Chapter 27 #2
“I’m practically in a food-induced coma,” he protested. “I can’t think straight anymore.”
I rushed to the bathroom for a clean cloth and wrapped it around his hand; the towel immediately bloomed with blood.
“I think we’re going to have to take him to the doctor.” I took hold of Jake’s arm and led him through the door. “Lean on me if you feel faint.”
“I’m not going to faint,” he grumbled. “It’s just a little blood.”
When we got to Nikos’s office, I rushed inside and banged on the door to the examination room. He called out something in Greek and opened it a crack, clearly surprised to see me. “What’s wrong?”
“An emergency, I have a bleeder.” He peeked over my shoulder at Jake and his bloody rags.
“Give me a second.” He said something to the patient in his office and then came out. “Good to see you again,” he said to Jake as he peeled back the cloth. “That’s a nice cut. Mostly superficial though. You’ll probably need a couple of stitches. Apply pressure while I finish up in there.”
“Thank you,” I said as he went back into his office.
Not even a minute later he ushered out Marilena, who was there for her weekly appointment. She told me the other day that she invented illnesses every week for a chance to spend time in the doctor’s office. She winked at me as Nikos brought Jake into his examining room.
I narrowed my eyes at Liv. “I really hope you didn’t do this on purpose.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You think I would cut my husband’s hand to force you to spend time with the doctor?”
“It’s just a little suspicious that’s all,” I answered. “You’ve read too many romance books. I wouldn’t put it past you.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’ve read as many as I have.”
“Yes, but I know they’re fantasy. You think it can really happen.” I sighed, dropping my head back against the wall.
It seemed like they were in there for an eternity, their voices behind the door growing more and more animated. Then they were . . . laughing?
“Are they bonding in there?” I turned to Liv, agog. Great, just what I needed.
When they finally emerged, they were both smiling like they’d known each other forever. I ground my back teeth, and Olivia jumped up to examine Jake’s bandaged hand.
“It’s just a couple of stitches,” he assured her.
“Does it hurt?”
He shook his head. “No, it’s not a big deal.”
Olivia didn’t look convinced though and searched Nikos’s face for reassurance. “It wasn’t that deep. He shouldn’t get the stitches wet though, so I’m afraid no swimming for the rest of your stay.”
“No swimming for him ,” she corrected. We’d been planning to go to the beach that afternoon. “Thank you so much for seeing him so quickly.”
“It’s no problem. I’m used to little emergencies like this.” His eyes flicked to my ankle before meeting mine.
“Well, I just wish we could thank you. Um—” She hesitated, and I shot her a warning look. “Would you like to come for dinner?”
“Please do,” interjected Jake. “I’ve already put on five kilos since we got here. I need help eating all their food.”
Nikos turned to me, waiting for my invitation, and Olivia elbowed me in the ribs. “Come if you’d like. I was thinking of inviting Yiannis and Teresa as well.”
“Well, if Teresa is coming, I don’t want to miss it,” he said.
“Eight o’clock?” asked Olivia. I was going to murder her.
“Perfect.” He smiled.
“We’ll see you then,” I said trying to keep the defeat from my voice.
As soon as we left, Jake winked at Olivia, and she wrapped her arm around his waist.
“Traitors,” I said, as I brushed past them.
* * *
I was relieved to find out that Yiannis and Teresa were available for the evening. They arrived shortly before eight, and when I told Teresa that Nikos was coming, she tried to reassure me. “Don’t worry, he’ll be on his best behavior with me.”
Somehow, I doubted it. Olivia sure seemed happy about it all. She worked through the afternoon, testing recipes for the next issue of the magazine, and the table was practically overflowing.
Panos was the next to arrive. A man of few words, he greeted Olivia and Jake shyly then sat on the couch with his guitar and immediately started playing.
The music reminded me of Nikos and, as it got closer to eight, I felt a nervous tickling in my stomach.
Maybe he wouldn’t show. I crossed my fingers but heaved a heavy sigh of defeat when I finally heard his knock on the door.
Nikos stood on the stoop looking better than any man had the right to in a dark button-down shirt rolled up at the sleeves and a pair of dark trousers, neatly pressed. He held up a bottle filled with clear liquid and flashed his teasing smile.
“What is that?” I asked as he handed it to me, pretending to ignore the way his eyes ran over me. I was wearing a dress that showed a lot of cleavage. I hadn’t chosen it to turn him on. At least, it hadn’t been a conscious decision.
“Homemade tsipouro . Some might call it moonshine.”
