Excess All Areas (16 page)

‘
God that sounds really romantic, in a restrained kind of way,’ Emma said.

‘
It feels strange though. I mean yesterday I hated him and today…’ Freya began.

‘
Go on,’ Emma urged.

‘
Today I just can’t wait to hear his voice again,’ Freya admitted with a swallow.

Emma looked at her and Freya returned her gaze. Then, as if reading each other’s minds they screamed at the top of their voices and Freya jumped up from her chair and grabbed hold of her friend. They jumped up and down madly until Freya suddenly stopped and looked at Emma.

‘
Oh bugger!’ she announced.

‘
What?’ Emma asked.

‘
I’ve got no story to sell
Shooting Stars
magazine for your wedding fund. I mean I could tell them about Bob and Gene, but they aren’t high profile enough for anyone to be really interested,’ Freya stated.

‘
It doesn’t matter. It would never have worked out. Yiannis and I can get married after the baby is born. I just have to come to the terms with the fact that some things just don’t happen the way you want them to,’ Emma told her.

‘
No, maybe not, but you deserve your plans to work out. I’m going to think of something, leave it to me,’ Freya said with a nod.

‘
So what do you have planned for the rest of the day?’ Emma enquired.

‘
I’m going to stare at my mobile and hold myself back from calling him,’ Freya spoke.

‘
Good plan. You don’t want to appear too keen,’ Emma agreed.

‘
No, so I thought I would give it ten minutes or so and then I’ll call him,’ Freya announced with a grin.

Emma laughed and then, just as quickly, her expression changed as she caught sight of something outside the office.

‘
Freya, there are people with cameras, large cameras with zoom lenses and everything, outside the office,’ Emma stated.

‘
Yeah I know. They followed me here from the Calypso. See the short guy with the beard and the blue t-shirt? He’s from Channel Nine in America,’ Freya told her.

‘
Oh my God, you’re kidding me,’ Emma exclaimed, peeking outside.

‘
Can I go out the back way?’ Freya asked her.

Seventeen

Freya left by the back entrance that led up an alleyway and ended up coming out near Banas Restaurant. She went in, ordered a coffee and sat at her favourite table.

It was now nearly 11.30am and she wondered if it was too early to call Nicholas. They had nearly been apart for twelve hours. Perhaps she should wait and see if he called her. She took a sip of coffee and it nearly burnt her mouth. She picked up her phone, found Nicholas’ entry in the contacts book and taking a deep breath she pressed ‘call’.

It rang several times and then someone picked up.

‘
Hello.’

Freya was momentarily taken aback at the sound of a woman’s voice on the end of the phone.

‘
Oh hello, is Nick there please?’ Freya asked.

‘
Who’s calling?’

Freya then recognised the voice as that of Martha Wilson aka Roll Lady.

‘
This is Freya Johnson. Perhaps you could help me. I’m thinking of selling my breakfast tomorrow and I thought I would give Nick first refusal. Do you think that would be something he’d be interested in?’ Freya began sarcastically.

There was no reply from Martha but Freya could hear rustling and hushed voices.

‘
Hello.’

At the sound of his voice Freya’s stomach contracted. That served to remind her that a) she really did feel an attraction towards him and b) she hadn’t actually had any breakfast yet.

‘
Hi Nick, it’s Freya,’ she managed to say.

‘
I was hoping it would be you. Guess where I am,’ Nicholas asked her.

‘
Um, let me think. You’re on top of a tall building dressed in nothing but dark trousers and a dirty white vest, covered in sweat, a machine gun around your neck - oh and you’ve got bare feet,’ Freya spoke.

‘
Jeez, I'm starting to get concerned about this Bruce Willis obsession. Have you actually seen any of
my
movies?’ Nicholas asked her.

‘
I’ve seen a couple but I might have to revisit them to refresh myself. I am definitely thinking of renting
Katie does Kansas
,’ Freya replied.

‘
Perhaps we could watch that one together,’ Nicholas suggested.

‘
Kinky.’

‘
Stop that Miss Johnson, I’m in a wet suit - a very tight wet suit,’ Nicholas told her.

‘
I am envisaging it. Tell me you have flippers on,’ Freya said.

‘
I do - OK I admit, I don’t - but I wasn’t lying about the wet suit. I’m over in Kouloura,’ Nicholas told her, speaking of the small bay near Kassiopi.

‘
It’s lovely there, really tranquil,’ Freya responded.

‘
It was, until we arrived. So where are you?’ Nicholas enquired.

‘
I’m at Banas, just having a coffee. There’s a couple of guys from Channel Nine tailing me around. I’m having to hide behind the menu every time they walk past,’ Freya told him.

‘
You’re kidding me? Do you want me to organise someone to be with you?’ Nicholas asked her.

‘
God no! I mean that would be three people following me about then,’ Freya said.

‘
I’m so sorry. Just try and pretend they aren’t there,’ Nicholas spoke.

‘
There were more photographers outside Emma’s office earlier. One of them had a camera I would kill for, top of the range, only just come on to the market. It seemed a total waste to be using it to try and photograph me,’ Freya told him.

‘
How many were there?’

‘
Um, seven? Eight? Plus me, makes nine. Did you see a British paper today? We made page seven,’ Freya announced.

‘
Did they get my good side?’ Nicholas asked.

‘
No, you had your trousers on remember?’ Freya joked.

‘
I’m sorry about the photographers. Once they latch onto something there’s no stopping them,’ Nicholas told her.

‘
It’s OK, I am a master of disguise,’ Freya replied.

‘
So are you busy tonight? Do you want to do something?’ Nicholas asked her.

