My Big Fat Christmas Wedding by Samantha Tonge

– even if this was likely to be my last trip out of Taxos for a while. My mind drifted back to Henrik and the spa weekends we used to enjoy. Despite his Dutch money-pinching ways, he knew the importance of an occasional splurge. I recalled his last text. What could be the important thing he wanted to talk to me about? My mind had imagined all sorts over the last couple of weeks. I’d hinted that I missed the executive life – perhaps ThinkBig was going to offer me a job in their Kos office.
    Not that I’d accept – my heart really was in baking scones. I just needed an extra challenge to undertake alongside the teashop. Still…my stomach fluttered slightly by the time we disembarked and collected our luggage. As we strode through Departures, pulling our bags on wheels, I gave Niko a smile. Amongst the array of European travellers, disembarked from other aeroplanes, his exotic looks stood out.
    Impatiently, I scoured the crowd of people waiting to greet loved ones travelling from abroad. Of course Henrik was easy to pick out with his height and looking great in beige chinos and a brown suede coat and…a petite, manicured hand in his. It belonged to…goodness. The most doll-like woman you could think up. She can’t have been much more than five foot two, with a slim build stylishly dressed in grey jeans and a cream leather jacket. With porcelain-white skin and long raven hair, I could see why Henrik had fallen for her charms. All at once I felt frumpish in my trouser suit and lambswool coat. What had I been thinking? My outfit shouted stuffy boardroom, not fun break.
    ‘Pippa! Niko!’ Henrik stepped forward and kissed me on the cheek. He and Niko shook hands. Like pools of the prettiest seaweed, Olivia had such green eyes. I tried to read them – was she genuinely pleased to see me or on guard?
    She stood coyly by his side and I couldn’t help imagining them, well, you know. She was such a stereotypically feminine-looking creature, unlike five foot ten, gawky flame-haired me.
    I cleared my throat. Honestly. Where had all these insecurities sprung from? They’d not even existed at school, where I’d out-glare anyone who called me Carrot Top and loved being tall enough to get away with eating more sweets than my shorter girlfriends.
    ‘You must be Olivia,’ I said, before Henrik had a chance to introduce us. ‘It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you. Congratulations on your engagement. Thanks so much for inviting us to the party.’
    For a split second she looked at me and then her mouth twitched. It upturned. Her whole face brightened with the warmest smile and, ignoring my outstretched hand, she darted forward to reach up for a hug.
    ‘Olivia O’Connor.’ She bowed her head slightly. ‘How lovely to meet you too! I’ve heard so much about how you’ve helped Taxos. And Niko…’ Cue another big hug, this time for my fiancé. Then she stood back and beamed at us both. ‘I want to hear all about how the village is doing now. Ah, the Greek islands are so romantic, like in one of my favourite films,
Shirley Valentine
.’
    Niko and I smiled at each other. Private joke. I once compared him to Costas, that movie’s flirtatious Greek waiter.
    Playfully she punched Henrik’s arm. ‘I’m so glad Pippa managed to thwart your beloved ThinkBig’s plans to transform such a quaint-sounding location.’
    ‘Gah, my mum loves those cheesy old films,’ I said and pulled a face. Cue blushes. ‘I mean…’
    Talk about an infectious laugh. ‘Don’t worry – my musical and film favourites are firmly stuck in the Eighties,’ said Olivia. ‘I’m used to insults – my middle-aged tastes drive Henrik mad.’
    ‘I was brought up on
Flashdance
and
Footloose
,’ I said.
    Henrik groaned. ‘Ladies, enough with the nostalgia. Let’s go and get a twenty-first century coffee before we hit the road – hopefully in a cafeteria with a modern soundtrack.’
    Olivia linked arms with me, as Henrik and Niko strode ahead,