had a nice time?’ asks Irene as we take a seat at our usual table.
I tell them all about my afternoon on the yacht as we order a latte.
‘Oh, that sounds wonderful,’ says Patsy, having a puff on her vape, and blowing it out to sea. ‘Although I do get a little seasick on large vessels.’
‘When have you ever been on a yacht?’ asks Irene.
‘The summer of nineteen seventy-eight. A college friend and I met two blokes in the South of France when I accompanied her there to meet a pen pal,’ Patsy replies.
‘A pen pal?’ I ask.
‘Oh stop, you’re making me feel ancient again.
’ She laughs. ‘A pen pal was someone you wrote letters to. There was no texting in those days, remember,’ she says.
‘Anyway, yes, these two blokes worked on this yacht and kind of smuggled us on for drinks and stuff,’ she says, a faraway look in her eyes.
‘Stuff?’ teases Irene, with a raised eyebrow.
‘Yes, we played music and danced. Get your mind out of the gutter. Anyway, the ship’s owner arrived earlier than planned, who it turned out was really nice and let us have a little sail. I was as sick as a dog later, after those secret drinks though,’ she admits, laughing.
‘What did the pen pal do, while you were cavorting on the yacht?’ I ask, now invested in the story.
‘Oh, he had a chess competition as I recall. In fact, he played chess every day. It was the longest week of my life.’ She shakes her head, and Irene and I laugh.
‘And I wouldn’t mind, but a heatwave had started back home, so I needn’t have gone to France until the autumn.
Anyway, I am more interested in hearing about how your day went. ’
I tell them all about the swimming and snorkelling, the delicious platter of food and the cold champagne.
‘Oh, that all sounds wonderful. Anything else to tell?’ Irene asks with a wink.
‘Nope. And even if there was, I’m not the type to kiss and tell,’ I tell her.
I can’t help reliving that glorious kiss though. And it would have been easy to have spent the afternoon with him in that huge bed. Too easy. Maybe I should have done.
‘Oh, now you’re just teasing,’ says Irene. ‘Did you even kiss? I’m living my romantic life vicariously through others.’ She sighs. ‘I can just imagine a pair of strong Greek arms wrapped around me. That’s all I can do though, is imagine.’ She chuckles.
‘Irene! Give over,’ Patsy says. ‘Are you sure you aren’t the one on the HRT?’ she continues, and Irene chuckles.
‘We did kiss, actually,’ I find myself saying. ‘And yes, it was nice, but I don’t think anything can happen between us as I’m going home in a few days,’ I remind them.
‘Never heard of a holiday romance?’ asks Patsy.
‘Yes, but they are not really my thing.’
Maybe I am just an old romantic, thinking Christos might fall madly in love with me, but something tells me he is most definitely not ready to settle down. Especially with someone who lives hundreds of miles away.
Spying Lulu on a sunbed a little further along the beach, I finish my latte and head over to her.
‘How are you feeling?’ I ask as I plonk myself on an empty bed next to her.
‘Oh hi, Mia, I’m okay, thanks. I think chilling here today has done me the world of good.’ She smiles. ‘So how was your date?’ she asks as she sits up.
I recount the story I have just told to Irene and Patsy as she takes a sip of her water.
‘Are you going to see him again?’
‘I’m not sure,’ I tell her truthfully. ‘There is no doubt he knows how to give a girl a good time, but I’m not sure he will contact me again.’ I shrug. ‘He has my number, though, so I guess it’s up to him.’
‘Why do you think he won’t contact you if you had such a good day?’ she asks, puzzled.
‘Because he wanted to sleep with me,’ I tell Lulu. ‘It was as if he had carefully planned a seduction,’ I tell her honestly.
‘And obviously you weren’t comfortable with that?’
‘I guess I wasn’t. And, as I recall, you did tell me to only do what I was comfortable with,’ I remind her.
She reaches across from her sunlounger and takes my hand in hers.
‘No one would blame you for having a little fun on holiday, but I think you should always follow your instincts,’ she says wisely.
‘Most definitely,’ I agree. ‘And I would rather not have my heart broken.’
