Chapter 34
Elise was cleaning up the table where Emilia and Andreas had enjoyed their lunch. It was heart-warming to watch them earlier, especially when Andreas kissed Emilia on the cheek as they said goodbye at the roadside. Andreas was perfect for her, and Esmera thought so, too.
A couple of times already, Esmera had summoned Elise and Chloe at the windmill to hear their reports, which had always been positive. Things were going well. All three could see where this was heading. Emilia had fallen in love, and it looked like Andreas felt the same for her too. This would help Emilia complete the lesson she needed to learn even sooner. And it would grant her happiness, too. The song of youth had been the ideal gift for her.
Partly, Elise had taken this job in Trata to attune herself to Andreas energetically. Daily contact for hours ensured that. But also, she felt she had to be there to keep an eye on Takis. Since she started work the previous day, he had already entered the kitchen three times through the back door. He’d come to chat with Stefan and Voula twice, his eyes wandering around the kitchen all the while. He’d also rushed over once to offer a hand when he saw Stefan carrying crates into the kitchen after a delivery.
Elise didn’t buy it for a second that he was being friendly or helpful. She didn’t need to spend hours with the self-serving weasel of a man to know he had an ulterior motive. He was Aleka’s lap dog, after all, following her orders. He was snooping around, and she had to find out why.
Entering the kitchen, she did a double take as she put the dishes in the sink and threw a glance at the back door. She could hear two men talking outside, but, from that angle, she couldn’t see who they were. She had a pretty good idea, though.
She poured herself a glass of water and fanned her face as she neared the door, glass in hand. When she got there, she wasn’t at all surprised.
Stefan was leaning against the wall outside, talking to Takis, who was standing a little further, smoking a cigarette.
‘Hi, Takis,’ she said, batting her lashes at him and twirling one of her locks with one finger. She had a plan, after all, and it was high time she set it in motion. ‘What are you doing here, gorgeous ?’
His eyes lit up. Stefan looked speechless, but remained silent when Takis took a step closer to her and responded, ‘I am fine, gorgeous . How are you?’
‘I am good. Just very hot …’ She fanned her face and began to drink her water.
‘You sure are…’ he said, his seductive half-whisper reaching her ears even more off-putting than the innuendo itself.
The last gulp went the wrong way, and Takis appeared beside her in a flash to gently tap on her back. ‘Are you, okay, sugar plum?’
Sugar plum? Yeuch! She put up her free hand and took back one big step toward the interior. ‘I am fine, thanks.’ Glancing back and forth between the men, she added, ‘How do you guys know each other?’
‘From being neighbours here, obviously, but, would you believe, we also go way back!’ said Stefan. ‘Takis’s dad, Michalis, was a fisherman, bless his soul. He was friends with my dad. Takis used to help Michalis on the boat, and sometimes, my dad and I would join them. It was fun!’
Takis gave Stefan a light tap on the arm. ‘Yep, I knew this kid when he still had a sniffly nose!’ he said with a titter. ‘He’s still a little squirt to me!’
‘Is that right? Well, I knew you when you still had teeth, old man!’ retaliated Stefan, punching him playfully on the shoulder.
They began to throw playful punches at each other for a few moments while Elise watched silently, shaking her head.
When the guys finally sobered, Takis chuckled and said, ‘Anyhoo! It was funny when we recognised each other this summer. ‘It was at a bar, wasn’t it, Stefan?’
‘Yeah. Takis recognised me first,’ Stefan said to Elise. ‘I guess he has changed a lot, but I still look the same,’ he joked with a wink, his expression painted with bright colours. Yet, it wilted in an instant when his father’s voice echoed from somewhere inside.
‘Nakis! That new supplier is here with the offer! Where did you put the list we had for him?’
‘Excuse me, guys!’ said Stefan and hurried inside.
Takis scoffed as he threw his cigarette butt on the ground and extinguished it with the toe of his shoe. ‘Wow. You cannot slack in this place. The old man has it running like a general.’
‘And what’s wrong with assertiveness? That’s how you’re supposed to run a business,’ said Elise.
‘Hm, perhaps…’ he said with a twist on his lips, then added, ‘Hey, don’t you think it’s funny the old man calls him Nakis instead of Stefan? And Stefan really minds that, you know. I can’t work it out…’
Elise tilted her head to the side and gave him a sultry look that caused his expression to mirror hers in a split second. Oh, wow, this guy doesn’t need much encouragement, does he? She took one step closer to him, even though she found him odious. Needs must. Placing a fingertip on the tip of his nose to tap it like a button, she purred the words, ‘Curiosity killed the cat, gorgeous …’ She pulled away, about to give him a wave and go back in, but he grabbed her by the arms.
‘Hey! Don’t go yet! Can’t I have a kiss, at least? Come on, no one is watching!’
He leaned in, going for it, not even waiting for her answer, but the moment his lips brushed against hers, he let out an agonising grunt. As if of its own accord, her open palm had shot up, landing on his chin. Now, he was instantly a few steps away, somehow, as if he’d jumped back in a single leap like a jackrabbit. He was holding his chin with both hands, letting out yelps of pain like a sniffly little puppy.
Pathetic… she thought as she looked at him from the threshold, one arm on her waist.
‘What’s wrong with you?’ he asked her, crouching toward the ground as if that helped to alleviate pain.
She shook her head, then raised her arms in mea culpa. ‘Sorry, handsome ! I just cannot control my reactions. They come instinctively because of my training. I took street-fighting lessons for a few years.’ She raised a fist and blew on it, then said, ‘This baby has saved me more than once. It was pretty rough in Athens suburbia where I grew up,’ she lied.
‘Good to know,’ he said, and then, impossibly enough, he approached anew.
This fool doesn’t relent so easily. His blood is sweet for pain. Mamma like…
‘You know, that’s no problem, darling. I can work with that. I’ll ask for permission next time. Say… you want to kiss it better?’ he asked, pointing to his chin.
I’d rather eat throw up than kiss you, skunk-face. ‘Tell you what, baby . You hurry now back to Mamma , and we’ll return to that discussion next time.’
‘You play hard to get. I like it…’ he said, his eyes on her as he back-stepped, a sleazy look on his face. Finally, he turned around and began to stride to the back of Perdika where he disappeared inside through the back door.
Both tavernas and the warehouse in between were not fenced. There was no foliage to speak of – just cement paths and patches of yellow grass and dirt. This made it easy for Elise to spy on Perdika’s back door from a distance and to possibly catch Takis on his way here if she were to poke her head out of the door at frequent intervals.
But that was not all she could do… She could also ‘visit’ him and Aleka in her fully ethereal form, though it might prove tricky to leave work for long. Certainly not today – it was a busy day. The rush for lunch was way over, seeing that it was late afternoon, but they still had lots to do in the kitchen to prepare for the soft opening in the evening. Better get back, I guess. I’ll sort out these two idiots later.