Chapter 18 - Fun In The Sun (Previously entitled 'Off The Cretan Track' ) Edited and extra chapters.

"Thank you for my song, and the dance, Nick," Sal said when the music faded. Nick had caught her to him for one last time, but kept his arms around her in a tight hold as they finally stopped moving and she gazed up at him.

He smiled. "Don't mention it."

"I just did," she laughed. "Besides, it was a really nice gesture and I want you to know how much I appreciated it. Thanks."

Nick never knew what to say when Sal complimented him like that and he eventually just said the first thing he could think of.

"You're a pretty good dancer, Sal."

She laughed. "You're not so bad yourself, Nick. How about we go to "Saint-Tropez" and do it some more?"

"Sure," he smiled, "Why not."

Nick and Sal paid their bar bill, or more accurately, Sal tried to pay again but Nick refused to let her, and then they said their goodbyes to Kosta, Marta and the new Kamaki, waving as they left the bar.

The town at that time was mostly quiet, and therefore it was easy to detect where the remaining nightlife hot spots were from the sounds of music emanating from them. Sal and Nick headed away from the Soho Street bars, which played mostly Greek music, and aimed for the other side of town and across the bridge to "Saint Tropez". The bar was still showing signs of revelry, with loud music and partygoers having spilled out onto the streets to perform impromptu dances.

It was then, when focusing his attention on the outside of the bar in the distance, that Nick suddenly kicked himself for not remembering something that Ruth had mentioned earlier: Boycie, who was the kamaki outside 'Saint-Tropez', and Sal had dated a couple of times that winter season. Did Nick really want to go in there tonight with Sal looking like she did? Knowing Boycie, he probably wouldn't leave her alone.

"Sal," he said suddenly, halting her with one hand on her arm.

She glanced up at him in surprise. "Yes. Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I was just thinking, do you really want to go into 'Saint Tropez' tonight?"

She frowned in confusion. Of course she did! Everyone ended up in "Saint-Tropez" at the end of the evening. It was the most entertaining bar in town.

"Yes," she replied simply.

Damn, he sounded like an idiot.

"Yeah, of course. Just checking," he said, claiming her hand and resigning himself to having to put up with Boycie. Anyway, Ruth had said that Sal decided to stop seeing him, so she couldn't have liked him that much.

As they neared the bar, Georgos, the owner who always sat outside at his own table, waved and smiled in acknowledgement of their presence.

"Hi Georgos!" Sal waved back, but was interrupted by Boycie's wolf whistle. His attention had shot in Sal's direction as soon as he had spotted her walking across the bridge and he had followed her progress towards them with interest.

"Hellooooo Sal," he said, running his eyes up and down her body as she walked closer. She was so hot tonight! He'd never seen her looking quite so hot before.

Here we go. Nick knew it! Boycie was going to be all over Sal like a rash.

"Hello Boycie," Sal said casually over her shoulder as she passed him at the doorway.

Well, at least Sal wasn't encouraging him.

Boycie's gaze dropped to watch her from behind as she entered the bar, only to meet the obvious hostility in Nick's eyes shortly afterwards when he turned back.

"A'right geezer," Boycie joked, over exaggerating his gesture for Nick to enter.

Nick failed to see the humour and just glared at Boycie when walking past him. But Boycie was far too excited about the fact that Sal was dressed to kill, and the prospect of taking advantage of that. If she had done it to attract a guy, as far as he was concerned, it had worked, and he was going to let her know he was available and ready for anything. Glancing at Georgos, who was now in conversation with his friend, Nikos, Boycie saw his opportunity to leave his post at the door and he followed Nick and Sal inside, making a swift path to the end of the bar and around to the other side to serve them.

"Sooo," he said, skidding into position in front of Sal in his rush to get there before someone else served her. "What can I do for you tonight? Is there anything I can do for you tonight, Sal?" he asked suggestively, leaning over the bar towards her.

"Hmm, let me think," she came back, making him wait. "No, I can't think of anything... apart from just a glass of rose, please," she smiled.

"Sal, you're breaking my heart," he replied, placing a hand on his chest.

"I'm sure you'll survive," she laughed.

Nick watched their interaction with annoyance.

"Can we get the drinks, if it's not too much trouble?" Nick said to Boycie, reaching into his pocket for some money. "Sal wants a glass of rose," he reminded him, "and I'll have a beer."

