Page 45 of All You Need is Greece

‘Get straight to the point, why don’t you? Although I have learned you are one who always gets to the heart of the matter.’

‘There is no other way. If people communicated their feelings a bit more, there wouldn’t be half the breakdown in relationships.’ I unwrap my little caramel biscuit that arrived with my coffee, and pop it into my mouth.

‘And, yes, maybe you are right. I messed up when I was young, I was selfish. But getting with the fiancée of my friend was the worst thing I could have done.’

‘Have you ever told him that?’

‘Never. I couldn’t bring myself to reach out while we were still together. I also probably stayed with my wife for too many years, as I felt bad about leaving her. Maybe I thought to myself that I had better make it work to justify my actions, I don’t know.’

‘I can understand that, I suppose. But it’s never too late. Who knows? You might even make friends again with Nicos one day.’

‘I do not think so. He would never forgive me, and why should he? I have never had a friend like that, though, ever since, but it is a regret I have to live with.’

He looks at me with his gorgeous eyes, and slowly leans across the table and kisses me lightly on the lips. And there’s nothing. It’s like kissing a good friend. I wonder if Artemis feels the same.

‘Did that feel a bit weird?’ I ask.

‘Not weird exactly, but not what I expected,’ he admits.

‘So that’s it. Firmly friends.’

‘So it seems. And when I think about it, maybe I need more female friends in my life.’

‘Maybe you do. I won’t lie, your looks obviously attract women, but take time out and figure out what you really want before you jump into another relationship.’

‘Wise words. My mother once told me my looks are a curse. Can you believe that?’ He shakes his head and laughs. ‘But perhaps you are right. I must focus on my career, and maybe really get to know the next person I become involved with. But there is no hurry. Unless my looks disappear overnight.’ He winks and I tell him not to be so shallow.

Artemis drops me off at the rescue, and I say goodbye to him once more, wrapping him in a lingering hug. Nicos is across the road watering the plants in the garden with a hose before the light fades, and glances in our direction. I think it’s so sad that their childhood friendship remains in ruins, even though Artemis’s marriage to Nicos’s one-time fiancée is over. I also think that if she was so easily seduced by Artemis, she could not have been truly in love with Nicos, so perhaps he had a lucky escape. Not that I would ever say that, of course.

‘Good luck. And keep in touch.’

‘Of course. Goodbye, Beth.’

There was real affection in our farewell hug, and I get the feeling I may see Artemis again one day. Only as friends, of course. As his car roars off into the distance, I can’t help hoping that whatever he does in the future it all works out for him.

TWENTY-THREE

I’m with Tania and the dogs the following afternoon, strolling the forest paths. She has brought Annie and Smudge out today and I am walking four dogs, two either side of me on leads, that are walking really nicely. There had been plenty of volunteers out this morning walking the dogs, but there were a couple of stragglers who needed a walk, so I have taken those.

‘Tell me all about your date with Artemis?’ asks Tania as we walk along the road, the sun shining brightly above us, and the sound of crickets in the hedgerows.

I do so, describing the lovely time we had in Malia, until I went overboard with the ouzo and she laughs.

‘Oh dear. I must admit, I learned that lesson years ago in Greece. Ouzo is wonderful in moderation.’

I tell her all about how Artemis looked after me, and found a room at his cousin’s place. I also tentatively question whether she knows Nicos and Artemis were once friends and grew up together.

‘Yes, I knew they were friends when they were young, but he doesn’t talk about him now. Hardly surprising given the circumstances. Did Artemis mention he married Nicos’s fiancée?’

‘He did. Artemis told me he regrets losing the friendship because of a woman,’ I tell her as we turn a corner and for a moment I wonder whether or not I should have said anything. ‘Especially as the marriage didn’t last.’

‘He said that?’ She turns to look at me.

‘He did. He said he is nothing like his younger self,’ I tell her. ‘He told me he was selfish and that he has grown up a lot since then, regretting some of the things he did in the past. I got the impression he had fond memories of his childhood here with Nicos and the other boys.’

‘Maybe we all look back on life and wonder whether we might have done things differently, if we had our time again. It’s human nature,’ says Tania, as we make our way through a sandy path that leads towards a forest of pine trees at the top of the hill that gives a wonderful view of the sea below.

‘Shall we walk up?’ Tania gestures to the hill that has a marked footpath and I nod and follow her lead. We sit for a few seconds when we reach the top, just gazing into the far distance. The dogs are sitting patiently, lapping at some water from a large bottle Tania has pulled from her rucksack and poured into a plastic bowl.

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