by Mandy Baggot
‘Let us see who can make it first!’ Andras said, relinquishing his grip.
Before she could do anything else he had kicked his body backwards into the water and was disappearing beneath the sea.
Twenty-three
‘This place makes you feel happy to be alive, doesn’t it?’
Tess opened her eyes, finger swirling through the aqua-coloured water, legs gently kicking to keep her body afloat. The cooling sea was giving her a relaxing, all-over-body balm of relaxation. The knots she permanently carried across her back seemed to be dissipating ever so slightly.
‘Doesn’t it made you feel happy to be alive?’ Sonya repeated.
‘It does,’ Tess admitted, eyes moving to the pebble beach where Andras was emerging from the water like a sexy sea god, stepping across the stones like he was walking on luxurious shagpile. How did he do that? Go barefoot over those rocks just ready to spear your soles? Actually, just going barefoot without thinking about it was enough to make her a little envious.
Sonya sighed. ‘So, Joey’s at a fancy restaurant.’
Tess moved her body around in a circle until she was facing her friend. ‘What?’
‘He posted on Facebook just after we left Nissaki.’
‘Well, what restaurant? With who?’
Sonya’s shake of her head answered all the questions in one go.
‘Sonya, where’s the restaurant?’ Tess asked.
‘Margate.’
Tess almost breathed a sigh of relief. She had only been to Margate once. When she was a child. It had been a social-club outing with Rachel and her parents. One of the last trips before her mum and dad had split up, although she was sure it wasn’t the seaside resort that had done for their marriage. Margate was traditional – fish and chips, jellied eels, not as upmarket as Brighton – not somewhere you first thought of for a romantic destination, unless it had changed. Lots of seaside towns were using phrases like ‘café culture’, ‘vintage chic’ and ‘traditional charm’ to invigorate business. She should know. She had helped rebrand a chain of boutique hotels.
‘A re-enactment lunch he forgot to tell you about?’ Tess suggested.
‘Meeting someone who can give him a baby?’
‘No,’ Tess said strongly. ‘Don’t be silly, Sonya.’
‘Maybe this has been coming since that conversation and I just pushed it under the carpet. Maybe he’s been seeing someone more fertile for weeks …’ Sonya gasped. She put one hand to her mouth, seeming to forget she was swimming and her head started to submerge. She recovered with a cough then spluttered. ‘Maybe she’s already fertilised.’
‘That’s ridiculous,’ Tess said. ‘This is Joey. Lovely Joey. He’s not a …’ She struggled to think of a softer word than ‘bastard’. ‘He’s not … mean or cruel.’
‘Actually, he did a very convincing performance as an executioner at the Re-enactment Spring Ball.’
‘It’s just a restaurant, lunch with a friend. You could phone him,’ Tess suggested. She watched a mix of emotions cross her friend’s face and then, finally, Sonya shook her head.
‘No. He said he needed a break.’
‘And did you discuss the terms of this break?’ Tess asked. ‘Is it the type of break where you can … see other people?’
‘What?’ Sonya exclaimed, her hand on her chest. ‘Is that what people do on breaks?’ Her voice started to rise to panic level. ‘I thought it just meant … not seeing each other for a bit. Watching Sky box sets and maybe he would order too much of that pad Thai he likes that I don’t like and—’
‘It probably does mean that,’ Tess said quickly. ‘But if you’re worried, maybe you should …’
‘Turn into a controlling, stalking, needy, almost-fiancée?’ Sonya sighed. ‘No. I don’t want to do that either.’ She breathed. ‘I have to trust him.’
‘Well … like his post!’ Tess announced, one hand out of the water and pointing. ‘No … no, don’t like his post, love his post.’
Sonya giggled. ‘That sounds a bit rude.’
‘You go on Facebook and you love that restaurant post and anything else he puts up.’ She coughed. ‘No commenting. Just the love button. And then you and I are going to make some posts of our own. If we can establish connection for more than five seconds.’
‘At the White House tonight? Because Joey really wanted to eat there.’
Tess swallowed. ‘Ah. About that …’
‘What?’
