Anna let out a deep breath. If she was going to be dragged halfway around the world to deal with her deadbeat dad’s estate and get fired from her job because of it, she sure as hell wasn’t going to hold herself back anymore. She had enough other things doing that for her already. Maybe when she sold the house she could use the money to finally do what she wanted to do.
Anna got back out of bed, walked over to the bookshelf and grabbed her camera. Miraculously, the battery wasn’t dead, so she scrolled through some of her old photos. Maybe she was biased, but she thought they were pretty good. She also thought she could do better now. She pulled out the memory card, went back over to her bed, plugged it into her laptop and began editing.
She ended up editing photos all night, from vacations on Cape Cod to shots from her high school reunion a couple of years prior. She made new presets, edited out tourists, and even tried some photo manipulation techniques. What felt like a few minutes later, the sun came up and filtered through the windows at the front of the house as Anna finally crawled under the covers and drifted off to sleep.
“So, any progress on your decision?” Elena asked, sipping her coffee. Anna had only slept a couple of hours, but she felt more energetic than she had in a long time.
“Actually, yes,” Anna replied. “I want to do it. Lizzy said I could have the house myself since she can’t afford the tax payment, and I think I could fix it up enough to give me enough money to live off for a while so I can pursue my dreams for once.” She smiled as she took the lid off the coffee Elena had brought her, blew across the top and took a sip.
“Well, well,” Elena responded, smiling, “look at you all confident and sure of yourself. What brought that on?”
Anna considered her response for a moment. “I’m just tired of letting things happen to me. I want to make things happen for me instead.”
Nodding, Elena smiled again. “And what are these dreams you want to pursue?”
“Well…” Anna said, spinning the computer round to show Elena some of her edits from the night before, “I want to be a photographer. I always have.”
Elena gasped and pulled the computer closer to her, clicking through the photos one by one. “Anna, these are wonderful,” she said. “I can’t believe you took these.”
“Thanks,” Anna said, sitting back and smiling, too. “There’s a lot of editing on there.”
“Yeah, but you did that, too,” Elena said, clicking quickly through the photos. She clasped her hands together and looked up at Anna. “Oh my god, you have to take photos of me!”
Anna laughed. “What? Why?”
“For my Instagram!” Elena said. “I’m trying to get enough followers so that I can start getting free stuff.”
Anna remembered what Nikos had said about influencers before and laughed again. “What sort of pictures do you want?”
“I don’t know,” Elena replied, shrugging. “Lots of different kinds. Some posed, some while we’re out, stuff like that. Basically, if you could be my personal paparazzi, that would be great.”
They both giggled now, but Anna didn’t think it was a terrible idea. It would give her something to do and help make sure she could get out of the house with someone other than Nikos.
“I would be honored to be your paparazzi,” she said. They clinked their paper coffee cups together. “But, in the meantime, I need to get a valuation booked. Any thoughts on that?”
“Mmm, yes,” Elena said. “A friend of the family did it for me when I inherited my mother’s house. I can make sure he gives you a good price.”
“That would be amazing,” Anna said, looking over the to-do list she had made in her manic night of productivity. There were some things on there that were probably unnecessary – the summer house probably didn’t need a pool, and she wasn’t sure what “Moroccan pattern” referred to – but some things, like the valuation and utilities, needed to be addressed sooner rather than later.
Elena looked over at the list, and her eyes went wide. “Wow, we really have our work cut out for us,” she said.
“Yeah, but we have a while to worry about most of this,” Anna responded. “It’s the tax-related stuff we need to do more quickly.”
“No problem,” Elena said, pulling out her phone. “I’ll text Vasilios now.”
Anna ran through the list, scratching out the unnecessary additions and adding up the others. She had already spent over a thousand dollars on things for the house. The tax bill would drain the rest of her savings, and her pay check would barely be enough for the essential items on her list.
“I think I’m going to need a job,” she said with a sigh.
“How good are you at waiting tables?” Elena asked without looking up from her phone. Anna looked up at her.
“Why?”
“The cafe at the resort always needs more people during the summer. It’s about to be peak tourist season, and we’re always understaffed, but good local people are hard to find for seasonal work. I’m sure Xenia would give you some shifts if you asked.”
“Well, I’m not exactly a local. But do you think she would pay under the table?” Anna asked. “I don’t know if I can get a job on a tourist visa.”
Elena reached into her bag and took out a wad of cash, grinning as she held it up to Anna. “I can say definitively that she will.”
8
Anna’s first day at the cafe was both the easiest and hardest first workday of Anna’s life.
It was the easiest because it turns out that waiting tables at a beach cafe isn’t that difficult. The menu was in English, at least.
It was hard because her feet had never hurt so badly in her life, and there was something sticky all over her running shoes. Not that she had been doing much running in the two weeks since she’d arrived; the hills were exercise enough. But it was a shame to see them covered in cocktail syrups and whatever else was on the floor.
The thing heaviest on Anna’s mind was how much more satisfied she felt after one day’s work at the cafe than she ever had after working at the gallery. What she was doing here was no more important, but it at least felt productive. She felt useful.
