by Lacey London
‘And that they did!’ I exclaim, turning around to face her. ‘The guys all adore him!’
‘They do?’ Her face lights up with happiness as she clasps her hands over her heart. ‘They really like him?’
‘They do, but the thing is, they would love anyone who offered to buy them restaurants, showered them with precious gemstones and gave them a limousine in a game of poker.’ I say quietly, staring into her eyes.
‘What are you saying?’ She replies firmly, a tone to her voice that indicates she knows exactly what I am saying.
‘The point I am making is that they don’t know anything about Stelios. All they know is that he’s extraordinarily generous.’ Looking down at the ground, I lick my lips before speaking. ‘I want them to accept Stelios just as much as you do, but you don’t want them to like him purely for his money, do you?’
Janie pauses and strokes the skin surrounding her new tattoo in silence.
‘What about Oliver?’ She eventually asks, keeping her eyes fixed on the inking.
‘What about him?’
‘Is there any change in his attitude towards Stelios?’ Still not looking me in the eye, Janie swings her legs over the edge of the bed.
‘I’ve tried talking to him, but I won’t lie to you, I don’t think he’s altered his viewpoint at all.’ Her pained expression causes my stomach to flip and I decide to hit her with the truth. ‘The extravagance isn’t helping. I can tell you that much.’
‘But, you just told me it’s working with the others.’ She protests weakly, finally bringing her heavily-lined eyes up to meet mine.
‘I also told you the reason why…’
The pair of us sit in an awkward stillness, the only sound coming from the ornate grandfather clock.
‘Throwing expensive gifts around isn’t the right way to make people like you.’ I whisper, hearing the music in the bar turn up a notch. ‘You don’t need me to tell you that…’
‘Stelios couldn’t spend all of his money if he tried, so he doesn’t see it as a big deal.’ Janie explains exasperatedly. ‘Everyone else loves Stelios for his generosity…’
‘Is that why you love him?’ I ask, cutting her off mid-sentence.
‘Yes.’ Janie fires back, not hesitating for a millisecond.
Feeling my jaw drop open, I stare at my mother-in-law open-mouthed. We all suspected Janie’s draw to Stelios was his bulging bank account, but no one ever expected her to admit it.
‘But he’s also kind, caring, funny and the most beautiful person I have ever met.’ Janie continues, much to my relief. ‘Both inside and out.’
Screwing up my nose at that last one, I smile back at my mother-in-law as a sense of pride washes over me. ‘You obviously love Stelios and we need to make the others love him too, but not for the numbers in his bank account. They need to fall in love with the man behind the billionaire status. They need to fall in love with Stelios Christopoulos and not his mountain of cash.’
Janie nods along and smiles gratefully, visibly blinking back tears.
‘But how do we do that?’ She asks, clearing her throat and shaking off the unusual emotion she’s displaying. ‘You’re only here for three more days.’
‘It’s not going to be easy.’ Considering her question, I tap my fingers on the duvet and look around the bedroom for ideas. ‘Oliver’s going to take the most work, because to him, Stelios has a hell of a lot more to prove. You’re his mother, he just wants the best for you. Even though he doesn’t always show it, he does.’
‘What if he doesn’t change his mind? What if he never approves of Stelios?’ She asks, her eyes glassing over once more. ‘Just yesterday, you said it would be a piece of cake. Now you don’t sound so sure.’
Looking out of the window at the black ocean, I feel doubt hit my stomach. ‘We can’t physically force Oliver to accept Stelios. We just have to let him come to the realisation himself… with a little encouragement along the way.’
‘Encouragement.’ Janie says slowly, like this is the answer she has been searching for all along. ‘Yeah. Maybe you’re right. Perhaps Oliver just needs a little nudge in the right direction to see Stelios for who he truly is.’
‘Exactly!’ Suddenly feeling rather optimistic, I clink my glass against hers and take a deep gulp. ‘Just think, if Stelios is as marvellous a person as it seems, how could he possibly not?’
Chapter 13
Catching Janie’s eye across the colossal dining table, I offer her a discreet wink and rest my head on Oliver’s shoulder. The laughter of my best friends surrounds me as I rub my stomach, making me feel more relaxed than I have all holiday. For the past couple of hours, we have consumed more calories than I knew was humanly possible, guzzled a ludicrous amount of alcohol and chatted to our heart’s content. Even Oliver managed to raise a smile as we shared stories and tales of days gone by.
