Welcome To Crete Chapter 71

Fay goes to Adam's house for the evening

They both climbed back up the rocks together but Fay led Adam further across the top to a break in the barrier which made their climb easier.

"Trust you to find a beach all to yourself Fay, why do you hide yourself away from people like that?" Adam asked, throwing an arm over her shoulder as they strolled back down the path towards Alymiros beach, and the car park where Fay had left her car.

"I don't hide myself away!" she replied, moving from him so that he had to drop his arm. "I just wanted a bit of peace and quiet."

He kept pace with her and ignored her withdrawal.

"Well it's a lovely place. Now that I've found it can I share it with you?" he asked, waiting for her reaction.

She laughed bitterly. "Not much bloody point is there considering that you'll be leaving soon."

He put a hand on her arm then to halt her and looked her straight in the face.

"Why don't you give me a reason to stay?" he hinted.

She couldn't make him stay. She couldn't believe that he would even think about leaving and splitting them up. He couldn't love her if that was what he wanted to do. She was not bloody well going to beg him to stay!

He needed something back from her. She didn't even give him a chance to ask her to go with him, she just immediately assumed that he wanted to go back without her. How could she think that? And after he told her that he loved her and he'd never let her down before or wanted to leave her for a second!

"If you want to stay then stay, if not then go," she finally answered, walking off.

Stubborn, stubborn woman!

When they reached the car park, Fay gave Adam a lift back to his car which he had parked in the town. He left her with a reminder to be at his house that evening for work and she headed home depressed and downhearted.

Once home she had a cool shower and changed into some jeans and a black halter neck top. She thought about cooking something to eat but she didn't feel hungry, she only had an empty, aching feeling inside which took away her appetite. Turning on the television she stared at the screen blindly, oblivious to the programme as her mind kept returning to Adam. She replayed the conversations they had had that day again and again in her head and when she had to finally leave for his house she felt more confused and depressed than ever.

Adam opened the door for her and immediately disappeared into the kitchen, shouting out, "I've got a lasagne here cooking, would you like a glass of wine before we eat?"

She frowned and sat on the sofa arm. "I thought we were working?"

"We are. We have to be here in case there is a problem but I haven't eaten and I wasn't going to sit here eating without offering you anything," he laughed.

Rubbish! That was an excuse. It felt like a date...or a seduction. Well it wasn't going to work, she was not sleeping with him before he left!

"Fine but I don't want wine, a coffee will do," she said as he reappeared holding two glasses of wine and handing her one. "I said I didn't want one Adam."

"Well I've poured them now so just drink it and stop being so standoffish," he replied, watching her place it straight down on the coffee table. He rolled his eyes and took a seat on the sofa. "Look, we have to be here together tonight so there's no point in being like that."

"I don't even see why I have to be here. You could do this on your own," she came back.

"I need you here if there's a problem and since you work for me I don't think that's too much to ask," he said firmly. "Now sit down properly and relax or it's going to be a very long, awkward evening!"

She sighed and slipped off the arm onto the sofa cushion. His eyes assessed her face and he smiled.

"You caught the sun on your nose today, you really should wear sun cream you know," he reprimanded her with a grin.

"Thank you so much for your concern but my nose is just fine," she replied snootily.

"Yes it is isn't it? It's really a very nice nose on the whole," he laughed, studying it.

"For god sake Adam, if you think that you are going to compliment my nose and I'll end up in bed with you you're even crazier than I thought!" she snapped.

He laughed loudly then. "Oh believe me I'm not even trying but if I wanted you in bed I'd get you there."

Arrogant b*****d!

"Don't be so bloody sure of yourself! And if this is what the rest of the evening is going to be like I'm going now!" she said angrily.

"Alright, alright, calm down. I'm going to get the lasagne out of the oven. Will you put some place mats down on that table for me? They are in the drawer there," he said, pointing to the lounge unit and heading for the kitchen again.

One more comment like that and she was leaving!

