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Costa still couldn’t quite articulate why he was prolonging the night, but there was something about her plight that moved him. Something about Mary in her old-fashioned dress that made him want to...well, to help. And fortunately he was in a position to do so.
‘Sorry about that,’ he said as he re-took his seat. ‘I don’t often take calls mid-conversation. Usually I turn my phone off...’
He did so now, for it was something that had always irritated Costa. When he gave his attention he gave it fully. However, the call had been an important one, and he had followed it up with one of his own.
‘That’s fine.’
‘I wanted to confirm something before I put it to you.’ He looked over at her. ‘I have a business proposal...’
Oh, God.She really had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire, Mary thought. The panic that had subsided over their drinks rushed back with a vengeance.
‘I don’t think so.’
She reached for her purse, but before she could stand he clarified his words.
‘I meant a traineeship at one of my hotels. Although I don’t have any here in the UK...’
‘You mean an actual job?’
‘Yes. You heard me discussing the retreat in Anapliró? Despite Ridgemont’s description, it’s actually very beautiful. We don’t generally take trainees at the spa there, but we can always make room for good staff.’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘In the massage parlour?’
‘Can we please move away from that?’ he suggested, but acknowledged her caution. ‘The spa is world-renowned...more than accredited...’ He lingered on the topic for a second more, as if to make one thing very clear. ‘Despite the nature of our meeting, let me assure you that there is no ulterior motive. I’m barely there...’
‘Why not?’
Now it was Costa who blinked. ‘Excuse me?’
‘If it’s so beautiful, and if it’s your home, then why are you barely there?’
He should tell her this minute why she wasn’t successful in applying for jobs: Mary Jones really did not interview well!
There were places in an interview, especially with Costa, that people just did not go!
‘That’s irrelevant,’ he told her. ‘Is it something you would like to consider?’
Mary dared not consider it.
She dared not think about it for she wanted to leap to Anapliró in one single bound.
But even if she still didn’t know how to start unpacking her feelings towards her father, Mary knew she could not abandon him.
She simply couldn’t.
Costa watched her silently wrestle. What was stopping her? he pondered. Yes, he was perhaps being arrogant to assume she would simply torch her life here, but an offer of a traineeship at his retreat was so coveted there was more chance of milk from a bull. More to the point, here she was dealing with the likes of Ridgemont, for God’s sake...
Perhaps that was it.
‘Mary, if you have a criminal record, just tell me now and—’
‘I do not!’ Mary bristled.
‘Fine, then.’ He glanced over to the waiter and signalled him. ‘Mary?’ He was still waiting for an answer, which was something Costa was rather unused to inallwalks of life. ‘Would you like my staff to contact you?’
‘That won’t be necessary.’
She never cried—not since the night of her mother’s funeral—and she certainly wouldn’t start now. But she could almost taste the salt of the tears she would shed later as she declined this opportunity.
