by Mandy Baggot
‘Freya! Hello pet, don’t you look well?’ he greeted in his broad Geordie accent.
‘You look well too Harry. Is Margot here?’ Freya enquired, speaking of Harry’s wife.
‘No, not tonight pet. She’s sorry to be missing you, but she’s gone to Corfu Town with some of her girl pals for a meal and a show,’ Harry informed her.
‘Well maybe I’ll pop up and see her later in the week,’ Freya spoke.
‘She would like that. Hello Nick, nice to see you again,’ Harry said and shook Nicholas by the hand.
‘Hi Harry. So is everything arranged?’ Nicholas asked him.
‘Yes, just like you asked for. I’ll show you to your table,’ Harry said.
Harry led the way through the main restaurant where several people were dining. There were plenty of whispers and nudges the moment Nicholas, Freya and Roger walked amongst them.
Harry led them to the courtyard outside where all the tables had been cleared away, except for half a dozen. They had been put together to form one larger table. It was set with a white tablecloth, candles and a dozen white roses. It was the most beautiful table setting Freya had ever seen. There was also a cooler, housing champagne, stood next to the table.
Nicholas smiled as he saw Freya’s face light up.
‘Right, you’re all set. I’ll start bringing out the food in about fifteen minutes,’ Harry spoke.
‘That will be perfect,’ Nicholas replied.
Harry left them and Nicholas turned to Roger.
‘I’ll be just inside, sampling some of the stew. Just call me if you need anything,’ Roger said to him.
‘Thanks Roger,’ Nicholas replied.
Freya walked up to the table and inhaled deeply as she smelt the roses. They were gorgeous and smelt velvety, soft and sweet. She had always loved the outside eating area at Harry’s. It had a pergola style roof with flowering vines making a leafy canopy and there were lantern style lights suspended from it. At the height of the summer season Harry had live music in this area and when Freya had worked there the events had been extremely popular.
‘You like the table?’ Nicholas asked her as he stood beside her.
‘It’s very nice. So did you actually do any work today or did you spend the whole time thinking of ways to impress me?’ Freya wanted to know.
‘Am I impressing you?’ he asked her.
‘Is there more to come?’
‘You’ll have to wait and see.’
‘Then I’ll let you know at the end of the night,’ Freya answered.
She sat down at the table and let Nicholas pour her some champagne. He sat opposite her and raised his glass.
‘To our first date,’ Nicholas toasted.
‘May it not end in tears,’ Freya added as she raised her glass and knocked it against his.
‘Right, so where shall we start? A first date is usually about getting to know one another so do you want to begin? Ladies first after all,’ Nicholas suggested.
‘You want to know about me,’ Freya spoke, taking a sip of champagne.
‘Yes, of course,’ he replied.
‘I’m pretty much what you see is what you get. Where would you like me to start?’ Freya asked.
‘I don’t know. Start where you feel comfortable. Put it this way, I was going to skip mentioning my alcohol and prostitute addiction and my bit part in Katie does Kansas,’ Nicholas told her.
‘Again, not sure if you are joking or being serious,’ Freya replied.
‘I’ll keep you guessing. So tell me about your job. You’re a photographer right?’ Nicholas spoke.
‘Yes, I suppose I gave it away rushing out to snap the sunset last night,’ Freya answered.
‘Well there was that and the fact that Emma told us. So what’s your speciality?’ Nicholas asked her.
‘Weddings and schools. That’s what pays the bills. Occasionally I get referred to more illustrious clients and get to travel,’ Freya told him.
‘But what’s your favourite subject? What are you passionate about? I presume there must have been something that sparked your interest in photography,’ Nicholas asked her.
‘It’s the only thing I’ve ever been any good at. I prefer to take photos of scenes rather than people if I’m honest. Seascapes, coastlines, grassland, the sky - and sunsets are a big thing of mine,’ Freya answered.
Why was she telling him this? He wasn’t really interested, it was just small talk. But something was driving her to answer his questions.
‘So why not concentrate on the things you enjoy? Why the weddings and schoolchildren?’ Nicholas wanted to know.
