‘You can sit next to me,’ Anthea offered. ‘I can make room.’
If he was at all put off by her big lips and permanently surprised expression, he didn’t show it. In fact, he seemed very pleased with the suggestion.
‘That’d be great. Thanks. Yes.’
Anthea’s eyes lit up and she nodded in the direction of the mini-mart. ‘Let’s grab a cold drink first.’
Edie and Ralph watched with interest while the pair headed off, side by side.
‘Maybe this could be the start of a grand new romance,’ Edie said with a grin.
Ralph frowned. ‘Steady on. Mac’s not even properly left Hannah yet. And I’m not sure he goes for big lips and eyelashes and all that stuff.’
‘Well, he seemed very happy when she asked him to join her. You never know.’
As they ambled back up the hill, the subject returned to tonight’s plans.
‘Where’s the restaurant?’ Edie asked, but Ralph went all mysterious and wouldn’t tell her.
‘It’s a surprise.’
Fortunately, there was no sign of Jessica or Hannah at the villa and after a quick, scrappy lunch, he told Edie to get ready. ‘And bring a cardigan or something warm. We’ll be on a boat for some of the journey.’
‘How long will it take?’ Edie pressed.
‘Ooh, a couple of hours.’
This only made her more curious. Wherever he was taking her was quite far away. What on earth was he up to?
It seemed he’d got everything arranged and she was wearing her favourite, strappy red frock when they strolled down to the harbour, where a private boat was already waiting for them, complete with cold drinks.
Edie sipped on some white wine while they made the fifteen-minute trip to Chora Sfakion, then they hopped straight in a taxi and headed up into the mountains.
By now, it was about 4.30p.m. and Edie still had no idea what was up. After about an hour, however, she began to see road signs for a place she recognised and the penny started to drop.
‘Rethymno,’ she said, pointing to one of the signs. ‘We went there on our honeymoon, didn’t we?’
Ralph gave an enigmatic little smile. ‘We might have.’
‘Is that where the restaurant is?’ she asked, but he pressed a finger to his lips and shrugged.
‘Grr! You’re such a tease.’ She gave him a playful slap and he laughed. He was clearly enjoying every moment.
When they finally entered the old Venetian town, with its medieval buildings, narrow streets, mellow stone walls and honeycomb of cobbled alleyways, Edie’s memories of the place came flooding back.
‘I remember that,’ she said, pointing to an impressive old fortress on a hill overlooking the town. ‘We walked there. It took ages.’
‘And you kept complaining so I carried you up the last bit on my back.’
She could just about picture them as the two young, attractive people they’d once been, both madly in love. He was slightly bent over while she clung to his shoulders, with her legs wrapped round his waist.
‘It was very gallant of you,’ she commented. ‘I don’t suppose you’d do it again now.’
‘I would – if the reward was right,’ Ralph added, with a grin.
The taxi stopped near the ancient harbour, presided over by a honey-coloured lighthouse, and the couple got out.
Looking round, Edie could see the place was filled with boats and lined with tempting-looking bars, shops and tavernas. Old men fished off the harbour walls while numerous tourists meandered along the street, stopping to look in shop windows or at restaurant menus.
