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‘I honestly wasn’t expecting you to get here so soon.’
He was dressed in dark linen trousers and a thin top that was a little damp, for perhaps he hadn’t dried all those beads of water before pulling it on...
She fixed her smile as she spoke. ‘Well, apart from the happy couple, you are currently our top guest. And you’re upset...’
‘No. That was just to get you here,’ Galen said. ‘Please, come in. Tell them my complaint was a major one! Maybe say that the flowers did the trick,’ he suggested as she came in. ‘Please, take a seat.’
‘Thank you.’ She perched on the edge of an extravagant chair. ‘How has your stay been...?’ Roula started, but Galen shook his head.
‘Roula, my PA is soon taking six weeks’ maternity leave.’
‘Only six weeks?’
‘I noticed how well you dealt with the wedding yesterday, especially given the short notice. I need someone like that.’ Galen shrugged. ‘I just thought I’d run it by you.’
‘You’re offering me the role of your PA?’ Roula frowned.
‘Yes—well, it’s a short-term position, and I have to warn it’s a very demanding role.’
‘I don’t mind demanding, but...’ She swallowed. ‘I’m very happy here, Galen...’ Her voice trailed off as she thought of the weeks ahead and wondered if that happiness would still apply. ‘My home...’
‘I have a furnished apartment,’ Galen said. ‘I keep it for temporary staff.’
‘Oh?’
‘Your computer skills...?’
‘Are good.’ She’d been on a refresher course last month. ‘Well, my passwords clearly don’t suffice...’ She stopped the mild joke because his expression was very serious.
‘Our cyber security is way beyond what is to be expected here, but you’d be versed in that only after contracts are signed.’
‘I see.’
He addressed another issue. ‘Roula,’ Galen said, ‘if we reminisced a little too much last night...’
Her eyes flew to his. ‘Did we?’
‘I don’t think so, but...’
Ah, the eye-meeting.
‘I want to make it clear that was me on a rare day off and visiting home.’
‘Of course.’
‘What I am saying is that I am completely different at work. For one thing, I don’t engage in small talk.’
‘Small talk?’
He hesitated. ‘This...’
Roula’s eyes widened and she was about to say that‘this’was just conversation. Still, their fig jam days had been long ago—he was a very different person from the one she had known then.
‘Should you take this role you will have some access to my private life—mainly my grandmother and liaising with the nursing home. We are doing our best to keep her peaceful...’
‘Peaceful?’ Roula smiled at the irony. ‘That’s not the Kupia Florakis I remember—she was always very vocal.’
‘Roula.’ Galen spoke rather sharply. ‘Perhaps I should make things a little clearer.’ He looked right at her. ‘An old friend might suggest I take her flowers from her home—my PA most certainly would not.’
