Free After the Honeymoon by Janey Fraser

terrace and read a book, or to go for a swim before drying off on the beach, grateful that she didn’t have to make conversation with anyone, unlike some of the couples she saw struggling at the dinner table.
    Then again, she thought, glancing at Greco lying back in his chair, eyes closed in a post-lunch haze, there were times when she desperately craved some male company. There were also times when, even though it made her blush to admit it, her body needed it, as well as her mind. And there was far more to Greco than she’d realised.
    That reminded her.
    ‘Don’t you have a meeting soon?’ she asked.
    His eyes snapped open as though he hadn’t been dozing after all. ‘Right. Thanks.’ Sitting up, he heaved a large bag onto his shoulders. ‘Want to come along?’
    When Greco had first admitted at the airport that his check-in bag contained ‘stuff made from driftwood’, she hadn’t taken him very seriously. There were a lot of artisans in Greece, mainly amateurs who sold to holidaymakers keen on bringing back a souvenir.
    It wasn’t until he’d opened it up that she realised how good he was. Stunned, she’d taken in the beautifully crafted jewellery boxes and small figures. ‘Did you really make these with your own hands?’
    He had looked down at his broad brown fingers as though seeing them for the first time. ‘No one else’s.’ Then an uncertainty flitted across his face. It was a look she had never seen before on this man who generally acted as though he told the world what to do, rather than the other way round.
    ‘Thought I might see if anyone was interested in buying them,’ he’d added casually. ‘Not on the island. But in Athens.’
    Instinctively, Rosie guessed why. If these beautiful pieces didn’t sell on the mainland, then no one on Siphalonia would be any the wiser. Whereas if they flopped at home, Greco might lose face. It was a measure of trust in her that he’d confided this much.
    To her surprise, he’d already made some firm appointments with a couple of shopkeepers whom he’d found, he said with just a touch of embarrassment, on the net. She’d been impressed.
    ‘Have you worked out your profit margins?’ Rosie asked as they made their way down the street to the first meeting.
    ‘Not really.’ Greco shrugged. ‘Just wanted to see what they thought first.’
    Rosie’s own business experience set alarm bells ringing. ‘Don’t undersell yourself,’ she said quickly, moving to one side as a pair of teenagers strode towards her. ‘I don’t want to interfere, but do you actually want me to go into the meeting with you?’
    He gave her an amused smile. ‘Hold my hand, you mean? Like you do Jack’s?’
    That wasn’t fair. ‘I’ve left him in charge of the villa, haven’t I?’
    Another shrug. ‘Then let him sort out this room problem without worrying about it.’ He touched her arm briefly. ‘Meanwhile, you’re welcome to come with me, Rosie, but please don’t say anything. I know what I’m doing.’
    Did he? Unable not to fear for him, Rosie followed Greco into the shop, looking around. It was one of those upmarket gift places with security guards on the door and some rather nice ornaments with pricey tags. Her friend had set his sights high. Rejection would hit him hard and, to her surprise, Rosie found that she really didn’t want that, even though she’d often thought, back home, that he needed to be taken down a peg or two.
    ‘Mind waiting here a bit?’ whispered Greco as the manager approached.
    Apprehensively, Rosie pretended to busy herself by picking up a pair of jade earrings and then putting them down again. On the other side of the display, she could glimpse Greco laying out his wares and could hear low murmurings taking place between him and the manager. How she cringed for him! These shopkeepers were used to dealing with sharp-suited reps, not fishermen. Poor Greco had no idea what he was doing.
    ‘Utterly exquisite!’ exclaimed an American