by Lacey London
‘Thank you, Clara. You have opened my eyes to where I have been going wrong for so long.’
Feeling my cheeks flush, I nod back at him as he walks over to where Ioannis and Georgios are keeping guard.
‘Ioannis and Georgios, your work here is done.’ Stelios says warmly, shaking both of their hands twice over. ‘You can go.’
Raising their eyebrows, Ioannis and Georgios appear completely bewildered.
‘Go?’ Ioannis repeats, taking out his earpiece. ‘You want us to go?’
‘Yes. Please go and enjoy the day.’ Stelios persists, reaching into his pocket and handing them wads of crisp notes that are slightly wet at the corners from the water. ‘Spend time with your families, buy them a nice meal and just… live.’
Looking at the money in their hands, which would buy their families food for the next ten years, Ioannis and Georgios grin from ear to ear. After muttering a few words to Stelios in Greek, they shake his hand once again before heading off over the sand.
Watching them walk away, I look over at Oliver and feel my stomach flip when I see him grinning happily.
‘I am sorry I tried to purchase your approval of me.’ Stelios says seriously, addressing the entire group. ‘I am, from the bottom of my heart, sorry, but my heart is pure. My heart is good.’
‘It is better than good.’ Janie says, happy tears spilling down her cheeks. ‘Pure as gold.’
There’s an emotional silence, where the only sound comes from the waves kissing the shore, before Oliver finally breaks it.
‘Alright, that’s enough of the mushy stuff.’ He says confidently, wrapping an arm around Janie’s shoulders. ‘We came here for a party and more importantly, we came here to make sure my mom was in safe hands. Both of which we have accomplished. Now, let’s eat.’
Vernon and Marc start to clap and before long, the others join in. Cheering as loud as my lungs will allow, I jump up and down on the spot. People at the cafes behind us join in with the clapping, regardless of not knowing what it is we are celebrating.
Holding his hands in the air to silence us, Stelios begins to walk across the sand and signals for the rest of us to follow him.
‘Come with me! I know just the place…’
* * *
Biting into the most delicious pitta bread I have ever tasted, I lick a dollop of tzatziki from my little finger and swoon. For the past twenty minutes we have been sitting on the pavement outside a food shack, devouring gyros and listening to stories about Stelios’s upbringing. My cheeks are aching from laughing, but my greed for the gyro means I keep eating regardless.
‘These gyros, my patéras… my father, we would fish all morning and sit right here eating gyros.’ Wiping his moustache on a paper napkin, Stelios smiles adoringly at Janie as she rests her head on his shoulder. ‘The best gyros on the island, with the best people.’
‘Amen!’ Gina cheers, between sips of ice-cold beer. ‘I second that!’
Looking at the pile of sandals and flip-flops in front of us, I realise the bottom of my feet are black from walking barefoot, but it just makes me smile even more. This is exactly what I wanted from this holiday. Foreign voices are all around me, I have traditional Greek food in my stomach and the sun is shining beautifully onto the perfect blue water ahead. This is Greece at its finest and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world.
Tuning back in to the conversation as Stelios continues to share tales from his childhood, I turn to Oliver and wipe a blob of tzatziki from his chin.
‘So, what happened on the boat?’ I whisper, draping my legs across his lap. ‘I’m dying to know what went down out there.’
‘The boat was unexpected, I’ll tell you that much.’ Shaking his head slowly, Oliver reaches for his beer and hugs me with his spare arm. ‘When Calix pulled up here, I sure wasn’t expecting to be taken out on the ocean like that. Half of me thought he was going to throw me overboard.’
I smile back at him, not wanting to speak in case I break his flow.
‘Everything I believed about Stelios was wrong. The man I thought he was doesn’t even come close to the truth.’ He pauses and screws his napkin up into a small ball. ‘Sure, he’s flashy and a bit of an ass sometimes, but Stelios isn’t a bad guy. Once he opened up to me about his upbringing, I could see the man my mom was so desperate for us to meet. To come from such hardship is mind-blowing.’
Quietly overjoyed by his admission, I nod along proudly.
‘I hold up my hands and admit that on this occasion, I got it wrong and I have never been happier to be wrong in all my life. I hated the idea of my mom being out here and I allowed that to cloud my judgement.’ He says softly, looking over at Janie and smiling. ‘Now I can fly back, safe in the knowledge that my mom is going to be okay.’
Replying with nothing more than a happy smile, I return to my gyro as a cheer drifts out of a Greek restaurant to our left. The sound of glasses clinking together encourages me to pick up my own bottle of beer and I hold out in front of the others.
‘Cheers, guys!’ I sing, beaming brightly. ‘To Stelios!’
‘Please, I am not worthy.’ Stelios places a hand on his heart, clearly touched by my gesture. ‘To Mykonos!’
‘To Mykonos!’ We all shout in unison.
