Page 29 of Pomegranates and Olive

"Sure." I rubbed my bloated stomach fondly. "Tell me you eat like this every day."

"The food is always delicious, especially when Aydin cooks, but truthfully, no, I usually eat at home with Emine. Tonight was our welcome dinner for you... and Deniz."

In the distance we could hear raised voices but were unable to make out what they were saying. Eve giggled lightly. "Turkish men are so passionate, aren't they?"

Ever the gracious hostess, Ginny smiled at her guest. "Yes they are."

"And romantic."

"They can be."

By the time our three dinner companions re-appeared looking all cool, calm and collected, we'd cleared the dishes away and were sitting down sipping on tea served in tiny, tulip-shaped glasses.

"Any problems?"

Aydin shook his head. "Nothing that we can't deal with tomorrow."

Deniz sat back down beside Eve and threw his arm around her shoulder again. "You'll have to make a dish especially for Eve as well, cousin."

The table fell silent except for Eve's giggles and punctuated American accent. "That would be totally amazing! Something sweet? Or maybe spicy? What do you think?"

Aydin took a long sip from his now-warm beer before replying. "I think I'll have to get to know you a little better before I can invent a dish worthy of you."

Aricia leaned towards us. "I had pickled herring in Sweden once which was pure evil on a plate. I bet Eve’s dish would taste like that."

Ginny and I snort as Eve winked at Aydin. "Hopefully we'll get to know each other very well!"

Struggling to keep my composure, I glared at her. "Jesus, sweetheart, read the room!”

Aydin was clearly embarrassed by Eve's flirting as well as my outburst. "Is something happening that I missed?"

"Deniz is attempting to make Olive jealous—" Ginny starts to explain.

Deniz puts his hand up to stop her. "I'm doing no such thing."

"I'm pretty sure you are, but in all seriousness, can I give you a piece of advice?"

"Could I stop you?"

She shook her head, smiling. "I don't want to be the one to tell you this Deniz, but you're never going to win my cousin over with your smirking and flirting and trying to make her jealous. She's way too smart to fall for that."

"Yilmaz is never going to win me over because I'm not interested in him... at all!"

"Sorry?" Eve was playing catch up. "Who are you all talking about? Who's Yilmaz?"

"No idea, but the night is dragging and —" Deniz threw back his glass of amber liquid, pushed his chair back, and held out his hand, "— we had better make a move. I was going to show you the mill, wasn't I,balim?"

"Yes, your mill." Eve took Deniz's hand and winked again at Ginny and me as they walked off into the night.

"Do you really like them, Deniz?" They had rounded a corner, but we could all still hear Eve’s voice loud and clear.

"They all seem totally stuck up to me."

"Of course notbalim, they’re just jealous because I'm with you."

"Who's he calling jealous?"

"I'll take a stab in the dark and say you, cuz."

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