“A hospital built in the middle of paradise,” she mused aloud. “If I’d been privileged to recover here, I know I would have lived on the patio. To be near the sea would be heavenly.”
When they came to the foyer filled with exotic plants and tubs of flowers, he smiled warmly at a woman probably fifty years old who appeared to run the reception area. “Hebe.” He kissed her cheek.
The other woman beamed. “Yiannis said you were coming. It’s always good to see you.”
“The feeling is mutual. Kyria Lasko, I’d like you to meet Thespinis Zoe Zachos from New York City. She’s here for an interview with Yiannis.”
“Ah? I hope it means what I think it means.” Her friendly brown eyes were so welcoming Zoe was able to relax a little.
“How do you do, Kyria Lasko?” She shook hands with her.
“Call me Hebe.”
After being around a cold Alexandra for a whole year, Hebe Lasko was like a breath of fresh air. “Thank you.”
“Hebe is the head of our business office located down the other hall,” he explained, “but she’s been doing double duty as Yiannis’s assistant.”
Zoe turned to him. “You mean this front desk is where I would work?” she asked quietly.
He nodded. “Yiannis’s office is through that door behind the desk. Let’s go.”
She followed him around the counter where he knocked on the door and was told to enter. Vasso ushered her inside and her first thought was that she’d entered a room in a naval museum.
There were models of ships on the shelving and several framed photographs of the former military leader in dress uniform. Other small photographs showed him with his striking wife. What an attractive man he was with gray hair and dark brown eyes!
As the two men embraced, she noticed he was shorter than Vasso and was dressed in a short-sleeved white shirt and dark trousers. They exchanged comments and his hearty laugh filled the office. Then his eyes swerved to Zoe.
“So, Vasso... I see you’ve brought along a visitor. A very lovely one at that. Is this some kind of announcement you’re making?”
CHAPTER FOUR
THE INFERENCE COULDN’T have been more obvious. Zoe tried to repress a groan.
“In a way, yes! I’ve found you the assistant you’ve been needing. Yiannis? Meet Thespinis Zoe Zachos. She was born and raised in New York City, and she’s a bilingual Greek American. I was so impressed with her I plucked her away and brought her here. I’m going to leave the two of you to get acquainted and take a look around the facility, but I’ll be back.”
He disappeared so fast Zoe felt like the foundation had just been knocked out from under her.
The older man smiled at her. “Sit down, Zoe. How come you’re still thespinis?”
He immediately reminded her of her father who was always outspoken. “I haven’t met the right man yet.”
He frowned before taking his seat. “What’s wrong with the men in New York?”
“I’m afraid the problem lies with me.”
“What are you? Twenty-two?” he asked with a teasing smile.
“I’ll be twenty-five next weekend.”
His brows lifted. “That old.” Laughter broke from her. “All right. Let’s start from the beginning. Vasso wouldn’t do this to me if he weren’t a hundred-percent sure you’re the person I’m looking for to help me run this place. Tell me about your background.”
Without going into too much unnecessary detail, she told him about her family and education. When she got to the part about the fire, she managed to stay composed. Then she told him about her lymphoma and the year she’d spent at the center.
“My family priest knew how much I wanted to work for the center to pay back all it had done for me. When the doctor gave me another clean bill of health, Father Debakis arranged for Kyrie Giannopoulos to interview me. He said your assistant had to leave and you were looking for a new one.”
The older man suddenly sat forward. “You’re cancer-free?”
“At the moment, yes. But there’s no guaran—”
“Forget that,” he broke in on her. “You’re exactly what’s been needed around here. How long before you have to go back to New York?”
“I—I don’t plan to,” she stammered. “I told Kyrie Giannopoulos I’d like to work for the foundation for the rest of my life. It will take that long to pay his family back for all they’ve done for me. If I’m given a job here, this is where I’ll plant new roots.”
“You’re hired, Thespinis Zachos.”
Zoe couldn’t believe it. “But you hardly know anything about me.”
“Of course I do. Vasso wouldn’t have brought you here if he had any questions. This center needs input. Who better than you to see what we’re doing right or wrong? When I was in the navy, we had informers who quietly gathered information helpful to the brass. With you around, I’m already feeling like I’m back on duty with a crew I can count on.”
To hide her joy that he’d accepted her on Vasso’s say-so alone, she reached in her tote bag and pulled out a seven-by-seven-inch box wrapped in paper showing various American naval frigates. “This is for you.” She handed it to him. “I would have given it to you whether I got the job or not.”
Yiannis eyed her in surprise before opening it. “What’s this?” He pulled out a creamware mug and read aloud the words printed in dark red ink. “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”
“That’s the image of Edward Preble,” she explained. “He was a naval hero at the time of the war in Tripoli. Kyrie Giannopoulos told me you’re a naval hero and have collected naval memorabilia. I knew he meant Greek memorabilia, but I thought you could add this mug as a piece to show your appreciation for an American naval hero. A little diversity makes things more interesting, don’t you think? If nothing else, you could drink coffee from it.”
