“Okay, it’s going to be fine. We just need to get a taxi.” Craig, the eighteen-year-old voice of reason, stepping up again. The nine of us looked around at the completely deserted streets. There wasn’t a car, a scooter, or even a bicycle in sight.
“There.” Paul took off at a sprint before the rest of us could react. He’d spotted a taxi turning onto our road, but it was going in the wrong direction. He was a fast runner, I had to give him that. The taxi slowed—Hallelujah!—and Paul caught up and leant down to talk to the driver through the window. Then he got in.
“Is he ditching us?” Jae asked. She always seemed to see the worst in people. I knew this about her because I tended to do the same thing and recognised the signs.
“Naaah,” said Rob. “He wouldn’t do that.” The taxi made a U-turn and pulled up next to us. Paul got out. “See?” Rob said to no one in particular.
“He’s calling his friend to come get the rest of us. It’ll be squishy in one of the cars, but better than nothing, right?” said Paul.
We all wholeheartedly agreed.
“Well, why don’t you girls take this one. Maybe Craig, you go with ’em—you sit up front.”
It sounded like a plan to me. I didn’t care if I had to sit on someone’s lap. I’m small; it wouldn’t be the first time. Dani seemed unsure, but Jason reassured her, and Craig got in the front seat while the four of us figured out how to share three seatbelts in the back. I hoped we wouldn’t get pulled over—although if we did and I recognised any of the coppers from the raid, I’d give them a piece of my mind.
Twenty-five minutes and eighty euros later, two taxis pulled up at the gate of the campsite. It was nearly one, but we didn’t leave the next morning—sorry, that morning—until nine.
We walked up the hill and bid each other whispered “goodnight”s before the girls and I disappeared into our cabin.
As I lay in my bed, the adrenalin still coursing through my veins, I couldn’t shake the thought of that stupid ugly warthog.
***
“Hey.” Jaelee popped her head into our room as I was zipping up my case. We still had half-an-hour before we were due to leave, but I wanted to find Georgina and ask her why the bloody hell she’d left us behind in the middle of the night. I was almost looking forward to the conversation.
“Hey,” I called back over my shoulder. “What’s up?”
“I was just wondering what you’re planning on wearing for your date with Jean-Luc tonight.”
“Actually, it’s this afternoon. I’m meeting him at five, right after the walking tour.”
“Oh, so, something day-to-night then?”
“I guess. I mean, I was going to wear this.” I looked down at my jersey wrap-around dress in a black-and-pink floral pattern, which I was wearing with a pair of black flats.
“Oh.”
Uh oh. “But this is all right, isn’t it?” It was last season, but it was pretty and I thought I looked good in it. And really, there was no better option in my luggage. I mentally scanned my wardrobe at home where several day-to-night date dresses were hanging. Bollocks.
“It’s nice.” Nice? “But wait here.”
She disappeared, and a knot of nerves started twisting in my stomach. How was I supposed to know when I packed that I’d run into my one-time best friend who had grown into a super-hot guy who set my loins on fire? I’d packed for warmish weather and walking around a lot. Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks.
“Here.” Jae came back into the room holding one of her paper shopping bags from the day before. “We’re about the same size and I think this would look gorgeous on you.” She put the bag on my bed and pulled out a silk shift dress in that brilliant blue you see in photos of Santorini.
“Oh, Jae. It’s beautiful, but I can’t borrow it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course you can. Put it on.” I’d been topless on a beach with Jae two days before, so there was no need to be modest. I unwrapped my dress, then slid hers on over my head. It settled onto my body and she reached around me to grab the ends of the waist tie, then tied a bow in the front. She smoothed the dress over my hips. “You look amazing. That’s a great colour for you.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. And it’ll look awesome with your motorcycle jacket.”
Lou walked into the room wrapped in a towel. “Oh, wow. Nice dress.”
“You think? I wish there was a full-length mirror in here.”
“You’re going to have to take our word for it,” said Jae, “because you’re wearing it. Oh, hang on.”
She disappeared again. I shrugged at Lou.
“You really do look good. Jaelee’s?” she asked.
“Yep. She bought it yesterday.”
Jae came back into the room with a silver leather handbag. “Here. Better than your messenger bag.” She was right, but it was tiny compared to the bag I’d been carrying every day. “And you should wear your silver ballerina flats.” Jae seemed to have an excellent working knowledge of the contents of my case—thank goodness.
“Oh, yes, excellent,” I said, unzipping my case. I pulled out the silver flats, then slipped off my black ones and packed them. “Oh!” I remembered I’d packed a silver cuff bracelet and I produced it from my case with a flourish.
“Yep. Great.” Jaelee nodded approvingly.
“You look beautiful, Cat,” said Mama Lou. Both women seemed to understand what this date meant to me—perhaps even more than I did—and I was overcome with a surge of affection for my new friends.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Dani poked her head in. “Oh, you look nice,” she said.
I grinned. “Thanks, girls.” I blew out a long breath. “Now I just have to get through the next eight and a half hours without freaking out!”
“And without spilling anything on my dress.”
My mouth formed an O and Dani and Lou produced synchronised cries of “Jaelee!” She backpedalled immediately with, “Kidding. Kidding! Sorry!” Even so, I would try very hard not to spill anything on the dress. I’m not usually a klutz—that’s more my sister’s department—but I’d be extra careful.
For the drive to Rome, I’d asked Jaelee to sit with me under the guise of getting her advice about Jean-Luc, but it was really to see what was up with her and Dani. She’d unwittingly agreed, and Lou said she was happy to share the ride with Dani, because she was Lou and possibly the nicest person I’d ever met.
“So,” I said as we got on the road, “are things all right between you and Dani?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Well, yesterday you both seemed a bit snippy.”
“Oh, that. Yeah, I’m not used to such close quarters. I live alone and I guess the whole ‘summer camp, twenty-four-seven’ thing is getting to me. That’s why I went off by myself yesterday. I needed a breather.”
“And you booked a group tour because …?”
“Same as you. Running away.” I laughed at us both. “Seriously, though, it was last minute and easier than planning the whole thing by myself. Oh, was I ever kicking myself that first day when I thought I’d booked a camping trip. Thank you for setting me straight, by the way. I nearly asked to get off the bus. But it’s been good. Mostly. Yesterday was just, you know …” I did, yes.