Page 47 of Willow in the Wind

“Do you think we can stay on this boat for the rest of our lives?” Stella asked with a soft laugh.

James chuckled. “Maybe we can. Why not? Who would stop us?”

“It’s not like my parents would ever know where to find me,” Stella joked.

James shifted slightly. It occurred to Stella, then, that they’d never talked about their lives back home. They’d never mentioned why they’d come to Greece nor what it was they thought they were escaping back home.

Stella, of course, was escaping the responsibilities of graduation and growing up. She was escaping her parents’ desire to have her married off and secure.

But what was James escaping? Did he have any brothers? Sisters? What were his parents like? Had he gone to music school? Did he want to make it in the music business? Or was he happy enough busking his way through Greece?

Stella didn’t ask him anything about it that night.

But three nights later, when they were tied up on a dock on Paros Island, she dared to ask, “What was it like growing up in London? Were you happy there?”

James scoffed and pulled up to a sitting position. Stella followed him, keeping herself at a distance. It was clear he didn’t want to be touched.

“London might as well be on another planet,” he said.

Stella knew she’d made a mistake, bringing up the past. She kissed his shoulder. She wanted to apologize.

“I’m sorry,” she said after a long pause. “I just want to know more about you. We’ve spent nearly a month together. And it feels like I don’t know anything about where you came from or why you’re here.”

James sniffed. “Why does any of that matter? I don’t care why you’re here or where you came from. I just care that you’re here with me now.”

Stella dropped her gaze and stared at her hands. They were pressed hard against her thighs, proof of how nervous she suddenly was.

She thought about saying,I’m worried if you don’t care about my past, then you won’t care about my future, either. I’m worried this is just a fling.

But she knew James would tell her to live in the moment. She was trying.

“I won’t bring it up again,” Stella whispered.

James took her chin in his hand and gazed into her eyes. She didn’t want him to be angry.

Slowly, a smile crept over his face, and he kissed her. All was forgiven.

“I love you, Stella Sutton. I love you just how you are here in Greece,” he said.

Stella wept that night after he fell asleep. But in the morning, pink light invaded the little berth beneath their sailboat, and they had a plan to hike and swim and eat before James busked in the square.

Everything was simple. Maybe it would be simple forever.

Chapter Eighteen

September 2024

It was two weeks since the book launch ofThe Athens Affair,and James was back in Manhattan. He kept a low profile, working on album reviews and pitching future articles from the comfort and privacy of his own home. No fewer than fifteen journals, podcasters, and broadcasting stations had reached out to him, asking for interviews from “the J inThe Athens Affair,” but he’d ignored all of them. EvenGood Morning, America!had reached out, but they’d backed away after Stella had told them she wouldn’t appear for an interview.

James had the sense that Stella was just as freaked out as he was.

He cursed himself for going to the book launch in the first place. Book sales were skyrocketing, andThe Athens Affairwas all anyone could talk about. Even Nancy had read it and called him to say, “I knew you were up to no good in Athens!” She laughed. Everything was funny to Nancy. She had no hard feelings whatsoever. Maybe it was because she had more money than God.

James was slightly surprised he hadn’t heard from Stella. Maybe she’d decided to put the entire thing to bed. Maybe she was still angry with him.

James cleaned his kitchen that afternoon and snuck out in a beanie and sunglasses to buy groceries for the night ahead. Taylor arrived a few minutes before seven. She hugged him and put a bottle of red on the kitchen counter. He was relieved she hadn’t brought Aiden.

“Finally!” Taylor said, removing a scarf from her neck. “I’ve been waiting for this meeting forever.”

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