He burst into laughter at the same moment Vasso joined them. “It looks like you two are getting along famously.”
Yiannis lifted the mug. “Did you see this?”
“No.”
“Take a look. Our new employee just presented me a gift to add to my collection.” Vasso shot her a knowing glance before he took it to examine.
The retired admiral sat back in his chair, eyeing the two of them with satisfaction. “The only thing I need to ask now is: how soon can you come to work? I needed you yesterday. Poor Hebe has been run ragged doing the job of two people.”
Zoe liked him a lot already. For years she’d worked with her parents at the taverna. It would be nice to feel useful again with someone dynamic like him. Despite his grief over the loss of his wife, he had a buoyant spirit.
“Tomorrow morning? Today I need to find a place to live.”
“Tomorrow at eight-thirty it is. You’ve made my day.”
She got to her feet. “You’ve made mine by being willing to give me a chance. I can’t thank you enough and I’ll try not to make you sorry.” Zoe shook his hand and headed for the door. She needed to use the restroom she’d seen down the hall.
After she emerged, Vasso caught up to her. “We’ll fly back to my house for the car and drive into Loggos. When we reach the village I thought we’d stop for lunch and check out several furnished apartments I told you about. Hopefully one will suit.”
Things were moving so fast she could hardly think. “Do all the people working at the center live in Loggos?”
“They come from all over the island, but Loggos is a good place for you to start out. The only bus picks up passengers in front of the main taverna and will bring you to the center. It makes three stops a day there in front of the fountain, so you’ll always have a ride home. I suggest you give it a month. If it isn’t to your liking, you can live wherever you want on the island, but you’ll need a car. I’ll help you with that when you’re ready.”
“Thank you, but I don’t have a driver’s license, Vasso. If I decide to buy a car, then I’ll have to take lessons first.” He’d already spoiled her so completely she would never be out of his debt. Vasso was so caring and concerned—the differences between him and Chad were like day and night.
The flight back to his house passed in a blur. There was too much to absorb. She couldn’t take it all in. Once again she felt the helicopter dip and fly toward a charming, solitary white beach villa with a red tiled roof. They landed on a pad in the middle of a copse of olive trees, causing her breath to escape. There was no doubt in her mind this was Vasso’s sanctuary.
She spotted a dark gray Lexus parked nearby.
Once the rotors stopped spinning, Vasso unbuckled the seat belt. While he removed her luggage, she jumped down so he wouldn’t have to help her and reached for the train case. Without waiting for him, she headed for his car.
“Zoe? The house is in the other direction. Where do you think you’re going?”
“To get in your car. I’m assuming I’ll be able to move into an apartment today and don’t want to put you out any more than necessary.”
“We’re not in that big a hurry.”
“I am. Once I have a place to live and am on the job, I’m going to feel free. I don’t expect you to understand. But being the recipient of so much generosity for so long has become a burden, if that makes sense. I hope I haven’t offended you.”
“Not at all.”
Zoe tried to sound matter of fact about it, but it was hard to hide the sudden alarm that had gripped her. Vasso was already bigger than life to her. She’d been in the penthouse that he and his brother used for business. She’d even cooked a meal there! Because she was a future employee, Vasso had opened every door for her.
But to enter his home would be crossing a line into his private world she refused to consider. She might like it too much. No way did she dare make a move like that. Already she was afraid that her feelings for him might interfere with their professional relationship.
Yiannis Megalos had made an assumption about her and Vasso the second he’d seen them walk in the office. She could imagine how it looked. Obviously Vasso had gone out of his way to do something unprecedented to accommodate her desire to work for the foundation. But this last favor to help her get settled had to be the end of it. Her self-preservation instinct had kicked in to guard her heart.
If she came to depend on Vasso, how did she know he wouldn’t be like Chad in the sense that he wasn’t invested in the relationship to the extent that she was? Zoe refused to put her trust in a man again where it came to her heart. There was no point anyway since her cancer could be coming back. Better to concentrate on her work and give it her all. In the end she’d be spared a lot of heartache.
She waited for Vasso to bring the rest of her luggage to the car. He used a remote to open the doors and put the luggage in the trunk. Zoe took advantage of the time to get in the front seat.
When he got behind the wheel, he turned to her. Suddenly they were too close. She was so aware of him she could hardly breathe. “Why do you think you would be putting me out?”
Until now she hadn’t felt any tension between them, but after what he’d just said, she feared she’d irritated him after all. “Because you’ve done so much for me, it doesn’t make sense that you’ll have to come back here later for my luggage.”
“I’m in no hurry. Have I led you to believe that?”
She moistened her lips nervously. “No. Of course not. You’re such a gentleman you’d never make anyone uncomfortable. But you and your brother run a huge corporation. Everything was going smoothly until you were asked to interview me. I know Father Debakis laid a big guilt trip on you, so don’t try to deny it.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
She took a breath. “Thank you. Since then you’ve had to deal with me. As if I’m not already indebted to you several hundred thousand dollars.”
