Page 6 of One Weekend in Greece

The dots appear and disappear several times. I smirk because I know I have her attention.

NICOLE

You’re not fair.

True.

NICOLE

I didn’t deserve that kind of treatment.

True.

NICOLE

So I’m supposed to show up for work like nothing happened?

Yes.

NICOLE

No. I’ll come to comfort Dafni, but I’m not staying. I’ll do anything for her.

Then be there for her as her nanny.

NICOLE

I’m not arguing with you.

Wonderful. It’s a waste of time. See you at eight.

Nicole loves Dafni and says she’d do anything for her, but she has no idea I would do anything for her, including denying myself Nicole so she could have her as a nanny. And she will be her nanny again, even if I have to do something I’ve never done before, which is apologize and grovel to win her forgiveness.

four

NICOLE

Waking up to calls and texts from Jakob Petridis was once my fantasy. Okay, it still kind of is, but I’m going to force myself to be annoyed and not excited that he’s waiting for me to show up. Who am I kidding? He’s probably going to run off, per his usual routine, before I arrive. The arrogant jerk probably thinks I’m going to stay, too. No way. I’m going to make peace with Dafni because I don’t want her to be hurt by all this. She deserves a proper goodbye and assurance that we’ll get to hang out again, just not as me being her nanny.

I close my eyes, but sleep refuses to take me. I’m too wired. You know what? I should show up now. I won’t give Jakob the chance to ditch me. After all, he’s the one who called and woke me up, so now he can deal with me. This could go very badly, but what more do I have to lose? A job? I already quit. A family friend? He can’t stand me anyway.

It could be my lack of sleep, but I feel deliriously happy. However, my bravery is sapped and I’m wide awake with nerves when I’m standing in the foyer of Mr. Petridis’s mansion. I was expecting to catch him off guard, but I should’ve known better. It’s not like I could barge in on him. There are surveillance cameras everywhere, staff everywhere, and he wasn’t in the kitchen like I was hoping, so he must still be in his lair.

Miles, the butler and the nicest guy ever, comes to stand in front of me. “Mr. Petridis said for you to go on up.”

“On up?”

“Yes. On up to his wing. He said he’s been expecting you.”

Well, that confirms my suspicion that he already knows I’m here.

“On up to his… wing?”

The man looks at me with pity and confusion. “His wing of the house, ma’am. He’s in his room getting ready, and that’s where he’d like for you to go.”

I’ve never been to his room. He’s toying with me. This is a challenge, and joke’s on him because I accept.

“Thank you,” I tell Miles and then force my feet to move.

---