“So you’re a bootlegger as well?” I stepped aside, letting him in.
“It has medicinal purposes. I figured Jake could use some.”
“Yes, I know how you love to drug your patients,” I mumbled. “Look, here’s one now.”
“Nick, glad you could make it.” Jake greeted Nikos, tapping him on the back with his unbandaged hand.
“Nick? Are you buddies now?” I handed the bottle of moonshine to Jake. “This is for you since you’re handling drinks.”
“ Tsipouro . It’s an apéritif, I think you call it in France,” Nikos explained, and I sighed in relief as the two of them moved to the kitchen to talk alcohol with the other guys.
Just when I thought I was off the hook, Panos said something that made Nikos look my way with such obvious longing, it knocked the breath out of me.
Teresa sidled up to me and whispered, “I do not know what you did to that man, but I think you have scrambled his brains. I have never seen him look at someone the way he does you.”
He must have known we were talking about him because he ambled over with a shot glass of his moonshine. “Drink up. Doctor’s orders.”
“You should know by now that I don’t follow anyone’s orders.
” Yet, I took the glass from him. It did smell medicinal—herby and spicy.
I gulped it down in one shot and let it burn down my throat, warming my chest. It reminded me of grappa—slightly sweet, clinging to the tongue, full of that wonderful anise flavor that ouzo had.
It felt like it went straight to my veins, and I was warm all over.
Or maybe that was because Nikos was looking at me as if he wanted to devour me.
“Nice,” I said finally. “And powerful. How’s it made?”
“It’s distilled from the residue of Stamatis’s wine press.”
“So his bare feet have been all over this?” I couldn’t get the image out of my mind.
“Maybe?” Nikos laughed. “The alcohol burns out any germs.”
“Good to know.”
I don’t know if it was the alcohol, the laid-back music that Panos was strumming on his guitar, or just the company, but soon all the tension I’d been feeling ebbed away.
I was able to enjoy the presence of my friends—old and new—and it was the first time that I felt at home, like really at home, here.
Nikos insisted on helping Olivia out in the kitchen and Jake brought out his bottles of wine. When I saw them all lined up, I laughed. “No wonder that suitcase was so heavy! Did you think I was going to be holed up in my place drinking every night?”
“No way, I know you too well now. Olivia was worried about you at first, but I told her if there was anyone who knew how to make friends in a war zone, it’s Callie. And looks like I was right.” He put his arm around me and I gave him a peck on the cheek.
Conversation and wine flowed freely over dinner.
Nikos served as translator for Panos, and I was amazed by how easygoing he was in social situations.
Olivia made sure to seat him across from me and he was very well behaved, except for the occasional hot glances he threw my way.
I, on the other hand, couldn’t stop staring at him and thinking about how his mouth had been all over me.
Was it awful that I wanted it on me now?
Teresa leaned and whispered, “If you keep staring like that, he’s going to kick the rest of us out so he can have you to himself.”
“I wasn’t staring,” I whispered back but felt the blood rush to my cheeks.
She raised an eyebrow and smiled, turning her attention back to the glass of rosé. “Jake, this wine is amazing. Do you ship?”
“For the moment, no. My partner is ninety years old and very set in his ways. He still thinks customers should come to us, and if he doesn’t think you’ll fully appreciate the wine, he won’t sell it to you,” he explained, and I smiled at the image of Monsieur Reynaud that came to mind.
He was a charmer, and Jake and Olivia were like the grandchildren he’d never had.
“Actually, while we’re here I’d like to visit some vineyards on the Peloponnese. And I saw that you have a winemaker on the island,” said Jake between bites of Olivia’s shortbreads. For someone who said he couldn’t stand to eat anymore, he sure was doing a good job of polishing off his meal.
“We do,” confirmed Nikos. “In fact, if you’d like I can take you to the vineyards tomorrow.”
“Oh, that would be wonderful!” Olivia smiled. I kicked her under the table.
“You’ll join us too, won’t you, Calista? You’ll want to serve local wine at your restaurant, right?” he teased.
“Yes, of course. I’ve already tasted it, but I would like to know how it’s made.”
After dinner, Panos brought out his bouzouki and lent Nikos his guitar. They got everyone dancing with some Greek classics while I cleared the table. When I came back into the room, Nikos started strumming another familiar tune. “A special dedication to our hostess.”
When the first strains of “Hard Headed Woman” filled the air, my breath caught and my cheeks warmed. What was happening to me? I never blushed. I crossed my arms and shook my head at him, unable to look away. It was like there were only the two of us in the room.