Good Greek Girls Don't (8 page)

‘Look, Desi, I asked Katerina about you because after Stella's christening I couldn't get you out of my head.'

I'm looking at him. He looks sincere, and he looks honest. Why am I suddenly overcome by an uncontrollable fear? I don't even know what I am afraid of.

‘I didn't do anything spectacular at the christening.'

I was so hungover that night I could barely function. I had finally broken up with Denny the night before and consoled myself with my friends and vodka till seven in the morning. So what on earth was it that had left such a lasting impression on him?

I ask him just that. I can play with this now. I think my brain has returned to my body. I think I can be my usual smartarse self if I need to be. We're both sitting on the concrete again.

‘How miserable you looked that night.' What? What sort of an answer is that? Not my eyes, not my body, not my beauty. My misery? Hello, is this guy normal? I'm confused.

‘Huh?

‘Well, you were trying to get into the party mood but your eyes gave away the fact that you were so miserable. And the fact that you kept staring at the empty chair beside you.'

This guy's got a good memory. The chair was empty because I had RSVP'd for two people. Denny was supposed to come with me.

‘I'd had a rough time the night before.'

And that's all that Chris is going to know about that. No way am I going to explain that mess to a total stranger.

‘Well, whoever he was, he wasn't worth it.'

Oh my God. He's smooth; he knows exactly what to say. It wasn't hard to guess that a guy had been the cause of my misery that night.

‘Believe me, I got over my misery very quickly.' I'm chuckling with him. I'm laughing. I'm enjoying talking to Chris. I don't understand this. Katerina is sure to come looking for me soon and how pleased would she be to find us like this.

‘Good to hear.'

Silence has now descended upon us. I have no idea what to say, and by the looks of things, he doesn't either.

This is so weird. I hardly know this guy, yet here I am sitting alone with him, in a darkened backyard, and I don't want to go inside. What is happening to me?

‘Hey Chris?'

‘Yeah?'

‘Sorry if I've been a rude bitch tonight.' Here I go apologising again. I must be losing my edge. I'll have to sharpen my claws on Effie at lunch tomorrow. Can't let myself go soft.

‘I just thought it was all part of your charm.'

So the guy can be sarcastic, too.

‘Although I was wondering what I'd done to piss you off.'

Now how can I explain this without putting my foot in it?

‘Look, this was just the last place I wanted to be tonight. Like you said, everyone's either married, getting married or under the age of ten. I've just been feeling out of place.'

Good save, plausible, believable, and he'd felt exactly the same way. No way he could doubt that explanation. God he looks so cute. He's good looking, intelligent, appears to have a sense of humour and, well, he just seems like a nice guy. ‘I better get back inside before Katerina starts wondering where I am.'

But I don't want to go. I want to stay right here, with my butt freezing on the cement. Somehow I manage to get to my feet. ‘I think it's time for coffee and cakes and stuff. She'll um, she'll … ' Why am I stuttering and stammering and can't put a sentence together? ‘Kati will need a hand.'

‘Desi?' I turn back and face him, and nod at him. I don't know what to say so a nod just gives him the okay to go ahead and ask whatever it is he wants to ask.

‘Can I call you? You know, maybe we could get together for a coffee or drink one night this week?' He wants to take me out? Oh, God. I hope Katerina hasn't put him up to this and he's only doing this to keep her happy and off his case.

‘That would be nice.' I can hear myself yet I have no control over the pathetic answers that I'm giving. Thank you very much brain. The one time that I actually need you, you decide to abandon me. Thanks a bloody lot.

He pulls his mobile out of his pocket. What on earth is he doing that for? What's he going to do, call inside and announce he picked me up and got my number? The nerve of him.

‘Your number? Haven't got pen and paper.'

Okay, I admit it, I'm paranoid. I give him my number and, would you believe it, he gives me his card. No way am I calling first.

‘I better get inside.' I walk towards the house. I can't look back at him, because if I do, I will have absolutely no control over what I would do. And believe me it would be very unlady like.