I wonder whether men like Christos can ever be truly happy with one woman? And if they do settle down, are they constantly tempted? The thoughts swirl around in my head, yet despite everything I know that if he asked me out again I would probably say yes.
Lulu walks back to the apartment with me half an hour later, and that evening we take a stroll into a nearby village and eat at a small restaurant overlooking the sea.
The outline of mountains dotted with a church and a cluster of villas close to the beach, their lights shining on the sea beyond, make for a pretty backdrop.
‘Oh, I forgot to tell you that I bumped into Bryn and Ash on the beach earlier. They tried to persuade me to go paragliding,’ Lulu tells me with an eye roll.
‘Really? Oh my goodness.’ I laugh.
‘Bryn’s alright really you know, he was going on about what a great voice you have,’ she tells me as she squeezes lemon juice over some calamari.
‘I know, I guess he’s harmless, if a little touchy-feely,’ I concede. ‘I just thought he embarrassed Owen with the wedding speech, but maybe that’s what blokes call banter.’
‘It’s funny how men insult each other and call it banter, isn’t it?’ says Lulu, before she takes a bite of her food. ‘If a woman insulted another woman, she would be called a right bitch.’
‘That is so true.’
‘Anyway, talking of you singing, there is another karaoke evening at a bar tomorrow evening a short taxi ride away from the apartments,’ Lulu tells me.
‘Bryn was telling me all about it earlier. Apparently, it’s a great evening, and often frequented by bar and club owners looking for decent singers. ’
‘Here in Greece? Maybe I won’t go home then,’ I say jokingly. ‘Assuming someone thought I was good enough to offer me work that is.’
‘They would be mad not to,’ she says kindly. ‘So do you fancy it then?’
‘Sure, why not? I enjoyed singing the other night, maybe I ought to get a little more practice in.’
‘Great.’ She smiles.
I tuck into my delicious sea bass, with capers and herby Greek potatoes, and take a sip of chilled white wine. As we sit listening to the crashing of the waves on the nearby beach, despite everything, I imagine sitting here with Christos, when my phone rings. It’s him.
‘Do you mind if I get this?’ I ask Lulu.
‘Of course not.’ She smiles.
Christos asks me if I am free to go on a winery tour tomorrow, to a small select vineyard.
‘It is my day off, so I am all yours,’ he says, and my heart rate increases.
I had wondered if not agreeing to go to bed with him on the yacht had made him lose interest. But maybe I was wrong about him.
‘There is a pretty wonderful hotel next door, although I guess I would say that, as it belongs to my family,’ he informs me.
‘Sounds delightful, although I thought you hardly ever took days off?’ I tell him.
‘Even workaholics need to take a break.’ He laughs. ‘I have been training a deputy manager, who is keen to take charge in my absence. Let’s just say, I am making the most of it.’
I only have two days left with Lulu though, so I explain this and tell him I will message him to confirm. When I return to the table to finish my meal, I feel torn.
‘So, has he asked you out again?’ she asks.
‘He has. Tomorrow though, which I don’t think I want to do. You go home the day after tomorrow, and I want to spend time with you.’
‘But you really like him,’ she protests.
‘And if he really likes me, he will arrange another time,’ I tell her firmly. ‘There is no way I am ruining your last full day,’ I say and she thanks me. ‘Besides, I love spending time with you.’
‘Ditto.’ She smiles.
‘So what do you fancy doing?’ I ask her. ‘There’s a Jeep safari into the mountains if you like the idea?’ I suggest. ‘I mean, I could get a map and take the car, but I think the Jeeps go off-road a little.’
‘Actually, that does sound like a lot of fun. Sure, let’s do it,’ agrees Lulu. ‘Let’s book the Jeep safari though as we don’t want to risk destroying the hire car.’
‘Probably a good idea.’
We tap our glasses together and I message Christos and let him down gently. I also wonder why he mentioned the hotel next to the winery?
I am determined Lulu will enjoy the rest of her time here, especially as I am staying on for a few days longer to have a catch-up with Tasha when she returns from the island with Owen, before they head back to Australia.
Handsome men come and go, but my friends have been there for me, through thick and thin; even Tasha all the way in Australia has always been at the end of the phone or a Zoom call.
So if Christos really wants to take me out again, then he knows how to contact me.