Chapter Six
GOOD FRIDAY—Megali Paraskevi.
Leaving Loukas’s villa as the setting sun battled the approaching night in a blaze of hot colours, Georgie made her way up the lemon-and-orange-perfumed orchard, inhaling the heavenly scent made all the more intense by the fading heat of the day.
At the top of the path she turned right for town. After a few steps, she stopped. Looked over her shoulder. Bit the inside of her cheek. And then, on a sigh, she turned around and walked towards the hotel instead.
The elderly couple from Portugal, Mr and Mrs Dias, were climbing on to one of the island’s horse-drawn carriages when she reached Reception. She stopped and chatted with them, feeling a stupid lump forming in her throat when Mr Dias, with trembling hands, placed a blanket on his wife’s lap, slowly and carefully tucking it in.
Next year they would celebrate their golden anniversary. Where would she be when she was their age? Alone? Content with that? Or wishing she had made different choices in life?
In Reception, groups of guests were mingling as they prepared to head out for the evening. Manos, The Korinna’s concierge, moved between the groups handing out tapered beeswax candles.
Just inside the adjoining lounge she found Loukas. Standing chatting with Sofia Zisimos. Sharing a joke with her, in fact, judging by their wide smiles. And looking for all the world as though they had called one another earlier and decided to colour coordinate. Loukas’s petrol-blue suit matched the stripes in the white and blue miniskirt Sofia was wearing with a white blouse, open low. Too low, in Georgie’s opinion.
Georgie did a mental eye-roll. When had she started being the style police? There was nothing wrong with Sofia’s clothes other than the fact that they revealed a figure that frankly made Georgie green with envy.
Her problem. Not Sofia’s.
Loukas turned and caught her staring at them. She dropped her frown. Attempted a smile.
He gave her a curious look. As though to say, Well, what are you doing standing there and gaping at us?
He beckoned her over. ‘Sofia, this is Georgie Jones—Talos’s newest resident.’
After enveloping Georgie in her light spicy scent and a warm hug, Sofia drew back and clasped a hand dramatically against her chest. ‘Oh, lucky you, Georgie.’
‘You like it here?’
Sofia’s grey eyes sparkled. ‘I adore it. I spent every summer here as a child—my parents owned a holiday villa on the island, but sold it when we all left home. I haven’t been back in a long time.’ She paused and smiled up at Loukas. ‘Now that I’m living in Athens I hope to become a regular visitor again.’
Georgie’s gaze moved between the affectionate smiles Sofia and Loukas shared, and she felt her stomach twisting into tight knots. She forced herself to unclasp her hands. To relax. The Matchmakers’ Union would definitely strike her off for conflict of interest when it came to her client.
She smiled at Sofia and said what any half-decent matchmaker would say. ‘You should move here.’
Loukas’s only reaction was a fractional narrowing of his gaze.
Sofia shrugged, glanced towards Loukas and said, ‘I’m afraid there’s not much call for lawyers specialising in EU Trade agreements on Talos.’
Georgie readjusted the white coat she was wearing over her black trouser suit and said brightly, ‘You could think of a career change. The hospitality industry, perhaps?’
Sofia smiled politely, but with a hesitation that said she was wondering if Georgie had taken leave of her senses.
Loukas’s narrowed gaze proclaimed that she most definitely had. ‘Were you looking for me, Georgie?’
‘I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to the Epitafios procession...in case you were wondering where I was.’
He studied her for a moment, clearly not convinced. ‘Okay.’
Oh, just get on with it, Georgie. So what if Loukas accuses you of interfering again? The man needs some interference in his life. And this is ideal: a date and a family night for him in one go.
‘Actually, I’m meeting Angeliki there—and hopefully Nikos and Marios too. I was wondering if you’d like to join us. You too, Sofia. I’m sure you both have a lot of catching up to do.’