Taking a sip of the amber bubbles, I lean back and take in the smiles of my friends. Well, not my friends. Stelios was right about one thing. These guys aren’t my friends, they are my family. We’re one big, slightly dysfunctional, completely non-traditional family and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Tipping my head back, I enjoy the sensation of the ocean breeze on my face and inhale deeply. This might not have been the typical package holiday, but I am leaving with the holiday glow that everyone aims to achieve.
Slowly peeling open my eyes, I smile as Janie and Stelios share a loving glance while the rest of the gang chat amongst themselves. Their eyes soften as they beam at one another, completely oblivious to anything and everything around them. Finally breaking their stare, Janie points to her ankle tattoo and grins.
Suddenly remembering her revelation about the meaning behind the tattoo, I watch in awe as she waits for Stelios to respond. Not taking his eyes away from hers, Stelios nods eagerly as Janie leans over and kisses his cheek. Catching my eye, she winks and reaches for Stelios’s hand. Did she just? Does that mean? A squeal from Janie all but confirms to me that it does.
Clasping my hands over my mouth, my heart pounds as I resist the urge to scream out loud. My mind flits back to the bet on a proposal and I giggle to myself. I’ve just won. Vernon and Gina were right, a proposal was on the cards. It just so happens that it has taken place in a way they never imagined. Deciding to keep this snippet of information to myself for now, I raise my bottle to my lips and smile back at Janie. Happiness pours out of her as she joins in with the conversation, all the while keeping her fingers entwined with Stelios’s.
I might have won the bet, but Janie is the real winner here. Despite the many obstacles life has thrown her way, despite the many diversions and dead-ends she has hit on her journey, Janie has at long last found true love. With a little luck and maybe a sprinkle of Unicorn Dust, she has found her happily ever after.
Although, the older you get, you realise happily ever after isn’t a fairy tale, it’s a choice and it seems that Janie has finally made the right one…
Life doesn’t have to make sense.
It simply has to make you happy…
To be continued…
Follow Lacey London on Twitter
@thelaceylondon
The Clara Andrews Series
Meet Clara Andrews
Clara Meets the Parents
Meet Clara Morgan
Clara at Christmas
Meet Baby Morgan
Clara in the Caribbean
Clara in America
Clara in the Middle
Clara’s Last Christmas
Clara Bounces Back
Meet Clara Andrews<
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Book 1
Meet Clara Andrews... Your new best friend!
With a love of cocktails and wine, a fantastic job in the fashion industry and the world’s greatest best friends, Clara Andrews thought she had it all.
That is until a chance meeting introduces her to Oliver, a devastatingly handsome American designer. Trying to keep the focus on her work, Clara finds her heart stolen by Michelin starred restaurants and luxury hotels.
As things get flirty, Clara reminds herself that inter-office relationships are against the rules, so when a sudden recollection of a work’s night out leads her to a cheeky, charming and downright gorgeous barman, she decides to see where it goes.
Clara soon finds out that dating two men isn't as easy as it seems...
Will she be able to play the field without getting played herself?
Join Clara as she finds herself landing in and out of trouble, re-affirming friendships, discovering truths and uncovering secrets.
Clara Meets the Parents
Book 2
Almost a year has passed since Clara found love in the arms of delectable American Oliver Morgan and things are starting to heat up.
The nights of tequila shots and bodycon dresses are now a distant memory, but a content Clara couldn't be happier about it.
It’s not just Clara things have changed for. Marc is settling in to his new role as Baby Daddy and Lianna is lost in the arms of the hunky Dan once again.
When Oliver declares it time to meet the Texan in-laws, Clara is ecstatic and even more so when she discovers that the introduction will take place on the sandy beaches of Mexico!
Will Clara be able to win over Oliver’s audacious mother?
What secrets will unfold when she finds an ally in the beautiful and captivating Erica?
Clara is going to need a little more than sun, sand and margaritas to get through this one...
Meet Clara Morgan
Book 3
When Clara, Lianna and Gina all find themselves engaged at the same time, it soon becomes clear that things are going to get a little crazy.
With Lianna and Gina busy planning their own impending nuptials, it’s not long before Oliver enlists the help of Janie, his feisty Texan mother, to help Clara plan the wedding of her dreams.
However, it’s not long before Clara realizes that Janie’s vision of the perfect wedding day is more than a little different to her own.
Will Clara be able to cope with her shameless mother-in-law Janie?
What will happen when a groom gets cold feet?
And how will Clara handle a blast from the past who makes a reappearance in the most unexpected way possible?
Join Clara and the gang as three very different brides, plan three very different weddings.
With each one looking for the perfect fairy tale ending, who will get their happily ever after...
Clara at Christmas
Book 4
With snowflakes falling and fairy lights twinkling brightly, it can only mean one thing - Christmas will be very soon upon us.