“Zoe—have you considered the situation from our point of view? Our father died a terrible death while Akis and I stood by helplessly. To know that the foundation has helped someone like you means everything to us. It’s a pleasure to see you get back on your feet.”
Her head bowed. “You’re the two best men I know.”
“That’s nice to hear. What do you say we drive to the village? After lunch you can take a look at the furnished apartments available. One is over a bakery, the other over a gift shop.”
She flicked him a worried glance. “A bakery?”
* * *
The second Zoe’s question was out, Vasso realized where he’d gone wrong and gripped the steering wheel so hard it was a miracle he didn’t break it. “Forgive me for forgetting where you’d lived.” She’d never forget the fire that had traveled to the kitchen of her parents’ taverna.
“We’ll cross that one off the list. You’ll like Kyria Panos. She’s a widow who’s been renting the apartment over the gift shop since her son got married. You’ll have your own entrance in the back. The only drawback is that it’s a one-bedroom apartment.”
“I don’t need more than one.”
“You’re so easy to please it’s scary.”
“Not all the time.”
“Give me an example.”
“If I told you some of my hang-ups, you’d send me back to New York on the next flight.”
“How about just one?”
“A couple of my girlfriends wanted me to room with them in college, but I’d always had my own space at home and didn’t want to give it up. They teased me about it and tried to talk me into it. But the more they tried, the more I didn’t like it. I guess I’m really a private person and get prickly when I sense my space is being invaded. That’s why I lived with my parents.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that. But maybe the day will come when you won’t want to be alone.”
“If you’re talking about marriage, I’m not planning on getting married.”
“Why?”
“I like my life the way it is.” She turned to him. “I really like the way it is right now. I don’t want some man bossing me around. One of the older patients at the center used to tell me about the fights she had with her husband. For the most part my parents got along great, so I couldn’t relate to this woman’s life. He pecked at her all day long.”
Vasso’s black brows lifted. “Pecked?”
“Yes. You know. Like a hen pecks at her food. That’s what he’d do to her about everything. What she bought, what she ate, what she did with her spare time. Peck, peck, peck.”
Laughter pealed out of Vasso. “Most of the older women in the center made similar comments about married life. I decided I was well enough off being on my own.”
“My brother loves married life.”
“Maybe that’s true, but what does his wife have to say when he’s not listening?”
She heard a chuckle. “I have no idea.”
“Maybe it’s better you don’t know.” He laughed louder. She loved hearing it. “I could see in Yiannis’s eyes that he wonders why you aren’t married, Vasso. Admit you don’t want some wife leading you around by the nose.”
“Now there’s a thought.”
She laughed. “I’m only teasing.” No woman would ever do that with a man like him. The female who caught his eye would be the luckiest one on the planet. No way did she dare dream about a romantic relationship with Vasso.
If it didn’t work out, she wouldn’t be able to handle it. Just admitting that to herself proved that her feelings for Vasso already ran deeper than those she’d had for Chad. The two men weren’t comparable. No one could ever measure up to Vasso.
“You may be teasing, but I can hear the underlying half truths.”
Time to change the subject. “Tell me about my
landlady, Kyria Panos. Did she henpeck her husband?”
“As I recall they did a lot of shouting, but for the most part it was good-natured.”
“That’s nice. I bet you know everyone around here.”
“Not everyone,” he murmured, “but Akis and I rented an apartment along this waterfront when we started up our business years ago, so we’re friends with many of the owners around here.”
* * *
Vasso started the engine and drove them through the olive groves to the village. An hour later, after they were filled with spinach pie and ouzo lemonade, he carried the last of Zoe’s luggage up the stairs to the furnished apartment. The front room window overlooked the horseshoe-shaped harbor. The minute he saw Zoe’s expression, he knew she liked the view and the typical blue-and-white décor.
She smiled at him. “This place is really cozy and so colorful. I love it, and it’s all mine.”
After what she’d recounted earlier about needing her space, he could believe she was serious. But it bothered him that she was so happy about it.
“I’m glad you like it. Our number-one store is just a few doors down. You can grab breakfast there while you’re waiting for the bus.”
“If I do too much of that I’m going to get fat, but I want you to know I’m ecstatic to be here,” she exclaimed. Vasso couldn’t imagine her with a weight problem, not with her beautiful face and body. Her green eyes lifted to his. “Cinderella may have had a fairy godmother, but I’ve had the perfect godfather who has granted my every wish. Now that your mission has been accomplished, I release you to get back to your life.”
Zoe could tease all she wanted, but he sensed she wanted him to leave. The hell of it was he didn’t want to go. Since she’d flown to Athens, he’d been a different person and couldn’t spend enough hours with her. She was so entertaining he never knew what was going to come out of her mouth next. The thought of her ever being interested in another man disturbed him more than he wanted to admit.
He’d only scratched the surface of her life, but she’d drawn the line at entering his home. Why? Was it because she didn’t trust him after what Chad had done to her? Did she see every man through the filter put there by the other man’s defection? Was she afraid of marriage because of that experience?
A Wedding For The Greek Tycoon (Greek Billionaires Book 2) Page 6