‘Like I said, it pays the bills and you have to be really talented to make a living out of the other stuff. I don’t think I’m quite that good,’ Freya told him.
‘Well perhaps you just haven’t been discovered by the right person yet,’ Nicholas suggested.
‘Maybe. So what about you? Why an actor? Did you put on performances for the local neighbourhood at the age of three and dress yourself up as Robin Hood or something?’ Freya asked.
‘I could tell you that but it wouldn’t be true. I had no interest in acting at three or any other age; I was too interested in playing ice hockey. That was my big thing,’ Nicholas told her.
‘So why aren’t you an ice hockey player?’ Freya enquired.
‘I gave it up. After my parents died I pretty much gave up everything. I was at Harvard, studying law and I was doing well, but when my parents died I dropped out. When I think back on it now, it really wasn’t me anyhow. I might have made a good lawyer, but it would have bored me stupid,’ Nicholas spoke.
‘I’m sorry, about your parents. Was it an accident or something?’ Freya wanted to know, genuinely interested.
‘Yeah, a truck ran a red light. They didn’t stand a chance. My little brother was in the car too and he thankfully came out of it without a scratch,’ Nicholas replied.
‘Well thank God for that,’ Freya responded.
‘Yeah, he was very lucky. Anyway, although there was life insurance it wasn’t enough to put us both through school so I dropped out and got a job. I did anything just to get food on the table and make sure Matt had everything he needed, just like my mom and dad would have done. First I was a cab driver, then I was a barman, then I was a chef but they found out I couldn’t really cook, so then I was a waiter. One day, this guy comes into the restaurant and hands me a business card and tells me he’s auditioning people for an advertisement for Cheesy Twangers,’ Nicholas spoke.
‘Cheesy what?’ Freya queried with a laugh.
‘Cheesy Twangers. They are this disgusting tasting potato chip, in production for about a year and I’ve never seen a packet since. Anyway, I got the job and believe me the commercial was far more cheesy than the chips. After that I got a phone call and was invited to audition for a small part in a movie called The Devil’s Curse. And that was my first movie and my big break,’ Nicholas explained.
‘I don’t remember seeing that film,’ Freya admitted.
‘Don’t watch it! It’s terrible and I have a freaky hairstyle. God knows what anyone saw in my performance to offer me other roles but they did and the rest, as they say, is history,’ Nicholas concluded.
It was just as he finished that Harry and two of his waiters brought out huge platters of food.
‘I wasn’t sure what you liked so I ordered everything,’ Nicholas told her.
‘You’re kidding! I know I like my food but there are over fifty dishes on Harry’s menu,’ Freya exclaimed.
‘Sixty six - if you’re counting sides,’ Nicholas answered.
It was at least five minutes before Harry and his team had finished putting the food on the table.
‘This is a feast isn’t it?’ Nicholas remarked as he surveyed the table.
‘I can’t believe you ordered the whole menu. Why?’ Freya exclaimed.
‘Why not? Shall we start? I’m kind of hungry,’ Nicholas remarked and he began helping himself to the
food.
‘Yeah me too,’ Freya agreed.
They filled their plates up with a variety of dishes and began to eat. All the food was delicious and the champagne was also slipping down nicely. Freya had almost forgotten that this date was fake. Almost, but not quite.
‘Do you enjoy what you do or is there something inside you that really wishes you were still driving a cab?’ Freya asked him as she ate some bread and tzatziki.
‘The acting I love. Like you, I’ve found something I’m good at and I’ve stuck with it. That wasn’t supposed to sound conceited by the way, but there are a lot of people in this industry who can’t act at all and are making a fortune out of it. I consider myself lucky to be able to do it well and not feel like a fraud,’ Nicholas told her.
‘What about the having a bodyguard around you and photographers hassling you all the time? Do you enjoy that?’ Freya asked.
‘Would anyone? No, I loathe it. It’s a major downside to what I do. Would you want your face in a magazine when you’d been caught on camera at seven a.m. going to the store in your jogging pants with a three day growth of stubble?’ Nicholas enquired.
