Chapter 10
TEN
I wake at sunrise once more and head through the hotel grounds until I am on a stretch of beach, with no one around. I drop my sarong and towel onto the sand and stride towards the glistening water in the early morning sun.
The water is cool at this hour, and takes my breath away slightly, as I plunge beneath it and quickly feel its soothing effect. I have read all about the benefits of cold water, but there is no way I could tolerate an ice bath. I am not a seal.
I push through the water feeling exhilarated with every movement. I am careful not to swim too far out, as there is no one around at this hour, even though there are no undercurrents and it is perfectly safe. I guess it comes from being a lifeguard.
Goggles on, I dive beneath the water, and spot a shoal of silvery fish. As I re-emerge, and walk across the sand enjoying the feel of it beneath my feet, I notice a speedboat heading towards the beach.
After the boat stops at the edge of the sea, a Greek man of around my age climbs out and strides along the sand before wishing me a kalimera. Oh my goodness, be still my beating heart. It’s Takis.
‘Kalimera,’ I reply, before quickly towelling myself dry and wrapping my sarong around me. I suddenly feel a little exposed, even though I am on a beach, so hardly likely to be covered up.
He carries on walking to the edge of the beach, before he turns and looks over his shoulder with a slow, easy smile.
I watch the tall, broad-shouldered Greek walk along, his phone to his ear, before he disappears out of sight. There are no bars or cafés along the beach, so I wonder if he is heading up to the hotel again?
I linger on the beach for a few minutes more, feeling exhilarated after my swim. Not to mention glimpsing a real-life Greek Adonis once more.
There is a sunrise yoga class here on a Monday morning; I might head down and join. I used to enjoy yoga once upon a time, but after my long shift at the leisure centre, I never felt like doing much in the evenings when I got home. And of course there are always the early morning swims to enjoy.
My apartment back home is already beginning to feel like a million miles away, although I know I can’t stay here in Greece forever. Time to just enjoy one day at a time.
With five minutes until the aerobics class, Zeta delivers a message to me saying that Kai won’t be down and I will have to do the class alone.
‘He has migraine,’ she says, tapping her head. ‘I told him to close his curtains and rest, and hopefully he will be okay later.’
‘No problem,’ I tell her. I have done so many classes back home, I don’t really need him here, although I imagine Kai’s absence will disappoint one or two of the ladies.
The aerobics session was a blast, and afterwards one or two women commented on how much they liked my choice of music, a medley of songs from various decades to suit all ages.
‘That brought back a load of memories,’ a blonde lady tells me as she climbs out of the pool. ‘My eighties clubbing days came right back to me. The Hacienda in Manchester. Gosh, those were the days.’ She smiles warmly. ‘Make sure you make the most of your youth.’ She wags her finger at me.
‘Youth’ is stretching it a bit, but I take her point.
‘I will. Glad you enjoyed the music,’ I say, her comment reminding me that time really does fly and we must make the most of our days.
Class over, I head to my room, where I think I will take my lunch break on my balcony and read a few chapters of a book I brought with me and enjoy a cooling drink.
Cutting through reception, I see Takis again and wonder if he works here in some capacity.
His tall, good looks seem to be attracting a few admiring glances.
Hardly surprising, with his black hair that touches his shoulders, well-trimmed goatee and square jaw.
He throws his head back and laughs at something Zeta has said, revealing perfect white teeth.
I am sure I just felt my ovaries twang. Zeta is touching his arm as she speaks, an adoring look on her face.
‘Hello again.’ He smiles as I walk past, even though I do not really need to pass reception to get to my apartment.
‘Hi.’
I am thinking of something interesting to say, when he turns back to Zeta to continue their conversation.
Who is he? I wonder to myself, although I know one thing for certain: I could get used to seeing him around the hotel.
With thoughts of the mysterious Takis, I bump into Kai leaving his accommodation as I am about to climb the stairs to mine.
‘Are you feeling better?’ I ask. ‘Zeta told me you weren’t feeling well.’
