Page 26 of The Greek Café

‘Well, you are full of surprises,’ he says when I finish speaking. ‘You worry about going out in a speedboat, but renovating a ruin doesn’t seem to faze you.’

‘I’m complicated.’ I grin and he laughs.

‘I think most people are when you scratch the surface.’ He ponders. ‘But sure, I’ll ping you his details. His name is Jack and he is based about a half hour drive from here. He’s older than me, in his fifties, but still working as hard as ever.’

‘Thanks, Kai.’

The glorious long stretch of sand is busy, but thankfully not too crowded with holidaymakers. We soon pay a sun lounger guy and settle down onto our sun loungers.

Kai laces his hands behind his head and stretches out, his face turned towards the sun.

‘Think I’ll read for a bit.’ He drops his book onto the floor beside his sun lounger. ‘Will you do my back?’ he asks as he hands me a bottle of sun cream.

‘Sure.’

I glide my hands over his back, noticing his strong muscles that he works so hard to maintain with his gym sessions in the hotel after work. Celibate, he says. Yeah right.

‘Right, all done. I’m off for a swim now,’ I tell him as I peel off my shorts. I’m wearing a white one-piece swimming costume that shows off what’s left of the spray tan I acquired before I came here.

The sea is sparkling and, up close, an extraordinary shade of blue-green. I swim along, arms pushing through the water before flipping onto my back and just staring up at the sky above. I think I can hear someone shouting in the distance, but it disappears with the sound of the gulls above. I spot them then, a figure waving from quite a way out. My breathing stops. They are in trouble.

My instinct takes over and I shout to Kai on the beach, who doesn’t appear to hear me. I feel my heart accelerate as I swim out to the guy. He disappears under the water for a second, before reappearing and I summon all my strength and swim faster, my body pumping with adrenalin.

Thankfully, it wasn’t as far as I feared, and I am soon with him.

‘Cramp, I think,’ he stutters. ‘My legs just went. I panicked.’

I put all my life-saving skills to good use, and gently pull him into shallow waters, just as Kai comes dashing into the sea.

‘Everything okay?’

‘Yeah, panic over. I did shout you, but we managed,’ I tell him as I place my hands on my knees and breathe deeply.

‘Sorry, I had my earbuds in, listening to music.’

‘Don’t worry, pal, this young woman saved my life,’ says the guy, squeezing me in a big hug. ‘I can’t thank her enough.’

‘You must never panic if anything like that happens again,’ I advise when I have my breath back and we stroll onto the sand. ‘Flip onto your back and float,’ I tell him. ‘And make sure you are drinking plenty of water in this weather – mild dehydration can cause cramps.’

‘That’ll be it then. Best go and get another beer,’ he says.

‘Water is better,’ I advise and he looks at me like I’ve gone mad.

‘But I’m on holiday. And you must let me buy you a drink too.’

‘Honestly, I’m okay, but thanks.’ I smile.

Settling back onto my sun lounger, I retrieve my book from my beach bag.

‘I bet you never expected to be doing your Baywatch impression when we came here today,’ teases Kai.

‘I don’t suppose I did. The water is calm, but cramp can cause panic when you are a way out from the shore, as you know. I think he has learned his lesson though.’

I feel an immense sense of satisfaction when I think about what I just did. Hardly anyone noticed the guy out there, and I dread to think of might have happened had he lost his strength. Hopefully I can stay here in Rhodes for a whole lot longer and put my life-saving skills into action if I need to.

When I get back to the hotel, I will give Ireta a call. The thought of renovating the café and living upstairs sends tingles up my arms. I must act soon, before I change my mind.

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