Page 79 of The Little Greek Guesthouse

‘Nothing,’ he said, spreading his arms and opening his eyes wide in an unconvincing expression of innocence. ‘What you accusing your baba of? You drunkle?’

Nina tutted. ‘No I am not. And you’re being weird.’

‘Stop with this nonsense. Why don’t you go sit in the courtyard and have a relax, eh?’

‘Okay, but give me a minute, I need to have a shower, I went . . .’

Theo was already propelling her, rather forcefully, towards the door. ‘Yes, yes, time for all this later, you go have a nice sit down. Best go now.’

He practically threw her out of the door, and quickly closed it behind her.

‘Baba, what on earth are you doing? I want to . . .’

But as she turned around, her voice trailed off. Standing in the corner by the table, was Sam.

He shifted as he waited, biting on his lower lip, and clutching a bunch of flowers.

‘Nina,’ he said.

His voice caught and he swallowed. He looked nervous and, she had to admit, ridiculously handsome, his brown eyes earnest, his neat dark stubble lining his strong jaw, his defined biceps shown off perfectly by the designer t-shirt he wore.

She could throttle Theo for springing this on her with no warning.

‘Nina, I – I’m so sorry for what happened. Can we talk? Please?’

She considered. He was the last person she’d been expecting to see, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about finding him standing here. Her anger with him had faded over time, and with finding another reason to be hurt and upset. She wasn’t sure she had the energy to be annoyed with Sam too, right now.

He stared, apparently unable to take his eyes off her, looking at her in a way he never had before. As though he really saw her. ‘God, you look good,’ he said. ‘You look different, like you’re – wow.’

‘Sam, I don’t know what you’re –’

‘I really am sorry,’ he said, shifting the bouquet from hand to hand. In all the years they’d been together he’d never given her flowers, never written a romantic message in a card, never brought her favourite chocolates or surprised her with a night out. ‘About the – about what happened with Mags.’ He looked up, catching her eye, and for a moment she found herself moved by his pained expression. But it would take more than an acknowledgement of his lying, cheating scumbag antics to get her to even begin to forgive him. He’d treated her badly even before all that, taking her for granted and never showing her any affection. ‘I know I hurt you. I can’t say how much I wish I hadn’t . . .’

He trailed off, hanging his head and picking at the petals.

‘Give those to me,’ she snapped, holding out her hand. ‘Before you completely wreck them.’

He handed over the bouquet and she bent her head to breathe in their heavenly scent. But it would take more than a bunch of flowers to make up for what he’d done.

‘How is Mags?’ she asked icily.

He shrugged. ‘God knows, she dumped me weeks ago. When she realised I wasn’t over you.’ He held her gaze. There was something desperate in his expression.

‘Yep, she told me.’ Nina indicated a chair, and they sat down. Sam fidgeted, rubbing his hands over his face, picking at an immaculate nail, stretching his leg out and then bringing it back in. He cleared his throat.

‘I was such an idiot,’ he said, his voice so quiet that Nina leaned forward in her seat to hear him better. ‘It was a mistake, a stupid mistake, and I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. But I’m – I’m struggling without you.’ He looked up at her, his eyes full of anguish. ‘I know – I know you deserved so much better, and not just the stuff with Mags, I should’ve shown you what you meant to me every day. I should’ve told you, I should’ve taken the time . . .’ His voice shook and he swallowed. ‘If – if you’ll only give me another chance. I’ll make it up to you, I promise, I’ll be everything you deserve. I’ll make sure you know how special you are every day, how smart and talented and beautiful. I’ll make sure you know how much I love you.’

He gazed at her, and she remembered how she used to feel lost in his brown eyes. His fingers reached for hers, and she found herself grasping his, the familiarity of his touch irresistible after all she’d been through.

Her phone buzzed and she glanced at it. Three messages from George.

Her stomach lurched, and she was flooded once again with the sting of humiliation and hurt. After those calls right after she’d found him with Susan, she’d heard nothing from George. Why would he get in touch now? She deleted the messages without reading them.

Chapter Thirty-Six

‘Baba!’

Nina stormed through the house, eventually finding Theo in his room, lying on his bed with his headphones on. He kept his eyes closed as she came in, although she was pretty certain he knew she was there.