‘I’m okay now.’ He smiles. ‘I think I overdid the beers last night – don’t tell Zeta though; she thinks I had a migraine.’ He pulls a face. ‘Which is not a huge lie, as I do get them occasionally,’ he says, trying to justify his fib.
‘What’s it worth to keep quiet?’ I tease.
‘Not sure?’ He narrows his eyes.
‘Maybe you could put on a dress and take my place at the Abba night? It’s tomorrow evening, and I am still worried about it.’
‘You still stressing about that?’ He grins. ‘Honestly, you really shouldn’t. This is a mid-range hotel, not Las Vegas.’
‘Suppose.’ I manage a smile. ‘And I have a rehearsal this afternoon, so hopefully that will make me feel better.’
‘There you go then. Right, I’d better crack on. Thank goodness I am on duty at the kids’ pool. They will be tooled up with swimming rings and arm bands,’ he says. He heads off, taking a glug from the water bottle he is carrying as he goes.
The day passes quickly, and soon enough the sun is beginning to set. Shift over, a few of us are sitting around having a meal. When the others leave, I decide to stay and enjoy a drink at the pool bar with Kai. He tells me all about his ex who will not stop texting him.
‘I think she thought we had a future together,’ he confides. ‘Although I never gave her that impression.’
‘Are you sure about that?’ I think of James and how I wish he had told me a little sooner that he did not want to settle down.
‘Positive. Anyway, I’m off now; I’m done in. You walking back?’
‘Actually, I think I’ll stay a little longer.’
‘Sure thing. See you tomorrow.’
We both stand and comfortably hug like two best friends. Kai is just one of those warm people that you can quickly grow close to. Maybe that’s why his ex read more into things, who knows?
Solar lights are illuminating the pool, giving it a romantic feel, and I push away thoughts of sitting in a similar setting with James at the hotel where we stayed, not too far from here.
‘Good evening.’
Lost in my thoughts, I hadn’t noticed Takis approach me.
‘Evening, how are you?’ I ask, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.
‘I am good. How about you? Did you have a good day?’ he asks.
He pulls out a plastic chair and sits opposite me.
‘Yes, good, thanks. Uneventful. Which is a good thing around the pool.’
His dark eyes never leave mine as I speak, and it seems to be having rather an unnerving effect on me.
‘I suppose so,’ he agrees. ‘Nobody wants a drama in the pool.’
‘Do you work at the hotel?’ I ask him as I fiddle with the straw in my drink.
‘Not directly. I take tourists out on boat trips,’ he tells me. ‘So, can I get you a drink?’ He gestures to my almost empty glass.
‘I am on an early shift in the morning so I should probably get going,’ I say, even though the evening is just starting to get interesting. ‘Maybe another time though.’
‘No worries. Another time.’ He smiles a slow, sexy smile and I almost change my mind.
Just then, his phone rings and he stands.
‘Goodnight then, nice to see you again.’
His eyes look at my bronze badge, displaying my name.
‘Erin,’ he says, and then he’s gone.
I liked the way he said my name. Gosh, woman, get a grip.
Back in my room, I give Mum a quick text and she calls me.
‘Erin, hi, I was just thinking of you but wasn’t sure if it was too late to call. How are things going?’
‘Going well,’ I tell her. ‘Everyone here seems so nice.’
‘I’m proud of you. You were so worried about it all, and there you are,’ she says positively.
‘Thanks, Mum. So how was the zip line?’
‘Wonderful. It felt so free, I felt like a bird up there. We are thinking of doing a tandem parachute next,’ she says breezily.
‘Oh, Mum, be careful,’ I tell her, wondering when our roles first started to reverse.
‘Don’t you worry about me. I am having the time of my life,’ she assures me.
‘I know, and I am pleased about that. I just worry.’
I say goodnight to Mum and climb into bed and feel tired.
As I drift off, I find myself thinking of the Greek man from the beach who’d turned up at the hotel.
From his conversation with Zeta, I learned his name is Takis.
Gosh, that hair, those broad shoulders and his winning smile would arouse desire in a nun.
He is definitely someone I wouldn’t mind running into again, I think to myself as I snuggle down to sleep.