Page 61 of Never Too Late to Date

‘And how will we react?’

Suzie ignored the question and dragged him to an outdoor table at the nearest bar. Sitting side by side would surely be easier than having to make eye contact. Easier on her poor beleaguered body suffering all kinds of memory shocks anyway. She waved over the waiter.

‘What’s your poison?’

‘An espresso, please.’

Suzie ordered her usual cappuccino plus Christian’s espresso in Greek and added a side of spanakopita. She’d not been able to eat any lunch, and now she was ravenous.

‘It’s so strange to hear you speaking perfect Greek.’

‘It’s not perfect, believe me.’

He reached for her hand under the table.

‘Why did you go, Suze? One minute you were there, the next you were gone.’

It was imperative she keep the conversation light.

‘I can’t believe you even noticed.’

‘Of course I noticed.’

‘One woman among many?’

He put his hand on her chin and turned her face towards him.

‘You were never one woman among many, and you know it.’

This wasn’t getting them anywhere. Just the touch of his skin on hers was agony. She turned away and stared out into the street, trying to lose herself in the bustle of Athens on a Saturday afternoon.

‘As I’m sure you heard, I did the Shirley Valentine thing, went on holiday to a Greek island, fell in love with a native, got married and now have two grown-up sons. And although it didn’t work out for me and Panos, I absolutely adore my boys. And I’m still very happy with my life on the island, running a bar.’

The last bit wasn’t quite true. She was gabbling, trying to distract him. Anything but answer his question.

‘Yes, I did hear what had happened, eventually, although it took a while.’

The sadness in his voice took her aback.

‘I tried to track you down as soon as you disappeared, but it was a lot more complicated in those days. No social media, no mobiles. Once I found out you were married, I left well alone.’

The idea that he’d tried to track her down made her heart tighten in her chest. She’d always assumed that for him it had been more out of sight, out of mind.

‘I’m sure you didn’t miss me too much. You had Kim the make-up artist to console you.’

Why had she said that?

His face was all confusion. ‘Who?’

‘Long blonde hair, big boobs. You were virtually on top of the woman, snogging the hell out of her, the last time I saw you. At least she deserves to be remembered.’

Christian raised an eyebrow in her direction.

‘Well, you certainly seem to remember her clearly.’

She’d walked into that one.

‘You were probably off your head at the time.’