Page 54 of Electric Touch

It’s a nice place, simple and not too fancy, with chequered tablecloths. The lighting is ambient, with small candles on the tables. It’s busy considering it’s on the late side for dinner. I follow the guy to a table near the back where Adrestia sits, perusing the menu.

It becomes obvious she is a regular when the guy talks as if he’s known her for years. I lean over and kiss her cheek, making the guy’s smile falter.

“Shoo, Yiannis,” she gives him a smile despite her words. He heads off. “Ignore him. He used to date my mama. Like I said the other day, she has a string of smitten men behind her. Any excuse to get back in her good graces. He forgets she’s re-married.”

“Okay,” I laugh as I sit down. Her mom, that’s good. He is a little old for Adrestia, anyway.

“I’ve ordered wine. Hope that is okay? Feel free to get something else.”

“Wine is good.” I shrug off my jacket and hang it over the back of my chair. The smell is making my mouth water. I hadn’t realised how hungry I was until I sat down. Adrestia passes me a menu. “What is good? Educate me on Greek food.”

She grins happily and goes through the menu, telling me her favourites and what she thinks I might enjoy. She is getting kleftiko, a slow baked lamb dish and says it’s the restaurants speciality. I tell her I’ll go with that too. I’ve only ever tried the Moussaka at Apollo’s office, so I’ll take her expertise in Greek cuisine. A man appears with olives and bread for the table and pours our wine.

We put in the order for our food and I raise my glass. She clinks hers, then takes a long drink. I raise my brows at her.

“Long day,” she reminds me. “Boring too, before you ask. At least, it would be to you. I love it, but I’ve been there since seven this morning and want to get out of work mode. Tell me about your day.”

We talk about the photo shoot and interviews. I don’t mention the weird interaction with Alessa. Or that I know she is in a group chat with the other women. I ask about her weekend plans, wondering if she will mention the zip wire thing. She doesn’t. Which is disappointing.

The food arrives while she talks about our next lesson. I’ve not been able to get a studio this weekend, but say she can come to my apartment. She seems fine with it and I try not to look smug at the thought.

I almost die and go to heaven when I take the first bite of the lamb on my plate. The garlic and lemon flavours are really coming through. The meat melts in my mouth. I think I love Greek food. Adrestia is watching me, a question on her face.

“Wow.”

She smiles and starts eating, satisfied I like it.

I relax as we chat, completely at ease here. My mind goes to the other night, especially when she is moaning over her food and licking her fork. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. Nor is she aware of the way men look at her.

And there is a lot of that going on. I got the slightest tingle of jealousy when Ciro made comments about Adrestia. Seeing every man here looking at her is driving me insane. She finishes every bite on her plate and looks genuinely happy to see I have too. We order strawberry sorbet for dessert and she tells me more about her mom. I hesitantly ask about her dad, remembering her story about not knowing him.

“You’ve never wanted to look him up? With a name like that, and the band name, it should be fairly easy to track him down.”

“People keep bringing it up a lot lately.” She puts one elbow on the table and rests her chin on her palm. “But I always wonder what would be the point.”

“You don’t want to know your father?”

“He isn’t really my father,” she smiles sadly.

“But maybe he would want to know he has a child. He was never given the chance.”

“It is something I think about periodically, but…”

“Are you scared?”

“A little. No one wants to be rejected.”

I reach over and take her hand from beneath her chin. “That might not happen.”

“Yes, but it is also a very distinct possibility. If what she says is true, he was a lot older than her. He would be well into his seventies by now, may even be dead.”

She says it so matter-of-factly, it almost breaks my heart. My parents aren’t together but I couldn’t imagine dad not being a part of our lives. Adrestia’s grown up without knowing him, though. She has her stepfather, and she seems happy with that. I guess it is a huge unknown.

“Well, I’ll help if you want to.”

“Really?” She looks up, her green eyes even more like emeralds in the candlelight. “You’d do that?”

“Yes, if you wanted to find him, of course,” I stare at her, mesmerised.

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