Looking up at him as he relaxes in his seat, I feel more confident than ever that I’ll be able to get him cheering for Team Stelios. After all, apart from being a little ostentatious and sometimes a tad irritating with his flashy ways, Stelios hasn’t done a single thing to deserve Oliver’s loathing of him. Yes, his incessant need to show his wealth might be misconstrued as showy, but the guy is a billionaire. He was hardly going to live in a two-up two-down and drive a battered old Mondeo, was he?
With the Ice Party taking place on Friday, I have just two free days left to change Oliver’s opinion on his mother’s choice of partner. Hopefully, my earlier conversation with Janie will have put a stop to Stelios’s outlandish displays of prosperity and will give Oliver a chance to see beyond the pantomime. Glimpsing at Stelios as he leads the conversation from the head of the table, I notice how his eyes sparkle with sheer joy when he realises Janie is looking on lovingly as he speaks.
How can Oliver not see what an amazing influence Stelios has been on his mother? Every sharp edge that once defined the boisterous Janie has been softened, revealing a woman who I am proud to barely recognise. After a tempestuous dating history and a somewhat turbulent few years since her divorce from Oliver’s father, it seems Janie has finally found her feet… and a good man to keep her on them.
‘I think I’m going to call it a night.’ Mark announces, yawning into his sleeve. ‘I’m absolutely exhausted.’
‘Don’t be such a party pooper!’ Ruffling his hair, Gina reaches for the wine bottle and frowns when she discovers it’s empty. ‘The night’s still young!’
Marc groans and takes off his glasses to rub his tired eyes, signalling he’s going to hit the hay regardless.
Realising I could use this time to my advantage, I discreetly nudge Janie to get her attention.
‘Let’s stay up a while and chat. We never just chat anymore.’ I say cheerily, giving Janie a knowing look. ‘Stelios, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself? Who is Stelios Christopoulos?’
‘Are you kidding me?’ Gina groans, before Stelios can answer. ‘We’ve been chatting for the last three hours! Let’s go dancing!’
Not wanting to lose the chance to delve further into Stelios’s life and reveal a side to him Oliver might warm to, I shake my head in response.
‘What do you say, Stelios?’ She persists, dancing around in her seat. ‘You can tell a lot about a man by the way he moves on the dance floor!’
Clearly not wanting to disappoint Gina, Stelios laughs nervously and glances at Janie for help.
‘You can tell even more about a man by asking him about his life.’ Janie says with a smile, picking up on my lead.
‘Come on, Stelios, tell us about yourself.’ I say happily, quickly jumping on the subject before Gina can talk Calix into driving her to a nightclub.
‘What do you want to know?’ Smiling merrily, Stelios sits up straight and looks around the table. ‘Ask me anything! Anything at all. Nothing is off-limits for my family!’
Hoping this is the moment that we will get to see the real Stelios, I subtly give Janie the thumbs-up sign as Stelios braces
himself for the first question.
‘How much money do you have in your pocket right now?’ Vernon asks, to Lianna’s horror.
‘Vernon! Don’t be so rude!’ She hisses. ‘I’m so sorry, Stelios. Don’t answer that.’
Not flinching, Stelios reaches into his pocket and drops a wad of notes onto the table. Slowly removing the ruby-encrusted clip, he flicks through the cash at ease.
‘Two thousand euro. I no carry much cash. All cards.’ Placing the money back into his pocket casually, he awaits the next question.
‘How much is Ianthe worth?’ Marc whispers, his cheeks flushing when Gina glares at him.
Letting out a groan, I hold my head in my hands. When Stelios said nothing was off-limits, I don’t think he was including the figures on his bank statements. Why do they think it’s acceptable to pry into Stelios’s financial affairs just because he has tons of cash?
‘Where did you grow up, Stelios?’ I ask, ensuring my voice is louder than everyone else’s.
Seemingly relieved to be getting away from the subject of money, Stelios smiles thankfully.
‘I grew up right here. Mykonos is my hometown.’ Taking Janie’s hand, he holds it over his heart. ‘Mykonos is where my heart is.’
‘So, are your parents here in Mykonos?’ I continue, attempting to keep the conversation on track.
‘My mother, yes.’ Stelios says fondly, clutching his medallion. ‘My father, he… he passed on.’
