Greek Passions - A Greek Billionaire Box Set

by Holly Rayner

  Zoey could see he was losing his color again. He was licking his lips, as if his mouth had gone completely dry, and if he heard the attendant telling him that the plane was loaded and ready for takeoff, he gave no sign of it.

  “I want you to picture the olive trees,” Zoey began, slipping into a role she had become familiar with.

  “Enough with the trees!” Stelios barked. Almost immediately, his features contorted with regret. “I’m sorry, Zoey… I thought I was ready for this…”

  “You are ready,” she replied, a firm kindness in her voice. She took his hand in hers and took a step toward the boarding ramp. “You’ve come a long way to get here, Stelios, and I know you have the strength to go on. I’m right here with you, and we’re going to do it together. You don’t have to be afraid because you’re not alone.”

  “Besides which, sir,” Fulton chimed in, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, “that’s a super mid-size jet that has been optimized for maximum altitude, speed and range. It has been outfitted with all of the most sophisticated safety systems, and advanced global positioning technology. And the pilot is an expert with a lengthy career in the Air Force behind him.”

  “How do you know all that?” Zoey asked, intrigued.

  “He knows because he’s our pilot,” Stelios answered slowly, smiling slightly at the evident shock on Zoey’s face. “I hired Fulton just after my parents passed away. He was supposed to fly me to Greece so that I could comfort my grandparents, but as I told you, I ended up in the hospital instead. Fulton was so helpful and understanding that I hired him away from his company on the spot. He’s been driving rather than flying ever since, but he’s kept in training, and I honestly wouldn’t trust anyone else. Now, that’s my little secret,” he said with a small laugh. “Now that we’re here, let’s hear yours.”

  “You’re going to have to get aboard the plane first,” Zoey answered, quickly recovering from her surprise. She took another step toward the cabin, and Stelios let her lead him without the slightest resistance.

  Just as they reached the boarding stairs, Fulton slipped a pack of bubble gum into Zoey’s free hand.

  “You’ll thank me later, miss,” he promised, before dashing away to start the final flight checks.

  Moments later, Stelios and Zoey were seated in luxurious reclining leather seats. Each one came with a separate television screen, and wireless, noise-canceling headphones. The armrests held a control console, which offered the option to add heat, vibration, or both. All in all, they were the best chairs Zoey had ever experienced.

  “I need to put one of these in my office,” she joked.

  “I’ll take care of that as soon as we get back,” Stelios laughed. It was by no means a strong laugh, but it was reassuring to Zoey, and she was glad to see that he was calming down a little.

  A few moments later, Fulton’s voice filled the cabin, and announced that the plane was about to take off. As the jet began to speed along the runway, the pair strapped themselves in and each took a piece of gum in an effort to keep their ears from popping. Suddenly, the tarmac below them dropped away, and the jet, which Stelios had named Skylander, was in the air.

  Stelios held tight to Zoey’s hand until the plane leveled out from its ascent. She was glad when it did, because it had been something like a death grip. Stelios apologized profusely, but Zoey assured him that she understood, and that there was no problem.

  At that very moment, Zoey realized something that she hadn’t before: her heart was pounding with eagerness and excitement. They were off the ground. They were really going. In just a few hours, she was going to experience something that never got to be more than a fantasy for most people. She got goosebumps as she pictured the sun-drenched shores that awaited her.

  “Okay, no more stalling, baby,” Stelios suddenly said, cutting into her thoughts. “We can’t get any more on the plane than this, so tell me, what’s the big secret?”

  Zoey reflected that she was getting interrupted an awful lot today, but she kept that thought to herself and addressed Stelios.

  “Well, when my mother saw you announce on TV that you love me, something happened to her. She stopped being so bitter and cynical. I was ecstatic, and I didn’t expect it to get any better than that. But then, one of her past clients showed up, Branden Kingston, the guy you talked to today. They hit it off right away, but at first, it was slow going. Neither of them wanted to make the first move.”

  “I remember,” Stelios said, shaking his head. “You told me about your efforts to play matchmaker.”

  “Well, one, that’s my job, and two, it worked,” Zoey told him with a tiny smirk. “They’ve started seeing each other every day. Usually, it’s just lunch, but sometimes they go out. A few days ago, though, my mother called me into her office to discuss something that she said was extremely important. As it turns out, she wants to spend more of her time with Branden, ‘having fun while I can’, as she put it. She’s retiring from Melinda Forde the moment I get back from Greece, and handing the entire thing over to me.”

  “Oh my God, that’s incredible!” Stelios replied, embracing her and giving her a kiss. “Your mother is wise to trust you with her legacy, Zoey. I couldn’t think of anyone better suited for it.”

  “Thanks, Stelios. I’m glad you think so. To be honest, though, I’ve been struggling with the idea of it. I’m overjoyed to know she’s going to have more time to be happy now. Especially with Branden. They seem like they were made for each other. But then…” she trailed off.

