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With their orders taken, Nikos sat back in his chair, studying Sofia with his fingers steepled under his chin. Kate was fascinated to see the relationship between these two. It was obviously warm, and surprisingly close. Nikos hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d said they’d got to know each other well. There was a genuine affection between them—a teasing banter such as true siblings might have.
Not that Kate had ever had the chance to experience such a thing. But this was a side of Nikos that Kate had never seen before. And she found herself strangely moved.
‘And what, young lady, is that?’ Nikos was pointing to the rather sore-looking piercing for a stud in Sofia’s delicate nostril.
‘Oh, that...’ Sofia nonchalantly touched her nose. ‘My birthday present to myself. I’ve wanted one for ages, but if you’re under sixteen you have to have written confirmation from a parent or guardian, and as I’m only a ward of court at the moment I had to wait. What do you think?’
‘I think...’ Nikos put on a mock-stern voice ‘...that even if I had been your guardian I wouldn’t have been signing forms allowing you to mutilate your body.’
Sofia rolled her eyes. ‘Honestly, Nikos, when did you turn into such an old grouch?’
Kate bit back a smile at the teenager’s taunting.
‘I bet you have piercings, don’t you, Kate?’ She picked up a piece of bread and tore off a chunk.
‘No—well, only my ears.’
Suddenly Kate wished that she was riddled with piercings, so she could show her cool credentials to Sofia. But the fact was she would never have been allowed to have her nose pierced, or her head shaved, or even wear ripped jeans, like the lively teenager before her. Kate’s mother had ruled supreme when it had come to her appearance, and had still been picking out her dresses for her when Kate had been in her late teens.
All in the name of Kandy Kate, of course, to preserve its squeaky clean image. Even when she had escaped to university she had been warned by Fiona that she must dress ‘appropriately’ at all times, and never forget who she was.
‘Shame. You would suit something dramatic with your hairstyle. A stud above your lip, maybe, or at least a helix piercing. That’s here...’ she leant across to touch Kate’s ear ‘...in the cartilage at the top.’
‘I’ll bear that in mind.’ Kate smiled. ‘Maybe I’ll do just that. What do you think, Nikos?’
‘I think I like your ears just as they are.’ Nikos gave her a solemn stare before looking down, as if he had somehow given himself away. But Kate felt herself glow with pleasure.
‘Your hair is cool, by the way.’ Sofia chattered on.
‘Thank you.’ All these compliments could turn a girl’s head. ‘I like yours too.’
‘Oh, look—here comes the champagne.’
The meal carried on happily, with Sofia keeping them entertained and making their table by far the most lively in this rather stuffy establishment. Kate wouldn’t have chosen this place, she thought. She would have picked a more modern place—somewhere more edgy. Although she had to admit that the burgers were good.
‘So, where have you two visited so far?’ Sofia wiped her mouth with her napkin and picked up another handful of fries.
‘We started in Paris, then Rome, Venice and Barcelona.’ Nikos ran through their itinerary. ‘London is our last stop.’
‘Cool. And which place did you like best?’
‘I would say Venice—or maybe Barcelona.’ Nikos caught Kate in his dark gaze again. ‘How about you, Kate?
Stupidly, Kate felt herself blush. ‘Yes, both those places were a lot of fun.’
‘Indeed.’
Nikos’s low voice caught Sofia’s attention and her eyes travelled from one of them to the other, taking everything in as she slowly licked her fingers.
‘Are you not going to Greece, Nikos? Surely you want to show Kate Athens?’
‘Kate has already visited the Acropolis.’
That was true. It had been her first stop on her solo trip to Europe, which felt like a lifetime ago now.
‘I don’t mean the Acropolis—I mean the real Athens, where the fun stuff is. I tell you what, Kate...’ Sofia warmed to her theme ‘...you and I should go together. I have loads of friends there. We would have a blast.’
