‘Sure, why not? Thanks for having me. I couldn’t say no when I heard about this place.’ She grabs Georgios’ arm and pulls him forward. I didn’t even see him behind her big hair. ‘And I’d do anything for this guy.Anything.’
Cue the eye-roll. She may as well rip her clothes off right now and proposition him – that’s how overt she’s being.
‘Yes, Georgios is a wonderful human. Between us, he’s dating my granddaughter and they’re very much in love,’ she says so loudly I’m fairly sure every inhabitant on the archipelago hears her. ‘I’m hoping there’ll be a formal announcement soon if you get my drift. MARRIAGE.’
Oh my God. I blush to the roots of my hair and don’t dare look at Georgios. He’s probably spun on his heel and hunting for a speedboat to get him out of here. I can’t help hiding a smile at Gran’s ploy though. Not on her watch will Lucy Strike ruin my fake relationship.
‘Marriage? Wow. Wonderful. It’s an institution I’m not familiar with myself. I prefer my relationships … open. Untethered.’
‘Uh-huh,’ Gran says. ‘Back in the Seventies that was all the rage.’
Lucy double blinks. Is Gran age-shaming her? Just how old is Lucy Strike? Hard to tell with the amount of make-up she wears. There’s an airbrushed look about her, which makes it hard to gauge. ‘I’m an Eighties baby,’ she says breathily and the crowd laugh and clap as if she’s just announced free books for one and all and not that she’s forty-something.
‘What a fun decade! Leg warmers, wave fringes and happy pants.’
Lucy smiles. ‘I like you.’
‘Everyone does, darling. Come and we’ll share a cocktail or two and you can tell me all about your love life.’
Lucy waves to her adoring fans as Gran escorts her into Epeolatry. ‘Your gran sure made the fact Georgios is off limits clear.’ Roxy giggles.
‘Yeah she’s got a way of making her feelings known.’
Georgios joins us, his complexion a little peaked. Is that because Gran made such a spectacle about our brand-new baby relationship in front of so many locals? He’s probably terrified I’m planning our (fake) wedding and (fake) babies already. Would he prefer someone more like our celebrity author who doesn’t follow the same dating rules and limits as I do, with her open,untetheredideology?
The guy still doesn’t speak. I wave a hand in front of his glassy eyes. What the hell happened on that car ride?
‘What’s up?’ I’m not the jealous type so I don’t pepper him with questions about the journey from the airport, like for example did she place her hand on his upper thigh? And did they hug? Were her bazookas pressed hard against his chest? That kind of thing. No, I’m above all those petty jealousies so I remain cool, calm and collected.
He snaps back to the present but he still seems distracted. ‘Ah. Nothing. Nothing at all.’
She jumped him in the bloody car, didn’t she? Poor naïve Georgios!
‘I’ll leave you guys to it, while I work the counter,’ Roxy says.
I face him and whisper. ‘Georgios, if we don’t have trust we don’t have anything. What is it? You’re jumpy and skittish, like you’ve got something to tell me. Spit it out.’ Who is this rash person taking charge? This alpha female. This demander of honesty!
He rubs the back of his neck. ‘It’s nothing to do with you and I, Evie. Or Lucy for that matter. I ran into … someone at the airport, is all. It was a bit of a surprise.’
My shoulders drop back to their usual position. ‘Is that all? Gosh, you had me worried there for a moment.’
‘Why, what did you think?’
I wave him away. ‘Oh, nothing.’ Just that he might find himself on the watery side of the Santorini cliffs if Gran suspected him of being a big, fat cheater.
The expression in his eyes remained troubled as he says, ‘I guess we better go entertain Lucy.’
‘You go. Who knows what stories Gran’s regaling her with? I’ll stay here and help Roxy.’ Who did he see at the airport to make him react in such a distracted manner? The question slides away as we rush to serve customers.
Chapter 24
We’re inside Epeolatry putting finishing touches on the party prep. ‘Squee! It’s almost time!’ Roxy says, taking her compact from her bag and swiping on lip gloss before turning back to me. ‘You look so pretty, Evie. Where did you get that dress?’
I pull it down. It’s short and tight and I’m already regretting it. But it’s the only black dress I have with me. Black is ideal when it comes to hiding in plain sight. Like a shadow. There are ways and means I deal with events. Top of that list is RSVPing that I’m dead. If that doesn’t work and I have to attend, I make preparations to blend in. Become one with the wall. ‘Well, I swear it used to be longer. I’m guessing Gran altered it after I showed it to her last night and now I’m left with this micro disaster!’
‘Speak of the devil!’
Gran wanders in wearing the most gorgeous sheath dress with a beaded bodice and a sheer caftan over the top, complete with feathered cuffs.
