‘Because I can see Will likes you.’
‘As a friend, maybe.’
Angeliki stared at her so long that Grace had to turn away.
‘Whatever. But she’s trouble.’
‘OK, thanks for the warning.’
Had Will invited a whole harem of exes to his party? Was he going to line them up at the end of the night and introduce them one by one? Or give them marks out of ten? And why should she care if he did? Grace stood up.
‘Let’s go back in. Maybe we can find someone for you who isn’t old enough to be your father.’
‘That would be nice.’
Grace offered to go and get the drinks. But she wished she hadn’t when the first person she bumped into was Thanassis, with an elegant woman around his own age.
‘Grace! I must introduce you to my wife, Maria.’
Since Maria was the housekeeper at the villa where Will worked, Grace kicked herself for not realising that they might be here. She didn’t need a mirror to know that her face and neck were going bright red.
‘Lovely to meet you, Grace. Thanassis has told me all about you.’
Not all about me, she hoped, especially the bit where I almost got off with him.
‘He tells me what a wonderful teacher you are.’
‘Thank you. It’s lovely to meet you too.’
The woman seemed perfectly sincere, but when Thanassis moved off to get his wife a drink, she moved in close, and Grace’s heartrate soared. Maria lowered her voice so only Grace could hear.
‘And thank you for speaking to my husband and telling him to focus on what’s important in life. The children and I are grateful to you.’
It wasn’t the evening heat that was making her sweat. She needed to move away, and fast. Thanassis was on his way back.
‘You’re welcome. I must go and get that drink I promised my friend.’
When Grace looked up, Will was staring straight at her and Maria. Of course he was. The only other person who’d been present that disastrous night with Thanassis. Between Will’s ex-girlfriends and her near miss, the party was becoming a minefield.
She spotted Angeliki in a mass of people at the other end of the terrace and filled two wine glasses to the brim. But she’d only gone a couple of steps when someone familiar stepped out and touched her on the arm.
‘Grace!’
‘Nick!’
What the hell was he doing here? He had on some sort of silver bomber jacket. Grace hoped there was something underneath so he could take it off later, otherwise he’d melt.
‘It’s so funny to see you here, Nick. How do you know Will?’
‘We met a couple of years ago when he bought some stuff from my company.’
‘Ah.’
Grace didn’t want to hear any more about the intricacies of his work. She’d had enough of it in class.
‘We went for a drink to seal the deal. And we’ve been doing it regularly ever since.’
‘I see.’
