‘Grace. Pleased to meet you.’
‘Hope you don’t mind me saying, but you look a bit like my mum.’
That wasn’t exactly the vibe she was hoping to project.
‘That’s funny. You don’t look anything like my daughters.’
Charlie did a double take but rewarded her with a wink as he passed her desk and headed for one near the back.
Definitely a natural salesman.
Thanassis reappeared with a tray of cups and a pot of coffee.
‘Ah, I see you two have already met. Please help yourself to coffee, Charlie.’
Three more people came in together, and Grace got the chance to observe them closely from behind her desk. Two women and a man, all in their early twenties by her reckoning. She recognised the first woman by her toned, tanned legs. She’d been the one in Giannis’s office yesterday, giggling away.
Thanassis shouted to make himself heard.
‘Now everyone’s here, make sure you’re coffeed up, find a desk please, and let’s introduce ourselves. You five are our core teaching team, alongside me of course, and you all bring something different to the party. So, can each of you please give us a flavour of your teaching experience, plus one thing you like to do outside work.’
It was no surprise that confident Charlie volunteered to speak first.
‘I’m Charlie. I mainly stick to teenagers, with the occasional adult thrown in. Okay, I knew that sounded weird the moment it came out of my mouth. Anyway, my dad’s Greek and my mum’s English, although they split a long time ago, and I was brought up between the two countries. I’m a full-time teacher at the school and I live here on the island with my girlfriend and my dog, Buster. Oh, and I’m a part-time DJ too.’
That figured. She could see him coming alive in front of a crowd. Deep down, so far down it was almost buried, it was something she’d always fantasised about having a go at herself.
The girl she’d spotted with Giannis was next.
‘Hi, I’m Anna. I’m more early years, I draw the line at seven-year-olds.’
Charlie’s hearty laugh seemed a bit over the top to Grace.
‘Like Charlie, I’m also half-Greek, but it’s my mum this time, and my parents have a place on the island too, although they’re hardly ever here. I’m back for a while after being at uni in London… and I’m a pretty good tennis player.’
Grace noticed that Charlie and Thanassis hung on every word the woman said. She certainly was stunning, with her thick dark hair, olive skin and wide mouth painted red. She only hoped that Elena’s husband Giannis wasn’t the slavering wolf at the head of the pack.
There was a moment’s silence, before Thanassis spoke again.
‘Rose, can we hear from you next?’
Grace could barely hear what the girl was saying. She must remember to call her a woman. They were all women, not girls, as her daughters kept reminding her.
Thanassis raised his hands towards Rose.
‘Speak up, please.’
Rose’s voice, when Grace did get to hear it, was a soft Scottish burr, Edinburgh maybe. It fitted in with her glorious red hair and pale skin, but the woman would have to be very careful in the sun was all Grace could think.
‘I’m Rose, and I’m taking a gap year following my degree and before I do a Masters in Education. I teach all ages but specialise in adults and… I like to play board games.’
Grace caught Charlie and Anna exchanging glances and hiding smiles behind their hands.
‘Thank you, Rose. And you, Daniel?’
‘Hello. I’m Daniel, as you already know.’
The tall young man with the mousy hair had a kind face and a ready smile. Grace thought she detected a Welsh accent.