  “You’re worried because it’s a big responsibility, and you don’t want to let your mother down. You’ve worked alongside her for years now, but this is the first time that the entire process will be in your hands.”

  “That’s exactly how I feel. How do you know all of that?”

  “That’s exactly how I felt eight years ago, when I had to take over Dolphin Realty. It’s always hard to establish yourself at first. You have to learn everything at the same time as you’re doing it. It’s going to be rough at first, but I know you’re going to make it work, Zo’. There’s no better feeling than watching something you build succeed. Well, except, of course, for the one I get whenever I’m around you.”

  “Flattery will get you everywhere,” Zoey quipped, but deep down she was really touched by what he had said. “This new arrangement is going to mean a whole lot of changes in my life. I told my mother I want to reform things from the ground up. We need to change the pricing structure so that we can help ordinary people, not just cater to the wealthy. We need to filter out people who aren’t really looking for a relationship, and we need to embrace new technologies to stay relevant in the relationship services industry. There’s a girl in China who has just developed an app that matches people based on their behavior patterns. I asked my mom to send someone to look into it two days ago. If the reports come back positive, I’m going to try to acquire it.”

  Stelios looked on approvingly, filling Zoey with the affirmation she needed.

  The plane flew on until the sun began to sink in the sky. The horizon dazzled Zoey and Stelios as it danced through shades of gold, red and purple.

  At last, twilight crept across the evening sky, and Zoey turned to Stelios wearing an expression of awe.

  “Aren’t you glad you didn’t miss that?” she asked, patting him on the shoulder.

  “You can see the sky just as easily from the ground, and you don’t have to worry about falling onto it. Still, I never could have lived with myself if I hadn’t done this. I’m truly thankful to be going home while my grandparents are still alive. It’s always bothered me that I didn’t see them after my parents died.”

  “But you will now and—” Zoey was cut off by the jet this time.

  The cabin shook violently for several seconds, and Stelios swore loudly, instinctively regaining his seat and fastening himself into it with shaky fingers.

  “This is your captain speaking, sir,” Fulton announced over the intercom. “That was just
a little turbulence, a perfectly normal occurrence up here, and nothing to worry about.”

  “The hell you say!” cried Stelios.

  “Based on current climate conditions, chances are excellent that we won’t experience any more turbulence prior to landing.”

  “Right,” Stelios muttered, releasing himself.

  After that scare, the Greek was far more alert than he had been for several hours. Zoey tried to stay awake and keep him company, but it became more and more difficult as the hour grew later.

  At about two in the morning, Zoey simply couldn’t hold out any longer. Without even realizing it, she fell into a deep and powerful sleep, and Stelios was left to his own devices.

  ***

  At first, it was pretty touch and go. With no one to distract him from the fact that he was in a metal tube, thousands of feet above the sea, Stelios’ mind began to wander toward everything that could still go wrong. He made a valiant effort to keep thoughts in check, though, and an hour or so in, it was beginning to pay off. And then, another person entered the cabin—the very last one Stelios expected to see.

  It was Fulton, ostensibly on his way to the bathroom.

  Stelios eyed him with alarm. “If you’re here, Fulton, who’s flying the plane?”

  “The very best autopilot money can buy, sir. And before you ask, I have the co-pilot watching the autopilot, and a system in place to alert a reserve pilot in case something happens to him. How are you holding up, anyway, sir? I had an idea that the young lady would be tuckered out by now.”

  “I’m managing,” Stelios replied evenly. “Though I’m pretty sure I need a pilot up there more than a babysitter back here.”

  “Well,” Fulton replied, “I just want you to know there're only a few more hours of this foolishness. Then we’ll be on terra firma again, and you won’t need to worry about flying again for a solid week.”

  “Thank you,” Stelios replied. It was a tiny comfort, but in his heart of hearts, he was glad to have it.

  Fulton hung around for a few more minutes, before using the bathroom and heading back to the flight deck.

  When he’d left, Stelios went fishing around in the cabinets, eventually retrieving a luxurious-looking blanket. Very gently, he wrapped it around the woman he loved, taking extra care not to wake her up.

  EIGHTEEN

  In the wee hours of the morning, as the sun began to peek over the horizon, fatigue finally hit Stelios like a mallet over the head. When he finally surrendered to sleep, silence fell over the cabin, and it wasn’t broken until half past twelve, when Zoey awoke with a yawn. She stretched as far as she could, and then she pulled off the blanket, folding it and setting it aside. She was certain she knew where the blanket had come from, and walked over to Stelios, still knocked out in his seat. She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

  “Good morning, honey,” she said brightly as he let out a sputtered yawn and shook himself awake.

  “Morning,” he answered, rubbing his eyes, and slowly getting to his feet. “I’m guessing you slept well?” he asked, and Zoey nodded. “Then I do believe it’s high time for breakfast. Would you care to join me in the dining area?”

  “I certainly would,” Zoey replied, and Stelios led her to the rear of the cabin.