‘We might have to change our reservation.’ Her gaze went over to Andras. He was sitting on the beach now, those long, athletic legs stretched right out in front of him. ‘If we want to keep our guide man we need to go to a big, fat, Greek wedding-planning dinner tonight.’
Sonya smiled. ‘That actually sounds kind of fun.’
‘Hmm,’ she answered. ‘Just don’t forget to call me Patricia.’
Twenty-four
En route to Kalami
Andras was watching Tess. She was laying across the front of the boat, body relaxed, face turned up to the sun. Her shoes were still on her feet but there was no phone in her hand and there was definitely less tension in her expression. Why that seemed to please him so much he didn’t really know. Although perhaps, if she was more chilled, enjoyed all the island had to offer, then acting his girlfriend might not feel such a trial. He shook his head as he held the wheel of the boat. What was he doing? Blackmailing someone to play a part for him just to appease his mother? And just why did he always fall back into the trap of trying to live up to his mother’s high Greek expectations?
‘We are almost there,’ he called out to the women.
‘Oh! Already?’ Sonya said, turning her body away from the seascape. ‘And we didn’t see a dolphin.’
Tess sat up, smoothing her hair with a hand. ‘Oh, there’s always tomorrow.’ She was looking directly at him now. ‘Isn’t that right, Andras?’
He smiled back. ‘Maybe not for the whole of the day but after six courses of food tonight and pretending to be in love with me, I think you will have earned another boat trip.’
Tess laughed. ‘I never said I would pretend to be in love with you.’
‘I think this is exactly what we have already agreed.’
He watched her stand, towelling her body down. She did have a body she obviously took care of. Long legs, a waist that curved like an hourglass … He looked back to the sea.
‘Oh no, Andras. You simply said I had to pretend to be your girlfriend.’
He looked back to her then. ‘And there is no love with this?’ He was intrigued now.
‘Of course not,’ she answered. ‘Dating is casual … we talked about casual.’
He remembered. Except how he chose to live his life when it came to relationships was not ordinarily in tune with anyone else.
‘Tess is a somewhat of a serial dater,’ Sonya blurted out.
‘A what?’ Andras asked.
‘Tess likes to date,’ Sonya continued.
‘What Sonya is trying to say is, I’m not like your starry-eyed holidaymakers falling for your heavy accent and your hot lamb shanks.’ She smiled. ‘There’s no danger of me wanting a proposal of marriage before the last plate has been smashed.’
‘Or before the last scallop has been opened,’ Sonya added.
Was it his imagination or had Tess’s stance just altered at her friend’s words?
She smiled quickly. ‘I’m off arthropods at the moment.’ She patted her midriff. ‘A couple of bad experiences.’
Her humour was restored and Andras gave his attention back to their journey across the waves, the afternoon wind making the sea a little choppier than the journey that morning.
‘Tonight I expect there will be lamb shanks,’ Andras stated. ‘Just like you said.’
‘I do like lamb,’ Sonya announced, hands to her hat as the keen breeze whipped the rim.
‘Where is this dinner tonight?’ Tess asked him.
‘At my mother’s house,’ he answered.
/> ‘Which is?’
‘In Kalami.’
‘Near your restaurant?’
He shook his head. ‘No.’ Then he pointed a finger as they rounded the headland and began to sail towards the mountain scene ahead of them. ‘Up there.’
‘Right up there?’ Sonya queried. ‘On the very top of the mountain!’
‘Ne,’ he answered.
‘I hope you’re not expecting us to walk,’ Tess told him.
‘No, of course not.’ He smiled at her. ‘I have a moped.’
‘With some sort of sidecar for me?’ Her hands went to her hips, riled again. ‘Sonya’s coming with us, or had you forgotten?’
‘I think I would prefer the sidecar option,’ Sonya stated. ‘I’ve never been very good at getting my leg over …’ She paused. ‘Over things, you know, like walls and horses and … shopping trolleys.’
‘We won’t be getting on a moped,’ Tess stated firmly. ‘Either of us.’
He smiled then. ‘You are never relaxed, Trix.’