Sofia began to pull on the lightweight trench coat she had been holding. ‘Thanks for the invite, Georgie, but I’m going with my family.’ She paused as Loukas went to her assistance and held the coat for her. She smiled warmly at him and then turned and gave Georgie another hug. ‘Nice to meet you, Georgie, and welcome to Talos.’
Georgie watched her walk away, feeling awful for being so stupidly jealous of someone so nice. She ignored Loukas’s scowl and said, ‘She seems lovely.’
Loukas worked his jaw. ‘Yes, she is.’
She smiled weakly. She was playing with fire again, but she wanted him to spend time with his family. Okay, she wanted him to spend time with her too. But that didn’t have to be anything more than two friends hanging out.
‘Will you come to the procession...? All the others will be there?’
He eyed her warily. Fixed the knot of his navy tie that had tiny petrol-blue spots on it. Pulled at the collar of his white shirt.
‘Give me five minutes. I’ll let the deputy manager on duty tonight know that I’ll be off-site for a while.’
* * *
The streets and laneways to the town’s main square was bustling with islanders, young and old, making their way to the procession.
At the top of a narrow stepped laneway, alive with a rainbow of hanging baskets and terracotta pots filled with brightly coloured pelargoniums, the small boutiques and cafés along its length closed for the day, they caught their first glimpse of the square—packed with islanders, all holding candles that were glittering in the growing dusk.
The procession was already underway. The crowd were singing a low hymn, parting as the three carved wooden biers, one from each of the town’s churches, carrying the Epitafio and bedecked in hundreds of stunning fresh flowers, were carried around the square. Priests followed, sprinkling holy water on the crowd, and in their wake the altar servers carrying candles and ornate gilded liturgical fans.
Angeliki, who earlier that day had joined other locals in decorating one of the wooden biers, had explained to Georgie that the Epitafio was a religious icon depicting Christ, made of richly embroidered cloth.
They walked down the laneway, silently watching the procession unfold before them. When they neared the end they came to a stop, unable to go any further into the square because of the crowds.
Georgie leant in towards Loukas. ‘What a beautiful ceremony.’
He nodded his agreement, his eyes briefly meeting hers before he turned to stare back out at the sea of candles again. All the crowd were singing, and the uplifting unity of their voices touched something deep within her.
‘It must be lovely to have such traditions—to be part of the same community all your life.’
Loukas had put a lightweight black coat over his suit before he had left the hotel. He placed his hands in the pockets of the coat, those beautiful brown eyes holding hers for a few seconds.
‘I haven’t made it to the procession in a long time.’
Gosh, he was... He was so handsome and beautiful and sexy and so out of bounds.
‘Too busy?’
He gave her a noncommittal shrug and stared at her intently. As though he was trying to figure her out somehow. She looked away, suddenly uncomfortable. Suddenly afraid that she was going to give away just how much she was attracted to him.
She looked around at the crowd, her heart thudding. Knowing without looking that he was still staring at her. Her cheeks began to burn...
With a delighted yelp, she pointed to the one side. ‘There’s Angeliki and the others.’
He followed the direction of her hand to where his siblin
gs were standing on the balcony of a restaurant with some friends of Nikos’s.
She went to move, but Loukas’s hand reached out for her elbow and pulled her to a stop. He moved in close to her. Dropped his head. She inhaled citrus, cedar, him. Her bones melted.
‘If you stayed on Talos you could be part of all of this too.’
She closed her eyes for a moment. Overwhelmed by his closeness. By the gravelly sombre sexiness of his voice. By the pointless hope that flared in her at his words. ‘I suppose...’
His eyes held hers, that soft brown gaze searching hers as though looking for answers when she didn’t even know the question.
Loukas grimaced ever so slightly before he took her hand in his and silently led her through the dense crowd, his height, his size, his dark charisma, easing a path for her towards the balcony. She got a glimpse of what life would be like, having this huge, gorgeous, determined and loyal man at her side, easing her path through life. If only she was brave enough to stick around, to believe that ultimately he wouldn’t leave and break her heart. If her own mother hadn’t wanted her, why would someone like Loukas?
