‘I hope you find what you are looking for. Now, can I get you something to eat?’
‘No thank you, I really must be going.’
‘Well, it is very nice to have met you. To get to the beach path, walk in a straight line through the grove,’ she said, pointing the way. ‘At the end is a wooden gate; walk though it and the path will take you straight down.’
‘Goodbye, thank you again for the drink. It was very kind of you.’
As she headed off following Elana’s directions, the woman called out after her, ‘Goodbye, I didn’t catch your name …’
But Shauna carried on her way and pretended not to hear as she walked through the gate and headed down the path towards the beach.
Chapter 28
After hours of snorkelling and swimming, the afternoon had passed into evening and they both realized how hungry they were. There was still plenty of food left over in the cool box Christian had brought: slices of soft, fresh pitta, creamy taramasalata and tzatziki as well as slices of spanakopita, which combined the delicious crunch of filo pastry with salty feta and fresh spinach. They spread it all out on Grace’s sarong, which stood in for a picnic blanket. Christian had even remembered to bring a chilled bottle of retsina, which he poured into the two mismatched glasses he’d found in the boathouse. The finishing touch was a large candle in a storm lamp he’d lit. It danced and flickered with hypnotic golden light in the balmy night air.
Now that they’d eaten, the candles were starting to gutter and Grace felt sleepily relaxed as they sat side by side.
‘Look at the colour of the full moon.’ He pointed into the sky. The moon was rising from the east and was already quite high in the sky. The moon was bigger and brighter than she’d ever seen it; there was a pink tinge to it that she had never seen before, and a million tiny points of light seemed to sparkle in the sky like a jewelled canopy.
‘I’ve never seen the moon look so beautiful,’ she said, transfixed by its hypnotic luminescence.
‘We have our own moon on Ithos,’ he told her.
‘Don’t tease, it’s the same moon for everyone.’
‘Ah, but ours is special. In fact, this bay is named after it – Fengari means moon.’
‘What is so special about your moon, then?’
‘Can’t you see, just by looking at it?’
Grace had to agree, it did seem to her to be unlike any other moonlit night.
‘Selene is the goddess of the moon,’ he told her. ‘Her spirit is strong here in Ithos, and here on Fengari Bay I think she is stronger still.’
Grace nudged him with her shoulder. ‘The moon can send you mad if you stare at it too long.’
‘Here on Ithos, the moon stands for love and the passing of time. As it gets bigger and smaller, so time passes, the cycle starts again over and over.’
Grace noticed that their shoulders were still touching; neither of them had moved away from the other.
‘I know very little about you, Grace,’ he said. ‘You are very good at listening but not so much at talking?’
‘Perhaps it’s all those dark secrets I’ve been keeping.’ She hooded her eyes and attempted to look mysterious.
He moved and threw himself on the ground in front of her so he could look directly into her face. ‘OK, three questions. I ask and you have to answer.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘OK, unless it’s something rude.’
He looked at her in mock outrage. ‘As a gentleman, I am insulted. First question: Have you ever been in love?’
Grace gave a sigh. ‘That’s not fair.’
‘You must answer.’
‘All right … I thought I was, but it wasn’t the real thing.’
‘Who was it?’
‘A boy at school. He dumped me for my best friend, but my heart wasn’t broken.’
‘Good. Next question – what is your middle name?’
‘I don’t have one.’
‘Really?’ He looked surprised. ‘In Greece everyone has a least two names. I have four.’
Grace shrugged. ‘Don’t blame me.’
‘OK, I won’t. Last question … what is your heart’s desire?’
Grace rolled her eyes again, ‘What does that even mean.’
‘You don’t have dreams?’
‘Of course I do …’ She looked down. ‘Everyone does. What’s your heart’s desire?’
‘Me … I want to run a business one day, be successful.’
‘For Demetrios?’
‘He is the boss now, but I want to be my own boss. Don’t misunderstand me, he has been like a second father to me, but it’s not the same as when you do it for yourself.’