Fay put the place mats down and Adam brought out two plates of lasagne and warm, fresh bread, which filled the room with a lovely aroma and made Fay realise that she was hungry after all. He placed the food on the table and then went to retrieve his half empty glass of wine and her full one. She looked at him suspiciously when he put the glass down in front of her but she said nothing and began to eat instead. She had to admit that the lasagne was about the best she had ever tasted and she ate with enthusiasm. He watched her eating, pleased to see her enjoying his food.

"Lasagne okay?" he asked casually.

"Yes it is," she said reluctantly, "but then you know that anyway don't you Mr bloody Gordon Ramsey!"

Despite herself she began to laugh and he laughed with her, easing the tension a little.

He loved it when she laughed.

They were silent then for a while as they ate until Adam surprised her with a question she wasn't expecting.

"Fay... have you progressed any more with your divorce?"

She looked up suddenly and hesitated before answering. "Not much, I should be more on top of things really but what with everything that has happened over the last few days it's kind of taken a back seat."

He nodded. "Sweetheart, I spoke to Tom today about it and he made a few phone calls. He has contacted a very good divorce lawyer he knows and apparently he thinks that you have a good case. He'll fight your side. He's really the best and he owes Tom a favour so he'll only charge you what you are paying your present lawyer."

She put her knife and fork down and stared at him speechlessly. "Why would you do that for me?"

"Why do you think? I don't want that husband of yours to get away with anything after the way he treated you," he said, taking a sip of his wine and holding eye contact with her. "You should take advantage of this, if Tom recommends him he will be the best."

She watched him thoughtfully for a while before she spoke again. "Adam, will we keep in touch when you go back?"

"Do you want to?" he said, deflecting the question.

She sighed and put her hands up to her face. "I don't know Adam."

"Well anyway, I'll give you his telephone number. Phone him."

She shook her head and picked up her knife and fork again. "Okay."

"Did you love him very much?" he asked, surprising her again.

I love you more, she thought to herself instinctively.

She shrugged. "I suppose I thought I did at the time."

"You don't sound sure," he pushed.

She thought for a moment. "To be honest we were pushed together by my mother. I don't think we would ever have married if we weren't."

"Why was she so keen to get you two together if you weren't right for each other?"

"She thought he was good marriage material for me and she somehow convinced me of that too." She put down her cutlery again as she began to lose her appetite and she finally picked up her wine glass to take a sip.

"I doubt if you'd have been happy together anyway then, he probably did you a favour by leaving," he concluded.

"Well thanks very much but I married him!" she stressed. "Can you even imagine what it's like to put all your hopes and dreams into something, to give someone your all only to have it all thrown back in your face?" she said bitterly.

"But you didn't really love him, did you?" he asked.

"I'm not sure but I would have stayed with him, I would have been faithful. Not left him after a few months to run off with someone else with no explanation or anything!" She could feel herself becoming upset and she took another sip of wine with a trembling hand.

He watched her intently. "I want to stay in touch with you," he said as he realised that by making her think he was leaving she might think that he was like her husband.

She nodded her head and took yet another sip of wine, not trusting herself to speak. After a while she got up and walked towards the window to peer outside at the orange trees.

"Why are you going back?" she asked in a quiet voice with her back to him.

It took all his willpower then not to run over to her and tell her that he wasn't, but he stayed seated and tested the water instead.

"I was going back to keep us both safe, but now... is there anything for me to stay for?"

Come on Fay! If she wanted him to be with her she should just say so!

She shrugged, went back to the table for her wine and moved to the sofa.

"How long is this transfer going to take? I'm quite tired now," she said sitting down.

He groaned, exasperated with her. "The taxi drivers said they would phone me when the people have been dropped off but it will be a few hours yet."

She sighed and picked up the TV remote control, turning the television on in an attempt to avoid further conversation. Adam cleared the table and took the plates back into the kitchen before joining her on the sofa. She turned to him then, feeling a little ungrateful.

"Thank you for the meal Adam, it really was lovely."

"No problem," he smiled, leaning back in his seat and watching the film she had found.

The last thing Fay remembered before she fell asleep was that the FBI were trying to track down a stolen nuclear weapon and then her eyes closed and she slept peacefully as Adam moved closer on the sofa and put his arm around her.