‘Dimitria—’
‘Ugh, Faye, I know what you are going to say. “People are staring, Dimitria.” “You are enjoying your food too loudly.” And I will say what I always say. I do not care! Let them look! Let them judge! Let them do everything quietly, with no passion!’
Faye eyed the table of four nearest to them cautiously pastingtaramasalataon their bread. That’s how she had been, with Matthew. Quiet. Controlled. A little bit dead inside.
‘Have some of this heavenly squid… and this beetroot salad and?—’
‘I told you, I had a big lunch today,’ Faye reminded.
‘At Kerasia. I know.’
And Faye also knew she hadn’t elaborated on where she had been, which meant…
‘Riding on the back of a motorbike,’ Dimitria said. ‘As I prescribed. Like a doctor of love.’
‘Stop it,’ Faye said, and then… ‘So, who told you?’
Dimitria laughed, another thing she did loudly. ‘Who didn’t? Marietta was minding everyone else’s business outside the villa she was cleaning, Giorgos passed you in his truck and Fani saw when you left the hotel.’
Faye shook her head. ‘Well, you told me to be nice to him.’
‘And, my dear, how nice were you to him, hmm?’ Dimitria asked with a wry grin.
‘Dimitria!’ Then Faye lowered her voice. ‘He’s young enough to be my son!’
‘He’s twenty-five.’
‘And I’m forty!’
Dimitria waved the hand that was clutching her fork. ‘So, being a leopard is popular these days.’
‘You mean… cougar,’ Faye said quietly.
‘I mean that some numbers are supposed to go together no matter what they add up to.’
‘You’re making it sound like relationship bingo.’
‘I think something more exciting,’ Dimitria said, eyes shining with devilment. ‘Maybe Greek roulette. The same as Russian roulette but the only thing loaded is?—’
‘Here!’ Faye interrupted quickly. ‘Have some moretzatziki.’
Dimitria laughed and took the offered platter. ‘I believe you are blushing.’
‘I believe that you ought to direct your sudden need to matchmake somewhere else.’
‘OK,’ she answered. ‘So, I do have another dating candidate for you.’
‘Dimitria, I said that?—’
‘Hear me out. His name is Alexandros. He’s moved here from Thessaloniki. He’s just started working at the new estate agency in Dassia. He’s forty-five. Divorced. No children. Likes to work out…’
‘Why am I even listening to this? I don’t want a relationship, and how do you know so much about this Alexandros? It’s like you’re reading plus-points from a property description off an estate agency website. Does he have sea views and parking?’
‘The view is nice. I have seen him. As for his skills in “parking”, I think that should be for you to determine. Anyway, we are meeting him tomorrow.’
‘What!’ Faye exclaimed loudly.
‘Now who is being noisy? People are trying to have a relaxed dinner.’
