Page 46 of Suzie's Santorini Summer

‘Tall, dark, super-handsome.’

‘Smooth shaven?’

‘Yes.’

‘And a chunky silver diver’s watch?’

‘Yes! Do you know him?’

‘Oh God.’

Katerina dropped down onto the desk chair and started to swivel from left to right.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘It was Leo.’

‘Your ex?’

‘He’s not my ex. We were only ever friends.’ Katerina laughed when she saw Suzie raise her eyebrows. ‘Okay, touché! I can’t believe he’s here in Santorini. I didn’t think he knew where I was, or that I rent this place.’

‘Why don’t you talk to him?’

‘I’ve tried that. I just seemed to hurt him even more and that’s the last thing I want to do.’

‘But he clearly wants to talk to you, or he wouldn’t have come to the gallery this morning.’ Suzie paused. ‘He seemed nervous, a little on edge, when he was here.’

‘Really? That doesn’t sound like him.’ Katerina took her phone from her over-sized shoulder bag and scrolled through a few images before turning the screen round to show Suzie the one she’d selected. ‘Is this who you saw?’

‘Yes, that’s him. He’s very attractive, isn’t he?’

‘Everyone says that,’ Katerina murmured, peering at the photograph as she tried to work out what her friends saw that she didn’t. ‘He’s always just been Leo to me.’

‘Why don’t you meet him, listen to what he’s come to say? It might give him the closure he needs so he can move on, just like you have.’

‘Did you meet up with Adam before you left London?’

A crash of surprise exploded in her chest at the unexpected mention of his name.

‘That’s different.’

‘Really? Why?’

‘Because Adam ditched me, not the other way round, and then herefusedto meet me, or speak to me, or have anything to do with me, no matter how much I pleaded. I’d just been through a hugely traumatic experience, and the person I thought loved me the most in the world – apart from Mum and Amber, of course – justdeletedme from his life. I was completely devastated. It was yet another kick in the gut when I was already at my lowest. One of the things that’s stopping me from moving on is that I’ve never been able to get closure as far as our relationship was concerned.’

‘When was the last time you spoke to him?’

‘When he told me that if I called him again, he’d consult a lawyer.’

‘Oh, Suzie, I’m so sorry you had to go through that.’

Suzie inhaled a deep breath. Out of everything that had happened, Adam’s dismissive treatment of her had hurt the most. Maybe if he had stood by her, been there with her when she’d had to deal with the aftermath, she could have got through it with her emotional wellbeing intact. As it was, that responsibility had fallen to Amber – who had certainly stepped up to the big sister podium – but having Adam, a qualified accountant with extensive professional contacts who could have helped her, by her side, would have made all the difference.

‘Thanks, Kat.’

After a few beats of silence, Katerina jumped up and hooked her arm through Suzie’s.

‘Come on, I think we both deserve a coffee at the taverna, don’t you?’

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