Chapter 5
Emilia wobbled her arms in front of the mirror. No chicken wings. Tight and perfect. Oh, I had missed you so much!’ Grinning with elation, she lifted her arms to kiss them both successively. She leaned closer to the mirror, her fingertips on every nook and cranny of her face and neck and all over her features. Spotless. Perfect. Wrinkle-free. This is a miracle! She was so excited now that she had to bite her lips to keep from screaming or thinking out loud. She couldn’t say too much. The guy could hear.
Chuckling, she puffed up her chest, cupping her boobs and squeezing. ‘Oh my! So that’s how they looked before gravity set in!’ she whispered to herself. Turning around, it was her bum’s turn to be inspected. ‘Perfecto!’
Chuckling to herself, and aware she was starting to sound like a lascivious film director auditioning a line of budding starlets, she chortled and made for the door. Her chin high, and with a 1000-watt smile, she left the room to find Aristos had been waiting at her closed front door, looking at his watch, toolbox in hand.
She had to give him credit for waiting. After all, he didn’t need to say goodbye to her. He was collecting his payment from the landlord.
I am sorry to keep you waiting. My mother…’ she began to lie, then decided he wasn’t worth the effort.
‘Yes? He said, inching toward her, his eyes dancing with interest.
She flicked her wrist. ‘Never mind.’
He bit his lower lip, then lowered his voice to a gentle whisper to say, ‘I heard you shouting in there. All okay, Babes?’
She screwed up her face. Babes? Gosh, I hadn’t missed that one. ‘Yeah, fine… As I said, never mind.’
He leaned in closer, undeterred by the indifferent gaze she knew she was giving him. ‘And I couldn’t help hearing you singing earlier. You have a great voice, you know.’
‘Thanks, but, actually, that was my mother,’ she said, her wicked sense of humour kicking in, just for the fun of it.
He pressed his lips together, studying her, waiting for goodness knows what, and she looked toward the front door, hoping he’d get the hint. She didn’t have time for this idiot. She had to go and find Esmera.
He seemed to get the message. ‘Well, I’ve finished now, so I’ll be on my way…’ he said, but didn’t seem eager to go, somehow.
Emilia had a pretty good idea about what he was going to say next. To test the theory, and to save herself a few more annoying seconds, she strode to the door and opened it wide for him to leave.
He lingered on the doorstep. ‘You didn’t tell me your name earlier…’
‘Does it matter?’
He tilted his head slowly and gazed into her eyes, looking absolutely delicious on her doorstep, but his timing was so off that only a Delorian and a professor with a shock of white hair could ever make things work between them.
He didn’t seem to know his charms had no effect on her so he began to say, ‘Well, you live in Varkiza and so do I, Babes... I may see you in the street or at a café… And if I don’t know your name, how am I going to call you? I don’t suppose ‘Hey you!’ would be likely to get your attention!’
She had to give it to him. He was inventive. Chuckling, she replied, ‘Lia… My name is Lia.’ She had said it without thinking. Her friends in school had called her Lia. She hadn’t used it in ages. But it seemed apt, the diminutive of her name, for her younger version.
‘Lia…’ he uttered softly, letting it roll on his tongue and glide through his lips as if he had all the time in the world.
‘Anyway, don’t let me keep you… I know how busy you guys are!’ she said, and, despite herself, gave a shooing gesture with one hand.
Aristos took one step back in the right direction, but then he leaned one muscly arm against the wall. ‘I was thinking… Perhaps I could meet you for a coffee? Say, this afternoon?’
Here we go. ‘Thanks, but…’
He threw his hands in the air rather comically. ‘Come on, just a coffee! You’re relentless, Babes!’
She had to think on her feet. Before he called her ‘Babes’ one more time, at least. The classic excuse was perfect. ‘Actually… I can’t. I… I have a boyfriend.’
‘Oh! He put up his hands and shook them. His head too, lips puckered. ‘Stupid me. Of course you do. A stunner like you wouldn’t stay long on the market. Sorry. Meant no offence.’
‘That’s all right. Have a nice day now!’ she said and closed the door on him, before he even had the chance to say goodbye. She made a beeline for her bedroom, gliding along the tiled floor. Esmera had better be on the beach this morning! I have so many questions!