‘Take the what?’ he asked, spitting out a laugh.
‘If you wanted five stars and a personal concierge, why didn’t you stay in Corfu Town?’
‘Because it is not the north east coast. Are you suggesting that one of your guests leaves your establishment for another? I am not certain that will help with balancing your accounts.’
‘Neither will going to the beach to skim stones,’ she answered.
‘But I promise one will be far more entertaining than the other.’
She shut down the computer and took a step towards him. ‘You don’t know how much I love a spreadsheet.’
‘You don’t know how much I have started to love doing things on the beach with you.’
Suddenly the climate control in her room felt highly inadequate as his eyes danced with hers and her body began to interpret it as a language so unused in her life it really could have been as ancient as Ancient Greek. This was flirtation. This was chemistry. Wasn’t it? Or maybe she was delulu. Wasn’t that what it was called in Insta reels?
‘So,’ Kostas said, stare unmoved. ‘Are you coming?’
Possibly very soon if he kept this kind of eye contact up. Argh! What the hell was wrong with her?
‘I need to be in my bed before midnight,’ Faye stated. And she had not thought through the connotations of that sentence at all.
‘I am saying nothing to that except that I am a gentleman, and whatever a lady says is to be respected.’
There was a slight change in his expression. Was that sincerity amid the devilment? Why was she wondering? Still looking?
‘Fine,’ Faye said, walking around her desk. ‘Let’s go.’
‘Good,’ he replied. ‘I have a buggy outside ready.’
Faye stopped. ‘You haven’t.’
‘You said I get to use one whenever I like,’ he told her. ‘I will drive us along the beach to the very best stones.’
17
AVLAKI BEACH, AVLAKI
Kostas had hoped that when the buggy was on tarmac it would go slightly quicker than when it was on the hotel grass, but it seemed that was not the case. Crawling along the main road, late-night diners in both thetavernasthey passed staring at the unusual vehicle and its occupants, he was starting to regret the whimsical choice. Thankfully he had opted to wear a baseball cap. But Faye seemed to know every single person in the vicinity and was waving her acknowledgements like this was a Popemobile.
‘You know everyone here,’ Kostas remarked.
‘Not everyone,’ Faye said. ‘But I’ve been coming here for years, you know that, and, with my job, I know most people at thetavernasbecause I send them diners. It’s good to know people so you can help each other out.’
Help each other out. Solidarity. He got chills.
‘I don’t think anyone has recognised you,’ Faye said. ‘But, with Katerina knowing, it’s surprising there haven’t been basketball fans lining up outside the gates.’
‘Perhaps they are making a pilgrimage to my statue instead,’ Kostas suggested.
‘I really need to see that,’ Faye said. ‘Will it come up if I google it?’
‘If you get out your phone and google it now I will drive this buggy straight into the sea,’ Kostas warned.
‘Do you know how much these cost?’ Faye asked. ‘Ah, wait, you don’t care about money.’
He sucked in a breath. ‘Is that what you really think?’ And then: ‘Remember, I am staying here and not somewhere with five stars and a personal concierge.’
‘Was the Bella Mare hotel fully booked?’
