Chapter 20 #2
‘Yes, but you have a network of people who care about you deeply. I like the idea of belonging somewhere.’
‘Like the bar in Cheers? Where everybody knows your name.’
‘Now you’re making me sound like a right wuss. Although I did love that show.’
‘Me too. And this network of people you mention gets smaller all the time. My parents are gone, and my brothers rarely bother to come here, plus with the bar, I don’t have the time or the money to go back to the UK very often.’
‘What about female friends on the island?’
‘I’ve got a few, but they’re all loved up.’
He threw her a smile.
‘How terrible.’
‘No, I’m happy for them. But it means they’re not around much. I do have a new friend though, Vicky, who you’ll probably meet. She’s great, resolutely single and proud of it.’
Christian raised his glass in the air.
‘Go Vicky. And you seem to be good mates with your ex too, which is quite a feat.’
Was he jealous of her relationship with Panos? It was a possibility, given both his marriages seemed to be scorched earth.
‘Panos is a nice guy, but both of us agree we were never going to go the distance, so there’s no bitterness there. He’s all loved up now too, with Lydia, which I’m pleased about.’
Suzie tore off a chunk of bread and put it on her plate.
‘I think there are people who are right for certain times in your life. You can meet the right person at the wrong time, or indeed the wrong person at the right time.’
‘Very wise.’
Was he taking the mickey?
‘I mean it. When you’re young, you don’t have a clue what you’re doing most of the time.
You’re led by your hormones and a lot of it is down to luck.
You’re unlikely to find that forever person as a teenager, for instance, and even if you do, the chances of it working out are so tiny, it’s not worth bothering about. ’
Why couldn’t she stop talking? After her little speech, he held her gaze for so long that neither of them was prepared to look away. It was only the arrival of the food that broke the spell.
An enormous grilled calamari, known as a thrapsala, was laid before them on a large blue and white oval china plate, doused in olive oil, lemon juice and herbs, with a separate jug of the sauce on the side.
It was accompanied by a vibrant salad of tiny tomatoes, chunks of cucumber, black olives, strips of bright green lettuce, some thinly sliced onions, and another basket of bread.
The waitress stepped away from the table with her empty tray.
‘Kalí órexi.’
‘Efharistó para polí.’
‘Parakaló.’
Christian passed her a knife and fork and a serviette from the tiled box on the table and gestured to the dish.
‘Please, help yourself.’
‘Thank you. This looks fantastic.’
‘I love hearing you speak Greek.’
‘You should learn a few words yourself if you’re going to hang around for a while. Kalí órexi means bon appétit.’
Why was she mentioning him hanging around? It sounded like encouragement.
‘Kalí órexi. Let’s eat.’
The simplicity of the food set her tastebuds alight, and the whole jug of exquisite sauce was shared equally between them as they cleared the table and mopped up the last of the juice with yet more bread.
Suzie waved away the dessert menu when the waitress came to clear the plates, and Christian did the same. She couldn’t eat another thing. The food had been a dream.
‘That truly was one of the best meals I’ve had in my life, thank you.’
‘My pleasure. Do you want a coffee?’
‘Yes, it would be good to wake myself up. I’ve got to work tonight.’
With their coffees in front of them, an espresso for him and a cappuccino for her, accompanied by a delicious miniature biscuit that tasted of marzipan, Suzie was already sad at the idea of leaving this little paradise behind.
It was unlikely she’d ever be able to afford to come back.
Christian lifted his coffee cup to his lips and downed the espresso in one swallow.
‘Before we go … please can you tell me a little about Gianni. Just so that when I do get to meet him properly, I don’t make any stupid mistakes.’
Christian had said ‘when’ rather than ‘if’, which showed more confidence in the possibility of them getting together than she felt.
‘OK. He’s a lawyer, as I think you know.’
‘It’s funny. I was studying law at uni when I got my big break in music. Did you know that?’
‘No, or if I did, I’d forgotten.’
It was a trifle arrogant of him to expect her to remember everything about his previous life. Self-belief had never been a problem for him.
‘He’s married to Kat, also a lawyer, and they have a house in town.’
‘Any kids?’
‘Not yet. But I’m hoping it’s on the cards. They need to get on with it. I’m desperate for a grandchild.’
She’d spoken without thinking. Giannis having a child would technically make the man sitting beside her a grandfather.
‘Sometimes it happens when you’re least expecting it…
’ The espresso cup rattled loudly as he replaced it in the saucer.
‘And sometimes it never happens. My first wife and I tried and tried, but sadly we had several miscarriages. The strain of it all was one of the things that split us up in the end.’
Watching his hand shake shook her, too – to the core. Make me feel even more guilty about keeping your son a secret, why don’t you? was on the tip of her tongue. Poor guy.
‘I’m so sorry to hear that. So, you did want kids? I wasn’t sure back then.’
Christian smiled, although the sadness didn’t leave his eyes.
‘To be honest, I wasn’t sure back then either. But later on, absolutely. I would have loved to have kids of my own.’
This was a conversation that could get tricky. She needed to shut it down.
‘Anyway, back to Gianni. He loves to play backgammon, goes fishing to relax, is a mean tennis player and is, sadly, allergic to seafood and nuts.’
Christian looked back at the restaurant with its specials displayed on the board.
‘I won’t bring him here then.’
‘No, definitely not.’
‘I’m rubbish at board games, but I can handle a tennis racquet, and I love to fish too. It must be in the genes.’
‘Mmmm.’
He was acting as if this father–son bonding was about to happen any moment. Giannis had to be speaking to her first, and that was still a way off. Christian’s obvious desire to be a father was somewhat overwhelming.
‘I’d better be getting back soon. It’s rock night at the bar, always a popular one.’
‘I’ll have to pop in some time.’
‘Feel free.’
It was the afternoon sun that caressed their faces on the return journey, and Suzie lay back on the plump silk cushions with her feet up.
She hadn’t bothered to put her clothes back on, and Christian was still shirtless.
It had been one lazy, relaxing day. Such a contrast to the hard graft in store for her later. Maybe she should do this more often.
They were almost home when her phone rang. Whoever it was could go hang until she got back on dry land. But when she saw the name ‘Panos’ flash up, her heart missed a beat. They always communicated by text. The man hated the phone. Usually, he didn’t ring her from one month to the next.
‘Hello?’
‘Please don’t panic, but Kosta has been in an accident.’