Page 67 of Love on the Rocks
She rubbed her hand over her friend’s baby bump. The guy joined them, set two heavy suitcases on the ground, pulled his sunglasses down, and gave Callie a kiss on each cheek.
“Jake’s dying for a coffee,” Callie’s friend said as they walked toward the terrace.
“We can get one here.” Callie hesitated, glancing uneasily at me. Her friend slowed down as they approached. I didn’t miss the look she threw at Callie over her sunglasses. I stood so Callie would have no choice but to introduce me.
“Nikos, this is my best friend Olivia and her husband, Jake.”
“Nice to meet you.” I held out my hand, and Olivia’s mouth twitched as she shook it.
“You’re American?” Jake asked as he shook my hand.
“He’s from Schenectady.” Callie glared at me. “But he doesn’t like to talk about it.”
I ignored her pointed remark and gestured to Takis. “Would you like a tea, juice?”
“We don’t want to keep you. Don’t you have patients to see?” asked Callie, still standing, as her friends settled into the chairs across from me.
“I have no real schedule,” I explained. “You should know that by now.”
Callie threw a meaningful look at me as Takis came out with a tray of drinks. I ignored it, addressing her friends. “Where are you from?”
“France. A small town between Marseille and Saint-Raphaël,” explained Olivia.
“I don’t know France well. I’ve only been to Paris,” I admitted. From the corner of my eye I could see Callie gesturing at Olivia, who let out a dramatic yawn. “Oh, wow, I’m exhausted. I think I need to lie down.”
“Yes, we should go.” Callie stood up, scraping her chair across the stone floor.
“You didn’t finish your juice,” said Jake. Olivia gulped it down in one go, making him raise an eyebrow. He tried to hand me money, but I waved him off. “Thank you for the drinks. Nice meeting you.”
He scooped up the suitcases and followed after the two women. Takis, meanwhile, stood next to me laughing. “Doesn’t even want her friends talking to you. Looks like someone is still in the doghouse.”
Chapter 27
They sailed to a small, isolated island the next day because Mia had expressed an interest in painting one of the islands. Angelos tried to feign disinterest as she set out her implements, glass jars filled with water, a dry cloth, a small palette, and several thin brushes. As she covered the textured paper with delicate brushstrokes, an entire world came to life before him of swirling pastel hues. She was a magician clearly. How could anyone have so much talent at her fingertips?
- One Week with the Greek
CALLIE
“Oh my God, Cal, you did not accurately describe him to me. He is—wow—I don’t have the words,” Olivia said as we made our way up the stairs. “No wonder you couldn’t control yourself. I’d be all over him if I were you.”
Jake caught up to us just as those last words left her mouth. “You’d be all over whom?”
“The doctor.”
“Ah, good to know. Is that my cue to take the next ferry out?” He raised an eyebrow at her.
She grabbed his arm and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I said, if I were Callie. She’s the one that needs to jump his bones . . . again.”
“Again, huh?” Jake had a very dry sense of humor that I appreciated. I hadn’t always been his biggest fan—namely when he’d taken so long to realize that he was in love with my best friend that he’d broken it off and her heart in the process. Now he was one of my favorite people and I didn’t mind if he knew about what had happened with Nikos.
“See, I didn’t tell him.” Olivia said, clearly pleased with herself. “You say I can’t keep a secret, but if my husband didn’t know that you were banging the hot local doctor, I think you should eat your words.”
“All right, so you keptthissecret.” I stopped and put my hands on my hips. “Except, no you didn’t. You just blabbed right here in front of me.”
She grimaced. “Geez, you’re right. Sorry. But come on, Jake, wasn’t it obvious? I mean, there was a live wire of tension sizzling between them. You felt it, right?”
“I felt that cup of Greek coffee go straight through my veins. It was just what I needed after a 4:00 a.m. wake-up call this morning.” He set the suitcase down at his feet. Jake was fit, but even he was breathless after all those stairs. I realized I’d been too hasty in taking off the way I had.