* * *
When they joined the others up on the balcony, Nikos and Marios did little to disguise their surprise that he was attending the procession this year, while Angeliki, who could never hold a grudge, gave a squeal of delight and hugged him tightly, forgetting their argument yesterday, before drawing Georgie away to stand next to her at the balcony rail.
Nikos nodded in his direction before turning to talk to his friends from Athens, who were staying on the island for the weekend. Marios nodded in his direction too, but quickly shifted his gaze away to stare at the procession.
Loukas stood alone, needing some space and time to clear his head. Georgie’s poor attempt at matchmaking him with Sofia earlier...her delight at the procession...the feel of her hand in his... Everything was mixed up. He needed to start getting things right.
Starting with Marios.
He went and stood next to his brother. Bit back the instinctive desire to ask him about work, about the preparations for the movie awards ceremony the following week. Instead, for the first time in too long a time, he looked at his youngest brother. Properly. Really looked at him rather than associating him with work and nothing else.
At twenty-three, Marios was not the teenager Loukas always pictured when he thought of him, but in reality a tall, handsome, wide-shouldered man. A man who hid himself well behind dark eyes and an inexpressive mouth.
Marios had been fifteen when their parents had died. In that year he had gone from being the exuberant and cheeky youngest brother who had exasperated and delighted his parents in equal measure to being a sullen teenager who refused to talk, refused to meet anyone’s eye, refused to acknowledge that Loukas was his guardian.
Loukas had tried to reach him, tried to help him in his grief, but Marios had shut him out. And, frankly, Loukas hadn’t tried hard enough to get through to him.
He cleared his throat.
Marios glanced up at him.
‘How are you Marios?’
Marios edged away from him. ‘I’ll have an update about the awards ceremony on your desk tomorrow evening. The Athens office was closed today, but the main project managers are working tomorrow.’
‘I wasn’t asking about the ceremony. I was asking how you are.’
Marios lifted his chin and eyed him warily. ‘I’m okay.’
‘How’s the scuba-diving business going?’
Marios shrugged. ‘Getting busier all the time.’
‘Good.’
Marios’s mouth settled into a tight grimace before he looked away towards the procession, to where some of the crowd were passing beneath the biers in order to be blessed. ‘You don’t mean that.’
Loukas waited until Marios glanced back at him before he spoke. ‘I know how much scuba-diving means to you. If you ever want to work at it full-time, then we can look at you taking on another role in the group—perhaps one that would free you up during the summer season.’
Loukas caught the blaze of anger that flashed in Marios’s eyes before his usual indifferent expression took over. ‘Don’t you think I’m up to my current role?’
Loukas gritted his teeth and tried not to exhale loudly. Georgie was right. There was zero trust between him and his siblings. He worked his jaw, guilty and appalled that he had allowed this level of mistrust to develop. ‘You’re doing a good job, and I’d be sorry to lose you. But I’ve come to realise that the scuba-diving business means more to you.’
Marios crossed his arms on the grey padded jacket he was wearing above faded jeans and asked, ‘Why are you saying this now? All along you have insisted that we work full-time in the business after graduating, that we pull our weight. What’s changed?’
The mistrust and cynicism in Marios’s voice was hard to listen to. For a moment Loukas wanted to tell him just to accept what he was saying. He hated to be called out by his younger brother. His pride, his hatred of getting things wrong was rising to the surface too easily. But then he thought about what Georgie had said last night. That he had to allow himself to fail. That he had to allow the others to breathe, to follow their own paths in life.
He needed to start that process now. Start by admitting to Marios that he had messed up but they could move on from that. He cracked his jaw. Shuffled for a moment. The words were hard to find, hard to say, and hard to hear being said aloud.
