Page 33 of All You Need is Greece

‘Well, it was nice to see her enjoying herself. She danced the night away.’

‘And obviously enjoyed the ouzo too.’ He can’t help smiling.

I think of Yolanda throwing her arms in the air and dancing with Panos’s grandmother.

‘Maybe we could walk to the shop together?’

‘Sure,’ I reply. ‘So how was your evening?’ I ask him.

‘Good. And the team I support actually won, which makes a nice change.’

‘Actually, I wondered whether I might have seen you at the BBQ last night.’

‘Were you hoping I would be there?’ He turns and gives me that dazzling, self-assured smile.

‘I never said that. I just thought you might have been there, as surely you know Nicos, having both grown up around here together.’

‘We were never really close friends, and people move on.’ He shrugs.

I nip inside for a plaster – which I place over my grazed knee, which is now bleeding slightly – before we set off and fall into step with each other.

Walking downhill around each bend in the road reminds me that it might be a bit of a long walk back and more strenuous than I anticipated. I’m not sure my yoga classes back home have prepared me for all this hill walking and my knee is already beginning to throb a bit.

As we make our way, I glance at Artemis and his handsome profile and wonder how differently I might be feeling towards him if Marco didn’t still occupy a part of my heart. Despite his charm, he managed to remain married for twelve years, although I know nothing about his life, whether he was faithful, or anything like that. I’ve already seen how women openly admire his looks, which must be difficult for any partner of his.

As we pass hedgerows, I hear the distant sound of a tractor in a farmhouse field somewhere, and spot a flock of birds swooping down onto something on the ground below. A car slows down and asks if we would like a lift to the bottom of the hill, and I politely decline.

‘Are you sure?’ asks Artemis.

‘Of course I’m sure. This is the easy part,’ I remind him. Heading lower down, the glimmer of the gorgeous sea soon comes into view, a red and white ferry in the distance sailing to an island somewhere. ‘I might have accepted the lift if it was on the way back up,’ I confess.

‘I could always go and get the car for the journey back?’ Artemis offers.

‘Not at all. I only need one or two things,’ I tell him brightly, already looking forward to a bottle of iced cool water from the fridge outside the tiny village shop. Besides, I am enjoying walking with him, chatting and admiring the gorgeous scenery. In the car, we would be up and down in no time at all.

Presently, the narrow road widens, and a handful of houses with blue front doors and climbing plants trailing over their walls appear; a moped here and there leans lazily against white walls in the warm, end of summer sunshine. A black and white cat raises its back and stands, crossing our path and meowing. Then the red Coke fridge appears outside the small village shop.

Inside, Artemis begins a conversation with the shopkeeper and I wish him akalispera, before heading along the narrow aisles in search of some crisps, milk and a tub of hot chocolate that I have been craving before bed. I also pick up a packet of hair bands, as I’d forgotten to pack some and had to borrow one from Hannah. I grab some water from the fridge as Artemis is reaching into the nearby freezer for two Magnum ice creams.

‘Thanks,’ I say, as he hands one to me after I have paid for my things.

‘Shall we eat these over there?’ Artemis gestures to a bench on a small hill that overlooks the sea and clusters of village houses clinging to the hillside.

‘Sure.’ I follow him and we sit side by side, taking in the view.

‘How are things in your on-off relationship, if you don’t mind me asking, that is,’ I ask him.

‘Not at all. And they are definitely off,’ he says firmly. ‘We are not good for each other in so many ways.’

‘Not something you could work on together, then? You were married for a long time.’

‘People change, I guess. Besides, she is not good for my bank balance.’

‘So she likes to spend?’

‘Far too much.’ He sighs. ‘My ex is never happy. She always wants more clothes, perfumes, a weekend away with her friends. Does a woman really need to change her hair colour so often at the hairdresser’s?’ He shakes his head.

‘So she is what you might call high-maintenance?’

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