Page 43 of Not My Greek Wedding

‘I’ve had a truly wonderful time,’ I tell him, when he drops me back at the apartments later. ‘Thank you for everything.’ But with the change in his demeanour, I wonder if I would have just been another conquest to him? The number of women he comes across at that nightclub certainly gives him plenty of opportunity for casual encounters.

‘The pleasure has been all mine,’ he insists, before he gives me a perfunctory kiss on the cheek. ‘I will call you,’ he says, before climbing back into his car, and roaring off.

Did he really think I was going to sleep with him in exchange for an afternoon on his fancy yacht? Then again, perhaps he really does like me. I hope he doesn’t see me as an immature teenager, running off like that. I remember Lulu’s words then, advising me to only do what I felt comfortable with, and feel happy that I trusted my instincts.

I bump into Irene and Patsy walking out of the apartments and they tell me they are heading over to the Sea Breeze, and ask if I would like to join them for a coffee.

‘Sure,’ I say, falling into step with them. Maybe a distraction from Christos is exactly what I need right now.

‘So have you had a nice time?’ asks Irene as we take a seat at our usual table.

I tell them all about my afternoon on the yacht as we order a latte.

‘Oh, that sounds wonderful,’ says Patsy, having a puff on her vape, and blowing it out to sea. ‘Although I do get a little seasick on large vessels.’

‘When have you ever been on a yacht?’ asks Irene.

‘The summer of nineteen seventy-eight. A college friend and I met two blokes in the South of France when I accompanied her there to meet a pen pal,’ Patsy replies.

‘A pen pal?’ I ask.

‘Oh stop, you’re making me feel ancient again.’ She laughs. ‘A pen pal was someone you wrote letters to. There was no texting in those days, remember,’ she says. ‘Anyway, yes, these two blokes worked on this yacht and kind of smuggled us on for drinks and stuff,’ she says, a faraway look in her eyes.

‘Stuff?’ teases Irene, with a raised eyebrow.

‘Yes, we played music and danced. Get your mind out of the gutter. Anyway, the ship’s owner arrived earlier than planned, who it turned out was really nice and let us have a little sail. I was as sick as a dog later, after those secret drinks though,’ she admits, laughing.

‘What did the pen pal do, while you were cavorting on the yacht?’ I ask, now invested in the story.

‘Oh, he had a chess competition as I recall. In fact, he played chess every day. It was the longest week of my life.’ She shakes her head, and Irene and I laugh. ‘And I wouldn’t mind, but a heatwave had started back home, so I needn’t have gone to France until the autumn. Anyway, I am more interested in hearing about how your day went.’

I tell them all about the swimming and snorkelling, the delicious platter of food and the cold champagne.

‘Oh, that all sounds wonderful. Anything else to tell?’ Irene asks with a wink.

‘Nope. And even if there was, I’m not the type to kiss and tell,’ I tell her.

I can’t help reliving that glorious kiss though. And it would have been easy to have spent the afternoon with him in that huge bed. Too easy. Maybe I should have done.

‘Oh, now you’re just teasing,’ says Irene. ‘Did you even kiss? I’m living my romantic life vicariously through others.’ She sighs. ‘I can just imagine a pair of strong Greek arms wrapped around me. That’s all I can do though, is imagine.’ She chuckles.

‘Irene! Give over,’ Patsy says. ‘Are you sure you aren’t the one on the HRT?’ she continues, and Irene chuckles.

‘We did kiss, actually,’ I find myself saying. ‘And yes, it was nice, but I don’t think anything can happen between us as I’m going home in a few days,’ I remind them.

‘Never heard of a holiday romance?’ asks Patsy.

‘Yes, but they are not really my thing.’

Maybe I am just an old romantic, thinking Christos might fall madly in love with me, but something tells me he is most definitely not ready to settle down. Especially with someone who lives hundreds of miles away.

Spying Lulu on a sunbed a little further along the beach, I finish my latte and head over to her.

‘How are you feeling?’ I ask as I plonk myself on an empty bed next to her.

‘Oh hi, Mia, I’m okay, thanks. I think chilling here today has done me the world of good.’ She smiles. ‘So how was your date?’ she asks as she sits up.

I recount the story I have just told to Irene and Patsy as she takes a sip of her water.

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