Chapter 39
When Mia woke Angelos was gone. There was an envelope on his pillow. She opened it to find a check for more money than she earned in a year and a note in her lover’s scrawling script: “Consider this an investment in your future art career.”
He was paying her? She choked on a sob, hastily throwing on a dress and went to look for him, only to find the butler waiting for her. “The boat will take you to Heraklion.” he said.
“Mr. Mavromatis has left for New York.”
- One Week with the Greek
CALLIE
I shut the door before he could see me cry.
A million emotions were running through me—shock, elation, and overwhelming sadness—all battling it out in my amygdala.
I’d effectively kissed the last three years of my life goodbye and might be blacklisted in the food industry.
I didn’t care. It had felt so damn good to finally tell Gaz to go fuck himself.
But I was scared for Nikos. When Gaz had left, he’d refused to talk to me except to mutter threats. And Seth’s stony face was unreadable. He was a mean bastard like his father. Who knew what they were capable of doing?
I had to talk to someone or go out of my mind, so I called Liv and told her what had happened.
“Cal, I’m so proud of you! You did it! You’re free!” Her obvious delight made me momentarily forget my heartbreak. “Please tell me someone filmed Nikos punching Gaz.”
“Liv, it was amazing. An absolutely idiotic thing to do, but the best knockout I’ve ever seen.” I laughed while swiping at my tears. The image of Nikos’s fist connecting with Gaz’s jaw would live rent free in my head for the rest of my life.
“We may have to threaten Nikos on people now instead of Levi.”
I sniffed loudly and she asked gently, “So what will you do now?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to wait for my official pink slip from Greystone and figure it out from there.” I was still paying rent in my London flat, so at least I wasn’t homeless. Maybe I could join my parents and tool around Europe in a camper van for the rest of the summer.
“And what about Nikos?”
I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I told you. No more men for now.”
* * *
I didn’t have to wait long to hear back from Greystone. My phone rang later that night, a number I didn’t recognize with a UK country code.
Taking a deep breath, I picked it up. “Yes?”
“Calista, this is Seth Greystone.” Like he had to identify himself; I’d recognize that posh voice any day.
Despite my earlier bravado, my knees were knocking so hard I was sure he could hear them through the phone. “Seth.”
“I’ll get right to the point. As you can imagine, my brother is furious. And though he was short on details about your confrontation with him, I know enough about his history with you to know that he was hardly the victim here.”
“You do?” I swallowed hard.
“Let’s just say I make it my business to know what Gareth’s up to most of the time.
I’ve handled one too many scandals. And despite what he thinks, bad press is not good press.
” He cleared his throat. “I stepped in to prevent the situation from getting worse because I’ve been very impressed by your work—from the food today to the proposal you submitted.
Now, the project isn’t mine so it’s out of my hands.
Roman is in as head chef. The nightclub will no doubt be approved. ”
I squeezed my eyes shut. How could I have been so na?ve? Now the whole island would pay for my foolishness.
“I don’t want to lose you, though,” Seth continued. “You’re an incredible asset and we need more women like you on our team.” He paused to let that sink in. “I’d like to propose the post in Switzerland. You’d be trading sea for snow, but it’s the more prestigious position.”
“This is . . . unexpected. I don’t know what to say.”
“You can take a day or two to think about it. The resort is built. We need someone next week.”
I couldn’t breathe. My own restaurant. I could let Anne-Sophie know that she could start filming the documentary next week. This is what I wanted. Wasn’t it?
No, it’s not . Clinging to the familiar was too easy. I needed a clean break.
“As much as I appreciate the offer, I can’t.”
Seth stayed silent for a moment, no doubt wondering if I had lost my mind. “If you change your mind in the next few days, the offer still stands.”
“I won’t change my mind,” I said, surprised by the determination in my voice. I’d never been more certain of anything in my life. Well, except for one thing: I was one hundred percent sure that I’d let myself fall in love with Nikos.
“Before you go, I just want to be sure that nothing will be done to Nikos Laskaris.”
He chuckled darkly. “Actually, I’d like to clap him on the back and buy him a drink. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve wanted to beat my own brother senseless.”
“So you won’t sue?”
“For what? A few wrinkled olives and an old fishing boat? No, it’s not worth the time.”
“Thank you, Seth.”
I breathed a deep sigh of relief and flung myself backward onto the couch. At least Nikos was safe.
But what would I do now?
* * *
Sneaking away wasn’t usually my style, but I’d spent all night packing, unable to sleep, and I was determined to catch the first ferry out before I lost my nerve.
The moon was still visible in the early morning sky, watching me, as I slipped a note inside Nikos’s book and left it outside his door.
When I turned around Argos was staring at me beneath his old man eyebrows.
I put my finger to my mouth so he wouldn’t bark.
Giorgos and Sokratis were waiting for me in the square. “Sorry, bud.” I caressed the donkey’s big ears. “I didn’t pack light.”
As we made our way over the hill I tried to burn all the images in my brain, the temple, the gnarled cedar, my old hovel and the goats. All these places that had marked themselves in my soul. By the time we made it to the ferry my throat was tight with emotion.
Giorgos helped me load my suitcases onto the boat and gave me a big hug. “ Adio .”
I blinked away the tears in my eyes as I settled into my seat.
The ferry had just begun to pull away from the dock when Nikos came racing into the port, his shirt half tucked into his jeans, hair still mussed from sleep.
His feet pounded on the concrete. “Callie!” he cried, throwing his hands up in exasperation.
It took all the strength I had not to jump out and fall into his arms, but I couldn’t give in. He wasn’t mine. He never would be.
I closed my eyes, breathing deeply. When I opened them again, he was still standing there, Argos at his heels.
I stared at them until they were just tiny specks at the foot of those craggy rocks. I stared at the rocks until they slowly disappeared, swallowed by the blue waters and blue sky, hidden again by the sorceress’s spell.