Page 8 of The Greek Café

‘A Jack of all trades?’ I frown.

‘You know, do a bit of everything,’ says the good-looking guy who Zeta introduced as Kai.

‘Yes, I know what it means,’ I say, my heart sinking.

‘I hope it is not a problem,’ says Zeta, as she folds a paper table napkin. ‘We are a team here at the Apollo Hotel.’

‘Yep,’ says Kai. ‘I hope you are up to speed on your Abba song lyrics. Tuesday night is Abba tribute night.’ He points to the timetable, with a grin on his face.

‘I’m looking forward to hosting the kiddie disco,’ says Summer, a member of the animation team. ‘It is going to be such fun.’ She claps her hands together.

At least I am not expected to keep a load of kids entertained. In the pool, sure – outside of it, I would not have a clue where to start.

‘But, erm, I am not sure I am up to it. I thought I was to be employed as a lifeguard and swim instructor?’ I say feebly. ‘I wasn’t told about anything else.’

‘Then I apologise,’ says Zeta. ‘Your recruitment was a little last minute, I suppose. But as your pay is full time, and pool duties are not, you are expected to do a little of everything.’ She blinks slowly. ‘As is everyone.’

‘Of course.’ I plaster a smile on my face. It is not as if I have a choice.

Oh heck, what have I let myself in for? An Abba tribute? I feel physically sick. I have only ever performed karaoke, and even that was only once, when I was stupidly drunk and murdered a Miley Cyrus song at a wedding reception. ‘Wrecking Ball’ was a fitting song.

‘So now, please help yourself to breakfast,’ says Zeta with a charming smile, which I am quickly learning masks a steely interior. She gestures to the impressive-looking breakfast buffet before she disappears.

‘I take it this is the first year you have done hotel work,’ says Kai as he helps himself to some food at the buffet.

‘How can you tell?’ I sigh.

I help myself to scrambled eggs, before selecting some granary bread to drop into the toaster.

‘Don’t look so worried.’ He smiles. ‘There is a resident singer who does the main vocals. The other girls mainly just sing the chorus and dance.’

Sing and dance? Kill me now.

‘And will you be expected to do the same thing?’ I find myself asking as I pour a glass of fresh orange juice.

‘What, put a dress on and a long wig?’ He raises an eyebrow.

‘I mean dress up as Björn or Benny from Abba.’

‘Hmm no,’ he says. ‘It’s three women, which I know is not strictly the real Abba line-up, but it seems to work.’ He shrugs.

‘Bit sexist,’ I mutter, whilst waiting for my toast to pop up.

‘Ah you say that, but on Thursday, I will be prancing around the stage in a white jumpsuit singing Freddie Mercury songs, whereas you would not be expected to do that.’

‘Fair enough.’ I shrug, with a smile on my face as I picture the scene. I can already sense that Kai is someone who could quickly become a friend. And with his easy charm and good looks, probably a bit of a player when it comes to romance, so someone I know to keep firmly in the friend zone; my life is complicated enough as it is.

And with that physique, he must work out a lot, given the size of the breakfast he is about to enjoy.

‘It was a bit of a last-minute thing,’ I explain. ‘Someone had let Zeta down, so she was keen to find a replacement. Maybe explaining the full list of duties had slipped her mind.’ I sigh as I recall the slight desperation in her voice.

‘Relax.’ He smiles. ‘We have afternoons to practise for evening events. The resident singer will make sure you know exactly what you are doing.’

‘If you say so. I don’t want to mess up though. I get the impression Zeta will expect nothing but the best.’

‘Oh, she’s a perfectionist alright,’ he says as we head to our table. ‘But lovely really. Firm but fair.’

That makes me feel slightly better, and I remind myself that I am here to have an adventure. Sure, I am confident around the water, but I must expand my other talents. Do I have any? If I do, they most certainly do not involve singing and dancing.