Anna was mopping the floor at the end of her shift when Nikos walked in, clearly at the end of his shift as well. All of his clothes were covered in paint and drywall, including the very holey tee shirt he was wearing. If Anna looked close enough, she could see his abs peeking through one of the larger holes.
She started blushing when she realized she was looking closely enough to see them. She turned around and kept mopping, waving over her shoulder as he walked past and sat down at the bar. Elena took his order and gave it to the kitchen, then said she was going to grab more napkins from the storeroom.
“We still alright to run to the store?” Anna asked Nikos, trying to smile as if nothing was wrong. They were meant to go buy more supplies that evening.
Things had improved between the two of them over the last week, but this was the first time they had been alone together since the argument. He had come over once, but that was with Elena when their friend had come to value the house. For someone unqualified to give an estimate, Sofia had been pretty spot-on with hers. The four thousand euros – or nearly forty-five hundred dollars – was out of Anna’s account as soon as possible so that she could start on the rest of the list.
“Yeah, no problem,” Nikos said as the chef put his food down in front of him. “You have your list?”
Anna pulled a slightly damp sheet of paper out of the back pocket of her shorts. Thankfully, it was still legible. “Yep, just windows and paint.”
“Did you pick out a color yet?”
Anna sighed. “Not quite,” she said, showing Nikos the three samples stapled to her list. “I like all of them so much.” She set the mop aside and sat down next to Nikos. Elena’s promise that Tuesdays were slow was an understatement; there was no one else in the cafe.
Nikos took the paper from Anna’s hand, brushing his fingers against hers, but he didn’t l
ook up and wink. He just looked at the samples. There was a trendy emerald green, a lilac grey, and a deep, shocking blue.
“I like the green,” he said, “but I think it’s too dark. It’s a small little space, and this would make it feel too small.”
Anna nodded her head. “Yeah, that makes sense.”
“The grey looks like what we’re using in the hotel rooms,” he said, searching for a similar-colored splatter on his shirt and holding it up next to the sample. They both laughed.
“Yeah, that’s actually where I got the idea from. I like it too, but isn’t it a bit boring?”
“I don’t know,” Nikos answered, “I like it. Plus, the blue is going to give you a similar problem to the green. You could always buy some decorations in blue.”
Anna nodded again. “Yeah, I like that.”
She paused for a moment before continuing, considering if it was worth saying anything. But if they were going to be spending time together again, she wanted to clear the air.
“Listen, Nikos, about last week—”
“No,” he interrupted, “don’t even mention it. I understand where you were coming from.”
“I have to,” she said. “I owe you an apology. Elena was right; you were doing so much to help me, and I basically told you it meant nothing. I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks,” Nikos said, smiling. “Elena needs to mind her own business, but I do appreciate it. I don’t want you to feel like you’re alone in this. Giorgos left you his house for a reason, and that doesn’t make you a villain. At least, I have yet to notice a twirly mustache.”
Anna laughed. “Just wait until you catch me on an off day.” Nikos held her gaze, and she started to blush again. It seemed things were truly back to normal, as confusing as that may be.
“You two kiss and make up?” Elena asked as she walked in with a pack of napkins tucked under her arm.
“What?” Anna asked, jumping up and grabbing the mop. “Of course not.”
Nikos laughed. “Yes, Anna apologized for being the worst person in the world and admitted to having a mustache.”
“Of course,” Elena said. “Makes perfect sense. Now, shall we close up and get out of here?”
A few hours later, Anna walked up to the summer house with a can of paint in each hand to find Eirini waiting at the door.
“Hello Anna,” she said, somewhat formally. But then again, that was fitting given that she had only seen her twice since the drive up from the resort that first day on the island. Anna had bumped into Christos a few times, but Eirini had stayed firmly out of sight for the last two weeks.
“Hi Eirini,” Anna replied, the handles of the paint cans digging into her fingers. She adjusted them subtly, not wanting Eirini to feel she was trying to send a message but also unsure of how long she’d be standing there.
“Your grandfather would like to invite you to dinner at our house tomorrow.”
Anna noticed that Eirini had excluded herself from the invitation, but she recognized an olive branch when she saw one, and she knew she would need their help if she was going to get the house on the market in the time frame she wanted to, so she took it.
“Yes, of course. I’d love to. What time should I come over?”
“You may come inside at nine pm. Please don’t be late.” And with that she walked past Anna and back into the main house.
“What was that?” Elena asked, coming up behind her with the rollers and trays.
“I’ve just been invited to dinner, it seems.” Anna set one of the paint cans down to open the door. “Tomorrow night.”
“That’s great,” Elena replied. “Maybe you and your grandparents can get on speaking terms.”
“Well, I’ll have to at some point. I have to talk to them about the utilities.”
“Maybe don’t bring that up at your dinner, yeah? Give them some time.”
“Yeah, yeah, fine.” Anna set the paint down on the table as she came in. “But it has to happen at some point.”
