Page 61 of The Greek Café

Just then, he spots Zeta and calls her over. He quickly explains the situation.

‘Are you alright?’ asks Zeta. ‘I think I need to have a cleaner patrolling this area. Some of the kids are using reception as a shortcut to the rooms. With their wet feet.’ She shakes her head.

‘I’ll be okay. I’m sure I will be fine. I have just jarred my back a little.’

‘Then you must rest,’ insists Zeta. ‘There are plenty of staff to cover you.’

‘I might just do that. I’ll see how I am later though,’ I tell her.

‘I will help you to your room,’ says Takis and he loops his arm through mine.

‘I am on the first floor. No lift.’ I pull a face.

‘Hmm. A small flight of steps. I am sure we will manage,’ he assures me.

I imagine he will. He is so tall and broad-shouldered and… Oh my goodness, what am I like?

A couple of minutes later, we are standing at the foot of stairs to my accommodation.

I feel a twinge as I place one foot onto a step and grab hold of the rail.

‘This may be a bad idea.’ I wince.

Before I have a chance to say anything, Takis has gently scooped me up in his arms and climbed the stairs with me. I feel like a bride about to cross the threshold of the marital home for the first time.

‘Okay?’ he asks as he carefully sets me down and I grab my key from my pocket. I can barely look at him, as I think my face has turned beetroot.

‘Yes. Are you sure you haven’t put your back out now?’ I joke.

‘Hardly. You barely weigh a thing. Are you sure you are okay?’

He looks intently into my eyes and I wish I could jump back into his arms. If he didn’t have a girlfriend, that is.

‘I am. I’ll grab some paracetamol and rest for a while, not for long though as I don’t want to seize up. It is best to get moving as soon as possible.’

‘That’s right.’ Takis nods. ‘Gently.’

‘Do you have some medical knowledge?’ I ask, recalling how he felt my back in the reception area.

‘First aid. Required of a boat captain out on the open water.’

‘Of course, that makes sense.’

‘My brother was also training to be a physiotherapist – I learned quite a bit about back pain from him,’ he tells me. He doesn’t mention that his brother has died. Although he may have another brother.

‘Is there anything else I can get you?’ he asks, as I push my key into the door. I think of my clothes flung over my unmade bed, as I slept in slightly later than I would have liked this morning and dashed out.

‘No, thank you, really.’ I smile. ‘You have done more than enough.’

‘Maybe I will check on you in a couple of hours?’ he suggests.

‘I take it you have no boat trips today then?’

‘Actually, no. There was one, a party of four, but they cancelled,’ he tells me.

‘Right, well, maybe I will see you later,’ I tell him. I pause. ‘Before you go though, I was wondering why you did not tell me that you once considered buying the Lemon Tree Café?’

He does not answer immediately.