Boycie ignored Nick completely and continued to flirt with Sal. Leaning across the bar, he beckoned with one finger for her to move closer to him. She obliged, but eyed him with suspicion as she did so.

Something tightened in Nick's stomach.

"You look drop dead gorgeous tonight," Boycie said into Sal's ear. "Remind me why we didn't get it together?" he asked.

"Maybe because you couldn't fit me in between all those other girls you were dating," she came back.

"Touche," he said, holding his hands up in surrender. "But for you tonight, Sal, I'll clear my schedule."

"Gosh, how lucky I am," she replied sarcastically.

"Hey Nick, when did you get back?"

The voice came from behind him and he turned from the disturbing sight of Sal and Boycie to see, Neil, one of the airport reps he'd met last year. They made small talk about what they had done during the winter and while they were talking, another two reps spotted him and approached from the far end of the bar. Not wanting to appear rude to people who were pleased to see him back, he continued to talk to the reps whilst also doing his best to keep an eye on Sal and Boycie at the same time.

What the hell was he saying to her anyway? Every time Boycie spoke, he made a point of whispering into her ear, and Nick hadn't missed how he had taken every opportunity, each time Sal leaned closer to him, to touch her in one way or another: a sly hand in her hair, on her cheek, down her arm. He'd chop Boycie's slimy hands right off if he didn't quit doing that!

Right, he'd had enough. Excusing himself from the group of reps, he strode over to the bar and demanded the attention of the main barman, Dan. Dan had seen the purpose in Nick's approach and knew he meant business; he wasn't the kind of guy you made wait when he was in that kind of mood.

Slapping a twenty Euro note down on the bar, Nick growled, "I've been waiting now for twenty minutes to be served some drinks. The clown you have serving over there," he eyed Boycie at the end of the bar, "is ignoring all customers and has left the front doorway unattended while he drools all over Sal."

"I'll kill him!" Dan exclaimed, pushing past the bargirl to get to Boycie.

Actually, there was a method in Nick's madness. He could have simply dragged Boycie out into the street and beaten the living daylights out of him, or, he could point out the situation to Dan, who hated anyone, least of all Boycie, stepping a foot behind his bar. Dan would argue with Boycie, Boycie would protest, Dan would shout louder, Georgos would hear from outside and threaten Boycie with the sack. And finally, Boycie would relent as the miserable loser couldn't survive without the wages Georgos paid him. A much cleaner and effective solution. Nevertheless, a small part of Nick would have still quite enjoyed opting for plan A.

As it turned out, Nick's plan worked perfectly. He had seen the same thing happen so many times before. Georgos soon stormed into the bar and ordered Boycie outside. Like the snake he was, he slithered back outside and finally Nick could talk to Sal again.

At last, Dan served Nick the drinks he had ordered, and Nick carried them to the end of the bar where Sal was standing. However, when he joined her again, he noticed that she already had a glass of wine in her hand which Boycie must have given her. Suddenly Nick was fuming again.

"That idiot gave you that, didn't he," Nick said, glaring at the glass of wine.

She held it up and glanced at it, a little confused at Nick's obvious annoyance. "I ordered it," she replied. "I ordered you a beer too actually, but I don't think he got it. Sorry, I didn't know you'd ordered drinks too," she said, noticing the drinks he had now placed on the bar in front of her.

"That's alright," he said, contradicting his words by the anger in his voice, "I'll sort this out," he said, grabbing the glass of wine out of her hand and storming back through the bar towards the main doorway. Sal watched him go in bewilderment.

Nick rounded the doorway and found Boycie still in confrontation with Georgos outside.

"Here," he said, thrusting the glass of wine at Boycie's chest where it spilt with the sudden movement and wetted his t-shirt. "She doesn't want this from you. She doesn't want anything from you, got it?"

Boycie snatched at the glass and held it away from his body, shaking off the excess liquid from his hand. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Didn't you hear what I said? Are you deaf as well as stupid? Sal isn't interested in you, so trying to buy her with glasses of wine, isn't going to make any damn difference!"

"Really? Take a look at yourself, Nick," he came back. "You're doing the same thing, and she's not interested in you either. But maybe Jen would be interested to know you're trying to get Sal into bed!"

Georgos had been listening and preparing himself to come between these two as he'd known as soon as Nick came outside that there was the possibility of a fight erupting.

