Page 51 of All You Need is Greece

‘How did your evening go?’ I ask as I make my way to the animal food storage and Tania walks with me.

‘Really good. We invited some of Nicos’s friends over for a meal, so I could meet them properly, and they were just lovely. I also had an unexpected visitor.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, they had called at the rescue, but there was no one home, so they came to my house to leave a message.’

‘Oh. Where they looking for Judith?’

‘No, actually,’ says Tania, as I fill a bucket with dried dog food. ‘They were looking for you. I offered to put them up for the night as I wasn’t sure what time you would be home. Perhaps you would like to call over and say hello.’

‘Does your unexpected visitor have a name?’ I can feel my heart hammering in my chest.

‘Yes. His name is Marco,’ she tells me and I drop my bucket in shock.

‘Marco is here? He’s at your house? I don’t understand.’ I’m babbling as I try to process the fact that Marco has travelled here to Crete.

‘He sure is. And I can see why you might have had a little trouble forgetting him. He’s an absolute dream.’

‘Don’t let Nicos hear you say that,’ I reply, as I try to gather my thoughts.

‘Just honest facts. I’m not saying that he could compare to Nicos, simply admiring his looks,’ she teases.

‘Oh my goodness! Look at the state of me.’ I look down at my old jeans and T-shirt, and messed-up hair beneath a cap, not to mention make-up-free face.

‘I’m sure he knows what you look like,’ she says kindly. ‘And I got the impression he couldn’t wait to see you.’

‘You did? But why come all this way? I’m going home next week.’ My head is whirring.

‘Maybe he was unaware of that. Or he couldn’t wait that long to see you. Look, I came to say that Nicos and I are heading out shortly, if you would like to come and have a private chat with Marco. I’ll brew some coffee, in say, half an hour?’ She glances at her watch.

‘Yes, yes. If it’s okay with Judith. Thank you, Tania.’

‘I’ll square it with her,’ she says, heading into the kitchen, where Judith is busy sorting our lunch.

Upstairs, I run a brush through my hair and apply a slick of mascara, as well as a quick spritz of my perfume. I realise then that it’s the perfume Marco bought me, and one I always wore when we went out together. I think about trying to wash it off and hope he doesn’t think I am wearing it especially for him. But maybe I do want him to think that. I suddenly don’t know what I want, or how I feel. Marco is here in Crete. But why?

I notice Nicos and Tania’s car has gone, and I’m a bundle of nerves as I approach their house half an hour later, as planned. Marco is sitting on the porch, with his back to me. As I walk closer, he turns and smiles and I get that funny, familiar feeling that makes my heart soar.

‘Hello, Beth,’ he says, as he stands and walks to greet me.

‘Hi, Marco.’

Before I can ask him why he is here, he has taken me in his arms and crushed me in his strong embrace. I take in his familiar scent, the smell, every familiar curve in his body, his strong chest. When he finally releases me, he looks at me from arm’s length.

‘I’ve missed you,’ he says in a breathless whisper. And, all at once, I realise I have missed him dreadfully too. The days out, the animals, even the wonderful days with Artemis have done nothing to quell my feelings for Marco, I realise that now.

‘Me, too,’ I say, and when his lips meet mine, there is nothing I can do but kiss him back and feel a million fireworks go off inside my body.

TWENTY-SEVEN

‘I still can’t believe you are here.’

We are holding hands and sipping coffee on the terrace, both of us grinning from ear to ear.

‘I had to come and see you. I missed seeing you around town, which I enjoyed doing, even though we had parted.’

‘I found it difficult at times,’ I tell him honestly.

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