With just twenty-five days to go until the big day, Clara finds herself dealing with more than just the usual festive stresses.
Plans to host the perfect Christmas Day for her American in-laws are ambushed by her BFF’s clichéd meltdown at turning thirty.
With a best friend on the verge of a mid-life crisis, putting Christmas dinner on the table isn’t the only thing Clara has got to worry about this year.
Taking on the role of Best Friend/Therapist, Head Chef and Party Planner is much harder than Clara had anticipated.
With the clock ticking, can Clara pull things together - or will Christmas Day turn out to be the December disaster that she is so desperate to avoid?
Join Clara and the gang in this festive instalment and discover what life changing gifts are waiting for them under the tree this year...
Meet Baby Morgan
Book 5
It’s fair to say that pregnancy hasn’t been the joyous journey that Clara had anticipated. Extreme morning sickness, swollen ankles and crude cravings have plagued her for months and now that she has gone over her due date, she is desperate to get this baby out of her.
With a lovely new home in the leafy, affluent village of Spring Oak, Clara and Oliver are ready to start this new chapter in their lives. The cot has been bought, the nursery has been decorated and a name has been chosen. All that is missing, is the baby himself.
As Lianna is enjoying new found success with her interior design firm, Periwinkle, Clara turns to the women of the village for company. The once inseparable duo find themselves at different points in their lives and for the first time in their friendship, the cracks start to show.
Will motherhood turn out to be everything that Clara ever dreamed of?
Which naughty neighbour has a sizzling secret that she so desperately wants to keep hidden?
Laugh, smile and cry with Clara as she embarks on her journey to motherhood. A journey that has some unexpected bumps along the way. Bumps that she never expected...
Clara in the Caribbean
Book 6
Almost a year has passed since Clara returned to the big smoke and she couldn't be happier to be back in her city.
With the perfect husband, her best friends for neighbours and a beautiful baby boy, Clara feels like every aspect of her life has finally fallen into place.
It’s not just Clara who things are going well for. The Strokers have made the move back from the land down under and Lianna is on cloud nine – literally.
Not only has she been jetting across the globe with her interior design firm, Periwinkle, she has also met the man of her dreams… again.
For the past twelve months Li has been having a long distance relationship with Vernon Clarke, a handsome man she met a year earlier on the beautiful island of Barbados.
After spending just seven short days together, Lianna decided that Vernon was the man for her and they have been Skype smooching ever since.
Due to Li’s disastrous dating history, it’s fair to say that Clara is more than a little dubious about Vernon being ‘The One.’ So, when her neighbours invite Clara to their villa in the Caribbean, she can’t resist the chance of checking out the mysterious Vernon for herself.
Has Lianna finally found true love?
Will Vernon turn out to a knight in shining armour or just another fool in tin foil?
Grab a rum punch and join Clara and the gang as they fly off to paradise in this sizzling summer read!
Clara in America
Book 7
With Clara struggling to find the perfect present for her baby boy’s second birthday, she is pleasantly surprised when her crazy mother-in-law, Janie, sends them tickets to Orlando.
After a horrendous flight, a mix-up at the airport and a let-down with the weather, Clara begins to question her decision to fly out to America.
Despite the initial setbacks, the excitement of Orlando gets a hold of them and the Morgans start to enjoy the fabulous Sunshine State.
Too busy having fun in the Florida sun, Clara tries to ignore the nagging feeling that something isn't quite right.
Does Janie’s impromptu act of kindness have a hidden agenda?
Just as things start to look up, Janie drops a bombshell that none of them saw coming.
Can Clara stop Janie from making a huge mistake, or has Oliver’s audacious mother finally gone too far?
Join Clara as she gets swept up in a world of fast food, sunshine and roller coasters.
With Janie refusing to play by the rules, it looks like the Morgans are in for a bumpy ride…
Clara in the Middle
Book 8
It’s been six months since Clara’s crazy mother-in-law took up residence in the Morgan’s spare bedroom and things are starting to get strained.
Between bringing booty calls back to the apartment and teaching Noah curse words, Janie’s outrageous behaviour has become worse than ever.
When she agreed to this temporary arrangement, Clara knew it was only a matter of time before there were fireworks. But with Oliver seemingly oblivious to Janie’s shocking actions, Clara feels like she has nowhere to turn.
Thankfully for Clara, she has a fluffy new puppy and a job at her friend’s lavish florist to take her mind off the problems at home.
Throwing herself into her work, Clara finds herself feeling extremely grateful for her great circle of friends, but when one of them puts her in an incredibly awkward situation she starts to feel more alone than ever.
Will Janie’s risky behaviour finally push a wedge between Clara and Oliver?
How will Clara handle things when Eve asks her for the biggest favour you could ever ask?
With Clara feeling like she is stuck in the middle of so many sticky situations, will she be able to keep everybody happy?