‘OK. My turn. What’s your star sign?’
‘Capricorn.’
‘Interesting! I’m a Gemini.’
‘Split personality. I’ll never know where I am with you.’
‘Enough!’ She kicked a little sand at him, and he grabbed her toe playfully. For a moment they held each other’s gaze and electricity fizzed between them.
‘We should be getting back,’ she said.
‘Why? We have only ourselves to please. Besides,’ he added, ‘it is lucky to swim under a full moon.’
Grace wasn’t ready to go back yet either. She was enjoying getting to know Christian – he was honest and open, he knew his own mind and what he wanted from life. She would have loved to confide in him about what had brought her to Ithos, but she had kept it to herself for so long now that she didn’t know where to start.
‘Let’s have another swim,’ he whispered. ‘It would be a shame to waste this night.’ With that he leapt up and executed a smooth dive into the water, the sleek lines of his body lit by the moonlight.
‘What are you waiting for?’ he called as he popped up out of the water, his hair slicked back, reminding Grace of a seal or a merman.
She followed him in and the cool water lapped around her, heightening the sensations in her body. She pushed her long hair over her shoulder, enjoying the feel of the wet sand underneath her feet. The moon threw a stream of light through the water. They could have been castaways on a deserted island.
Christian swam towards her. ‘You look like a moonlit nymph.’
‘I feel like one.’ And it was true. He was right, there was something magical about this place; with the moon above them they could almost have been characters from Greek mythology themselves.
He moved towards her through the water and until he was a hair’s breadth away. ‘Grace, you’re so …’ His hands slid into her hair on either side of her head, cradling her face and staring into her eyes before he dropped a kiss on her lips. His fingers stroked her face and down to her cleavage. He kissed her again and she responded, her body suddenly aching with a desire that had risen inside her, but after a moment she pulled away.
He smiled at her and they stood like that until she spoke.
‘I … I’m not ready for anything else. Not yet.’
He nodded, seemingly unruffled by her restraint. ‘You will know when you are, and I will still be here.’
He took her hand and together they walked back to the shoreline. He wrapped her in a towel and put his arm around her as they strolled to the boathouse to collect their things.
Grace helped him to cast off, jumping into the boat as he turned The Selene towards the harbour. She was sad to say goodbye to Fengari Bay, but glad that Christian hadn’t noticed she had not answered his question. Her heart’s desire would have to wait a bit longer.
‘Come on, Ari, you know you want to …’
Ariana pushed the young man away as he fumbled at her breasts with one hand, his other moving up her thigh as he tried to pull her underwear aside with his fingers.
‘Stop it, Georgiou.’ She pulled her body away. ‘Just keep your hands to yourself, will you!’
‘What are you playing at?’ The boy pulled back, annoyed with her now. ‘You didn’t seem to mind last week. As I remember, you were pretty hot for it.’ He leaned in ag
ain, biting her ear and making another lunge for her breast through her low-cut top.
‘That was different.’ She pulled her head away, scowling at him.
‘My cousin’s holiday flat is still empty, we can go there and …’ He stroked his hand up her thigh under her dress.
‘No, not tonight.’
‘You’re driving me crazy here, you know that, don’t you?’
‘That’s too bad. Look, I’m not in the mood tonight.’ She opened the passenger door of his BMW convertible and stepped out. They had parked up in the darkness behind the warehouse on the harbour. The previous week she had gone to a party at a friend’s place and Georgiou had made a play for her. She had drunk a few vodkas, he was good looking and horny for her, so why not? Ariana had lost her virginity at sixteen, during a summer festival. She and Maddy had bought tickets with fake IDs and her first sexual experience had been with a guy whose name she couldn’t remember but who had plenty of drugs to share with them. The sex had been something of an afterthought to the rest of the excess. There had been plenty more lovers since, but she hadn’t been in love with any of them. Not like Christian. None of them made her feel like he did.
‘Ariana!’ he called out after her as she walked away.
‘I’ll call you sometime.’