“What has to happen at some point?” Nikos asked, strolling through the door with a glass panel in his hands, but Anna didn’t answer him. She was too busy staring at his abs again. And she didn’t have to look through the holes in his shirt this time.
“There is literally no reason for you to be shirtless right now,” Elena said, rolling her eyes.
“Oh, come on, that’s not fair. The corner of the windowpane got caught in one the holes of my shirt, so I figured it would be better to just take it off.”
“Sure,” Elena said, glaring at him as she walked past. “I’m going to get the rest of the bags. When I come back in, you’d better have the same amount of clothing on that you do right now, or more.” Anna chuckled, and Elena spun round and pointed at her. “That goes for you, too.” She held two fingers up to her eyes and then pointed them at Anna and Nikos as she backed out, closing the door behind her.
“Flimsy excuse,” Anna said, unwrapping the things on the table.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Nikos leaned the windowpane against the wall where it would be installed and then walked over next to her. “I was under the impression that you were checking out the merchandise earlier. Was I wrong? Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“Was not,” Anna said, but she knew her face was giving her away.
Nikos inched closer, and Anna could feel the heat coming off him.
“Ew, you’re all sweaty!” she said, pushing him away gently, her hands running across his stomach as she did so. She felt a spark run through her, as if he had shocked her. It had been a while since she’d felt so flustered over a guy, probably since her first night with Marcus. Even then, it had been more about her being impressed with Marcus’s status. What she was feeling now was pure, unadulterated attraction.
“Yeah, well, you are, too,” he said, but he backed away. Anna was grateful. As nice as it was to be back on speaking – and joking – terms with Nikos, she didn’t need the added complication of a romantic relationship. Though she did find him pretty irresistible…
“Who wants the caulk?” Elena shouted as she walked back through the door, and Anna startled before she realized what she meant. She turned around to look just in time to see a bottle of window sealant flying at her and barely managed to catch it.
“Glad to see no further clothing has been removed,” Elena said. “Now, let’s install some windows, shall we?”
That evening, Anna sat in the bathtub, fully clothed, staring out the new bathroom window at the view over the town while holding the phone up to her ear. You couldn’t see the sunset from this side of the island, but the sky still lit up all kinds of beautiful colors.
“I just don’t understand why you have to speak to that vile woman at all,” her mother Grace said, the sound of silverware clinking against plates in the background.
“She’s living on her property,” Lizzy said. “She’s using her WiFi to talk to us right now.”
“Technically it’s Anna’s property,” Grace said.
“Mom has a point,” Anna added from the tub. “But so do you, Lizzy. I’m in her backyard. I have to play nice if I want to be able to live here in peace. They’ve made it so much easier for me, letting me use their utilities and Christos letting Nikos drive me around in the truck.”
“Ooh, Nikos!” Lizzy teased. “Isn’t he handsome? I knew you two would hit it off.”
“He’s nice,” Anna said. “He and his cousin Elena are the only friends I have here, and they’ve been really good to me.”
“Friends, sure.” From her tone, Anna could imagine a sly grin on Lizzy’s face.
“Take my advice and stay far away from Greek men,” Grace said, the slurp of what Anna was certain was a cocktail sounding in her ear. “Nothing good can come from it.”
“Except, I don’t know, two beautiful children?” Lizzy said, but Grace was now talking to someone in the background.
“Mom? You there?” Anna asked.
“Oh, sorry dears, I have to go. Try not to die
in Greece, Anna; it would undo all of the hard work I’ve put in over the years to keep you away from that place.” And then the background noise stopped. It was just Anna and Lizzy left on the call.
“Well, isn’t she just a ray of sunshine, as usual.”
“Thank you for talking to her with me,” Anna said. “I couldn’t have faced her without you.” Despite being the only parent she knew, Anna had never seen eye to eye with her mother, especially not about important things, and since leaving home Anna had made it a point to always have Lizzy by her side when delivering big news.
“Any time, Banana.”
There were a few moments of silence before Anna continued.
“Liz, I’m so sorry about the last time we talked. I was just stressed out, and it’s not your fault.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said. “You had every right to be frustrated. I forced you out there and then left you hanging.”
“Well, it might not have been such a bad thing,” Anna said. “That job was toxic, and I’ve never been much of a city girl.”
“You starting to like it out there?”
“It doesn’t suck,” Anna admitted. “At least not for the summer. Though, I’ll be glad to take an actual shower when I get home. There’s only a bath at the summer house.”
“Yeah, I remember,” Lizzy said. “There’s a really nice one in the main house.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think I’m going to be showering there anytime soon.” Anna sighed, feeling the heat of the evening air and longing for a cold shower. “You’ve never told me much about the time you spent here for the funeral last year.”
“Only because you never let me.”
“Now that’s not true.”
“Oh, it absolutely is,” Lizzy said. “I was brimming with excitement when I got back, but every time I tried to tell you about it, you just asked me again why I went. So I stopped trying. I know it was weird for you, that you didn’t think he deserved our grief – Mom’s line, by the way – but all I wanted was to talk to you about it and you shut me down.”
The Summer House in Santorini Page 7
