Welcome To Crete - Regreece (100 best novels of all time txt) 📗

enemies,” Adam guessed.


“Of course, always have been, ever since the owner managed to lure Bill in there with a plate of sausage rolls and he stayed in there all afternoon.”


Adam winced.


“Yep, there was hell to pay when Ruth found out I can tell you!”


“You’re all nuts!” Adam said, laughing. “The owner isn’t that guy who came into the bar last night is it?”


Fay shook her head. “No, you wouldn’t catch those two bars socialising.”


“So you any good at pool then Fay?” Adam asked, changing the subject.


She hesitated. “Well, I played a long time ago. Not sure I can even really remember the rules to be honest. You?”


“I’m not too bad, I’ll give ‘Charlie’s’ a run for their money anyway.”


“Ooh, so modest.”

A waiter walked past then and Adam asked him for the bill. Fay went into her bag for some money.


“No, I’m getting this. Put your money away.”


“Adam I don’t expect you to pay for me.”


“Hey I invited you.”


“I can pay my way,” she said handing him the money.


“I hope you’re not going to be troublesome about this, besides it was a business lunch.”
She laughed. “We haven’t really talked any business!”


“Of course we have, I now know all about the trips and Nikos the pelican.”

She gave him a resigned look and put the money back in her bag. They stood up to leave and he threw his arm over her shoulder as they headed for the car.


“Adam,” she began.


“Yes.”


“You know Nikos.”


“Hmm.”


“You do believe he’s real don’t you?”


He looked down at her and shook his head. “Fay, you’re talking pelicans again,” he warned, going for her ribs.


She dodged out of his way just in time, laughing. “You brought it up again!”
Chapter 17

When Fay got back to her apartment she found Sal asleep on the sofa.

"Wake up! We've got a pool contest to win," Fay shouted.

"What?" Sal sat up with a dazed expression.

"Come on," Fay said, grabbing her arm and dragging her up, "if we get in there early we can get some practice in."

Sal stretched and then focused on Fay. "It's all right for you, you're brilliant at it, but I can barely pot a ball."

"It's just a bit of fun. So what we going to wear then?" she said, trying to encourage her enthusiasm.

"You're actually asking me! You are keen. So how did your lunch with Adam go then?" Sal digressed.

"It went fine," Fay answered vaguely.

Sal studied her smiling face however and read between the lines. "You seem in a good mood. Would he be going tonight as well then?"

"Yes," she admitted, "but only because Ruth saw us by the lake," Fay replied defensively. Sal threw her a knowing look. "Hey, I can't help who Ruth invites to the bar."

"Come on then," Sal said suddenly, racing into the bedroom.

"I think you should wear this, with this," Sal said, lying out the clothes on the bed.

"What are those?"

"They are my clothes, you can borrow them. They're perfect for a pool night."

Fay picked up the pair of jeans. "They have holes in them."

Sal grinned. "Designer holes, strategically placed," she added.

"Hmm." Fay looked unconvinced. "How close to the top of the leg could this one get?" Fay said, poking her fingers through a slit at the back.

Sal dismissed her comment. "It's not that bad, and anyway he's seen more of your legs today in those shorts."

"Yes, but I didn't purposely put those on to be seen."

"Look, he told me to dress you so you're getting no choice."

Fay sighed, glancing down at the jeans again. "Okay, I'll try them on after I've had a shower."

Sal smiled. "Good girl."

Half an hour later Fay turned by the mirror to take a look at the jeans from the back.

"Sal I'm going to be playing pool remember, there'll be bending over which makes me considerably concerned about this slit in the back of these jeans."

"It's not that bad; the slit is no higher than a pair of shorts anyway."

Fay turned around to inspect her front. "This shirt isn't much better either; you'll be able to see my bra, especially when I'm bending over!"

"Oops, I forgot. There's a bra to go with that." Sal ran into the other room and came back with a matching coloured bra. "See, it'll be disguised now."

"Hmm, you'll still be able to see it underneath."

"Oh Fay, stop being an old woman! It's part of the outfit. Look, I've got a similar outfit too. I'll put it on if it'll stop you from moaning." Sal disappeared into the other room to change.

"An old woman did you call me? How extremely rude!" Fay shouted out of the bedroom door.

