Page 82 of Love on the Rocks
“No, you look charmingly demented.”
Back on the boat I cleaned myself up the best I could, and then fell asleep against Nikos’s shoulder only to wake up just as the boat was pulling into the port at Lyra.
As we stumbled off onto the dock, the taverna was buzzing with people singing and dancing. “Do you want to eat something?” he suggested.
I thought about it, but there was only one place I wanted to be right then. In his arms. “How about I make you a breakfast in bed?”
Chapter 32
Angelos had never been truly intimate with anyone. He played. He demanded. He fucked. Always he held something of himself back, but that was getting increasingly difficult with Mia. Their physical relationship had become personal, intimate. Even now, as she laughed at something he said, he could feel her curling around the darkest parts of his soul. The parts he’d given up to a shadowy self long ago.
- One Week with the Greek
NIKOS
Everything had changed.
Days rolled into each other, and Callie and I spent the nights (and sometimes the mornings) wrapped in each other’s arms. I couldn’t even remember a time when we’d disliked each other or that I used to wish she’d go away.
Now, I couldn’t get enough of her.
As we grew closer, though, I knew I’d have to share the crucial personal information that I’d been withholding. But what we had was so fragile, as was her trust in me, and I didn’t want to ruin it all by saying, “Hey, by the way, I have a wife.”
So I blocked it from my mind, rationalizing that I didn’t know where our relationship was headed yet. Was it serious? Could it be, considering her goal was to go back to a big city one day? The very idea of being in a big city sucked my breath away.
Since the disappointing news about my grandfather’s cup, I’d given up hope of ultimately blocking the construction of the resort. Sure, maybe we’d hear back from the Aegean Sanctuary Foundation about our petition to protect the southern tip of the island, but I wasn’t going to hold my breath.
Callie was right. At least we had her guiding the project. I no longer doubted her determination. I didn’t want the resort here, but I did want her.
I also wanted to be free from the secret I was carrying. It was time to put an end to this marriage one way or another. After my final appointment of the day—Kyria Anastasia and her varicose veins—I shot off an email to Nathalie.
Hey Nathalie,
Do you have a free minute to talk today?
Nick
She wrote back not even five minutes later. Always an early riser, she was probably going to the gym before taking the train to her Upper East Side office. She still lived in the apartment we’d shared near Gramercy Park, the one her parents had bought for us as a wedding gift.
Hey Nick,
I’m in Cabo with friends. Is this about the paperwork you sent me? I promise I’ll look at it as soon as I get back. Couldn’t we wait until after campaign season? I just don’t want the press using it to attack my dad. You’ve been very patient already, I know. I just need some extra time.
BTW, did I tell you I saw your mom last week?
XO, Nat
Great, all I needed was Nathalie giving my mom false hope. We’d remained friends after we split, so I could understand whymy mother was convinced we’d get back together. But we both agreed we never should have gotten married in the first place. We were young and stupid, and we didn’t have much in common besides the stress of med school to begin with. I wrote back:
That’s a year from now. No, I’m sorry, I think I’ve been more than understanding about this. It’s time, Nathalie. Give me a call when you’re back in New York.
I closed my computer and rubbed my hand down my face. I couldn’t believe that I had to beg for a divorce. How did I get here?
Pushing it all from my mind, I went to meet Callie at her place.
* * *
When I arrived, Callie was pacing around like an angry panther in a cage. She threw the door open for me and then proceeded to fling utensils around in the kitchen like she was the knife throwing act in the circus. I approached her gingerly, afraid she’d turn on me with her claws bared. I didn’t know who had offended her, but I was glad that it wasn’t me for once.
