My Big Fat Christmas Wedding by Samantha Tonge Read Free Book Online Page B

it.’
    ‘Your life might depend on it sooner than you thought, if there was a sudden storm or higher winds blew in.’
    He raised one eyebrow at me.
    ‘Fine,’ I muttered.
    Niko turned to go.
    ‘Leaving without a kiss? Don’t say we’ve already come to that.’
    He spun around and took my hands.
    ‘Sorry, Pippa. I appreciate your generosity but…I respect you so much. How industrious you must have worked to build those savings back in England. Now let me put all my energies into saving money – we are equals, no?’
    ‘Yes. And talking about England, there’s something I wanted to say, before you go. Last night…seeing Henrik…’ Here goes. No time like the present for mentioning the engagement party trip. But Niko held up his hand. An indescribable emotion swept over his face.
    ‘I know times are difficult here, compared to in flash London.’ He stood a little straighter. ‘Seeing Henrik made our situation seem even more wearing, no? Taxos isn’t like that sparkly city, but we…we make our own sparkles.’ Niko gave one of his lopsided smiles. ‘Things always come good with dedicated work and honest intentions. Things will get better, but don’t feel guilty about missing London. It is only natural. I understand.’
    Heat flooded my cheeks. I loved Niko not only for his exotic yumminess but his super-sensitive instincts. Oh, he didn’t know the value of pi, like geeky me, but he was so perceptive; considerate of people’s feelings; sharp as that winter island breeze when it came to reading people – a bit like Grandma but without the coffee sediment.
    So, I didn’t need to go to this party I decided, as I headed off to the butcher’s. Niko was right. I could make sparkles enough in Taxos. I mean, us going to London a couple of days before Christmas and the fair and a week before the wedding? What had I been thinking?
    Swinging my basket, I waved to Pandora as I passed the bakery and headed on to the butcher’s. One thing about the winter – I missed the tropical chirp of cicadas. Instead the shrieks of gulls accompanied my footsteps. Mmm. As I passed by, my eyes lingered on Pandora’s pastries. On the way back, a couple of those custard and syrup beauties might just find their way into my basket. Sophia was keeping an eye on the teashop whilst I popped out. It could be quiet on a Monday morning, but picked up as the afternoon progressed, especially when parents collected their children from school and gave in to requests for one of my latest dark chocolate and thick yogurt sandwich scones – think five centimetre high Oreo biscuits.
    I veered left at the top of the main street, and turned down a fork in the road, past the Vesteros’ hotel. Demetrios’ pottery was easy to spot in the distance as, painted aubergine, it was one of the few buildings in Taxos not coloured blue and white. The distinctive smell of raw meat reached my nostrils and I entered the butcher’s shop. The local school’s retired head teacher, Miss Valli, dressed in smart pink beret and anorak, bought lamb. She chatted briefly to Mrs Manos in Greek and then came towards me.
    ‘Hello, Pippa. Sorry if I kept you waiting. I’ve just been boring Mrs Manos with talk of my new little dog.’ Long silver earrings dangled either side of her cheeks.
    ‘I saw him the other day!’ I said. ‘What gorgeous coffee coloured fur.’
    ‘He is a handful!’ she said. ‘But has already stolen a piece of my heart – and I must have lost a couple of kilograms in weight with all the walking. My niece owned him but sadly she has developed an allergy to the fur.’
    Mrs Manos waved goodbye to Miss Valli, looked at me and her cheeks flushed as I entered the shop. She avoided my eye.
    ‘
Ya sou
, Pippa.’ she said, from behind the counter. ‘We have nice lean beef today.’
    I gazed around the clinical shop, with its whitewashed walls and silver units. Sophia said there always used to be a bowl of free boiled sweets for children – since