‘And you? How do you know him?’
Grace glanced up for a moment and caught Will’s eye. He was still looking in her direction. Celine was at his side, and she reached up to brush something off his shirt. For a mad moment, Grace wanted to lean over and kiss Nick on the mouth. Not because she fancied him, but just to annoy Will. But it was hardly fair on Nick to lead him on. She turned back to her student.
‘Oh, we both like to swim at the beach down here and got chatting one day. I’ve realised it’s virtually impossible to be on the island and not bump into the same people all the time.’
‘So true.’
Angeliki appeared at her side and took one of the wines.
‘I think that’s got my name on it. I’m dying of thirst here.’
‘Hardly.’
Her friend looked at Nick expectantly.
‘Of course, sorry. This is Nick, one of my students. Nick, this is Angeliki, our friendly local vet. You two haven’t met?’
Nick’s appreciative glance at her friend told her it was unlikely. It was like he’d found buried treasure.
‘I think I would have remembered meeting someone so lovely. Alas, I don’t have any pets, so we have never come into contact with each other… until now.’
Angeliki returned his look with one that told Grace close contact with Nick would possibly be welcome.
‘Shame.’
Angeliki leant in.
‘So, what is it you do on the island, Nick?’
It was Grace’s cue to get away.
‘I’m just off to check out the food. You two have a good old chat.’
Before she’d taken even a step, the two of them were nattering away in Greek. They’d only kept up the English for as long as she’d been there. It was perfectly understandable but made her feel a little left out. She was the outsider here after all, the only Brit at the party as far as she could make out– apart from the host, but he’d been on the island for years, so he probably spoke perfect Greek too.
As the evening wore on, Grace chatted to several of the locals and threw herself into the party, dancing to every type of music, despite a slight feeling of melancholy at the sight of couples old and new flirting with each other. Angeliki had rushed up to her at the food table and checked that Grace hadn’t got any designs on Nick.
‘Not at all. He’s a lovely guy, but not for me.’
‘Great. Thought I’d better check. I really like him.’
Her friend had rushed off again, back to Nick’s side. The more she thought about it, the more she realised they’d be good for each other. Both busy people with a sweet side. You couldn’t push these things, but she had high hopes.
During the evening she’d locked eyes with Will several times, and he’d sent her a rueful smile each time. He was always in the middle of a crowd, usually with Celine or another well-dressed woman at his side. Grace wasn’t about to barge her way through that lot to go and talk to him.
A big cheer went up when a delivery of gyros from Tony’s arrived, and the chatter quietened down while everyone ate their fill. The cheer was even louder when a giant moon-shaped cake was brought out, complete with craters and grey icing.
The whole place sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to Will, followed by the Greek version, ‘Chronia Polla’, and the champagne corks popped regularly as the music cranked up. Will had invited all the neighbours, which was a sensible idea, as no one was getting any sleep tonight anyway.
After some energetic dancing with Angeliki to Abba, Grace needed the loo. The one downstairs was occupied, but Will had told everyone to use the upstairs bathroom too. While she was up there, it wouldn’t hurt to have a quick look at the bedrooms, surely.
She popped her head into the first one, which was obviously a spare. It held just a bed with a blue cover and a wardrobe. The one at the front with the balcony was the main bedroom. You couldn’t call it the master anymore, which, Grace had been told by her daughters, had connotations dating back to the days of slavery. So many things to remember that she couldn’t say anymore.
The bed in here was massive, with a blue-painted headboard, and there was room for a little sofa and a coffee table, facing the water. The view over the cove would certainly be spectacular. Grace crossed the room in the dark to look out at the sea. Tiny lights twinkled far away, and she imagined the fishermen hard at work hauling in their catch.
A noise behind her made her start.
Will stood in the doorway, arm on the top of the door, his bulk blocking her escape route.
