Thirty-nine
‘This place is so beautiful,’ Sonya exclaimed with a loaded sigh.
They were sitting outside on the balcony of a taverna-cum-tea room that overlooked the whole bay of Paleokastritsa. Craggy, green-speckled stone surrounded coves of turquoise water that shimmered in the sunlight. They could see everything from their high vantage point: the beaches, the boats bobbing close to shore, others further out sailing into the distance, and the imposing Angelokastro – Castle of Angels – that Andras had told them about while they waited for the lemon drizzle cake to arrive.
‘It is beautiful,’ Tess agreed, sipping at her Coke with three sugars.
‘So’s he,’ Sonya stated, her eyes moving to Andras, who was leant against the balcony railing.
Despite what he had said about leaving his mother in charge for the day, he had felt the need to check in with the restaurant. After all his comments when they had first met about her being addicted to her iPhone and business, now he was the one making a call.
‘I mean, he is gorgeous, anyone can see that, and you’re getting on so well,’ Sonya continued.
‘What?’ Tess stated, coming to the conversation.
‘Andras and you. You’re getting on so well,’ Sonya repeated.
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about,’ Tess answered. ‘Firstly, if you remember, I’m his made-up girlfriend. Don’t start believing the fiction we invented. Our eyes didn’t really meet on the glass-bottomed boat earlier in the season.’
‘I know.’
‘And secondly, you said I had to remain single for the entire holiday.’
‘I know,’ Sonya stated. ‘I know I did say that, but I meant single as in, not doing your usual thing.’
‘My usual thing?’ Tess asked.
‘The thing. The six-week thing,’ Sonya whispered.
‘Why are you whispering?’ Tess asked.
‘Well, I know I told him that you like to date but that was before, and we don’t need him to know about the six-week thing, do we?’
Tess bristled and pushed her glass of Coke away. ‘I don’t know what you’re trying to say here, Sonya.’
‘Well,’ Sonya began, sitting forward in her chair. ‘I just feel that, you know, perhaps this is all fate.’
‘Perhaps what’s fate?’
‘Everything,’ Sonya replied. ‘Maybe me and Joey going through this almost-break was meant to be … to help you.’
‘What?’
‘Joey can’t come to Greece. You have holiday due. Then, when we get here, we walk into Georgiou’s at the exact time when Andras has to find an English girlfriend with blonde hair and blue eyes.’
Tess looked at Sonya. ‘That description wasn’t a decree sent down from Mount Olympus, you know. He made that up without thinking it through properly, probably because we had a row over bread at Kalami Cove.’
‘Like I said. Fate.’
‘I don’t believe in fate.’
Sonya clutched her chest, fingers where the necklace should be. ‘You don’t? Not at all? Not even those little red fortune-telling fish you get in Christmas crackers.’
‘Sonya, they respond to the heat on your hand.’
‘No!’
Tess’s eyes went to Andras. That arse in those trousers and that white shirt. She just found him attractive. That was all. Exactly like Sonya first said. He was the poster boy for a holiday Romeo. She swallowed. She didn’t really want to think of him like that. And then that thought caught. Why not? Why didn’t she want to think of him as a quick fix? She had been wishing he’d just take her – literally – practically since they had met. And he hadn’t. Maybe that’s what was getting to her. Perhaps Sonya was right. The fate she didn’t really believe in was showing her she couldn’t get her own way any more. It was karma for breaking Tony’s heart in Gianni’s.
‘What I’m saying is … I give you permission,’ Sonya said, forking up some lemon cake.
‘Permission for what?’ Tess asked.
‘To break the single promise.’ Sonya sighed. ‘I think, maybe, if you gave it a chance, you could find yourself feeling something for Andras.’
Tess pulled the drink back towards her, needing to clasp her hands around something. She didn’t want to hear what Sonya was saying. She didn’t feel. And her best friend knew that. ‘Feeling’ had been packed up with Adam’s CDs, photos of them as a couple and a T-shirt of his she had sniffed while crying for the first month a long time ago.
