Page 35 of Never Too Late to Date

Suzie had nipped and fetched her bag and scarf, and a comedy attempt by her friend to kneel on the tiled floor beside her chair to give them to her showed it wasn’t just Vicky who was the worse for wear. Her friend’s attempt at a whisper was woeful.

‘Are you OK to go back with him? You barely know him. You said before that you thought he had a temper on him.’

‘Shhhh. I never said that.’

Suzie raised her eyebrows.

Alex seemed to find the whole thing highly amusing. He stood looking down on her, physically and, in her mind at least, metaphorically. Their last two encounters had involved her dressed as a Russian peasant accidentally taking centre stage in the town’s incredibly sombre Good Friday procession, and now he appeared to view her as a hopeless drunk. But however much she wanted to punch him in the face, she knew she’d be safe with him. He was irritating, yes, but dangerous, no.

After what she’d experienced in her marriage, one thing she could say for certain was that she’d be able to spot a potential psychopath a mile off. She could probably go on Mastermind with it as her specialist subject. Alex was absolutely not the type who would take advantage of a vulnerable woman.

She nodded her assent to Suzie.

‘It’s fine.’

‘Ring me to say you’ve got home OK, won’t you? You can’t be too careful.’ Suzie had stopped bothering to whisper.

‘Of course.’

Vicky patted Suzie’s shoulder rather harder than she intended, which caused her friend, who’d been crouching down, to sprawl on her back on the ground, laughing, legs in the air like a stranded beetle.

They’d get a job as a circus double act at this rate, no problem. She could see the promo poster. ‘Sit back and let Vick and Suze entertain you. Slapstick comedy our speciality.’ Yet more ammunition for the angelic Alex.

Vicky leant over the side of the chair and held out a hand to her fellow performer.

‘Sorry! Don’t know my own strength.’

Suzie managed to right herself on her own and give a thumbs-up, still laughing. It was definitely time to go.

Alex stepped forward and held out his arm, but Vicky was damned if she was going to take it. He’d be laying a cape on the floor in front of her next. She rose with difficulty and hugged Nick and Angeliki in turn.

‘Thank you so much for my first taste of Greek Easter. It’s been fantastic.’

Angeliki hugged her back for a long moment and kissed both sides of her face.

‘You’re welcome.’

Vicky prayed that Alex’s car wasn’t too far away. She really did need to get straight into bed.

The seat belt in his battered tough-guy car was something complicated or possibly even broken. She tried several times to click it into place. In the end Alex had to lean over and strap her in himself. He was trying his best not to touch her, which she appreciated – it was the last thing she wanted as well – but the scent of his lemony aftershave went right up her nostrils. Why didn’t he smell of sweat and animals like any normal vet?

She swore she caught the corner of his mouth fighting yet another smile at her expense. Maybe he had some sort of saviour complex, and rescuing damsels in distress turned him on.

But he had undoubtedly saved her from further embarrassment. Goodness knows what she and Suzie would have got up to after a few more gallons of wine. It might have been fun, but it could have ended very badly.

In the same situation, Ian would have abandoned her long ago and left her to make her own way back from the party, saying she’d lost control. Vicky gave herself a mental slap. Whatever Ian would or wouldn’t have done was of no importance anymore, and she had to keep reminding herself of that. Physically escaping the man was one thing, but repairing the mental damage was still a work in progress.

Keeping herself grounded in the present was the important thing. And right now, she was getting a lift from Mr Holier Than Thou, and she needed to be a little grateful.

‘Thank you for taking me home.’

‘No problem.’

There was that smug smile again.

Chapter Nine

Coming out of the metro station into the hustle and bustle of Monastiraki Square, Suzie stood for a moment and just took in the atmosphere. It had been a while since she’d been to Athens, a city that always filled her with excitement. She wouldn’t want to live here, far too hectic, but she loved to visit.