One Weekend in Greece

Chapter 1

one

JAKOB

“ W hy would anyone ever want to be with you? You’re the biggest dick I’ve ever met!”

Unable to resist such a fine setup, I reply with, “Figuratively and physically, I’m sure.”

Unfortunately, this is not the first time a woman has stormed away from me on a date. I never make any promises for a future, yet they’re always upset when I refuse to take them home. That’s a place reserved for my family and those closest to me, the people I have the upmost trust in. The best I can offer anyone else is a luxury suite, phenomenal sex, and a night of borderline royal treatment. Just as long as they know that I’m always in control.

I release a heavy sigh as I stand to make my exit from the restaurant. Several patrons are staring, so I acknowledge them with a polite nod. Guess they weren’t expecting to get dinner and a show. Happy to do my part in making their night a little more exciting.

Being a controlling and arrogant asshole isn’t the worse thing in the world. Or that’s what I tell myself every morning in the mirror. If I wasn’t controlling, I wouldn’t have made it through medical school. I wouldn’t have become the responsible adult and father that I am today. And the arrogance, well, I have every right to be. I know I’m good-looking, wealthy, intelligent, and can accomplish anything I want.

Except…

Except when it comes to being a father.

I’m fucking terrified I’m going to ruin Dafni’s life. She’s my world but also my little daily reminder of what happens when I let me guard down and become careless. The one time I got drunk, let loose, and was reckless with a no-name one-night stand. She’s my reminder that I don’t have all the answers, despite years of studying and training, because there were no classes that could possibly prepare me for the fear of fatherhood. No experience in a hospital can ready you for being responsible for someone who owns every piece of your heart. Money is useless when it comes to trying to understand the mood swings of a toddler. And the uncertainty never goes away. It’s a humbling experience. The only person in this entire world who can cut me with one look, and she’s only five years old.

Dafni Petridis is my only child, and probably the only one I’ll ever have. I was there throughout the pregnancy and the delivery, and I was the one who took my daughter home. Her mother signed over any and all rights, and we never heard from her again. After her mother made it known she didn’t want her or me, I don’t know if I could ever trust another person to come into our lives. If her own mother wouldn’t step in, how could I expect someone else to love my daughter as their own? Not that I have time for dating. Plus, I don’t want any more complications in my life, and that’s all relationships are—a stressful headache to make life more complicated.

On my way home, I get a call from my head of staff, Miss Owens. She keeps insisting I call her Midge, but that would cross a professional line and put us into “friendly” territory. Which is no doubt her intention. She’s done everything but drop her clothes in front of me. I’d fire her, but she’s the best employee I’ve ever had. I’ve tried to make myself seem less desirable, but there’s only so much I can do. Being irresistible, even when I’m a cold bastard, is my cross to bear.

“Yes,” I bark out.

“Sir,” she begins. “The new nanny quit.”

“Excuse me? Please explain.”

She sighs. “I was assured she would be capable. Her references were impressive. I apologize, Dr. Petridis. I’ve once again failed to find a suitable and capable nanny.”

“How’s Dafni? Did anything happen?” My knuckles turn white as I grip the steering wheel. If anything happened to my daughter, then they’re all fired.

“She’s fine. Miss Petridis thought it would be cute to play a few pranks?—”

“But she’s fine?”

“Yes.”

I can only imagine what she did. She’s been restless and uncomfortable with the idea of a new nanny. The only nanny she’d ever known was Mrs. Broglin, who was a perfect fit for our family. That was, until she wanted to start her own. While I understand and respect that, now she’s on maternity leave and we’ve gone through three nannies.

“I’ll be home soon.” I end the call without another word.

This isn’t good. Dafni needs stability. I need to know there’s someone I can trust to be with her while I’m at the clinic. School is out for the summer, and I have my niece’s baptism coming up in Greece. I need someone immediately who can travel abroad.

What a shit show of a night.

My phone rings. I expect it to be more news from Miss Owens, but it’s my best friend, Noah Wilson. Instead of driving on home, I pull my car back into the parking lot and shift it into park and answer the call.

“Hello.”

“Hey, shithead! How’s it going with the lifestyle of the rich and famous?”

Why did I answer? Probably because Noah is the only person not afraid of my wealth. He knew me before my inheritance. We became friends when I was simply the new foreign kid in elementary school. My mother chose the most random small town possible in the United States to escape her overbearing family. They never approved of my father, but he did an amazing job raising me and my sister.

They opened a hotel and a bakery next door to each other. We lived in one of the rooms and helped work the bakery, and if someone didn’t show up to work, guess who got to help clean rooms as well? My beginnings were a far cry from the raising my mother received, but a million times happier and filled with love. Which is why I refused my inherence from my grandparents until Mamá convinced me to accept it. I didn’t touch it until I completed medical school. I had to prove to them that we didn’t need it. I didn’t need it.

Noah knows how much I despise being reminded of my newfound wealth. Fucker.

“I’m sure you have something better to do with your time than annoy me,” I tell him in a bored voice.

He laughs, and immediately, I feel lighter. I’ve missed my best friend. Being in our thirties now, being parents and having to work, it’s been hard to find time together. Noah is a successful attorney, though it’s still weird to imagine him being serious in a courtroom.

