by Amy Ruttan
She was going to walk down to the docks with her bridal party, and from there her future father-in-law’s sporty yacht would take her to Spritos, where at a small chapel carved into the side of the cliff she was going to meet Chris and marry him.
It was the perfect spot—the place where she’d fallen in love with him again—and she wanted to make sure that it was going to go off without a hitch.
After he’d proposed, she would have married him the next day, but she hadn’t wanted to take away from Lisa and Themo’s wedding—or Deakin and Lea’s, which had followed shortly after her cousin’s. And then she’d had a lot of new responsibilities at one of Athens’s largest city hospitals.
So, much to Chris’s chagrin, they’d had a longer engagement than he’d wanted—but it would be worth it.
Or at least that was what she’d kept telling herself.
And then she’d found out she was pregnant, about three months ago, and Chris had finally had enough of waiting. He’d quickly gone about getting a license so that they could finally get married.
He was so happy that she was pregnant, and that in a few months’ time Evan was going to have a little brother or sister. She’d had to cut back on her responsibilities at the hospital, but she didn’t mind. She didn’t want to lose this child, and at her last checkup everything had been going well.
Her baby would have many little playmates. There was Theo and Cailey’s little girl, as well as Lisa and Themo’s baby, who had been born a few months after their marriage. Ares and Eri had tiny twin girls too, and Deakin and Lea were expecting their first child.
Evangelos was the eldest, and all those babies would have him to look up to. Evan was nearly two years old now, and Naomi loved him dearly. She and Chris had tried to reach out to his birth mother, to allow her to be in his life if she wanted to, but she’d turned them down.
Hopefully one day Lillian would want to see him, and not estrange herself from him the way that Chris’s mother had done.
At least Nikos Moustakas had wised up. Even though Chris and his father still had things to work out between them, they’d had an excellent start and were well on the way to a better relationship.
And the clinic was thriving too, as Mythelios was finally rebuilt after the earthquake that had devastated the island over a year ago.
Everything was falling into place, and Naomi couldn’t believe how happy she was. It was like a dream—although if it were, it was definitely one she didn’t want to wake from.
“Do you think I’m dreaming?” Naomi teased.
Lisa laughed as she stood up. “When you have that baby, you’ll soon realize this is no dream.”
“I’m just so happy. I can’t remember being this happy before in my life.”
Lisa smiled at her and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m so happy that you’re happy. If anyone deserves it, it’s you, sweetheart. I’m so glad you decided to stay here. I should have said it last year, but with my wedding and you working in the hospital at all ungodly hours I forgot to tell you. I’m so glad that you’re living here and that you’re in my life. You’re one of my best friends.”
Naomi hugged her cousin. “I love you too.”
“Now, let’s get you down to that yacht and get you married.”
“Thank you for being paránymfos.”
Lisa beamed. “Of course. Who else would do it?”
They made their way down the steps of Chris’s house. Chris and his koumpáros would already be at the church on Spritos.
As Naomi walked through the old town toward the docks, people called out their good wishes and gave her flowers—a small tradition that the people of Mythelios always bestowed upon a bride as she passed through the old part of the island on her way to town. Naomi was humbled, and by the time she got to the docks, she had quite the bundle of flowers in her hands.
Her theíos was waiting for her and Captain Panos helped her onto the yacht, getting her settled. Lisa took the posies of flowers and bound them with white ribbon. The rings and the stefana were at the church and had been blessed by the priest already.
Naomi was shaking. She was nervous. Not because she was uncertain, but because she couldn’t wait to be married to Chris and start their life together. Finally.
It was only a short boat ride to Spritos.
At the bottom of a winding path one of her male cousins waited and helped her down, and then Lisa. Her uncle took her hand and Lisa led them up the path to the top of the cliff. Naomi’s heart was beating extra-fast and she took a deep calming breath as the music started.
Lisa gave her a smile and then walked in ahead of her.
Her uncle gave her a kiss on her hand. “Your father would be proud of you. I’m sure that he is with us—and your mother.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I’m sure they are too. Just as long as Yia-yia isn’t!”
Her uncle laughed and squeezed her hand.
She took a deep breath and walked down the aisle toward her future.
Chris stood at the end, his koumpáros, Ares, standing beside him looking ridiculously handsome and boyish, with his long locks swept back and neat for once. Ares was grinning and clapping Chris on the shoulder, but Chris ignored him, his gaze locked on her.
As she walked up the aisle, she saw many familiar faces. There was Themo, holding his and Lisa’s little girl. And there was Stavros and his wife, Maria, beaming.
Stavros had pulled through, and although his recovery had taken longer, due to his postoperative stroke, he was finally back to himself and was running the taverna with an iron fist like always.
