‘Very few people in the world call me that and Armando happens to be one of them. Let’s just say he earned it.’ Another in-joke, apparently. Armando laughed a hearty belly laugh and poured himself more Metaxa. He held the bottle of Metaxa aloft as if to ask if I wanted a refill. I shook my head; I’d had more than enough to drink, and I wanted to keep my wits about me.

‘So, I don’t know how you two met,’ I said, trying to redirect the conversation as far away from me as possible.

‘No, no, beautiful, you do not get off that easily,’ countered Armando. ‘How do you two know each other? That’s what I want to know.’

I looked at James, floundering for an appropriate response. He had basically tried to pick me up outside a church.

James, however, was not flustered and answered with, ‘Sarah caught my eye on Santorini. I asked her to lunch, and she let me down. But, as fortune often smiles on me, it turns out she is travelling with Duncan, and we met again tonight.’ He smiled at me smugly. I frowned and his smile broadened. Why did he always have the upper hand?

‘Duncan, the skipper?’ Armando obviously knew Duncan too.

‘The very one.’

‘Wonderful! I love how these things work out.’

‘What things?’ I finally spoke.

‘You and Jimmy. He probably thought he would never see you again.’ He looked at James who nodded by way of confirmation. ‘And then, here you are on Naxos. How wonderful.’

‘I think so,’ said James.

‘And you, Sarah? Do you believe in fate, in kismet?’ Armando was putting me on the spot – again.

‘Hard to say. I suppose that will depend on what happens next.’ I’d said it as a challenge, but who was I challenging? The silver fox? Me? I didn’t know what was going to happen in the next few minutes, let alone the rest of the night. What if James did ask me back to his hotel? Would I go? Would I make love with the handsome silver fox, when the American boy was no doubt waiting up for me? Was kismet responsible for this mess? If it was, then kismet deserved a kick in the bum.

‘Well, I know what’s happening next,’ said James, as he made to leave. ‘Time to get going, I’m afraid.’

Hang on – we were leaving? I was going to be alone with him, and I wasn’t even sure yet what that would mean.

‘So soon, my old friend?’ Armando replied as he stood to say goodbye.