‘I’m very sorry to hear that.’ Lianna replies tactfully. ‘Are you close with your mother?’
‘Very!’ Janie answers on his behalf. ‘Just like me and Oliver! Isn’t that right, son?’
Oliver manages a tiny nod in response and smiles, but I notice him tense in his seat.
‘I am glad you mention my mother.’ Stelios says, breaking into a huge grin once more. ‘My mother is joining us for brunch tomorrow.’
‘She is?’ I reply, intrigued to meet the woman who created the man with a love for leopard print and red velvet. ‘That’s so lovely! I can’t wait to meet her.’
‘And she cannot wait to meet all of you!’ Clapping his hands together, Stelios sighs theatrically and pulls Janie towards him. ‘My mother is very much looking forward to meeting you. You’re all my family now. Tomorrow we unite as one big family.’
I smile back at him and steal a glimpse at the others. Surprisingly, they don’t look half as alarmed as I would expect them to. It appears the my family referrals are starting to lose effect.
‘Thank you all for your company this evening.’ Pushing out his chair, Stelios bows his head and holds out his hand for Janie’s. ‘Tomorrow, the Christopoulos family and the Jones family unite as one. Until then, I bid you goodnight!’
With a final wave, Stelios and Janie sashay through the foyer, leaving the rest of us staring at where they once sat. Waiting for them to disappear out of sight, I open my mouth to suggest we all retire too, but Gina beats me to it.
‘Who the hell are the Jones family?’ She asks, swirling the remnants of her wine around her glass.
‘That’s Janie’s maiden name.’ I explain, keeping my voice down in case they return.
‘And who are her family?’ Gina persists.
‘Us, apparently.’ Vernon laughs and turns to look at the calm ocean outside. ‘Not that I’m complaining. If Stelios wants me to be a Jones, I’ll be a Jones!’
‘I second that!’ Marc hoots, draining his glass and standing to his feet. ‘I’ll be Fred freaking Flintstone, if he wants me to be!’
A laugh titters around the room as the rest of them nod in agreement.
‘Anyway, Fred Flintstone, it’s been a lovely evening, but it’s way past my bedtime.’ Lianna mumbles, pushing out her chair. ‘I’m going to bed.’
Swiftly finishing her drink, Lianna showers us all with kisses before heading in the direction of the guest wing with Vernon in tow.
‘So, Oliver, what’s it going to take to get you to crack a smile?’ Marc teases, taking a crumpled napkin from the table and folding it neatly. ‘A helicopter? Your name carved in gold? The entire freaking island?’
‘There isn’t enough money in all of Greece to win me over.’ Shaking his head, Oliver laughs lightly. ‘Pigs will fly before I give her my blessing to be with Stelios.’
Silently groaning, I try to hide my disappointment. At this rate, Oliver is never going to accept Stelios. Encouragement or no encouragement.
‘That’s a bit harsh.’ Marc replies, giving Oliver a friendly nudge. ‘He’s a good guy. Trust me, I have a good gut instinct about these things.’
‘Would you want him to be with your mom?’ Oliver snaps. ‘You show me a man who would be happy to see his mom with Stelios Christopoulos and I’ll show you a liar.’
Marc taps his foot as he thinks, until Oliver nods and finishes his drink.
‘Exactly. On that note, I’m going to bed.’ Kissing my cheek, Oliver waves to the others. ‘Goodnight, guys.’
‘Goodnight!’ Marc and Gina shout after him.
Watching him leave, I tip back my head and whimper. Winning over Oliver is going to be a lot harder than I anticipated. With just three days to go, the chances of this ending with happily ever after are getting lower by the second.
‘So, it’s just us three left standing!’ Gina chirps, drumming her hands on the table. ‘Who’s up for dancing?’
Marc and I share a look and I shake my head.
‘We’re meeting Stelios’s mother tomorrow. I don’t think it’s a good idea to paint the town red tonight.’ Discreetly moving Vernon’s glass of wine away from her, I stifle a yawn. ‘Save your dancing for the Ice Party.’
‘Seriously?’ Gina’s face falls with disappointment and she stamps her feet like a petulant child. ‘This is supposed to be a holiday!’
‘It is a holiday!’ Marc chuckles, wrapping his arms around her. ‘But you’ve already done enough holidaying for all of us!’