‘So why did Chris wink at you?' Sneaky bitch, she saw it all and waited till everyone was gone to corner me.

‘Mind your own business.' As if that will ever happen.

‘You
are
my business. Was he outside with you when you both disappeared for ages?' I knew that wouldn't have escaped her attention.

‘Maybe.'

‘Oh my God, you two hit it off, didn't you? I knew you would! Even with you dressed like a slob!'

If she doesn't stop jumping around like that she is going to bring on premature labour and I do not have the energy right now to help her through childbirth.

‘Kati, calm down before you start having contractions. Look, Chris and I talked. That's it.'

But my curiosity is killing me. I have to ask. I have to. ‘Has he really been hassling you about me since the christening?'

‘Hassling me? If you want to call it that. The guy hasn't shut up about you. He cracked the shits because I wouldn't give him your number.'

I stare blankly at her.

‘I know what you're like about your number. If someone's meant to have it, you'll give it to them. Or give me permission to give it out. Right?'

She knows me so well. She knows I would have killed her if she gave out my number without my permission.

‘So did you give him your number?'

I can only nod. I can't believe Chris has been asking about me for so long. I don't want to look too excited and give Katerina any false hope.

‘Kati, I'm going to get going. I'm stuffed.'

I gather my container from the rice, tray from the cake (of which Chris had three pieces), my handbag, and jacket.

‘So when are you two going out?'

‘Shut up, Kati. He probably won't even call.'

She walks me out to my car, both of us tiptoeing so that we won't wake up the kids.

‘He will call you, Des. I'm certain of it. You never know, we might end up being double
koumbares
!'

I slam the car door shut after that comment, start the car up and speed off. God I hope he calls.

I don't recognise the number on my calling display. Who the hell is calling me at this ridiculous hour?

‘Hello?'

‘Desi? It's Chris.'

Well, he's eager. This should scare me. I mean he could have waited till tomorrow, couldn't he? Aren't there rules about how soon to call a girl?

‘Hi.' What else am I supposed to say?

‘Just wanted to make sure the number you gave me wasn't the advice line for sexually transmitted diseases.'

Is nothing sacred? I can't believe Katerina told him about that. Oh my God. I really shouldn't be laughing so hard when I'm driving and talking on a mobile.

‘No, you got the real thing. I can't believe Katerina told you about that.' What else has she told him about me? I shudder to think.

‘I think it's hysterical. I can just imagine the poor suckers' faces when they realise they've been had.'

Hang on, he's making me feel guilty. ‘I only use it as a last resort in extreme circumstances.'

‘Glad you didn't think I was an extreme circumstance then.'

‘That's yet to be determined.' Am I phone flirting?

‘I better let you go, Desi. You're on the road.'

‘Okay.' I can talk and drive at the same time. I've done it heaps of times. Why don't I want him to hang up?

‘Talk to you soon, Desi.' I know he means it. I just know it. I can feel it.

‘Night, Chris.' We both hang up. Hey, he called me from home, so now not only do I have his mobile and office numbers but I have his home number, too. I better make sure he doesn't have a phone sex fetish as well. Actually I better not. I don't want to know. I don't need to check. I know all I need to know at the moment and I think I will find out everything else in due time. I just can't believe he called me so soon.

I can deal with this – after all, this guy is nothing special. It's not like my life would be over if he didn't call. But I figure he would have called by now. He was the one that was so eager to call after Katerina's barbecue, so why is he procrastinating now? Oh, God, why do I even care whether he calls or not?

It was lunch with the whole clan as usual today. Another riveting Sunday, made even more painful by the fact that with every bite I took at lunch I kept replaying last night's events over and over again in my mind. His smile, that delicious aftershave, his really cute butt. Why hasn't he called yet? It's past seven in the evening already. I've got to get out of the house before I go stark raving mad. I cannot be sitting at home if he calls. My God, then he would think that I've been sitting around all day just waiting for his call. I can't do that. I never sit around and wait for a guy to call. God created mobile phones for moments just like these.