Faye watched Kostas drop his hands from the man’s top and take a step back. Then he looked to her, body still bristling with adrenaline. ‘Faye, are we good here?’
She nodded quickly. ‘Yes, yes, I think so. Saffron?’
‘I literally have no idea what’s going on,’ Saffron answered.
‘Would you sign something for me?’ Giorgos asked, going back towards his car.
Faye headed towards Kostas, who was already getting back on the motorbike. ‘Thank you, Kosta, for?—’
‘Do you need a ride back to the airport? For your car.’
Now she didn’t know what to do. Yes, she needed to get her car but she didn’t want to leave Saffron now and she was feeling a bit like all of this was a massive overreaction on her part.
‘Listen, I am collecting a friend. That is why I was there. If you like I can get him to drive your car back to the hotel. If you are OK with travelling with this guy.’
That would work. But Kostas was a guest. An important guest. She couldn’t have him running errands for her and he had already put himself out chasing down this car and being prepared to virtually slay a potential felon.
‘Don’t think about it,’ Kostas said. ‘I will take care of it. I will see you back at the hotel.’ He put the helmet over his head and started the engine of the bike.
‘Kosta,’ Faye said, digging her hands in the pocket of her skirt.
‘Yeah?’
She passed the keys to him. ‘Thank you.’
‘Tipota,’ he answered, taking them.
But it wasn’t nothing. It was kind of heroic how he had jumped to her rescue with no questions asked. No one had ever done anything like that for her before. She was a firm believer in being able to protect others and save herself, but it was like he had sensed how desperately vulnerable she had been in that moment.
‘Kostamou!’ Giorgos appeared from his car, an empty cardboard coffee cup in his hands, and a pen. But it seemed the only thing Kostas was going to do next was leave.
And, as the motorbike roared away, it was Saffron who had a question.
‘So, Mum, who exactly was that?’
21
AVLAKI
‘Do you know how long it is since I have driven a car like that?’ Stathis asked Kostas, adjusting his sunglasses as they walked along the stone beach. He didn’t wait for any response before carrying on. ‘I think it was when I was seventeen. I was drunk. My friend decided to “borrow” a car and we took turns spinning it around a factory car park.’ He chuckled. ‘Good times.’
Kostas had his hands in the pockets of his shorts, head down. He had ridden the motorbike back here and Stathis had driven Faye’s terribly old car, which was probably a good thing as his advisor had not packed light for motorbike transportation. But, after the airport interaction, Kostas still felt out of sorts and he wasn’t sure exactly what it was in reaction to. Faye’s fears about her daughter? How he had immediately responded to that? The anger he’d felt thinking someone was trying to cause harm? Perhaps all of those things. All of those feelings.Feelings.
‘So, I am here,’ Stathis said. ‘Like you asked. And we are walking into the potential site now so that I can convince you what a bad idea this is. The path is right here, between this bamboo.’
Kostas lifted his head, letting the sun hit his face before the stalks of greenery did. ‘Your job is to advise. I will listen, but I do not have to agree.’
‘Kosta—’
‘What?’ he asked. ‘Please, tell me what your problem is, Stathi.’ He went to spread his arms wide, indicating the surrounding area, but hit leaves as the track narrowed. ‘There is nothing here, right? A fewtavernason the beach. Two hotels. It is crying out for something more, something better. You know, rich people want luxury, blue skies, sunshine and the ocean, that is all. The sea is perfect here, the sky is perfect here and I can give them the luxury and somewhere to moor their expensive boats.’
‘And, as I have mentioned many times before… sustainability… carbon footprint. It is my job to make sure there is only positive press linked to your name, your brand. Look at where we are walking. Nothing but bushes and trees.’
‘For every tree we tear up we can plant two more. Somewhere else. Anywhere else.’
‘I do not think it is going to be as simple as that,’ Stathis told him as the track opened out a little, started to ascend.
‘Make it as simple as that. Let’s just start doing something instead of talking about all the ways it can’t be done.’
