Page 38 of Willow in the Wind

Whatever happens, my life cannot be sad like Uncle Victor’s and Aunt Esme’s. It has to be wild with possibilities. It has to be an adventure.

Stella knew that her internal clock was out of whack. That was the nature of traveling to Europe. But when she looked at her watch to learn it was nearly six in the morning Athens time, she could hardly believe it. To her, it was only eleven p.m. Nantucket time.

James seemed to take it in stride.

They were walking near the port as the sun came up pinkly on the horizon. James whistled and strummed his guitar, having just serenaded a group of bar-dwellers who’d given him a ton of tips, throwing money drunkenly. They all told James that his girlfriend was “beautiful,” and Stella had blushed.

“Where did you come to Athens from?” Stella asked when the silence had gone too long. “I mean, where did you fly from last night?”

“I told you, darling. I’m from London.” He sounded subdued.

“So this is the beginning of your trip?”

“Just like you.”

Stella smiled although she was suddenly frightened that he would leave her in Athens and go somewhere else to meet another woman and have a similar night. Maybe she was just another story to him. It seemed like he was good at creating them.

At the docks, they discovered a young man tying up a sailboat. James stopped strumming and walked out to meet the man, throwing his guitar over his shoulder again to tie up the ropes. Stella hung back. A wave of fatigue went through her. And then, she watched as James pulled out his wallet and paid the young man a hunk of cash. What was it for? Suddenly, James waved for Stella to come over to him.

“Stella, this is Kostos,” James explained. “He’s rented us his boat for the entire day.” He looked excited and very pleased. “What do you think?”

Stella had the sense that she could never say no to James. This was the adventure she’d always dreamed of.

“I think it sounds wonderful.”

Kostos left, counting his wad of cash and leaving James and Stella with his boat.

“How does he know you won’t steal it?” Stella asked.

“I gave him a prized possession of mine,” James said. “I told him I’ll need it back.”

Stella cocked her head, wondering what it was. But James didn’t say, and Stella decided not to ask.

It was clear James had secrets.

Stella just prayed those secrets didn’t involve another girl.

Chapter Fourteen

August 2024

James sat in the back row of the audience at the Sutton Book Club, listening to a woman he’d once loved to recite the story of their first meeting. His hands were clammy, and he had his head bowed as though frightened anyone would turn and see his face and realize he was the man from the memoir.Although that was impossible.He’d been a young man then. He’d been—as Stella said—extraordinarily handsome.

It was disconcerting.

He thought he might weep or throw up.

“And that’s when I knew J had secrets,” Stella finished the chapter. “I just had to wait and hope those secrets didn’t involve some other girl. Not that I was so desperate to fall head over heels. All I really wanted was an adventure. I never imagined my life would change for good.”

Stella closed the book and looked out across the audience. The audience burst into applause. Many smiled manically, as though they’d actually been in Athens in July 2001, as thoughthey could feel the warm, sticky air and taste the ouzo. But they couldn’t. Only James really could.

“Thank you,” Stella said into the mic. Her cheeks were flushed, as they got when she was nervous or warm or overwhelmed with love. “I was deathly nervous before this reading, but you all made it easy for me.” She took a sip from a glass of water and smiled. “Now, you’re welcome to ask any questions you might have about the text.”

A sea of hands went up. James raised his eyebrows.Maybe this is my chance to leave. To hurry outside and get on the ferry and pretend none of this ever happened.But something kept him glued to his seat.

The first question was simple. It came from a woman in a red dress with black hair. “What was it like to dive back into this story after so many years?”

Stella’s eyes glittered. “It was a bit like dreaming. I felt like I had to enter a different form of consciousness if that makes sense. I wanted to see it all again. To really remember. I consulted the internet for help and learned that some people get hypnotized to reach into their past. I didn’t go quite that far. I guess my memories were mostly intact. Maybe I’ll try hypnosis for the next book.”

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