Half of me was fantasising about the idea of Joe just throwing me, caveman style, on that pool table and having his wicked way with me, while the other half was already realising how hard it could be to get over him if that did happen.
Maybe the mom...
Sometimes I think she's rooting about inside my head because she almost voiced exactly what I was just thinking about.
Of course, my thoughts had headed off in a slightly different tangent. I too had been thinking how many people in the world I'd never meet . . . But then considering for the first time how weird it is that fate completely determines who of those strangers you do meet.
Okay, you can make the decision to walk up to someone in a bar and start talking to them. But what made you end up in that bar? In that town, in that country? What caused that other person to be there too?
And so, my mind had drifted and I thought of all the factors that could have been prevented me from sitting here, now, opposite Sienna.
If she hadn't been dumped, for example. Or if I hadn't suggested to my brother we go on holiday, in an apparently misguided attempt to bond with him.
If we hadn't chosen the same flight, resort, apartment complex.
If Jack and Kate hadn't decided to hook up and abandoned us both.
Or even if Sienna hadn't decided to approach me at the bar yesterday.
Where would I be right now? There's a chance I could have hired a car anyway and be sitting here in Fiskardo, but Sienna wouldn't be with me. Maybe she'd still be stewing alone. Maybe Kate would be with her. Or maybe she'd have found someone else to be her holiday buddy?
I mean, I know the film "Sliding Doors" isn't exactly dripping in Academy Awards but it makes a thought-provoking point, doesn't it? (And to be fair, it's actually not a bad film. There. I said it.)
When you ask most couples or even friends how they met, it's all ultimately down to chance. Timelines matching up somehow. It's scary how many strangers could have been in your life and become something more but due to a shift in fate they never will.
And sometimes, like in this case, everything is right apart from the unfortunate timing of it all.
Anyway, I was getting all profound, thinking this as we sat there, Sienna had spoken. Actually out loud, unlike me. My thoughts are far too muddled to enunciate clearly. Which is a bit ironic given that my fucking livelihood depends on me being able to do just that.
I stand and throw money down on top of the bill. "Shall we go?" I ask briskly. I could do with a proper drink, to be honest, but I really need to keep my wits about me for driving these unfamiliar roads. I'll make up for that later.
She hurries after me. "That reminds me, I owe you money," she says breathlessly. "You paid for dinner last night and for the car too."
"Don't worry about it." The one issue I definitely don't have is money.
"Okay, then I'll pay dinner tonight then," she insists. Fine. I nod, accepting her offer.
We briefly wander around Fiskardo before we head back to the car. It's definitely a beautiful little village. "I'd love to return," Sienna says dreamily. "Stay in one of those buildings overlooking the beach with the loungers next to the sea." I can almost feel her longing for it, and I'm shocked at myself that I'm wishing to return and stay there too. With her.
I suspect I'm in big trouble.
"Where now?" She asks, breaking into my thoughts again.
"You'll see."
About 40 minutes later I'm directing the car down a steep, twisting, winding road and Sienna is gasping at the beach in front of us. "Oh my god, it's amazing!" She cries. Myrtos Beach is covered in small white pebbles and the waves rolling in seem to be bright blue. As soon as I park, she grabs her beach bag and runs out of the car without a word. I think she might have forgotten I'm here.
I'm reaching for my own beach stuff when I remember Sienna's question about my birthday number one. I squint quickly at my phone and I actually seem to have a signal so I slip my glasses on and load up Wikipedia. It doesn't take me long to find the song that was number one the week I was born.
"For fucks sake," I mutter to myself. How fucking fitting. I toss my glasses on the dashboard and follow Sienna onto the beach.
She's already laid out her towel and secured the sides of it down with her bottle of suncream, her Kindle, her sunglasses and one sandal in each corner to stop it flying away. She's now in the process of removing her other sandal and wriggling out of her dress. I'm trying hard not to watch as I start spreading my own towel now but I can't help myself.
Obviously I've already witnessed her in a bikini at the pool; but it means I already know she has a banging body and it makes me want to look even more at how hot she is in that bright pink bikini. She catches me, and I'm surprised to see her lips curl into a pleased smile as she glances quickly away again. It seems she likes me looking at her.
She walks towards the water and I hastily remove my shirt so I can follow. I want to stay close to her.
The more time I spend with Sienna, the more my resolve weakens. I keep telling her it's strictly platonic but I really don't want it to be.
And I'm pretty sure she feels it too.
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There's definitely feelings on both sides now!!!
Fun fact: the beach in the pic above (which is also the cover photo) is Mythos Beach mentioned in this chapter. Isn't it lovely? 🥰
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