She’d felt upset and angry all day. Last night at Níko’s party she had worn the sexiest dress she could find, she’d massaged oil all over her body and dusted a light shimmer of glitter over herself, she’d shown enough cleavage to drive most men crazy and thrown her skirts up at every opportunity to give Christian a glimpse of what he could have.
And when she had danced with him, she had whispered in his ear, ‘Let’s go somewhere private, just the two of us.’ Then she had brushed her lips over his.
None of it had worked. Christian had just laughed and taken her back to her table, with a chaste kiss on her forehead.
Her Jimmy Choos clacked on the cobbles as she headed towards Níko’s taverna. It wasn’t so late that everyone had gone home and there were still a few customers, finishing their meal and enjoying some of the island’s retsina which was made from grapes grown on Ithos.
She sat down at one of the tables, called the waitress over and ordered a Bacardi and Coke. The waitress looked at her uncertainly, but headed off inside with the order.
From her Louis Vuitton clutch, she took out a packet of Marlboro Lights and a vintage Cartier lighter that had been her grandfather’s. She lit the cigarette, drawing on it deeply, the buzz going to her head.
Looking out across the harbour, she brooded. What could she do to make Christian notice her? Maybe it was because he was embarrassed to show his feelings in front of his family; he was a reserved type of guy, so that must be it. It couldn’t be how she looked; she’d never had any problems getting guys before.
She took another draw on her cigarette. That new girl Grace was getting in the way too. Ariana was sure he couldn’t be interested in her. She was quite pretty, Ariana supposed, but she was a quiet squeak of a mouse and would be going back to her boring life in England soon.
She flicked her ash into the ashtray. Even with Elana on her side, she needed to be more strategic. She needed to get Christian on his own; he wouldn’t be able to resist her then.
Where the hell was her drink? She turned her head to see where the waitress had got to and when she looked back at the harbour her heart jumped. Christian’s boat, The Selene, was coming in to dock. Determined to look relaxed and cool when he came over, she stubbed out her cigarette, took out her lipstick and mirror, and began reapplying the Chanel Rouge Allure in a thick but precise layer. She pouted. A bit more eyeliner? She rummaged around, finding the black stick of kohl and deftly applied a touch around each eye, smudging it for the smoky effect. She pouted again: perfect.
She crossed her legs and threw back her hair. When Christian came in, she’d wave and invite him over for a drink; he was bound to be thirsty.
Her pout was replaced by a thin line of fury when she saw Christian had finished securing the mooring lines and was now reaching down to help the English girl clamber off the boat. He kept hold of her hand as the two of them made their way towards the taverna, taking their time, talking to each other in low voices. What the hell could they have to talk about?
Then she saw that Christian was carrying a cool box and Grace was carrying her towel, and it dawned on her that they must have been together all afternoon and all evening.
Her eyes narrowed in a cold, angry stare. Her heart froze as she watched him reach down to kiss Grace on the cheek, lingering too long for it to be just a kiss between friends. What else had they been doing during their happy little day trip? Grace let go of his hand and walked away down the side of the building, heading for the stairs that led to her room. Christian watched her go, and then made his way towards the main entrance of the taverna. He saw her and gave her a cheerful wave. It was all she could do to plaster a tight smile on her face and wave back.
Ariana sat there, dazed, feeling like a bucket of cold water had been thrown over her.
A moment later, the waitress returned, but there was no drink in her hand. ‘Where is my Bacardi?’ Ariana snapped.
The young waitress wrung her hands and looked awkward. ‘Teresa said your father would be angry if she served you alcohol.’
‘I’m eighteen years old,’ Ariana said through gritted teeth.
The waitress shrugged. ‘Don’t blame me. Take it up with Teresa. Would you like a Coke?’
‘No, I don’t want a fucking Coke!’ Ariana swept the ashtray onto the floor, grabbed her bag and marched off in the direction of the harbour wall. She felt like screaming. When were people going to stop treating her like a child? She was a woman and she knew exactly what she wanted.