‘Oh God, anything more than a two day growth of stubble and I would be beside myself,’ Freya replied with a smile.
‘But you got the jogging pants connection,’ Nicholas stated.
‘I might have. So what about the money? It must be nice being able to spend what you like and not have to worry - like ordering an entire menu from a restaurant,’ Freya remarked.
‘I enjoy having the money, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t, but I could live without it. I mean you’re talking to someone who raised his teenaged brother on restaurant leftovers and went to the sales at Wal-Mart to clothe us both. I wouldn’t want to live like that again, but I could,’ Nicholas answered.
Freya nodded and helped herself to some Greek sausages.
‘But I really don’t want to be the only one talking tonight, over to you,’ Nicholas told her.
‘Oh I really don’t know what to say. I’m not used to talking about myself. I tried once, on the Tube, this little old lady started up a conversation like I was her long lost niece or something and I had had a bad day so I started talking, telling her all sorts and by the time we got to Embankment she was asleep. We’d only travelled from Waterloo - it’s like one stop,’ Freya admitted, taking a sip of her drink.
‘Well I promise not to fall asleep. Why don’t you tell me about your family?’ Nicholas suggested.
‘Well, um, I’d really rather not talk about them. It’s a bit of a sore subject,’ Freya told him.
‘Oh?’ he questioned.
‘I don’t see them that’s all. Well, we don’t really communicate either,’ Freya answered.
‘OK, subject closed then. So how about hobbies, that should be safe ground,’ Nicholas said.
‘I don’t really have any. If I’m not working I’m sleeping, or trying to sleep, or watching TV,’ Freya told him.
‘Sounds to me like you work too hard. Now you know what they say about all work and no play Freya,’ Nicholas spoke.
‘So I’m dull now am I?’
‘Not yet but you really need to play more. Perhaps it's something we can work on,’ he responded with a smile.
‘And remind me - your hobbies are?’ she asked.
‘Hobbies are overrated,’ he responded with a grin.
‘See! You don’t have any either,’ Freya said with a laugh.
‘I do have them; I just don’t get time for them. If I’m not filming I’m learning scripts and if I’m not doing that I’m doing interviews or if I’m not doing that I’m in the gym,’ Nicholas told her.
‘Ah ha! The gym is a hobby,’ Freya exclaimed.
‘It’s only a hobby if you enjoy it. I hate it. I’d much rather be reading a good book or going out on my motorbike or something,’ he admitted.
‘You have a motorbike? I have a motorbike. What have you got?’ Freya asked excitedly.
‘A Harley,’ he responded.
‘I should have guessed.’
‘They’re fun though aren’t they? When I’m out on the bike it’s like there’s nothing else. It’s just me, the bike and the air around me,’ Nicholas told her.
‘It’s a great place to think and it’s relaxing in a noisy, exhilarating kind of way,’ Freya spoke.
‘Yeah, you’re right,’ he agreed.
‘So have you hired a bike over here yet?’ Freya questioned.
‘No, to be honest I haven’t had a lot of time to myself. We’re only here for two more weeks and then we go to mainland Greece again,’ Nicholas informed her.
‘The mainland is nice, but it’s not as picturesque as the islands,’ Freya spoke.
‘No, I agree, and this village, Kassiopi, is like the jewel in the crown of this island as far as I’m concerned.’
‘Is that why you bought a villa here?’ Freya enquired.
‘News travels fast. Who told you that?’ Nicholas asked.
‘It’s the word on the street,’ Freya said, not wanting to make any reference to Shooting Stars magazine.
‘Well your source is correct. I’ve bought Villa Kamia,’ Nicholas told her.
‘I know it. It’s beautiful and right on the headland. You must have fantastic views,’ Freya spoke.
She knew where the villa was located, and it had unrivalled views of the ocean.
‘Photo worthy definitely. You should come up and take some pictures,’ Nicholas offered.
Freya didn’t respond. Who was he trying to kid? After tonight she would never see him again.
