Page 19 of All You Need is Greece

‘Artemis, hi, you made it.’ I smile, feeling happy to see him.

I introduce him to the others, and he shakes their hands warmly.

‘How is the fundraising going?’ he asks, before peeling a fifty euro note from his wallet and handing it over.

‘Very well, actually. Gosh, thanks, that’s very generous of you,’ I say, placing it into a petty cash tin and locking it, as the collecting tin is now full.

‘All for a good cause.’ He smiles. ‘Now, can I steal you away for a drink?’

‘Sure. It’s good timing actually as we are about to break for lunch. Please join us,’ I offer.

‘I’m okay for a bit, but I might just grab an ice cream,’ says Hannah. ‘You guys eat first; I’ll look after the stall.’

‘I’ll grab the ice creams and stay here with you, love,’ says Doll, whilst Michael says he will go for a bit of a walk along the beach to stretch his legs after the dance.

‘It looks like it is just you and me then,’ says Artemis, heading to an empty table at the beach bar and picking up a menu. We are soon dining on Greek salads, with fabulous local olives and delicious cocktails in the busy bar overlooking the sea. Loved-up couples are holding hands across tables, sipping drinks and stealing kisses, alongside families with children tucking into burgers and chips or cooling ice creams. The soft, white sand leads to the blue sea, where people are riding speedboats or swimming, enjoying the pleasant weather. A lady offering Thai massages threads in and out of the dining tables and a bloke sitting on his own drains his beer and heads towards a sunbed with her.

‘Have you ever had one of those?’ I ask Artemis, nodding towards the masseur, who is setting her green mat down onto the bloke’s sunbed.

‘No. Have you?’

‘Actually, yes. A couple of years ago on holiday, when I was feeling a bit stressed. I fell asleep for an hour afterwards, it was amazing.’

‘I can think of another activity that would give you a nice, relaxed sleep,’ he says cheekily.

‘I bet you could.’ I laugh it off, but it’s hard not to feel a twinge of something. He is so damn attractive.

‘It really is so good to see you again.’ Artemis slides his hand across the table and gently takes hold of mine.

‘Good to see you again too,’ I say, trying to keep my tone light. I am not here for romance, so despite the undeniably pleasant feeling, I slowly release my hand from his. I watch the masseuse apply long, slow strokes of her hands, before kneading the shoulders of her male customer. I’m lost in a daydream for a moment, imagining Artemis rubbing sun lotion into my back, massaging it in with his strong-looking hands, easing any tension and lulling me into a relaxed state, despite telling myself I do not want a holiday fling. Not after Marco.

‘That does look amazing, actually,’ he says, following my gaze.

‘Hmm? What?’

‘That massage. Maybe we should go to a spa and have one, side by side,’ he suggests.

‘I’m not sure I have time for such things,’ I say, bringing myself back to reality. What on earth am I thinking? ‘And, if I’m honest, I prefer to be outdoors than getting hot and steamy indoors.’

‘That’s a shame.’ He grins and I roll my eyes, but smile.

We finish up and head back to the stand and the others find a seat for lunch at the beach restaurant. A trio of women chat to Artemis about the rescue, and he charms them easily, even though he doesn’t actually work there. Before they leave, they reach into their pockets and drop some coins into a tin, a blonde in a blue kaftan giving him backward glances, which he is very aware of, as she walks towards the sand with her friend.

‘What time are you leaving here?’ he asks as the others return to the stand after their meal, and the afternoon draws to a close.

‘In around an hour, I imagine. We’re getting a bit low on soft toys for the children.’

Judith told me that she purchases boxes of second-hand soft toys and washes them to give out as little gifts for the children, along with a little sticker or a pencil when their parents make a donation.

It’s almost four o’clock now and many of the day trippers have drifted off, whilst some families are just arriving with young children for a swim after school, as the sun begins its descent a little earlier at this time of year.

‘I thought we might go for a swim, now that the fundraising has finished,’ suggests Artemis, who has hung around with us until the end of the day. ‘I could drive you back later to the rescue.’

‘How do you know I have packed a swimsuit?’

‘Have you?’

‘As a matter of fact, yes, I have.’

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