‘Because, funnily enough, my holiday has so far consisted of acting a part for you!’
‘And wine,’ Sonya chipped in. ‘We’ve had quite a lot of wine.’
He smiled again at Tess, slowing the boat further as they started to travel into the bay. ‘You should not worry,’ he said. ‘I have a car.’
Out of the corner of his eye he saw something move and instinctively he ducked. The small missile still caught him on the chest then fell to the decking.
‘No wonder you don’t have a real girlfriend!’ Tess screeched. ‘You’re so annoying.’
He glanced to the floor for a second then concentrated on navigating towards Mathias who was beckoning the boat in from the wooden jetty. ‘And I guess you will not be needing your honeycomb and caramel lipstick anymore.’
‘What?’
‘It was a gift for me, yes?’
‘Oh my,’ Sonya said, stifling a laugh. ‘Is that what you threw at him?’
‘Give it back,’ Tess said, standing up and looking annoyed.
‘Sit down please, I cannot see the dock.’
‘Here,’ Sonya said, handing a plastic tube to Tess. ‘Try my apricot and cream one.’
Folding her arms across her chest, Tess sat back down as the boat gently swayed towards the shore and the solid, if a little rickety, pontoon. Why did he have to be so irritating as well as being the sexiest man she had encountered since the ex-TV-Gladiator who played rugby? Actually, Dougie – had that been his name? – had been a little too preoccupied with his teammates and she had started to question his sexuality after date number four – watching and singing along with every single word of Legally Blonde the Musical. He hadn’t made the whole six weeks.
‘My mother is coming.’
At Andras’s statement Tess immediately felt the need to sit up straight and move her shoulders back. This was crazy. She had nothing to lose here. If Andras’s mother worked out all this was a sham then … so what? Her eyes went to the helm of the boat then and she watched Andras in deep concentration as he prepared to dock. What made someone give up on anything romantic except sex? At least with her dating lifestyle she actually had conversation as well as fun between the sheets. Who did he talk to? Share things with? Grr, she didn’t care!
‘She has my cousin with her,’ Andras added. ‘And my brother’s fiancée.’
‘Ooo, the lucky lady getting married? Is that her? With the long, dark hair all down her back?’ Sonya asked. ‘I always wanted hair that long but my hair just goes to fluff – newborn Easter chick fluff – when it gets too far past my shoulders.’
‘The cousin your mother wants you to marry?’ Tess asked.
‘She does?’ Sonya exclaimed. ‘That’s the reason you’re fake-dating Tess?’
‘Yes,’ Tess answered. ‘I haven’t had a chance to catch you up with that.’ She looked back to Andras. ‘What are their names?’
‘My cousin is Marietta. Spiro’s wife-to-be is Kira.’
‘And your mother’s name?’
‘You have forgotten this?’
‘The way she looked at me last night, I thought I might have to call her Mrs Georgiou … or ma’am.’
‘It is Isadora,’ Andras answered. ‘Yassou, Mathias!’ He moved to grab the rope and with one giant swing, threw it over to his colleague who caught it and began to tie the vessel up.
‘I am so sorry about this,’ Tess whispered to Sonya. ‘I know this wasn’t what you had planned for our trip and it wasn’t what I had planned either and actually, if you want me to put a stop to this farce right now then I will.’ She swallowed, her insides pumping mixed signals.
Sonya smiled. ‘I had the best day today. Swimming in that sea, enjoying lunch and cocktails at Nissaki Beach, Andras telling us all the stories about when the Albanians tried to invade. It really helped to take my mind off …’
Tess saw the emotion invade her friend’s expression and she reached for her hand, slipping their fingers together and uniting them with a squeeze.
Sonya tried again. ‘It helped take my mind off England.’
‘You must come! Come now!’ It was Isadora’s voice, loud and unrelenting. Tess’s attention was taken from her friend.
‘What has happened?’ Andras called, his tone a little anxious.
‘Get off the boat, Andras!’ Isadora yelled, arms flapping.
