‘All my friends live abroad. I lost touch with my schoolfriends here years ago as I went to an international school in Chicago where my dad worked. And I don’t have any brothers and sisters.’
‘What about Charlie?’
‘We’ve grown close since we started working together. But I don’t know him that well. And I’m not sure how happy Sarah would be. We’d have to share a room.’
Not very happy at all would be Grace’s guess.
The first hint of a smile played around Anna’s wide mouth.
‘It will be twin beds for us, of course. I’ll make Giannis pay for the best hotel in Athens, with room service.’
Grace ignored the ‘us’ for now.
‘Does Charlie know who the father is?’
‘No, I said it was a guy I had a one-night stand with. No one else knows, only you.’
It didn’t feel like a privileged position.
Anna put her hands together in prayer.
‘Please help me, Grace, you’re the only one who has all the pieces of the puzzle.’
That was truer than Anna knew. There was Elena’s baby to think about as well. When had she become the keeper of everyone’s secrets? Staying in a posh hotel for the night was like being paid to do Giannis’s dirty work. It didn’t sit well with her.
‘Plus, I trust you. I’m desperate to move past this.’
‘If, and I say if, I agreed to go, how would it work?’
She wasn’t saying she’d do it.
‘We’d go straight after lessons on Saturday to catch the boat and come back Sunday afternoon. The language school classes finish next weekend anyway, and then there are only a few private clients to think about. Giannis has agreed to fill in and take my little ones for the month of August.’
Grace shared a smile with Anna at the thought of Giannis down on the floor playing games. Both he and Elena had started out as teachers before swapping to the business side and Giannis still taught occasionally to keep his hand in.
‘Serves him right. I hope they’re really difficult and bratty.’
‘Me too. After we’re back, I go off on holiday for a month with my family to the island of Paros, where we have a second home.’
Money obviously wasn’t an issue for Anna. She was part of Giannis and Elena’s world of big houses and expensive cars. It hadn’t helped her a lot so far, but at least she had options.
‘It sounds like you’ve got it all mapped out.’
Anna’s big brown eyes with their thick lashes were trained on Grace. She could see how it might be tough for a weak man like Giannis to resist if Anna got you in her sights.
‘There’s just one missing ingredient, and that’s you. I really respect you, Grace, as a teacher and as a woman.’
‘You can cut the flattery. Just give me a moment to think.’
Anna really would go far. She could do so much better than Giannis. Grace conjured up pictures of her daughters at the same age, pregnant and far from home. She really hoped that there would have been someone who would step in and help.
‘OK, and I’ll probably regret this, but I’ll come with you.’
‘Thank you, thank you.’
Anna’s arms were round her and Grace leant into the hug.
What had she involved herself in now?