"You will be if you don't chill out!" came the reply. "Wait two secs, I've got to do the finishing touches."

"Oh hell, what else?"

Sal appeared in her bedroom again. "Here, put on this belt; and I think you should wear your hair up." Fay tied it up with a band. "Hold on Fay, let me do it. Sal took the band out and put Fay's hair up again, letting a few strands and curls fall loose. "You shouldn't scrape it back so much." Sal grinned as she played with the curls by Fay's ear. "Tease him with it...I saw him playing with your hair last night." She winked at Fay. "Come on, you're ready to go."

'The Wheelhouse' was all but empty when they arrived and Ruth was busy laying out food at the back end of the bar, near to the pool table.

"Need any help Ruth?" Fay offered.

"No I'm pretty much done. You two are early," she said, glancing up as they sat down on the bar stools.

"Yes, thought we could get in some practice before it all gets competitive in here," Fay replied.

"You shouldn't need any practice Fay; I hope you haven't lost your touch."

"Nah, she'll murder them," Sal added.

"I'm getting us two a drink Ruth; I'll write it on the pad," Fay said as she made her way around the bar and pulled out two beers from one of the fridges.

"No problem," Ruth shouted back.

They took their beers over to the back of the bar to take a look at the food that Ruth had laid out.

Ruth stood back, admiring her efforts. "Better than those meager sandwiches they serve at 'Charlie's' don't you think?"

"Much better Ruth." Fay and Ruth grinned at each other. "Right come on Sal, pool practice."
Fay laid out the balls and picked up a pool cue. "I'll break."

"Hey, give me a chance!" Sal exclaimed.

"It's just a practice. I'll make sure you pot some, don't worry," Fay assured her. She took a shot and potted three balls. "Oops. Here you'd better have a go." Sal picked up a cue and glared at Fay. "Just make sure you get your eye level down the cue and take your time." Sal went to take the shot. "Wait!" Fay shouted suddenly. Sal jumped and looked up at Fay with a frown. Fay gave her a sheepish look and redirected the end of the cue. "Sorry, you were off line."

"Hmm." Sal turned her attention back to the table and took the shot, potting the ball.

"There you go; told you you'd do it," Fay said triumphantly.

Sal put her hands on her hips. "Well that'll be just great...if they let you line up all the shots for me!"

Fay shrugged. "I just gave you a teeny bit of help." Sal looked deflated. "Okay, I'll go get more to drink and leave you in peace for a bit," Fay said, moving away.

Fay went back to the bar and found that a group of girls who worked at a huge hotel complex had entered and were sat chatting together. They turned when they saw her.

"Hi you lot, has Ruth got you lined up for pool as well then?"

A blonde girl with glasses answered. "She certainly has. We're going to do our best, aren't we girls?" The murmurs and shouts of general confirmation could be heard coming from the group.

"So is this going to be a regular thing then? I haven't seen you in here for ages Susie," Fay commented.

"I don't see why not, for as long as I can keep this lot interested. Until the summer starts getting busy anyway." Susie looked down at Fay's empty bottle and shouted across to Ruth. "Hey Ruth, can you get Fay a beer and put it on my tab please?"

Fay smiled. "Thanks Susie." She passed her the bottle and Fay held it up to hers to clink. "Here's to slaughtering 'Charlie's' tonight then."

Susie burst into laughter. "Yes but let's hope without too many fights breaking out!"

"Hmm, I'd better monitor Ruth's drinks then."

Susie grinned. "Well that's okay but who's going to monitor yours?"

"That's right Fay, you weren't too successful the last time you were supposed to keep me sober," another girl chipped in.

"Talk about an impossible task though Jo!" Fay came back.

"Well at least I made it home that night, where did you spend the night then Fay?"

"Where did you spend the night eh Fay?" She felt a pair of hands on her waist and turned her head to see two familiar, inquisitive, brown eyes staring down at her.

"Oh hello."

A smile played around Adam's mouth. "So?"

She tried to act casual. "At a friend's house of course."

"A likely story." Susie said, glancing at Adam with interest. Adam looked at Fay with a raised eyebrow and moved to the bar to order a drink.

Susie moved to speak into Fay's ear. "Who's he?"

"Oh he's just my new boss."

Susie's eyes widened. "Is he single then?"

Fay thought for a minute. "I think so."

"What you mean you