Page 27 of All You Need is Greece

I think about Jess telling me that I couldn’t be expected to switch my feelings off for Marco, we had almost three years together after all, yet isn’t that exactly what I have been trying to do, in coming here? Trying to forget about him. And maybe it was beginning to work a little, especially getting to know Artemis. Until I received the message, that is. Now I feel more confused than ever.

I finish getting ready as Hannah walks into the bedroom.

‘Are you okay?’ she asks. I’m sitting on my bed, phone in hand, just staring at it and wondering how to respond.

‘What? Oh yes. I have a message from Marco.’

I pass my phone to Hannah, thrown into confusion and wondering what I ought to do.

‘Are you going to reply?’ she asks uncertainly.

‘Well, that’s the thing. I don’t know. What would I say?’

‘Thanks? I miss you too? Do you miss him?’ Hannah comes and sits beside me on the bed.

‘I do. I loved him. Maybe I still do. Oh, I don’t know.’ I sigh. ‘Maybe I ought to just forget about the whole marriage idea. We were perfectly happy as we were, until I went and ruined everything.’

‘You say you were perfectly happy as you were, but if you were, you would never have broken up, would you? Obviously, the marriage thing was a sticking point between you both. What makes you think things would be any different?’ she asks gently.

‘You’re right, of course you are. You’re very wise, for one so young.’ I smile at Hannah, who is wearing denim dungarees with a white T-shirt beneath, her hair swept up into a messy bun.

‘Sensible, that’s me.’ She laughs. ‘At least that’s what my mother always says. My sister was a bit of a wild one, so I think she drilled it into me from an early age that I was the sensible one, in the hope that I would be.’

‘I didn’t realise you had a sister. Is she older or younger?’

‘A year older. She’s settled down a bit now, and has had a steady boyfriend for a couple of years, although she still drifts in and out of jobs.’

‘It takes some people a lot longer to figure out what they want from life, I guess.’

‘That’s very true but I’m not sure my sister will ever fully grow up. Anyway, back to Marco. What’s he like?’ she asks.

‘He’s a good man. Wonderful, in fact,’ I tell her, recalling how romantic he could be, buying me flowers for no reason, or cooking delicious meals, sometimes bringing lovely food home from the restaurant and setting the table like one at the restaurant, with a candle at the centre. ‘And he’s funny too. We always laughed together.’

Listening to myself listing off all the good things, an outsider might wonder why on earth things didn’t work out between us. But marriage was always the sticking point.

‘Wow. He sounds like a dream. Don’t tell me he is good-looking too?’

‘Oh yes, he’s very handsome. He has dark hair, and sparkling blue eyes and—’

‘And it’s obvious you are still in love with him,’ she interjects.

‘Maybe it’s true.’ I sigh. ‘I don’t know why I thought getting away would help me fall out of love with him, although to be fair I’ve been busy enough for him not to have occupied my thoughts too much.’

‘Busy going out with Artemis?’ She raises an eyebrow.

‘He’s just a pleasant distraction. And we really are just friends, as he is recently separated too. I’m certain neither of us want anything more. I can’t deny I like him, though. And he is seriously attractive.’

‘Maybe you don’t want anything serious, but I’ve seen the way he looks at you.’

‘I think there is definitely a mutual physical attraction. Maybe I foolishly thought a bit of fun might be the answer. A holiday fling, as I am single.’

‘Exactly. You are single, so you should take advantage of being on a break. If you think there is a chance you might get back with Marco, you won’t be able to sleep with anyone else for the rest of your life.’

‘Hannah! I’m shocked.’

‘Are you? Well, you ought to think about it. You can legitimately have some fun with someone else for a short while, even if it is only physical. How were you to know Marco would get in touch?’

I shake my head and laugh. Even though she has a point and I have imagined numerous encounters with Artemis and his strong body, including when I daydreamed about him applying sun cream across my back with those strong hands.

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