She shook her head. ‘I don’t do that,’ she said, as if Sonya needed reminding.
‘I know,’ Sonya replied. ‘But … I don’t know … I just hate to see you doing the six-week thing and not really ever getting anything out of it.’
‘Sonya, I am having the time of my life,’ Tess said, shifting in her seat and picking up a napkin she began to shred with her fingers. ‘I get meals out at some really great restaurants. I saw three West End shows last year. I’ve done a Ferrari driving experience and … I’ve been in a Zorb!’
‘And danced a very convincing Zorba with that Greek god over there,’ Sonya said.
‘I don’t need anything else,’ Tess said, the words catching a little as she tried to remain calm. ‘I have my work. I have … She racked her brain for something else to say. ‘I … have my work.’
‘But there could be so much more,’ Sonya said. ‘There could be real passion and a depth of feeling that you’ve never known.’
She had known it. She had thought she had known it with Adam. And he had thrown what they had away. She swallowed, nausea crawling up her insides.
And then Sonya breathed out, a lip-trembling breath that made Tess know she was thinking of Joey. Despite everything, Sonya still had faith in true love. But Tess knew better. Tess knew that true love was a fantasy. Because men lied. All of them. Her father had lied to her mother. Phil the Philanderer had lied to Rachel. And Adam had lied to her. That’s why she was so determined to break the cycle. And the only way to do that was to stay on top, stay in control, and not give any of herself. Ever.
She smiled at Sonya, game face restored. ‘You think I can’t stay single for this holiday, don’t you? That’s what this is really about.’
‘No, don’t be silly. Of course it’s not.’
‘Well, I can, you know. I’ve not been on any dating sites for days.’
‘That’s great!’
‘And I can totally be single for the rest of this holiday.’
‘Apart from the fake Greek boyfriend.’
Tess’s eyes went to Andras again. ‘Yes, well, he’s practically given me his laptop for the duration and he’s taking us to all the best places.’
‘He is doing that,’ Sonya agreed.
‘Right,’ Tess said, picking up her handbag and pulling out a pen. ‘Pass me all those napkins and let’s start thinking of new names for Blackberry Boudoir that make it sound less bordello and more upmarket chic.’
‘Less Margate and more Brighton?’ Sonya suggested with a sigh.
‘Exactly.’
Then, just as she was about to put pen to napkin, her mobile erupted into life. A glance down at the screen told her it was her mother. She sat back, just hearing the ringtone and watching the screen, the phone moving slightly as it vibrated.
‘Who is it?’ Sonya asked. ‘Work?’ She made like she was going to move forward in her seat and look at the phone.
Tess snatched it up and quickly pressed the button to cancel the call. ‘Yes, work. I couldn’t answer; I haven’t done enough on the project yet.’ She set the phone back down and picked up her Coke. ‘Now, where were we? New names.’ She smiled. ‘Let’s brainstorm.’
Andras strode over to their table, his phone in his hand and a look of concern on his face. ‘We have to go.’
‘Go?’ Sonya asked. ‘Before we’ve finished our cake?’
‘What’s wrong?’ Tess asked.
‘It’s the restaurant,’ he began. ‘It’s my mother … and Spiro’s donkey.’
‘Hurry up and eat that cake,’ Tess urged Sonya.
‘I am sorry,’ Andras stated with a sigh.
‘It’s OK,’ Tess replied. ‘You have a business to look after and we have rebranding to do.’
‘One more … mouthful … mmm,’ Sonya said, shovelling in the last of the cake.
‘I will make it up to you,’ Andras said, touching Tess’s arm.
She swallowed, the contact jarring her. She got to her feet, hurrying to scoop up the napkins. ‘Superfast broadband?’
‘I think I may struggle with that,’ he admitted.
‘Can I take the cake with me?’ Sonya asked.