Twenty-five
Kalami Beach
He was looking for signs of smoke, or worse, flames, as he leapt from the bow. Leaving the restaurant for the day had been a mistake. Now, when he made it up the pontoon and the beach to his business premises – make that his whole life – what was he going to find?
‘I knew I could not trust you,’ Isadora said. ‘I knew this would happen.’
‘Mama,’ Andras stated. ‘What has happened? Please, tell me.’
‘It is horrific!’ Isadora continued. ‘I do not know any other words to describe it!’
His heart was thumping furiously, his eyes looking past his mother to the restaurant. The bright sunshine was preventing him from seeing into the building. Was that … were there … people still dining? If people were still dining then whatever had happened could not be the apocalypse his mother was describing. But the kitchen being destroyed in the middle of the season, before the wedding … that could destroy him.
‘The tortoise was in the kitchen,’ Kira informed him. ‘Almost inside the refrigerator.’
‘The tortoise,’ he stated soberly. This hand-waving and stress was about Hector? He wanted to shout at his mother, tell her she had almost given him a heart attack.
‘I think it is quite cute,’ Marietta stated.
‘It is disgusting!’ Isadora screeched. ‘A dirty, unholy creature gorging itself on what we will be feeding the customers.’
Anger was still bubbling. Since when had it become we will be feeding the customers? They were still his customers.
‘Go!’ Isadora directed. ‘Your brother is trying to contain it.’
Only then did he look behind at the boat, realising he had all but abandoned Tess and Sonya. He watched as Mathias held his hand out to Tess to aid her disembarkation.
‘Mama—’ he began.
‘Go with Kira,’ Isadora interrupted. ‘Marietta and I will see to your friends.’
He was blindsided. Tess was about to ambushed, before the family dinner. He wouldn’t blame her if she just gave in and told the truth. She didn’t deserve to be caught up in this.
‘What are you waiting for? The animal could be starting to gnaw on your brother’s vital parts at any second, right before his wedding night!’
‘In that case,’ Kira began with a smile. ‘Please run, Andras.’
He took one last look at Tess and Sonya, now on the pontoon, eyes directed his way, before taking off up the jetty with Kira.
‘Predators can smell fear you know,’ Tess whispered to Sonya as she made baby steps towards the two Greek women on the wooden bridge.
&nb
sp; ‘In Planet Earth II it was more about the predators’ teamwork than about any of them smelling fear.’
‘Case closed then,’ Tess stated, swallowing. ‘Here’s the team. The head matriarch of the pack and the lone female who’s desperate to mate with the eldest offspring.’
Sonya gripped Tess’s arm. ‘Oh, I see … you think we’re about to be surrounded and mauled.’
‘Greek style,’ Tess responded through gritted teeth.
‘So, what was my job again?’ Sonya asked. ‘Was I your boss?’
‘No,’ Tess said. ‘Absolutely not.’
‘Kalispera, Patricia and Susan,’ Isadora greeted, pounding up to them, Marietta a little behind.
Just what size were her feet? Tess swallowed. ‘It’s Sonya,’ she answered on instinct. ‘Not Susan. You must have misheard last night.’
‘What?’ Isadora asked, black eyes homing in on her.
‘You can call me Susan,’ Sonya bleated quickly. ‘I quite like that.’
‘You must both be very tired.’
This came from Marietta. Tess surveyed the woman Andras’s mother wanted him to marry. She had the dark, glossy Greek hair that looked like it had been conditioned by something salon and more expensive than Tresemmé and she was pretty, in a non-make-up, natural way – the look Tess seemed to need a gallon of foundation to achieve. Why had she wanted her to be ugly? This wasn’t some sort of competition. This was just a means to an end. Wi-Fi and a tour guide.
‘Tired?’ Sonya asked. ‘Oh no, quite the opposite.’ She stretched her arms up to the sky. ‘I feel completely invigorated. Don’t you feel invigorated, Patricia? It’s all that sea air and warming sun on our skin. It—’
‘Will make you turn red like a fráoula,’ Isadora stated.
‘What?’ Tess asked.
‘A strawberry,’ Marietta translated. ‘You English must be careful of your delicate skin.’