Nick moved suddenly towards Boycie, and Georgos sprung into action then, pushing Boycie backwards, away from Nick and saying over his shoulder, "Go for a walk to calm down. Be back in fifteen, twenty minutes," he ordered. Boycie failed to move however and just stood there glaring at Nick. "Go!" Georgos shouted. Finally, Boycie swore angrily and crossed the road, heading down the pavement and into the distance.

"Stay away from him," Georgos warned Nick.

"Make sure he says away from me and Sal," he came back. "Then I'll leave him alone," he said, turning to go back into the bar, but stopping in his tracks when he saw Sal standing at the doorway.

Damn. How much of that had she heard? He hoped to God she hadn't heard Boycie's stupid comment about Nick trying to get Sal into bed.

"Maybe we should go," Sal suggested to Nick.

"No, we're not going just because of him," Nick replied. But Sal looked upset and unsure. Damn, the last thing he wanted to do was upset Sal. He was being stubborn and selfish, wanting to stay to make a point to Boycie when he should be thinking about Sal.

"Hold on, wait here for a moment," he said, reentering the bar.

Sal watched him through the window talking to Dan and, after a few moments, he reappeared carrying a plastic bag containing something... what, she wasn't sure.

"I've got an idea," he said, offering her his hand with a smile, "coming?"

She placed her hand in his and followed him in his pathway back across the bridge again.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Look, I'm really sorry Sal, for making you feel uncomfortable in there," he began, stopping suddenly and turning to her. "I don't want to end this great night on a bad note. I got us a bottle of rose wine and Dan even threw in some plastic cups," he said, holding up the bag. "We can go sit on Kitroplatia beach and enjoy a drink and a nice view. How does that sound?"

Well, she also didn't want to end the night badly. They had been having such a wonderful time up until then.

She nodded. "Okay."

"Great," he smiled, taking her hand again and heading back toward the Catalonia Coast. Kitroplatia beach was just a little further down that road, at the end.

"But Nick," Sal began, trying to slow him down.

Ohhhh no, she wasn't going to leave this alone, was she? He ignored her. If he pretended not to hear, maybe she'd drop it.

"Nick," she said again, tugging on his arm.

Damn.

"What?" he asked, a little more abruptly than he'd intended.

"What is it with you and Boycie?" she asked with a frown.

That's it, get straight to the point Sal.

He sighed. "I just don't like the guy."

Would she leave it at that?

"But why?"

Would she hell!

"I just don't, Sal." She needed to shut up now.

"But why?" she pushed.

He growled with frustration and raked his hands through his hair. "Look, not everyone gets along with everyone else like you do, Sal."

She recoiled then at the harshness of his tone and the sting of his words. "What's that supposed to mean? Oh, I know what you think, 'Good old Sal, she gets on with everyone. She lets people walk all over her...'"

"No, I didn't..."

"... well, I don't. And I will tell you when you're out of order, Nick." she went on. "And you are. Right now." she pointed an angry finger at him.

"I know," he admitted, "I was..."

"...And anyway, I don't like everyone," she said defensively. "I can think of someone I don't like... I don't like Jen. There, I said it," she finished, crossing her arms defiantly.

He stopped dead still then and suddenly her heart began to beat anxiously. Maybe she shouldn't have gone that far.

"Oh God, I'm sorry, Nick," she relented. "I should never have said that. I didn't mean it..."

He started to walk again then and she followed behind, nervous to know what he was thinking.

"Yeah you did," he replied. "One thing about you Sal, you always tell the truth."

"But, it's just that... well, she's not so easy to get along with. I just don't understand her," Sal explained.

To her relief, he stopped walking again then and his expression had lost some of its tension.

He sighed. "I know, a lot of people don't. But she opened up to me. She told me something once that I've never forgotten and it made me think more, not just about her, but about other people too," he said mysteriously.

He had her attention then. "What?" she asked, feeling that he was about to reveal something important. It seemed like, for once, they were going to go beyond the superficial, the teasing and joking around, and he was going to talk to her...properly talk to her.

"Can we get to the beach first, sit down and relax a bit, instead of wandering through the streets shouting at each other?" he asked. "It's only just down there, Sal. Do you think we can make it there first without having another argument? I'd really prefer it if we could," he joked. "This wine is turning sour."

"Yes, okay," she reluctantly agreed with a small laugh. Alright, so he was joking again but she was going to get some answers when they got to the beach. She wasn't going to let it just pass, not this time. She was going to make him talk honestly to her.

Author's Note

I hope to get some feedback soon :s