Page 120 of Never Too Late to Date

‘Yes?’

‘You know you’ve always been like a second mum to me…’

‘Aw, sweet.’

‘I wanted you to know early doors.’

Charlie looked down at his feet and then up at her, his smile widening by the second.

‘We’re having one too!’

Suzie rushed round to the other side of the bar and hugged him as hard as she could. She’d known the man since he was a child. They both had tears in their eyes.

‘That’s fantastic.’

‘Anna’s a few weeks back from Kat, and we’re not really making it public yet, but I wanted you to know.’

‘That’s so lovely. And your babies will be friends, just like you and Gianni.’

Charlie hit his chest with his fist in the Greek gesture of love.

‘I hope so. But what if they hate each other?’

‘No! That’s not possible.’

The idea of their friendship passing onto the next generation was something so special that Suzie couldn’t stop the tears falling down her face and onto her T-shirt. She’d put down her roots here in Greece, and they’d keep on growing long after she was gone.

‘Hey. Are you OK?’ Charlie put his hand on her arm.

‘Yes, sorry, got a bit emotional there for a minute. It’s such happy news.’

The rollercoaster ride was catching up with her. Singing again in front of a paying audience … Christian’s surprise appearance … rowing and then making up with her sons … learning she was going to become a grandmother – it was as if several years of experiences had been packed into a few intense weeks.

And that wasn’t even counting finding a real friend in Vicky, someone she could confide in and trust totally. How could it be that only a few months ago she had imagined herself alone and stuck in one place, unable to move forward?

Charlie downed the last of his beer.

‘Well, if you’re sure you’re OK, I’d better get set up.’

‘Perfectly sure, thanks. And congratulations again.’

Charlie planted a kiss on the top of her head and moved away. Kostas waved and grinned from the end of the bar. It must have been tough for him to keep Charlie’s news to himself. Her younger son was a real gossip hound, unlike Giannis, who had to be virtually tortured to reveal anything juicy.

She blew a kiss at Kostas, now doing an impersonation of rocking a baby in his arms. It was another little tot for him and Manolis to coo over. Her son would surely be made godfather, maybe even twice over. Neither of her sons was particularly religious, but most Greeks opted for a christening, and the godparents paid a hefty contribution to the costs and did a lot of the organising. Suzie smiled to herself. That would come as something of a shock to Kostas.

But she was thinking way too far ahead. The first punters were already coming through the doors. She fixed her smile in place. Work was what she needed to focus on for the next few hours.

The bar was doing a roaring trade by the time Suzie spotted her friend arrive. Vicky wore a simple white linen dress with a long, beaded necklace in bright pastels around her neck and gold sandals on her feet. The white set off her tan, and the sun had highlighted her blonde hair and streaked it with gold. She looked nothing like the careworn woman who’d arrived to work at the sanctuary. The fact that she was now a co-owner of the place and would be staying on the island was the best thing Suzie had heard all week.

‘Hi. What can I get you, on the house?’

‘I’ll have a Mythos, please.’ Vicky looked around her at more and more people streaming in. ‘I can see that a cosy chat’s out of the question.’

‘Sorry, we’re completely mobbed. I should be able to get away in a bit and watch the karaoke, but we wouldn’t be able to hear ourselves speak then anyway.’

‘True. What about lunch tomorrow?’

‘Yes! I’ll deserve a rest after tonight. Come to mine around one?’