Chapter 37
CORFU TOWN
The capital of the island danced to a completely different rhythm at night.
Like the intense heat of the day, gone were the majority of the cruise ship and coach tour passengers and, as the sky grew dark and the temperature dropped just slightly, streetlamps glowed like full moons and taverna tables spilt out into the narrowest of alleyways.
Faye had always loved the town. The architecture was an unprecedented mixture of style and design from all the rulers of this island over the centuries.
Marble arches and pillars, resplendent courtyards and pastel-coloured apartments towering up next to crumbling or partially restored bell towers.
In the daytime it was a bright, shining jewel and at night it glowed with a more sophisticated effervescence.
‘You love it here,’ he said softly.
They were walking through the streets, the sound of conversation filling the air from every bar and eatery, music floating between the words, mopeds zipping between everyone’s steps. It was a gentle, tumbling chaos.
‘How did you know?’ she asked him.
‘Two reasons,’ he replied. ‘The first is you are quiet. When you really enjoy things you do not talk so much.’
‘And the second reason?’
‘You move differently.’
‘Oh really, so you’re a body language expert now?’
‘I know all about shoulder tension, believe me, and you hold a lot of stress in your upper body. But here… the same as on Avlaki Beach,’ He took a breath before continuing. ‘Your shoulders relax… you sink down a little… move slower.’
She smiled and shook her head. ‘I hear what you’re doing. You’re talking… more… slowly… so I match your rhythm.’
‘Match my rhythm, hmm?’ He nudged her arm gently with his and it made the fine hairs immediately stand to attention.
‘Kosta,’ she said, perhaps warningly for her own benefit more than his.
And yes, she wasn’t on a date with Alexandros, she was here in Corfu Town with Kostas.
After leaving Saffron, Maddie and a container full of green-covered fusilli, Faye only wanted to spend the evening escaping from the hotel or anything connected to the potential sale.
It felt alien to her to need to get away from the very place that was usually her solace but, with these current set of circumstances, that’s how it was.
And Alexandros with his confidence erring on the side of bullishness, it wasn’t what she wanted.
‘Kosta, what?’ he teased. ‘You said this, not me.’
‘It’s avoidance, being here, for both of us,’ she said as they continued to walk towards The Liston.
‘Maybe,’ he answered. ‘And you know what is good to go with avoidance as well as Corfu Town?’
‘If you say anything about rhythm I will—’
‘What?’ he asked, eyes glinting with mischief. ‘What will you do, Mrs Lawson?’
‘Save your rizz for Tinder is what I’m saying. It does nothing for me.’
But the second the words were out of her mouth her insides were frying.
‘Is that so?’ he asked, his body brushing hers a little as they walked.
‘Yes.’
‘So, there is only one thing I can do,’ Kostas said as they rounded the corner and stepped out onto the wide marble promenade fringed by an arched arcade on one side and a space of still-green grass on the other.
‘What?’ she queried.
‘Pagotó,’ he said with confidence. ‘Ice cream.’
She laughed. ‘OK.’
‘Is it going to work?’ he asked her.
‘It depends how good the ice cream is.’
‘Well, I remember a place.’