Rolling her eyes, Gina wiggles out of Marc’s grip and grabs her drink. ‘I didn’t realise I was married to a pensioner.’
‘I think you’ll find you’re older than me!’ He retorts, laughing as she stumbles towards the guest wing with the wine glass still in her hand. ‘Goodnight, honey!’
Grumbling under her breath in response, Gina flips Marc the bird and makes her way to her bedroom.
‘And then there were two!’ Marc says, walking around the immense dining room and admiring the artwork I snubbed earlier.
‘I hate to disappoint you, but I think they’ll be just one very shortly!’ I confess, yawning into my cloth napkin. ‘I can barely keep my eyes open.’
‘You’re all gone!’ Aris exclaims, stepping into the room with a tray of wine glasses. ‘Why?’
‘Everyone’s gone to bed.’ I explain, making a sleep sign with my hands. ‘They’re all sleeping.’
‘Ah! I see…’ Looking down at the glasses in disappointment, Aris frowns and shrugs his shoulders. ‘No problem. I take these back.’
Turning around, Aris takes a few steps towards the bar area before stopping and looking over his shoulder. ‘Unless, you want one last drink?’
I look up at Marc and smile when I see he is already reaching out his hand.
‘Thanks, Aris. I suppose one more can’t hurt.’ Accepting a glass, I thank Aris once more and follow Marc out onto the terrace.
‘Famous last words…’ Marc chuckles, wandering around the huge infinity pool.
‘Should I go and get Gina?’ Enjoying the sound of crickets chirping all around us, I dip a toe into the cold water. ‘She will be livid if she finds out we have been drinking without her!’
‘Leave her to sleep. She could do with an early night.’ He replies, turning a chair to face the moon and sitting down. ‘I don’t know what’s got into her on this trip. She’s been acting like the crazy Gina she was when we first met. Must be the ouzo…’
Spotting this as my chance to broach the subject of Gina’s midlife crisis, I take a big swig
from my glass before sitting down next to him.
‘She’s certainly letting her hair down, isn’t she?’ I say casually, watching the moonlight glimmer on the surface of the ocean. ‘If I didn’t know any better, I would say she’s on the verge of a midlife crisis…’
Looking at me over the rim of his glass, Marc promptly erupts into hysterics. ‘Don’t be ridiculous!’
‘I’m being serious! You should be worried about what’s coming next.’ I reply sternly, trying to keep a straight face. ‘You won’t be laughing when she gets a tongue piercing, or worse!’
‘She’s not having a midlife crisis, Andrews!’ Marc scoffs running his fingers through his hair.
Not being convinced, I raise my eyebrows tellingly and shrug. ‘I wouldn’t be so sure. If I were you, I would keep an eye on her.’
‘Listen, you don’t need to worry about that.’ Dismissing my concerns with a flick of his hand, Marc scratches his stubble. ‘What you do need to worry about, is Oliver.’
My ears prick up at the mention of Oliver and I put down my glass. ‘What about Oliver?’
‘Janie has struck gold here with Stelios. Literally, gold.’ Marc’s eyes glisten at the word gold, giving me a clue as to the direction in which this conversation is going. ‘Don’t let Oliver ruin it by driving a wedge between them. His hostility towards Stelios is impossible to ignore and if we can feel it, Stelios will, too.’
‘I know!’ I cry, glad to have someone to talk to about this. ‘I completely understand Oliver’s reservations…’
‘I bloody don’t!’ Marc interrupts, laughing sarcastically. ‘Just think about it. Stelios doesn’t have any children. If he goes on to marry Janie and I’m pretty confident he will, this whole thing will be Oliver’s one day.’
Looking deep into Marc’s eyes as he speaks, I feel my stomach churn.
‘It will be both of yours.’ He whispers, looking around the sprawling terrace. ‘Do you realise what an opportunity this is? You’ve won the lottery!’
‘But… but that’s not the point, is it?’ Hoping Aris can’t overhear our conversation, I shuffle closer to Marc. ‘It doesn’t matter whether Stelios is rich or poor, the money doesn’t come into it. Oliver has his reservations based on Stelios’s turbulent past relationships and his reputation for being an unscrupulous businessman. It’s not like Oliver is judging him without reason. Yes, Stelios has been nothing but lovely to us, but I can appreciate why Oliver is having a hard time leaving the past in the past.’
