Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
‘You have bought the café in the lemon grove?’
‘I have.’
I bump into Takis as we are both making our way to the hotel and my pulse quickens.
‘Kai has a builder friend who gave me a good price for the renovation, so I just thought why not go for it? You only live once, and all that.’
I try not to stumble over my words, such is the effect of his presence.
‘That is true.’ He nods. ‘Although buying a café here in Greece may be a bit of a risk?’
‘Are you trying to put me off?’
‘Not at all. I am merely saying, running a café in England may be a little different to running one here in Rhodes,’ he reasons.
‘Oh, I get that but I need a change.’
‘That’s a pretty big change.’ He raises an eyebrow.
His opinion has doubts creeping in. It is a big change, and I am ploughing everything into it. What if I can’t learn enough Greek words for the locals to understand me? Will they laugh at me?
‘I will regret it if I don’t try,’ I tell him, as we approach the entrance to the hotel. ‘I have fallen in love with Rhodes again.’
‘You have been here before?’
‘I have. I went home with some memories of it that I would rather have forgotten. This time it feels different.’
‘Maybe sometime you can tell me all about it. The memories you chose to erase, I mean.’
He touches my arm before he heads towards the reception desk, and I get a fuzzy feeling all over.
‘Earth to Erin,’ says Kai, who has just bounded over.
‘What? Oh, sorry, Kai, I was miles away there.’
‘So I noticed.’ He glances towards Takis in reception. ‘Do you fancy a beach walk later, after our shift?’
‘A beach walk… sure, that sounds nice,’ I tell him.
‘Great. There is a gorgeous breeze in the evening and I know a little café that stays open till midnight. Fairy lights all around, the sound of the rolling waves.’
‘Sounds romantic?’
‘It could be if you like.’ He winks. ‘Although I know you don’t fancy me, which I must admit, I find hard to believe,’ he says, with a cheeky grin.
‘I’ve told you, I am just not looking for romance,’ I tell him, hoping to spare his feelings. And he does not have the same effect on me as Takis. There are definitely no stomach flutters when I chat to Kai.
‘Neither am I.’
‘Really, so it’s just sex you are after? Think I’ll pass.’ I laugh.
‘Your loss,’ he says with a shake of his head that has me laughing once more. ‘You’re not really my type. Anyway, jokes aside, that would not be something Zeta would approve of; staff getting together with each other is a big no-no.’
‘Point taken.’
After my shift I talk to Zeta, who is patrolling the dining room in a fabulous knee-length orange cotton dress, and smelling of Chanel N°5 perfume.
‘You have bought the old café?’
She looks as startled as if I had told her I am out of here and on the next moon-landing mission.
‘I have. Do you think I’m mad?’
‘No.’ She looks thoughtful. ‘As long it is no competition for the hotel, I think it is a good idea. That old café was becoming quite an eyesore in that gorgeous lemon grove.’
‘I can’t see it being competition. Simple café food and snacks for walkers, nothing like you serve here,’ I assure her. ‘I can imagine it being a stop-off point for walkers; I can advertise it. It has quite a stunning position, with that view down to the sea.’
‘I cannot argue with that.’ Her face breaks into a smile then. ‘Yes, it would lovely to see Ireta’s place come back to life. It is sad to see it so unloved,’ she tells me. ‘I take it you are staying here until your three months are over though.’ She looks at me with narrowed eyes.
‘Of course. It will take a while to renovate. And maybe the documents will take forever, unless you can help in some way.’
She places her hand on my arm, her bright-orange nails matching her dress.
‘You are a good worker, Erin. And I am good friends with the mayor.’ She taps the side of her nose. ‘Maybe your documentation will not take so long. But I suspect they will be held up until the end of the season at least.’ She grins.