Beside Stavros was Maximos and his mother. Maximos bowed his head in thanks for helping him. As did Giorgos and his mother.
Everyone who had touched their lives or had a hand in bringing them together was here. Including Nikos Moustakas, who stood at the front holding Evangelos.
The little boy beamed and called out to her as she approached. All she could do was smile and wave to the boy she loved so completely. Evan didn’t understand that he was supposed to be quiet.
Nikos lovingly hushed the toddler and smiled at her. He was a completely changed man. He was softer and kinder.
Her uncle lifted her veil and kissed her, and then took Chris’s hand and placed it in hers. He put his hand over the top of Chris’s, and in turn Chris kissed the top of her uncle’s hand as a sign of respect.
Her uncle stepped back as the priest stepped forward and began chanting.
The stefana—two crowns of orange blossom connected with a ribbon—was passed over their heads three times to bless them, before being placed on their heads. And then the rings were brought forward.
Ares passed the rings back and forth over them three times, again to bless them, before handing the rings to Chris. Chris placed his ring on her finger and Naomi placed her ring on Chris’s, not letting go her grip on him.
Then the chanting changed and Ares stepped behind them, taking the ribbon while Lisa lifted Naomi’s train, and they all stepped forward in sync with the priest, walking around the altar.
Their eyes locked as they took their first steps together as man and wife.
They were married.
Once they’d returned to their spots, Lisa stepped back and Ares bowed and stepped back into his place.
The priest motioned to Chris and he leaned forward, his hand still holding hers as they kissed. There were cheers and then he led her back down the aisle, holding her hand as they left the church and took the path down to the docks.
Nikos Moustakas’s largest yacht, The Epitome, was waiting there, as that was where the reception was going to be.
“I wish we didn’t have to have a big party and we could just sneak away to the beach house again. Or to our private cove,” she said.
“I agree—but the reception is a big deal. There’s a lot to celebrate, Dr. Moust
akas.” And he reached down to touch her belly, where their baby was growing.
She laughed. “I’m keeping Hudson for my professional life. I don’t think I’ll ever answer to anything else.”
Chris laughed. “Whatever you say, zoi mou. I’m just glad you’re mine and I’m never giving you up.”
“Promise?” she asked.
“Promise.”
And he kissed her again.
He would never stop kissing her for as long as he breathed.
* * * * *
We hope you enjoyed the final story in the Hot Greek Docs quartet
And if you missed where it all started, check out
One Night with Dr. Nikolaides
by Annie O’Neil
Tempted by Dr. Patera
by Tina Beckett
Back in Dr. Xenakis’ Arms
by Amalie Berlin
All available now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from From Doctor to Princess? by Annie Claydon.
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From Doctor to Princess?
by Annie Claydon
CHAPTER ONE
THE LEATHER CAR seat creaked slightly as Crown Prince Hugo DeLeon shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position. There wasn’t one. He’d only been out of the hospital for twenty-four hours, and the pain in his left shoulder was normal. It would subside in a day or so, and he knew that impatience wasn’t going to make him heal any faster.
All the same, he was impatient. And if his father thought that he was helping Hugo to get back to normal, then he wasn’t.
There wasn’t a great deal of choice in the matter, though. The King of Montarino was accustomed to being obeyed, and when he had visited his only son in the discreet private ward of the hospital, he’d made it clear that he was taking no arguments. He’d smiled at Hugo, in much the same way as any father would, and told him that his duty to his country was clear and very simple. He had to get better.
In order to make sure that his son’s recovery went smoothly, the King had recruited a doctor who would stay with him at all times over the next month or so. Hugo had still been drowsy from the anaesthetic and his back hurt from having lain still while the pacemaker had been inserted into his chest, but he had got the message. His father didn’t trust Hugo to look after himself, and so he was appointing a minder to do it.
He hadn’t told Hugo much about this minder, other than that she was a woman, eminently qualified, and that she was due to fly out from London today. The last detail was another smart move on his father’s part, because Hugo knew most of the doctors in the small principality of Montarino, particularly those who were well qualified in cardiology. He might well have been able to wriggle out of the arrangement with any one of them, but this woman was an unknown quantity.
He wondered briefly whether she’d come equipped with tranquillisers and physical restraints. And, more to the point, whether she’d been briefed about the requirement for discretion. Hugo assumed that she had, because discretion was one of the codes that his family lived by, and his father never let anyone forget it.
‘That’ll be her...’ His bodyguard sat in the front seat of the car, and had the advantage of an unobscured view. Hugo squinted through the tinted windows, and saw the chauffeur walking across the forecourt towards the airport’s short-stay car park. Beside him was a young woman with mid-brown hair and a supple sway to her walk, which made the short hairs at the back of Hugo’s neck prickle slightly.