‘Hey, Ariana!’ She turned to see Georgiou in his open-top convertible, still with the same arrogant look on his face. He eyed her lustfully.
‘There’s a pool party up the bay, want to come?’ He put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a little packet of white powder.
A small smile crept across her lips. Cocaine.
Georgiou opened the passenger door. ‘Jump in.’
Ariana climbed in beside him. She was no longer a child, and it was about time everyone knew it.
Chapter 29
Roxy and Alex were preparing to head down to the beach, as they did every morning. Shauna had promised Roxy that, if she looked after Alex for a couple of hours a day while she worked on her memoirs, she would do all the cooking and sign over 10 per cent of her royalties for the book.
‘Ha!’ I’ll never see a dime,’ Roxy had laughed. And after days of struggling to write about her childhood, Shauna was beginning to think she was right; at her current rate of progress, this book would never get written.
Alex couldn’t wait to set off. He kept tugging at Roxy’s hand, excited that he was going to see his friend Grace.
Shauna gazed longingly at the sea; today it was the colour of lapis lazuli and as calm as a millpond. She would have liked nothing better than to join them on the beach and meet the young waitress Alex had taken such a shine to. Apparently the girl was there most mornings for a swim before she started work, and always made time for a playdate with Alex.
‘So, today’s the day, huh?’ said Roxy, smiling. ‘No more procrastinating?’
‘I’ve put it off long enough,’ Shauna agreed. They had come to Ithos for a reason, after all.
After Roxy and Alex had gone, she set about choosing what to wear. How did you dress for a reunion with your first love after two decades? She tried on every outfit she’d brought with her, not to mention four hats and six pairs of sandals.
In frustration, she sat on the side of the bed and caught sight of herself in the mirror. Looking back at her was a thirty-nine-year-old woman. She had no grey hairs and only a few expression lines around her eyes. She was tanned and her body was in good shape. Hell, she looked good. She heard her father’s voice telling her, You
look grand as you are, my darling girl.
She grabbed a red gypsy skirt with a split up the side, threw on a see-through cheesecloth shirt over her white vest top. Applying only a touch of lipstick and bronzer, she put on her beloved fedora, grabbed her Birkin bag and headed down the path to the town.
Níko’s taverna didn’t seem to have changed at all. It still had the same blue-and-white awning, the same white tablecloths, the same menus with their list of traditional Greek dishes.
She sat down at a table outside and took off her fedora. There was always a chance she would be recognized, but she was glad she had dressed down although today most people were absorbed in their own affairs, either chatting or eating. Some were just admiring the view.
‘Excuse, me …’ She beckoned to the man who was waiting tables and he came over quickly. He was older, greyer and had more lines, but Shauna recognized Níko.
‘Top of the morning to you,’ she said, accentuating her Irish accent. Níko looked up, a puzzled expression on his face as he studied her, then he cried out, ‘My Irish despoinída!’ He pulled her into a big bear hug, showering her with affectionate kisses. ‘You have returned!’
He shouted for his wife, who came out and greeted her like an old friend too. ‘There is no friend in Ithos like an old friend,’ he said. ‘You are more beautiful than I remember! Please, you must have a delicious meal here at our expense. Grace!’ He motioned to one of the waitresses, but Shauna held her hand up and shook her head. Níko waved the waitress away.
‘It’s so wonderful to see you, Níko, and I’d love nothing better than to stay here all afternoon, but I have come to see someone else, too.’
‘Ah yes, I see. And this other friend is more important than Níko,’ he said kindly. ‘I understand. He will be surprised, no?’
‘Where is he, Níko?’ Shauna asked. Suddenly, after so many nights, so many years, of wondering, of questions going unanswered, she couldn’t bear to wait one minute longer. Níko must have seen this in her eyes. ‘I will call Christian, my son – he will take you to him.’
Níko’s son was a handsome light-haired man who looked like he’d been chiselled out of marble.
Under a Greek Moon Page 22
