Page 45 of Not My Greek Wedding

‘So, has he asked you out again?’ she asks.

‘He has. Tomorrow though, which I don’t think I want to do. You go home the day after tomorrow, and I want to spend time with you.’

‘But you really like him,’ she protests.

‘And if he really likes me, he will arrange another time,’ I tell her firmly. ‘There is no way I am ruining your last full day,’ I say and she thanks me. ‘Besides, I love spending time with you.’

‘Ditto.’ She smiles.

‘So what do you fancy doing?’ I ask her. ‘There’s a Jeep safari into the mountains if you like the idea?’ I suggest. ‘I mean, I could get a map and take the car, but I think the Jeeps go off-road a little.’

‘Actually, that does sound like a lot of fun. Sure, let’s do it,’ agrees Lulu. ‘Let’s book the Jeep safari though as we don’t want to risk destroying the hire car.’

‘Probably a good idea.’

We tap our glasses together and I message Christos and let him down gently. I also wonder why he mentioned the hotel next to the winery?

I am determined Lulu will enjoy the rest of her time here, especially as I am staying on for a few days longer to have a catch-up with Tasha when she returns from the island with Owen, before they head back to Australia. Handsome men come and go, but my friends have been there for me, through thick and thin; even Tasha all the way in Australia has always been at the end of the phone or a Zoom call.

So if Christos really wants to take me out again, then he knows how to contact me.

NINETEEN

We are up early and after a breakfast of fruit and pancakes at the Sea Breeze, we are waiting outside our hotel for a coach to pick us up for the journey that promises ‘a mesmerising adventure to Santorini’s most photogenic spots’.

It will be just perfect for my social media pages, as well as sounding like a whole lot of fun.

‘There is a monastery on this trip,’ I say as I look at the itinerary on my phone. ‘I love a monastery visit.’

I’m not sure why that is as I’m not from a particularly religious family, but I just find them fascinating, the way they take pride of place sitting high in the mountains like a watchtower over the villages below. Plus, they tend to be beautiful inside, with stained-glass windows and ancient stone floors.

‘We visit Red Beach too,’ says Lulu, consulting the itinerary on her own phone.

‘What’s that?’ I ask.

‘I’d say it’s a beach with red sand.’ She laughs. ‘But I guess we will find out more on our trip. We will then head to Akrotiri Lighthouse and have a wander around. Apparently, it is very picturesque.’

A few minutes later, we excitedly climb into our white Jeep that has arrived with a loud toot of the horn.

Our smiling driver, who is wearing a grey baseball cap, greets us warmly and tells us to buckle up and prepare to have a great time. Another couple are already seated inside the Jeep, and I recognise them at once as the couple from the plane on my outward journey.

‘Hello again, how is your holiday going?’ I ask brightly.

‘Hi, fancy meeting you here!’ says the bloke from the plane who had recognised me from my Instagram page. ‘Oh, we’re having a great time, aren’t we?’ He turns to his partner.

‘Oh, we are.’ She smiles. ‘It’s so gorgeous here it would be hard not to. How is your holiday going?’

‘Loving it,’ I tell her. ‘There is so much beauty all around.’ My thoughts flit to Christos then, and the day out on the open water.

I explain to Lulu about us being seated next to each other on the plane, and introductions are made.

Four more Jeeps arrive then, and we set off in convoy. Soon enough, we are heading away from the main tourist areas, and traversing the windy mountain roads. As our Jeep crawls higher towards the monastery, the views below become more and more breathtaking.

The plane couple, who are called Lisa and Paul, tell us they are considering the area for their future wedding and I tell them all about my friend’s wedding a few days earlier. Once more, my mind flits to Christos and how I first encountered him in the lift at the hotel.

‘Sounds idyllic, although I’m not sure we could consider anything that expensive,’ says Lisa.

‘I don’t think it needs to be,’ I say. ‘There are plenty of smaller venues and the sunshine really makes it. Not something you can ever be certain of back home.’

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