Fun In The Sun (Edited and extra chapters), Repgreece Repgreece [classic books to read txt] 📗

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.

 

Fun In The Sun Chapter 20

 

Nick was relieved when he and Sal finally arrived at the beach. At least they could talk there and things were calmer between them now.

Kitroplatia beach was a small, sheltered cove situated around the coast from the harbour. Despite being only a few minute's walk from the centre of the town, the beach was small enough to give the impression that it was far from any commercial centre, with just a scattering of tiny tavernas lining the half moon, cobble-stoned street which followed the contour of the beach