Page 72 of Love on the Rocks
- One Week with the Greek
CALLIE
The next afternoon, I tried to convince Olivia to skip the tour of the winery. I wanted to get some work done, but I was afraid to leave Nikos alone with my friends. He might kidnap them and hold them hostage until I left the island. At least, that’s what I told myself, but after last night, I wasn’t sure in my convictions about him. I was still clinging to residual outrage, but he was slowly working away at my defenses. I could only hope that this wasn’t some ploy to seduce me and then walk away laughing.
I said as much to Olivia when she’d given me an “I told you so” look over her tea. “You don’t know him, Liv. He’s capable of anything.”
“He’s certainly capable of burning the house down with all the heat in his eyes when he looks at you. Jake really likes him and he’s an excellent judge of character.” She spooned herteabag out of her cup casting me a sheepish glance. “AndIlike him, even knowing what he did. He’s genuinely trying to make up for it.”
I shook my head. “He’d still do anything in his power to stop the resort from happening. How is that remorse?”
“It’s not so simple, and you know it. From what he said last night when it was just the two of us in the kitchen, protecting the island is a mission he inherited from his grandfather. And when you think about it, you do kind of represent the Goliath to his David in this story—the corporate colonizer.” She nibbled at her toast.
“Oh, give me a break with your moralizing. I know how this looks, but I’m trying to do something about it from the inside. Besides, so many locals would like more tourism. It would even be good for his business. Think of all the potential accidents, alcohol poisonings, and other medical emergencies that would keep him busy.” I threw my hands up in disgust. “Why doesn’t he just admit it’s a losing battle and give up already? He could work with me instead of trying to sabotage me.”
It was no use arguing about it with her so I changed the topic to the only thing that would get her off my back. “So, when’s your next ultrasound?”
“Oh! I can’t believe I forgot to show you these.” She pulled out her phone to show me a series of 3-D images of a little face with a tiny nose and plump little lips. “He has a dimple on his right cheek! I told Jake that he looks just like him, but he says I’m only saying that because I want it to be true.”
I studied the photo. Amazed and a little teary at the idea of my best friend becoming a mother. I’d never really felt called to motherhood. I wasn’t averse to it, but for the moment, it wasn’t for me. But as long as I’d known Liv she’d been talking about the family she wanted to have one day. She and Jake both had complicated childhoods, and I loved this for them.
“To be honest, it’s hard to tell who he looks like, but one thing is for sure—he’s going to be stinkin’ adorable and I’m going to spoil him when I come visit. I’ll be the coolest aunt ever.”
“That’s what Levi said.”
“He’s going to be the coolest aunt ever?” I laughed. And then I remembered that I’d forgotten to tell her about my strange ferry encounter with Diana Russo.
“Speaking of Levi, the weirdest thing happened.” I filled her in on our conversation.
“Diana . . . wait a second! Did she have red hair?” When I nodded, she covered her mouth. “She’s Josh’s little sister. I met her one summer. She told me back then that she wanted to be an archaeologist.” Josh was Levi’s best friend who’d passed away in a training accident years ago. He never spoke about it.
“Oh shit. Should we tell him?” I asked.
She frowned. “I don’t know, Cal. He still gets so upset whenever I bring it up. Like he wants to forget.”
“Well, I slipped her his number, so maybe she’ll get in touch.”
“Yeah, I don’t know.” She checked her watch. “We’re late!”
We headed out to the dock where Jake and Nikos were waiting. As usual, Nikos looked too damn good in those slouchy pants I loved. His collar was open to reveal a tantalizing triangle of golden skin and the hollow at the base of his throat that I wanted to lick. I caught Olivia studying the tattoos on his arms as he helped her into the boat, and she winked at me. When he held out his hand for me, I pretended to ignore the jolt of electricity that ran through me at the first contact with his skin.
“Thank you for taking us, Nikos.” Liv smiled up at him.
“My pleasure,” he said. “Are you comfortable? I’ve got some extra cushions.”
“No, this is great,” Liv assured him and then started asking a million questions about the history of the island and Greekmythology. I listened in silence not willing to admit how much I was enjoying his translation of his grandfather’s book.
Stamatis’s vineyard was on the southwestern end of the island, past the cove we’d explored the other day. There wasn’t much of a beach, just a rocky inlet with a narrow concrete walkway that led to another set of steep stone stairs.
“This reminds me of La Ruche,” said Olivia to Nikos. “Part of the vines at the domaine grow on the slope of a mountain like this.”
“It’s more of a hill, really,” Jake corrected her, and she rolled her eyes.
“We’ve had this debate before,” she explained. “Technically, it’s not high enough to be a mountain, but you tell that to your legs when you hike up it. ‘Hill’ just doesn’t do it justice.”
“Are you going to be okay going up?” Nikos pointed to a stone building at the top of the hill.
“Yes, I’m fine. I’ll stop if I need to rest.” The view of the turquoise water from the winding vineyards was breathtaking. True to form, Olivia kept stopping to marvel at every new wildflower and butterfly that we crossed on our way up the hill where Stamatis and his sons were waiting for us. When we finally made it to the top, Stamatis grabbed me in a bear hug.