“Still a sour prick. You’d think it was money and long hours at the hospital that turned you into such a rigid bastard, but nope, you really were just born that way.”

“Your point, Noah? Let’s get to the point. I need to hurry home. I had a shitty date, and my night has gotten even worse because another nanny quit.”

Noah bursts out laughing so loud that I have to pull the phone away from my ear.

“Yes,” I say dryly. “Ha. Ha.”

“This actually works out. The stars are aligning, my moody friend. Nicole needs a temporary job until she starts working for some big marketing company.”

My chest tightens at her name. Nicole is Noah’s baby sister, twelve years younger than us. She’s what, twenty-two now? I do not need her in close proximity to me. Nicole is my secret fantasy. She was always the kid sister hanging around. Fun. Sweet. Friendly. For the longest time, the only difference between her and Noah was their age. Until she became seventeen.

Good Lord, did she blossom overnight. I’d never felt like such a creep. This was Nicole! Our family friend’s daughter. My best friend’s sister. I’d known her for years. With her being underage, it was easy to dismiss the attraction, but now she’s all grown up. Still… it feels morally wrong, and again, she’s like family.

Well, I’m sure she sees me as family. I quit viewing her that way as soon as she developed into a woman. I’m probably a major jerk in her eyes because I’ve made it a point to keep a safe distance from her. Plus, Noah is the most overprotective brother, and he adores his baby sister. Everyone was terrified to be caught looking at Nicole growing up.

I clear my throat. “What does that have to do with stars? She’s looking for a job. I don’t know how?—”

“Duh. She’d be a perfect nanny for Dafni. She already knows her, and by the time she needs to leave, the other nanny’s maternity leave will be over. Win-win, bro.”

Fuck no, bro. I don’t say that, of course. “I… I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“It’s an amazing idea. Don’t overthink it.”

“Wait, why are you pushing this so hard?”

“Nicole has been whining about needing a job, and instead of living with Mom and Dad, she asked if she could stay with me. You know I can’t say no to her, buuut it puts a damper on me bringing someone back to my place. Anyway, you were just bitching about needing a nanny. Boom! Let me help you out. Noah saves the motherfuckin’ day. ”

“The fact that you have a law degree is astonishing.”

“Fuck you. I’ll tell Nicole. She’ll be there tomorrow morning. Hey, and is it cool if she stays there? You usually have live-in nannies, right?”

I about have a heart attack right then and there. “What?”

“Perfect. This is working out beautifully. And if she annoys you, you won’t even have to see her in that mansion. Maybe print her out a map, though. Also, watch your male staff. I know you will. Nicole is like a sister to you. If anyone annoys her, looks at her too long, or makes a move on my baby sister, I’ll have their balls.”

What is happening?

Panic begins to rise. I’m losing control. Before I can even register that he’s telling me goodbye, the call has ended. This isn’t good. Noah is worried about the staff, but that idiot doesn’t realize he should be worried about his best friend. He’s sending that poor girl straight to my house.

I’ve managed to avoid her for a year. She came to Dafni’s birthday party because I couldn’t not invite her. The Wilsons are always invited to everything that involves Dafni, and they love her as much as my family does. Christ, she was stunning.

“There’s the most beautiful girl in the world!” Nicole cheered as Dafni ran to her with arms stretched wide. My daughter leapt into her arms and, on cue, Nicole spun her around in a tight hug.

When Nicole placed Dafni’s tiny feet firmly back on the ground, she raised up and our eyes met. Those beautiful blue eyes popped against her raven-colored hair and sun-kissed skin. Her shy smile had me struggling to swallow or form words. I gave her a curt nod with what I’m sure looked like a grimace. I was miserable the entire party because I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Her toned body. Her whimsical attitude. Her too loud laugh that would be obnoxious coming from anyone else, but with her, is contagious and fun.

I forced myself to ignore how amazing she was with Dafni. How my daughter followed her around like a puppy and only wanted to play with her despite the other kids in attendance. I snarled with envy at how everyone else in my family could easily interact with Nicole because they weren’t consumed with lust like me. Guilt ate at me every single time her parents spoke to me or Noah joked about how goofy his sister was. If only anyone knew what I was thinking when I watched her.

I’d dismissed the staff so the party would be more of an intimate affair. More like a birthday party that me and my sister, Vivian, had growing up. This meant cleanup was up to me, which I thought would be my escape from Nicole. I carry the dishes and place them into the sink, then bump into someone as I take a step back.

“Oops!” Nicole says and then giggles. She sidesteps me and places the plates she was carrying into the sink. “Sorry about that. You know, most people use paper plates for cake at kid parties.”

“I don’t like how flimsy they are,” I force out. My eyes zero in on the frosting at the right corner of her lips. Rich and creamy white frosting. My eyes must give me away, because her smile slowly fades, her nostrils flaring as she stares up at me.

Knowing I shouldn’t, I still do it. I use my thumb to wipe off the icing, and then, without breaking eye contact, I bring it to my lips and suck off the sugary sweetness. Before I can make any other mistakes, I walk away from her, and I don’t say another word or send her another look for the rest of the evening.

The memory has me hard as stone. On one hand, Nicole is perfect for Dafni, but on the other, she’s the only person who could shatter my self-control.

No. I have to think of my daughter. Noah was right, my house is big enough that I will never have to see her. This will work. I’ll see to it.