  Zoey had expected to see a small folding table for the pair of them to share. Instead, she found an alcove that held a full-sized dining table. It was covered with a cream-colored tablecloth, and a crystal chandelier hung overhead. The stewardess, Marcella, a sharp-eyed Midwestern woman in her thirties, appeared to take their order, and several minutes later, the table was piled high with omelets, home fries, coffee, bacon and scones.

  They ate slowly, trading stories between bites, and discussing the glorious country they were rapidly approaching. Stelios was talking excitedly about his childhood in Greece, visiting villages with his mother, and sampling exotic new foods. He described the rich gardens he had seen, and told her how it felt to run over the grass-covered hills. Midway through these stories, Zoey began to wish the plane would fly even faster than it already was. In reality, one or two more hours had passed before the intercom system came alive again.

  “Passengers are advised to find your seats and fasten your safety belts. We’re getting ready to descend. We will be landing on the east coast of Chios, in the Aegean Sea. For those of you who haven’t experienced it in a while, allow me to warn you that the descent will feel a little weird, but I want to stress that you’re in no danger, and it will all be over quite soon.”

  “I’m struggling to make myself believe that,” Stelios remarked, instinctively taking Zoey’s hand. He was careful to be more gentle this time, and Zoey appreciated not having her fingers gripped in a vise.

  “Well, it’s perfectly true,” she said encouragingly. “This is the last little bit that we have to deal with, and then we’ll be off to meet your grandparents. Do they live on the mainland or one of the islands?”

  “The mainland,” Stelios answered, but he didn’t elaborate.

  Stelios felt as if he were falling and the floor had suddenly decided to go on strike. His instinct was to drive his heels into the floor, but he knew that wouldn’t halt the sensation. So he did what Zoey was telling him to do, and tried to focus his mind on the temple that stood in the center of his little man-made island. At first, no clear image would form, or rather, no clear image that he wanted to see. But gradually, he marshaled his will, and as Zoey whispered encouragement in his ear, he was able to picture the scene, and slowly, very slowly, a sense of calm claimed his body.

  “That’s it, Stelios. I knew you could do it,” Zoey was saying. “Now I want you to see those beautiful olive trees. Their gnarled limbs are reaching into the sky like children reaching out to their mothers…”

  Zoey kept up her guided imagery until the plane touched down smoothly and began to taxi down the runway.

  The moment the plane touched down, Stelios seemed to come alive. His eyes lit up, and he looked at Zoey, patting her hand gently.

  “I wouldn’t be here without you, Zo’. One of these days, I’m going to thank you for that properly.”

  “You’ve done that already, just by being in my life,” Zoey replied, and as she did so the plane came to a halt.

  “Thank you for choosing the Skylander for all your travel needs,” Fulton boomed over the intercom. “We’d like to be the first to welcome you to Greece. The boarding ramp is now in place. Please exit the plane in an orderly fashion, and have an excellent day.”

  “He really went through the whole routine, didn’t he?” Zoey remarked, grinning.

  “Fulton likes to devote himself completely to everything he does, but I think he’s also doing it to help me feel better. I’ve employed a lot of people in my time, but he is really more than an employee to me. In the years I’ve known him, he’s become someone I am proud to call my friend.”

  “You’re lucky to have someone like that in your life,” Zoey replied.

  “No, I’m thankful I have Fulton. I’m lucky to have you.”

  On that note, the lovers moved to the front of the cabin and descended the boarding ramp with eager steps. Zoey was sure that she would feel a new thrill the moment her feet touched Grecian soil, but she had only gone four steps away from the plane when all thought of the wonders of Greece was knocked right out of her. For a full minute, she stood as still as if she had been turned to salt, paralyzed by the kind of shock people experience once in a lifetime.

  The plane was sitting on a long runway that cut a path through seemingly endless fields of emerald grass. There were no buildings or roads of any kind nearby. Besides the plane and a few olive trees, there was nothing to block the view of the horizon. Wildflowers dotted the landscape, and birds sailed to and fro, singing to the sun as they went. Far off in the distance was a breathtaking mountain range, its stunning peaks bathed in the light of the sun. Taken together, it was a master stroke of nature; the kind of jaw-dropping beauty that inspires legends and song
s.

  But it wasn’t this halcyon scene that had caught Zoey’s attention. It was a thing that, at first, looked as if it didn’t belong there at all. It was a billboard. A rather large, but otherwise ordinary, billboard. There was nothing special about it in the least. Compared to the beauty surrounding it, it should hardly have been noticed, but this one had captivated Zoey instantly.

  It was one of Melinda’s advertisements. The ones she had made without anyone’s permission, to promote the fact that Zoey and Stelios were seeing each other as a Melinda Forde success story. The picture was the same: Zoey and Stelios smiling serenely beside each other, with Melinda’s silver logo overhead. But unlike the others, this billboard had a caption, and it was that fact that so affected Zoey when she stepped off the plane. It read:

  “Zoey and Stelios, successfully matched by Melinda Forde Singles, are to be married.”