Page 32 of Hot Greek Summer

‘Seems like the gin is the most important part of the deal,’ Frankie said.

Winnie nodded, clicking the pen. ‘The whole island is crazy for the stuff. We need to think about making our first batch, because if we run out they’re going to lynch us.’

The others nodded. ‘I’ll take Hero through to the kitchen and show her the new cleaning cupboard, shall I?’ Frankie said, smiling at their newest member of staff and nodding for her to follow. Hero looked over her shoulder to make sure Frankie wasn’t speaking to anyone else, and then disappeared off in Frankie’s wake.

Having straightened the ledger and moved the pen from one side to the other for the millionth time, Winnie smoothed her hands down her red linen dress. They’d all dressed differently this morning: Winnie in the flippy dress she’d bought for her cousin’s wedding the previous summer, Stella all in black from her off-the-shoulder Bardot top to her cropped jeans, Frankie in her flowing safari dress. Cut-off shorts and vest tops just didn’t say professional, and they all wanted their inaugural guest to think he’d checked into the best damn B&B in the whole of Greece.

Stella and Winnie stood behind the reception desk watching the open door and, when Winnie turned to open the window behind them, Stella stole the pen and put it in the drawer.

‘Is it me or is it hotter today than normal?’ Winnie tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She’d plaited her hair in a crown around her head that morning in an effort to look more put together. ‘Where did the pen go?’

Stella shrugged. ‘No clue. Shall I put the fan on?’ They’d hauled a big old fan down from one of the bedrooms to try to encourage air flow through reception.

‘It was right here.’ Winnie tapped the desk beside the ledger.

‘Maybe Hero borrowed it,’ Stella said, casually scanning the desk.

‘No, it was here, I’m sure it was.’ Winnie lifted the ledger to look beneath it. ‘Maybe it rolled off.’ She stepped back to inspect the tiled floor and found nothing, so got to her knees and crawled around the front to look underneath. ‘It must be here somewhere,’ she said, her cheek almost skimming the floor as she felt under the desk. It was an unfortunate series of events really; Stella had bent down on one side of the desk to plug the fan in, and Winnie had her backside in the air towards the said fan on the other side when it burst violently into life, blowing her skirt clean over her head.

‘You really should get some cream on that sunburn.’

Balls.Jesse.

Winnie shot to her feet, fighting with her tangled dress.

‘Jesse,’ she said, flustered and aware that her face was probably the same colour as her dress.

‘Do you flash your knickers at everyone or should I feel honoured?’

‘Ha ha,’ she said, sarcastic. ‘What can we do for you?’

He stepped outside the door. ‘I thought you might like this.’

Winnie looked at Stella, and they both trailed out onto the terrace to see what it was.

‘Oh my God!’ Stella said. ‘It’s gorgeous.’

Winnie looked at the hand-carved wooden sign Jesse had propped against the wall. ‘I don’t really work with wood, but I’ve had that piece lying around for a while looking for a home.’

On a natural slice of tree trunk he’d carved ‘Villa Valentina’ in perfect script, and beneath in smaller lettering he’d inscribed each of their names as proprietors.

‘Thank you,’ Stella said, her eyes sliding speculatively from Winnie to Jesse. ‘I’ll just go and hunt that pen down, Win.’ She slipped past them, her long hair swinging in the sunshine, leaving Winnie still smoothing down her dress and standing on one high-heeled foot and then the other. She’d been attempting to channel Corinna with her leather sandal choice that morning, but was regretting it now that she was stood here with Jesse in washed-out jeans and T-shirt. He looked like a beach bum and she looked like a wedding guest; a wedding guest who’d just shown him her knickers.

‘I’d have had you down as a plain white girl. Hot pink lace was a shock.’

Winnie closed her eyes momentarily. The tiny pink knickers were the only ones that didn’t give her VPL with the dress. She took the only available option and ignored his comment, clearing her throat and gesturing at the sign. ‘It’s very nice. You didn’t have to.’

‘I know that. Call it a welcome gift.’

She nodded, running her hand quickly over her hair to make sure the plait was still wrapped securely around her head.

‘Can I have my donkey back soon?’ she asked. ‘Only I think you might need to bring him. He doesn’t seem very keen on me.’

Jesse curled his lip. ‘What do you think he is, a holiday romance? You need to put the hours in with The Fonz.’

‘I’m starting to think he’s moody.’

Jesse laughed softly. ‘You know what he likes?’

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