‘Wow,’ Kostas said, amused. ‘You really considered it as a serious request.’
‘You are a guest,’ Faye stated. ‘It’s my job to give my guests’ requests serious consideration. Plus, I know you would never get it up the steps.’ She carried on walking, past a circular garden area that didn’t look quite as well-kept as the manicured lawns.
‘Wait,’ he said, moving to catch up. ‘How do you know I would not get it up the steps? Are you thinking I am a bad driver?’
‘Yes,’ Faye said. ‘It was something about the way you scaled that gate.’
‘OK… this is harsh criticism of a guest who could not get into his accommodation because of a malfunction,’ he said, following her.
‘And if you try to drive a buggy up the steps of my hotel and into the dining room there will be malfunctions of many kinds, starting with rescinding your reservation.’
‘All this before I have even seen my room.’
‘Suite,’ Faye answered.
‘OK, let’s stop walking now.’ He reached out a hand and took hold of her arm.
She spun around, fire in those grey eyes. ‘What are you doing?’
‘You are going to wait here,’ he said, letting her go again. ‘And I am going to get my buggy.’
‘What?’
‘Just wait here,’ he said, backing away.
‘There’s no need for a buggy, it’s?—’
‘I am a guest with a request. You have to humour me.’
* * *
The man was currently not behaving how VIPs usually behaved. As Faye watched him jogging back the way they had come towards the bank of electric vehicles outside reception, she took him in anew. Baggy sports shorts, a plain T-shirt, designer trainers, dark hair that was obviously tended to regularly – the same with his beard. What made him important? Was he famous or rich? Or was there something else that gave him status? She didn’t even know his name yet. All that was marked on the system was a number – which he knew for identification purposes. Very espionage.
She took a deep breath. It was humid and she was tired right down to her bones. Summertime always did it to her – early starts, long hours, late finishes – and as each season passed, the hard work seemed to take more and more of a toll on body and mind. But it kept her moving, didn’t give her time to dwell. Separation and divorce had been the right decision but that didn’t mean it wasn’t still a work-in-progress when it came to her feelings. She checked her watch. She had a to-do list for tomorrow to run through before she could switch off, and she was starting to wonder how long this newcomer was going to keep her occupied with mad demands before he let her leave.
She shook her head as she heard the electric motor hum quietly into action and then she heard him try to gun it. Except the vehicles only went a maximum of fifteen miles an hour and, travelling over the grass, this very tall guy sat in this ‘toy’ looked so funny Faye couldn’t help but laugh as he approached… slowly.
‘You are laughing! Why are you laughing at one of your guests?’ he called.
‘Sshh!’ Faye ordered. ‘Quietly.’
‘There is a rule of how loud I can be?’
‘You are Greek, no?’ Faye said. ‘You know the hours of quiet.’
Finally, the vehicle pulled up alongside her. ‘Old rules.’
‘Well, we are in Corfu. We like tradition.’
‘Yeah,’ he answered. ‘I am aware. So, get in.’ He swung the small door open.
‘I’m not getting in there,’ Faye said. ‘They are for the guests and I am quite capable of walking.’
‘I am a guest who needs showing where to go and you can’t do all that talking at me if you are walking behind me.’
‘Talking at you?’ Faye exclaimed. She knew he was a guest she had to look after and take care of, but exhaustion was getting to her, as were his comments.
‘Sorry. I meant giving me much-needed information. I would appreciate more of it actually. Come on, hop in.’
