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This is a nightmare!" Sal thought to herself.

They soon found another apartment block with a sign in the window so they entered the dark and dusty entrance hall. At first glance it seemed to be as void of people as the first apartment but then, just as they were about to leave, Fay spotted an old man sitting on a chair outside a room a little way down the corridor. She strolled over to him.
“Do you speak any English?” He gave her a blank look.

What was she saying? Of course he didn’t speak any English; he looked as though he was around before English was ever spoken by anyone!

She tried again. “Ise spitonoikiris?” He shook his head. “Pou ine spitonoikiris?” He failed to respond so Fay gave him a vague smile and strode back out onto the street in frustration.


“No good then?” Sal asked.


Fay frowned. “I was speaking Greek to him; you’d think he could at least utter one word back to me. You’d have thought I was speaking Swahili or something!” She grabbed Sal's arm again. “This way,” she said pointing up the road and dragging Sal behind her.

"Please let us find an apartment soon, preferably before she pulls my arm out of its socket!" Sal thought.

Towards the end of the road they passed a small hotel and a man who was sat outside drinking coffee watched them looking up at the buildings as they passed by.


“You looking for somewhere?” he asked.


Fay stopped, glanced back at him and then turned with a smile. “Yes actually, we are looking to rent an apartment, do you know of anywhere?”


“I have rooms here, you want to see?”


“No, my friend is going to live here for good so she will need more than one room.”


“Hmm, I have friend. Maybe he can help, I phone him now,” the man replied.
Sal looked hopefully at Fay.

Don’t hold your breath Sal; it’s never this easy.

The man motioned towards some chairs. “Here sit, wait.” He disappeared into the hotel and came out about ten minutes later. “My friend is coming, has an apartment very close. He will show you.”


“Thank you very much for your help,” Fay said politely.


The man sat back down next to them and grabbed Fay’s cheek. “I help you, you nice girl.” She smiled at him and then turned to Sal with a look of ‘please save me from this man.’ Sal tried not to laugh.

Soon the man’s friend turned up and walked them a couple of yards down the road to a ramshackle building with flaking plaster on the outside and very unstable looking balconies. Sal and Fay exchanged looks. He led them up to the second floor and unlocked a door, gesturing for them to enter. The apartment smelt very musty and consisted of two rooms, a bedroom with a shower and sink in the corner and lounge with a makeshift kitchen area at one end.


“How long you stay?” he asked.


“It’s for my friend here; she will be here for good.”


He looked quizzical. “It is good?”


“No, I meant that my friend will be staying here all the time.”


“Oh.”

He doesn’t understand.

“So it is good?”


She turned to Sal and spoke under her breath. “I don’t know, Sal is it good?” There was sarcasm in her voice.


Sal backed towards the door. “We will think about it.”


“Yes, thank you, we will think about it,” Fay said turning to follow Sal and making a hasty exit.

They came to the end of the road and turned onto a much busier street lined with tavernas. Fay paused, sighed and turned to look back at Sal. “This way I suppose.”
“Okay.” Sal looked in pain.

"Drink would be nice; drink would be lovely right now. Rest please Fay. Please no more."

Sal trudged after her.


“Anyone here know of an apartment to rent?” Sal said out loud in desperation, to no one in particular. “Apartment? Know of one?” she asked a passing woman who turned to give her a strange look as she walked away.


“What on earth are you doing?” Fay asked in bewilderment.


“Well you said to ask everyone, so I was.”


“Sal, I meant everyone you know, not random strangers!”


“Fay, shall we leave it for today and continue the torture another day?”


Fay sighed. “Well I said it wasn’t going to be easy. You can try looking for signs in windows tomorrow and I’ll ask around for you, how’s that?”


Sal’s face lit up. “Good plan. Shall we have a drink here somewhere?”


“You can but I’d like to get back and make some lunch before I meet up with Adam. I’ll have to phone him at some point.”


“Oh yes, so have you been beating your boss up or something? He said he had bruises. What have you been doing to him?”