‘I’ve come to the realisation that there’s been too much unhappiness in this family. I’ve got things wrong, Marios... I haven’t listened to you all enough. It’s time for us to be a family again—not just four siblings trying to run a business.’
Marios stared at him incredulously for a moment. And then, with a laugh, he shook his head, nodded in the direction of Georgie and said, ‘Georgie’s getting to you, isn’t she?’
What the hell...?
‘No!’ Loukas could feel heat rising in him. Marios was staring at him with open amusement. Loukas fought the urge to walk away. ‘What do you mean, getting to me?’
Marios’s amusement appeared to go up a notch. There was even a rarely seen smile twitching on his lips. He shrugged. ‘Just saying...’
The crowd began to disperse as the three Epitafios left the square to be taken back to their individual churches, many of the islanders following behind.
Georgie and Angeliki, arms linked together, walked over to Loukas and Marios. Loukas stared at their linked arms and heard alarm bells ringing despite knowing he had to let Angeliki make her own mistakes in life, and even after Georgie’s insistence that she would be there for Angeliki even when she left Talos.
Georgie caught his glare. Tightening her arm around Angeliki’s, she let her gaze battle him, challenging him to believe in her, to believe in Angeliki’s capacity to deal with what life threw at her.
A number of Nikos’s friends came over and spoke with them as they left the terrace. Eventually it was only himself, Georgie and his three siblings who remained.
‘So what happens from here?’ Georgie asked with an expectant smile.
There was much shuffling of feet and avoidance of looking at one another before Angeliki answered, ‘Most families go home and have a meal together.’
Georgie nodded, and smiled again expectantly.
Nikos took out his phone and stared at it, while Marios looked off into the distance. Hope simply shone in Angeliki’s eyes.
Thanks to a disastrous Christmas Eve dinner two years ago, when he and Nikos had almost come to blows over Nikos’s partying, they had all found an excuse not to have a meal together on a holiday since: skiing trips and house parties for his siblings, work commitments for him.
This family needed to change.
‘Why don’t we eat at the hotel together?’
Angeliki clapped her hands. ‘Great idea!�
�
A frowning Nikos didn’t seem so certain.
Angeliki rushed to his side, held on to his arm. ‘You have to come. I’m not going to allow you say no.’
Nikos sent an appealing look in Marios’s direction and looked confused when Marios shrugged and said, ‘Come. We should celebrate the reopening of The Korinna as a family.’
Eventually Nikos nodded his agreement, albeit reluctantly, and then in unison all four of them realised that Georgie was backing away, giving them an uncertain smile.
‘Enjoy your dinner.’
Loukas glanced at Nikos. His lips twitched. The same with Marios. And Angeliki. His heart soared. For the first time in years they were bonded in amusement—over the meddling but well-intentioned Georgie Jones.
He shook his head. Walked towards her. Tried to pretend that she was nothing more than a family friend, to pretend that he wasn’t blown away by just how stunning she looked tonight in a slim-fitting black suit and kitten heels, her hair hanging loose over the shoulders of her white wool coat.
He forced himself to sound nothing but amused. ‘Come on—you’re invited too.’
And he forced himself simply to walk beside her as they all turned to walk back to the hotel, when in truth he wanted to hold her hand in his, wanted to hold her in his arms again, wanted to kiss those full soft lips of hers that were now beaming with delight.
* * *
Later that night, Georgie stood at the bottom of the staircase in Loukas’s villa, trying to ignore the voice in her head.
You’re all alone with him, Georgie, all six-foot-four gorgeousness of him, in this silent house. If you just reach out you can touch him...stand on your tippy-toes and you’ll reach his mouth. Remember how good it was to have him kiss you...the explosions in your head...how intoxicating his taste was...how his teeth nibbled against your lip.
She tried for a relaxed voice. ‘Thanks for dinner.’ Okay, so that had been a bit high-pitched. She tried again. ‘It was really lovely. And, imagine, work wasn’t mentioned once!’
Tempted by Her Greek Tycoon Page 11