‘Is the food OK?’ Nicholas asked her.
‘It’s lovely,’ Freya answered.
‘You’ve gone quiet on me Freya.’
‘No I haven’t. Me and quiet, never been heard in the same sentence.’
‘Perhaps you’re disappointed I didn’t come dressed in my Speedos,’ Nicholas joked.
‘I’m devastated, can’t you tell?’ she answered.
‘Then perhaps you need something to compensate for the loss,’ Nicholas suggested.
He put his fingers to his lips and whistled. At the sound of that command two men, one with a mandolin and one with a bouzouki, entered from the restaurant and moved into the courtyard. Both bowed politely to the table and began to play.
‘You are crazy! What is this all about?’ Freya exclaimed as the music filled the air.
‘I decided that you were the type of woman to appreciate Greek culture, so I thought I would bring some of it to our evening,’ Nicholas told her, smiling at her excitement.
‘I do love traditional Greek music,’ Freya admitted.
‘I confess, Harry told me. He also said that when you worked here you very nearly ran off with the mandolin player. He quoted you as saying “who cares what he looks like, have you seen what he can do with his fingers”,’ Nicholas spoke.
‘How long did you spend talking to Harry? Has he divulged all the confidential things I ever told him during that period of my life? There must be employment laws about that kind of thing,’ Freya said.
‘I don’t think he told me everything. I got the feeling he was still holding out on me on some things. It was the twinkle in his eye that got me suspicious,’ Nicholas said.
‘There was no need for you to go to all this trouble,’ Freya stated with a heavy sigh.
‘It wasn’t any trouble. Besides I had fun arranging it all,’ Nicholas told her.
Why was he doing this? Did he think the more surprises he provided her with the more chance he had of getting her into bed? It was sick. Money was of no significance to him, he had said so, and he had devalued it even more by forking out a fortune on a date for the sake of winning a few favours from his co-stars.
‘Dance with me?’ Nicholas asked her, as the music turned into a slow lament.
This was all wrong, she shouldn’t be here. She should be back in the village watching him eat a meal infused with chilli powder.
‘Co
me on, I know you’re one for dancing,’ Nicholas said, getting up from his chair and standing in front of her.
‘Harry tell you that too?’ Freya snapped.
‘Hey, come on, dance with me, it’ll be fun,’ Nicholas insisted and he took her hand and pulled her gently from her seat.
‘Looks like I don’t have a choice,’ Freya remarked as Nicholas put one arm around her waist and held her other hand in his.
‘So, am I going some way to making you change your opinion of me? Can you now see I’m just a regular guy?’ Nicholas asked her.
‘I thought we were dancing not talking,’ Freya replied.
‘Can’t we do both?’ Nicholas suggested.
‘Look, the dinner was really nice, the music is great, it’s just…’ Freya started.
He smelt so nice, of musk and spice and his hand was warm in hers. She could feel his breath on her neck and the firmness of his body close to hers. It was then it struck her exactly what was wrong with this date. She wanted it to be real. And that realisation scared her to death.
What was the matter with her? She had formed her opinion of him before she’d met him. He was a stuck up, arrogant arse who had too much money and too little concern for anyone else. Except he didn’t seem like that. Tonight he had been interesting and funny and he was easy to talk to. But it was all a big charade and that made the fact he’d been fun and interesting even worse because it had all been a performance. He was good at what he did, he’d said so. He was a professional. He was using her and that made him even worse than Russell.
‘What is it? I can hear your mind working overtime,’ Nicholas spoke, fixing her with his perfect blue eyes.
‘Why are you doing this?’ Freya questioned, giving him an opportunity to come clean.
‘Doing what?’ Nicholas asked as they continued to dance.
‘The table, the food, the music - making sure everything’s perfect,’ Freya explained.
‘Because I want everything to be perfect,’ Nicholas replied.
‘Why?’ Freya enquired.
‘Well who wouldn’t want a first date to be perfect?’ Nicholas responded.
‘What is this first date business? We both know there isn’t going to be a second date,’ Freya announced and she let go of him.