‘Rude. I’m just thrilled that we’re all here on holiday together, enjoying ourselves and exploring the local attractions.’
Sofia tried very hard not to emphasise the wordsenjoyingandexploring.
‘Sof, if you want to know something, just ask. Don’t give me the tour guide bullshit.’
She’d obviously blown it, so she might as well go for bust.
‘OK, did you enjoy dancing with Thanassis? Did you kiss him? And when are you seeing him again?’
Charlotte had stopped spooning yoghurt and fruit into her bowl to listen as well.
Maddie did a double take.
‘Woah. Calm down. Can I at least get a coffee first?’
Sofia stopped tapping her foot on the floor.
‘Suppose so.’
Caffeine-d up, Maddie was more willing to talk, and her audience of two were chomping at the bit to listen.
‘So, to answer your questions, yes, I did enjoy dancing with Thanassis. No, I didn’t kiss him. And yes, we are going out late afternoon for a thank-you drink.’
Sofia made with the big eyes.
‘Just the two of you?’
‘Yes, just the two of us. You’re not suggesting you come along to watch, are you?’
‘No! I’m not that desperate for “male attention”.’
Although if Adonis failed to ring tonight, she’d consider axing him for good.
Maddie took another sip of her coffee.
‘If you say so…’
Sofia went to put another spoonful of sugar in her coffee, most of which went on the table.
‘But if you’re going to be whisked away later…’
‘I didn’t say whisked away; those are your words… It’s just a drink between friends.’
‘Whatever. But it means we need to do something fun together this morning before you abandon us.’
Charlotte spoke before Maddie could fire back.
‘No one is abandoning anyone. It’s lovely that Mads and Thanassis are getting the chance for a quiet drink away from prying eyes. There’s a lot to process after the accident.’
‘Thank you, Char.’
‘Why don’t we head out to the town in the hills with the marble streets? I wanted to see it before we left anyway. There’s a circular route where you walk from a historic village with some ancient ruins to the town and back. We can stop for lunch on the way and it’s only around six kilometres in total.’
Sofia and Charlotte looked over at Maddie with raised eyebrows. Charlotte had noticed that Maddie kept up with them a lot more easily now. There was none of the panting, and not nearly as much of the moaning as there’d been on the first island.
‘Only six kilometres?’
‘It’s nothing, honestly. And she’—Charlotte pointed at Sofia—‘needs to use up some of that excess energy. What’s been wrong with you the last couple of days? You can barely keep still. Restless isn’t the word.’