Probably another one of his father’s carefully reasoned choices. Hugo had to admit that he wasn’t known for saying no to beautiful women, but unusually the King had misjudged the situation this time. A career woman, particularly a doctor, wasn’t someone that he could contemplate giving any part of his heart to.
‘She doesn’t look too formidable.’ Ted spoke in English, turning slightly in his seat to display the hint of a smile.
‘I wouldn’t bank on looks. She’s managed to keep hold of her suitcase, and I imagine that Jean-Pierre did everything he could to wrestle it away from her.’ Hugo turned the corners of his mouth down. The first thing his father’s chauffeur would have done was to try to relieve their guest of her luggage and wheel her suitcase for her.
‘I must be getting slow, I missed that.’ Ted had done nothing of the sort; he just hadn’t seen fit to mention it. In the five years that he’d been with Hugo, since his retirement from the British police force, the two men had learned to read each other’s thoughts and trust what they saw. It had been Ted who had happened to mention that he’d heard that the doctor was being picked up from the airport this morning, and Hugo had made the expected decision to go with the car to greet her. Sizing her up before anyone else at the palace got the chance to speak with her couldn’t be a bad thing.
Ted got out of the car, walking to the rear passenger door and opening it. For all the world as if he were according Hugo the respect his position required, rather than helping him with the weight of the door. Hugo climbed out of the car, ignoring the tingle of pain that reached from his chest down his left arm.
Now that she was closer, Dr Penelope Maitland didn’t seem as formidable as her old-fashioned name might lead one to suppose. She was all curves and movement, looking almost girlish in a tan jacket over a cream summer dress, creased from travelling. Her light brown hair glinted in the sunshine, and bare, tanned legs gave her the fresh, outdoorsy look of someone going on holiday.
Maybe the gorgeous Dr Penelope was a rare mistake on his father’s part. This woman looked as if she was more likely to spend her time here enjoying the pleasures of Montarino, not nagging him about his health. When her honey-coloured gaze met his, there was a spark of recognition and she smiled. A carefree kind of smile that sent tingles down his spine and allowed Hugo to believe that she didn’t have it in her to make his life difficult.
Then she stopped in front of him, letting go of her suitcase long enough for Jean-Pierre to grab it and wheel it around to the boot of the car. ‘I’m Dr Maitland. I’m told that I shouldn’t curtsey.’
Her voice was like honey but her tone was like steel. Clearly Dr Penelope wasn’t going to be quite as much of a walkover as her appearance suggested.
‘Thank you. I’d prefer it if you didn’t.’ Hugo held out his right hand, glad that the pacemaker was on the left side of his chest, and didn’t hamper the movement of his right arm. Her grip was as firm as her tone. ‘Welcome to Montarino. I’m Hugo DeLeon.’
‘Yes, I know.’ She shot him a questioning look, and Hugo wondered whether she was going to rebuke him for coming to meet her. He m
umbled the usual invitation to call him Hugo, wondering if he’d get to call her Penelope. The name seemed suddenly as if it would taste sweet on his lips.
‘Please call me Nell...’
Hugo smiled his acquiescence. Nell sounded soft and sweet too, even if it was a little shorter.
‘You must be tired from your journey. We should be going...’ Hugo’s discreet gesture to Jean-Pierre prompted him to get into the car.
She raised one eyebrow. ‘Yes, we should be going. I’m surprised to see you out and about so soon.’
Her words had an edge to them. If anyone should be feeling tired she clearly expected that it should be him, and Hugo had to admit that he was surprised at the effort involved in making a simple car journey.
‘I’m grateful for the fresh air.’
At the moment, the fresh air was making his head spin. Hugo stood back from the open door of the car and she hesitated and then got in, sliding quickly across the back seat before Hugo could even think about closing the car door and walking around to get in on the other side.
All the same, he welcomed the move. On this side, the seat belt wouldn’t need to rest painfully on his left shoulder. Hugo got into the car, and Ted closed the door before he could reach for it.
‘Have you been to Montarino before?’ Hugo had years of practice with small talk.
‘No.’ Nell shook her head, regarding him thoughtfully.
‘It’s very small, only eight miles across, but very beautiful. We have one city, half a mountain and, although we have no coastline, there are some beautiful lakes.’
‘That’s nice. I’ll have to come back sometime when I’m not working. I probably won’t have much time to see them this time around.’ Her mouth was set in a firm line, and Hugo’s heart sank. Clearly there was no hope of deflecting the redoubtable Dr Penelope from her intended purpose.
* * *
Four days ago, Nell Maitland had ridden home on the night bus, after the farewell party that her colleagues at the hospital had thrown for her. It had been the ultimate failure, after months of trying to work things out with the cardiac unit’s new head of the department, and save the job that she loved so much. And now...
