He double blinks and then laughs. ‘She was busy working.’
Does he mean me? ‘Right.’
‘I replaced my waterlogged phone and here I am.’ It could be my woeful dating history and my general distrust of men and/or people but there’s a niggle. Is it just that I’m used to having a diabolical love life and am reverting to type, or could it be he needed a few days to decide whether he wanted any part of the Chronicles of Evie? And that’s OK, isn’t it? For someone who likes to be invisible, chaos seems to find me in the most unlikely places. And what does it matter since this is not real? Golly, I really have to remember that I’m doing this for Gran and no other reason.
‘Well, thanks for explaining.’ Words fail me in my time of need. How is that fair? He’s just a lot to take in. If this were a movie, I’d drop something and we’d both go to pick it up and, surprise, we’d bump heads thus giving us a moment to stare deeply into each other’s eyes and realise with a start – Cupid has struck. Sadly this isn’t a movie. Instead, these lengthy awkward pauses give me the impetus to run again but I really don’t think I can get away with doing that twice.
‘Look at you both!’ Gran approaches, having no doubt seen my vacillating. ‘Such a fine-looking couple, if I may say so myself. A perfect match!’
Oh God. Maybehe’lldo a runner this time?
‘I agree,’ he says with a shy smile.What?!‘I’m a lucky man.’ Eh? He barely knows me! I’m asleep and this is all a dream. As subtly as possible I pinch myself. Nope, it appears this is real.
What if he were to genuinely fall in love with me? Next minute I’ll be fake-marrying the guy and having fake babies because I’m too polite to tell him the truth. We’ll live in a fake house, that I fake-decorate with bookshelves lining every wall. We’ll adopt fake dogs with fake names.
I suffer a rush of the blood to the head – what have I gotten myself into?!
‘Would you like a glass ofvisináda?’ Gran asks, giving him a saccharine smile. She sure can turn on the charm when she needs to, while I ponder what my fake children will be named. Little Odysseus and …No, Evie. Stop!
‘Sure, but I was going to ask if you could spare Evie for a few hours.’
‘Of course!’ Gran says before I can open my mouth to protest. ‘Evie would love a break from the bookshop. Poor thing hasn’t seen much of our beautiful island since she arrived.’ With ice clinking in the jug, Gran pours Georgios a glass of the sweet cherry drink that is popular in Greece and hands it over. He takes a deep sip and nods his approval. ‘In fact, Evie can have a few days …’
‘It’s OK,’ I butt in. ‘I’m here to help you, Gran. Besides, the tiler is coming to finish the bathrooms in Epeolatry this afternoon. And the painter is doing those touch-ups.’ Someone has to keep an eye on the books. What if they pick them up with a dusty hand? Spill paint near them? And it’s hot today. I’ll need to fetch them some icy cold drinks.
My former bravado has been dashed by how relaxed Georgios is, as if none of this is a huge deal. He and Gran act like they’re best pals, and he doesn’t seem to care that I ran from our first date with the old pot-on-the-stove the trick. Perhaps my little white lies are terribly convincing?
‘We’ll only be a few hours,’ Georgios says, with a ravishing smile. Just how does that work so naturally? It’s something about the symmetry of his features, the way light reflects from his dark eyes and those pearly whites of his. If only there was smile school for those of us who can’t quite get their facial muscles to behave.
‘Perfect!’ Gran says. ‘There’s no rush. I can let the tradespeople in.’
The tradespeople! I don’t know how to broach it in front of Georgios, but I signal to Gran with my eyes, hoping she translates my meaning. The trades expect to be paid and I fear there’s not enough in the coffers. ‘It’s just …’
Gran shakes her hand as if implying there’s no problem. ‘It’s fine, darling. I’ve got it sorted. Off you go.’
‘I’ll wait in the car for you, Evie. Bring a swimming costume and towel. Have a good day, Floretta.’ Oh good, he expects me to wear almost nothing. This is what happens when you break your set-in-stone first-date rules.
‘You too, darling man.’ She makes puppy dog eyes at him before he leaves.
‘Darling man.Gran! What are you playing at?’
She shoots me a sly smile. ‘He’s clearly smitten with you, and like a knucklehead you’re completely oblivious to it. I’m helping things along.’
‘Last time you saw each other there was a screaming match, and now he’sdarling man!’
She giggles like a schoolgirl. I fight against the upward tilt of my own lips. It’s either laugh or scream and boy oh boy is this pendulumintense.‘He’d make great-looking babies.’
‘Oh my God.’ She’s past rational thought. It’s no use while she’s back in fantasyland, imagining Georgios’ future babies. Just like I’d been a moment ago with little Odysseus. Has he hypnotised us or something? Best to stick to practical matters. ‘But the trades, Gran. They’re expecting to be paid today.’
‘Let me worry about that.’ She massages the wrinkle between my brows. ‘Relax, Evie. Go and let your hair down. Have some fun with that ravishing man. Do something I’d do! I’ve got a lovely bikini inside that’s never fit me, but it’ll fit your stunning curves. Why don’t you wear it? A little white number.’
‘A bikini? That’s leaving myself open to all sorts of clothing malfunctions and it’s not very sun smart. No thank you.’ I give her a glare for good measure as I go inside to change, before grabbing my bag and a hat. ‘Call me if you need me.’
‘I won’t.’
I find Georgios in his car, the air-con blasting. How well do we even know this guy? He could be kidnapping me, in lieu of rent money. Holding me in exchange for euros that we don’t have.
An awkward silence sits between us, as I strap on my seatbelt. Has Gran considered this might all be a ploy? My mind races as fast as his car takes the hilly bends. Does no one drive the speed limit here?