‘
Tonight? I thought we were going out tomorrow. I’ve got a notepad here organising everything,’ Freya fibbed.

‘
Oh tomorrow’s still on. I just thought, if you hadn’t got plans, we could meet up tonight,’ Nicholas told her.

‘
Well I didn’t have plans up until about an hour ago, but now I’m working,’ Freya said.

‘
Working? Taking photos?’ he queried.

‘
No, waitressing. Emma’s a bit off colour at the moment so I said I would do tonight for her,’ Freya informed him.

‘
Waitressing where?’ Nicholas asked.

‘
At Petroholis Restaurant at the harbour. Emma’s boyfriend owns it with his parents. They do fantastic meatballs,’ Freya told him.

‘
Sounds good. Hey Martha, could you make a dinner reservation for us tonight? About 8.00pm at Petroholis Restaurant,’ Nicholas called to his assistant.

‘
Oh my God no! Don’t do that, it isn’t fair,’ Freya exclaimed.

‘
Is it the only way I am going to get to see you tonight?’

‘
Yes.’

‘
Well then you leave me with no choice. I shall see you later tonight. Make sure you’re wearing a proper traditional waitress outfit though, like in the movies. I want to see stockings and a frilly apron,’ he teased.

‘
And you can call me Katie,’ Freya replied.

‘
See you tonight,’ he ended.

‘
Bye,’ Freya said and finished the call.

Freya smiled as she put the phone back down on the table. It had been a good conversation and proved that she hadn’t imagined the night before and he definitely wanted to see her again.

She took another sip of her coffee and then ducked her head down onto the table as she caught sight of the Channel Nine crew heading up the road towards the restaurant.

Her mobile phone began to ring and she turned her head to see who was calling. The name ‘Russell’ was flashing on and off. God, what did he want? She hoped he had got her message telling him their relationship was over. She pressed ‘ignore’ and sat up, just in time for flashes to go off in her face. People were pointing and calling, their faces pressed up against the window.

‘
Bloody Hell, how did that happen?’ Freya asked herself as she picked up a menu and put it up to her face.

Eighteen

Freya spent the rest of the day sat on a sun lounger at the Calypso Apartments with her sunhat on and a white Calypso Apartments t-shirt on over the bikini Emma had made her buy at Agatha’s.
The Daily News
was not the only newspaper she was appearing in, much to her horror. The same photograph of her and Nicholas was also in
The Today
,
The Herald
and
The Spectator
. They had described her in one paper as ‘Nicholas Kaden’s female companion’ and in another as ‘Nicholas Kaden’s love interest’. The third described her as ‘the first woman, excepting co-stars, to be seen out with the Hollywood actor in over three years’. All three newspapers had asked for people to contact them if they knew who she was. She hoped no one who
really
knew her did.

She had paid Spiros, one of the Calypso’s waiters, fifty Euros to keep away anyone with a camera trained in her direction. She had also told him to keep the cocktails coming at regular intervals.

She had eaten a Full Monty breakfast at lunchtime and when she had been reading the agony aunt column in
The Herald
she had polished off a tuna and mayonnaise wrap.

It was now 4.30pm and she was due at the restaurant at 6.00pm. She took a sip of her cocktail and then her mobile phone rang.

She looked at the display and saw the name ‘Barbara’ flash up. It was her mother calling. It was such a shock Freya nearly dropped the phone into her drink. What was she going to do? She hadn’t spoken to her in over a year. Perhaps if she ignored the call it would just go away. She could press ‘ignore’ but then she would have to listen to a message from her later. She pressed ‘accept’ and put the phone to her ear.

‘
Hello.’

‘
Hello darling, how are you?’ her mother’s voice spoke.

‘
Fine. And you?’ Freya responded.

‘
I’m fine thank you. So how are things?’ Barbara Smith-Andrews asked her.

‘
Oh you know, the same as usual. Work, work, work,’ Freya replied.

‘
Really. So where are you now? On an assignment?’ Barbara questioned.

‘
Yes I’m at this little junior school. You should see the little sweethearts, I tell them to say “cheese” and they all say “Dairylea”,’ Freya spoke, sitting up on her sun lounger.

‘
Which school is it? Perhaps I know it. Something local yes?’ Barbara continued.

‘
All Saints,’ Freya replied.

‘
Darling, why do you always treat me like an imbecile? Haven’t I always told you you get your brains from me?’ Barbara spoke.

‘
No, you’ve always told me I never apply myself to anything and what a disappointment I am,’ Freya answered.

‘
Since I married Robin I’ve always ordered a newspaper. I like to keep abreast of current affairs while I’m eating my grapefruit in the morning. Well, since I’ve been slowing down and preparing for retirement I take three newspapers,
The Daily News
,
The Today
and
The Spectator
,’ Barbara told her.

‘
Get to the point Mother,’ Freya said with a sigh, knowing now she had seen the photograph.

‘
You’re in Corfu. There’s a photograph of you in all three newspapers with Nicholas Kaden, the actor,’ Barbara announced.

‘
Is there? Are you sure it’s me? Nicholas who?’ Freya responded.

‘
Nicholas Kaden. The actor who won an Oscar for his performance in that brilliant World War II film about the Nazi who helped some of the prisoners escape. What was it called?’ Barbara asked her.

‘
Turncoat
,’ Freya answered, already bored with the conversation.

‘
Yes, that was it,
Turncoat
. So, are you dating him? You’re holding hands,’ Barbara wanted to know.

‘
Mother, why are you calling me?’ Freya asked her.

‘
To see how you are and to see what’s happening in your life.’

‘
So you can tell the ladies down the golf club,’ Freya stated.