Page 38 of All You Need is Greece

I try not to think of it as a date, despite a physical attraction towards Artemis. We are definitely best to leave things as just friends.

‘Kalispera,’ says a sexy-looking Artemis, dressed in cream shorts and a black T-shirt, a day’s stubble at his chin making him look even more attractive. ‘And may I say you look amazing.’ He tilts his head to one side and appraises my outfit, a short, bright green cotton dress. ‘That colour looks good on you.’

‘You may. Thank you.’

He opens the car door for me to climb inside.

The blue sky above is dotted with just a scattering of fluffy white clouds that drift by as we descend the mountain roads.

‘How do you normally spend your weekend?’ I ask, opening a window and taking in the smell of wild oregano as we drive past a cluster growing wild.

‘You mean now that I am single?’

‘I suppose so, yes.’

‘Well, that depends on’ – he turns to look at me – ‘whether I am lucky enough to run into a beautiful woman.’

‘Run over one, might be more accurate,’ I remind him.

‘I think maybe you will not let me forget that.’

‘I’m joking. I’d say you have more than made up for it, by taking me to the restaurant near the monastery. And driving us into Malia, of course. I’m really looking forward to this.’

‘Me, too. It’s been a while since I’ve been here. Would you like to listen to some music as we drive?’

‘Greek music?’

‘No. Not unless you want to?’

‘It’s all Greek to me, but I really don’t mind.’

The sound of ‘Beyond the Sea’ fills the car and has me smiling, especially when Artemis starts singing along. I’m singing along at the top of my voice too, moving in my seat along to the music, when Artemis brakes so suddenly, my head jolts forward. A trio of mountain goats are standing stubbornly blocking the road.

‘Are you okay?’ asks Artemis, after shouting out what I assume to be a swear word in Greek, as he beeps his horn at the goats.

‘Yes.’ I shake my hair out and rub the back of my neck.

‘I think it was just a surprise as I was so lost in the music, really I’m fine,’ I reassure him.

I don’t add that maybe if he hadn’t been driving like Lewis Hamilton I might not have jolted forward quite so much.

Artemis steps out of the car, talking loudly to the row of goats, who it seems like a challenge and are going nowhere. There is the drone of a moped behind us, and a couple riding it shave past one of the goats, which teeters to the side of the road, before zooming off.

‘Maybe if you just start the engine, and drive slowly towards them they might move.’

‘Run them over, you mean?’ He raises an eyebrow.

‘Not exactly. Maybe just encourage them to move out of the way.’

As it turns out, we never have to do anything as the goats decide it is time to move on, niftily scaling some rocks and disappearing off somewhere.

‘I’d hate to see what would happen if you needed to get somewhere in a hurry,’ I say, thinking about a casualty in an ambulance for example, heading to a hospital.

I think of back home then, and the endless stopping and starting at traffic lights, and how different things are here in the hills. It’s such a beautiful, yet contrasting culture; it makes me think that Tania must truly love Nicos to make her home here, although she did tell me her home in the UK was a quiet canalside village, so maybe adapting here was not too difficult.

Driving on – me none the worse for the sudden braking – I watch the soft sunlight shimmering through the trees. Glancing up, I spot a plane heading towards Heraklion Airport like a giant bird in the blue sky, bringing the last of the holidaymakers for this year. I can hardly believe I am travelling to Malia with someone I have known for such a short amount of time, yet it feels like, over here, anything is possible.

As we finally join the coast road, there are families walking along together, the children carrying inflatable swimming aids; an ice-cream kiosk has several people queuing outside. The sight of the sun beaming down on the sea, making it sparkle, has me almost wanting to stop the car and spend the rest of the afternoon here.

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