“Nothing! It wasn’t me. Don’t ask me to tell you about it though, it’s not my place.”


“Fair enough, but you two are okay now anyway?”


“I guess… for now.”


“Look I’m staying for a drink, then I’ll pop to the kiosk and I’ll meet you back at the apartment. I’ll not be long.”


“What you getting from the kiosk?”


“Felt like a huge bar of chocolate, I could do with one after today! You want anything?”


Fay paused for thought. “Surprise me.”
Chapter 15

On entering her apartment, Fay went straight into her bedroom and stripped off her clothes to change into something more comfortable to sit around in. She was hot and sticky from all the trudging up and down streets, so she put on a pair of mini, grey shorts and a strappy top. After placing some pasta on the hob to boil, she poured herself a large glass of cold lemonade and collapsed on the sofa. She closed her eyes for what seemed to be a second, but woke up to the pasta boiling over and the doorbell ringing. Jumping up, she ran to take the pasta off the ring and made for the door.


“Did you get me anything?” she said as she opened the door.


“What did you want?” Adam said, running his eyes over her.

Woa, legs! Bloody hell, looks like I came just at the right time!

“Oh it’s you. I thought it was Sal.”

Where is he looking behind those sunglasses? I can imagine. Damn I can’t change now either or it will look as if I’m bothered.

“I thought I was going to telephone you,” she pointed out.


“Well, I had some free time so I thought I’d see if you were in. Are you going to let me past the front door?” he asked.


“Hmm, come in,” she said reluctantly, feeling as if she should still be at least a little annoyed with him on principle.

She opened the door wider and he strolled past, looking down at her legs on the way in.


“Do you want a drink?” she shouted over to him as he sat down on the sofa.


“That would be good, something cold.”

She poured him a glass of lemonade and went to the sofa, handing it over.

“Found Sal an apartment yet?” he asked. She stood to the side of him, looking down with a frown. He turned. “Fay?” Moving forward, she sat down on the coffee table in front of him and reached to remove his sunglasses. She grimaced at his bruised face and gave him such a look of concern that he reached across and took her hand. “Hey, it’s okay, I’ll live.” She suddenly felt guilt wash over her at the thought of slapping him on his already bruised face.


“Did I make it worse?” she said, looking to the floor.


“No, you’re not that good,” he laughed. She traced the bottom of the sofa with her foot. He suddenly moved his hand and caught her under the chin, lifting her face to look at him. “Hey, it’s forgotten now right?” She felt strangely emotional then as she looked into his face and their eyes met. There was a long silence and then she suddenly backed away and stood up.


“Sure.” She said trying to sound casual but failing.


He drank half of his lemonade and stood up then suddenly. “Look, how about I take you to a taverna or something? We can get some food, talk over the trips and leave the heavy paperwork for tomorrow.”


“Err, well I had already put something on to cook,” she said turning to look at the hob.


“What?” he asked.


She moved across the room to inspect the contents of the pan. The pasta had completely stuck to the bottom and what was left on the top looked waterlogged and congealed.


“Mm, not looking too appetizing that Fay,” he joked.

She jumped, unaware that he had come up behind her. He reached in front of her and took the pan out of her hand. Her hair moved as his cheek was so close, and she could feel her back against his chest as he leant forward to put the pan on the side. He looked down at her neck and shoulders and the tumble of blonde curls that lay around them.

I could just kiss her there now. Not a good idea I guess though. Still…

He took a hand and gently swept the curls aside, not entirely decided on what he was going to do next. She turned around with a questioning look but realized that it was a bad move when she saw how close his face was and noticed the look in his eyes. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek he was that close, but she had suddenly lost track of the conversation and couldn’t think of how to break the tense silence and move away.

Go on then Fay, move away or I’ll end up kissing you.

Oh hell, say something Adam.

The silence stretched on. Suddenly the doorbell rang and they both jumped guiltily, moving apart.


“That’ll be Sal,” she said running to the door.

“Here, a huge bar of chocolate each!” Sal said, handing her a bar as she walked in.
“Oh, hi Adam.”


“Hello Sal. So