The Summer Deal (11 page)

“Dinner,” she said, standing and collecting their things. “Remember? I’m meeting my new American friends by the pool at ten.”

“You’re going?” He said, feeling like she’d slapped him. Why should she want to go out with the pilot?

“Of course. It would be rude if I stood them up.” She shrugged and turned to face him. “Come with us. They said the
taverna
was heavenly.”

“I don’t think so.”

Her eyes widened in surprise, and seeing her expression, he added, “Tony is arriving at ten-forty-five. I’m meeting him at the airport.”

“Okay then. If anything changes, I’ll be by the pool at ten.” She smiled sweetly and returned to packing.

This was not what he’d planned. He wanted her out of the office so that he could have her to himself, not to share her with some airplane cowboy.

Why did she want to go out with the pilot? Couldn’t she just stay with him? And what was he supposed to do, go with her and chaperone? Now, that wasn’t a bad idea. Maybe not original, but not bad either.

No, not my style
.

*****

Demo looked at the closed door and then checked his watch for the fourth time. Nine-thirty, and she was still getting ready. He walked to her room and knocked.

“Come in,” Sammy called. “Hey, Demo, have you changed your mind about joining us?”

His eyes swept over her. The pink blush of her skin was so delicate against the cream-colored dress. Her hair, soft and shiny, swept over her shoulders. Sammy was gorgeous. “Thanks, but no. I’m meeting someone for business before I head to the airport for Tony.”

“Oh, did you need me there?”

How tempting to obligate her to cancel with the pilot and join him. But no, she needed to come to him willingly, wanting to be with him. No more pretenses.

“Not really. It’s a matter not related to Lakis International.” He handed her a cell phone, hoping she’d changed her mind and didn’t need it. She could be with him.

Hesitating, he chose not to tell her how much he wanted her input on the villa he was buying as a summer getaway. For some inexplicable reason, he wanted her to love the place. But, she still wasn’t accepting him. She was reluctant to acknowledge their feelings for each other.

“I wanted to give you this before you went out. I’ve programmed my number and the bungalow’s into speed dial. Any other you may need is in the phonebook feature.”

“You think of everything. Thank you.” She walked toward her bag, her heals clicking on the stone, and secured the phone in the inside pocket.

He came up behind her, and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

She stilled.

“Be careful. The roads are treacherous, and we don’t really know the people you’re going out with tonight. If the driver drinks too much, or anything goes wrong, call me.”

His touch urged her to turn. Dark emerald eyes gleamed like the night sea under a full moon, and he felt the urge to dive into them. He wanted to take her, attach her to his side, and not let her out of his sight.

“Promise?” he asked.

She stood silent for what seemed like hours and then let out a soft breath. “Yes.”

He released his hold and took a step back. Touching the tip of her nose with his finger, he leaned down and brushed his mouth over her forehead. “Don’t have too good of a time. I left your key by the door. Goodnight.”

Demo walked away wishing he’d told her how beautiful she looked, but he was envious of the pilot she had dressed for.

“Damn, I should have asked which
taverna
they were going to. I could pick her up when they finish and see her home.”

No, that was ridiculous. He was acting like a lovesick fool.

*****

The papers were signed. The villa was his. Demo picked up Zoë and headed for the airport.

“We’ll drive up to the arrivals terminal. The plane landed ten minutes ago, and knowing my brother, he only has his duffle bag. He’ll probably be waiting on the curb.”

They weren’t disappointed. Tony stood beside the taxi stand, a bag at his feet, and waved as they approached. Demo barely had time to stop the car when Zoë ran out and wrapped her arms around Tony’s neck. Tony gathered her in his embrace and raised her feet off the pavement as his lips sealed on hers.

Happiness and pride filled Demo as he witnessed his brother and Zoë melt into each other. He stepped out of the car and moved around to the curb. Picking up the infamous blue duffle bag, he threw it into the jeep’s cargo area, and then walked over and smacked his younger brother’s back.

“Hey, get a room, or I’ll be bailing you out of jail.” Demo laughed and accepted a hug from Tony. “I don’t know how you did it, but you landed one of the most wonderful women. Congratulations.”

Tony pulled Zoë against him, pressing a kiss on her temple. “Actually, this enchantress did me in. Once she laid eyes on me and decided she couldn’t live without me, I was a goner. There was no hope for an escape.”

Zoë looked up at Tony and requested another kiss. He did as she asked. When she pulled away, she laughed. “He’s such a pushover.”

“Yeah, that’s me,” Tony exclaimed with intense pleasure. “Now push me over to
Koukouvagia
. I need a
frappé
and an ice cream laden baklava.”

The threesome burst into laughter and hustled into the jeep.

A few quick turns and a couple of minutes later, they were sitting at the café overlooking the city and the harbor of Chania.

The couple updated Demo on their plans. Both sets of parents would arrive in Crete by the end of the month. At that time, Tony and Zoë were going to marry at Athena’s resort.

“Do Mom and Dad know?” Demo asked.

“No, we’re surprising them with the good news. Zoë told her mother, but swore Mrs. Markos to secrecy. I couldn’t trust Mom not to babble it everywhere. You should have heard her talk about Athena’s engagement.”

Demo laughed loud, imagining his mother taking an ad out in the
New York Times
to announce the good news. “Athena is really happy with Alexandros. You’ll like him, and Mom and Dad will get along great with his parents.”

“Athena is helping us with the plans, so we had to swear her to secrecy too,” Zoë added.

“When did you tell her?”

“Sunday night.” Zoë smiled at the brothers and her sheer happiness beamed across the table. “She was ecstatic to have the wedding at the resort. Obviously, we’ll have to have a reception in New York this fall for the family friends, but it’s been my dream to be married here.”

Tony chimed in on queue and teased his future bride. “It’s always been your dream to marry me. Admit it,
koukla mou
.”

“Ha! I can’t hide it any longer. I knew when you pushed me down the slide and broke my arm. I had to wear a cast for my sixth birthday party. Remember?”

“Do I? You blackened both my eyes and gave me a bloody nose, before your mom took you to the emergency room.” Tony rubbed his nose.

Demo’s cell phone rang and interrupted their laughter. He checked the number and immediately flipped it open. Concerned, he glanced at his brother.

“Sammy, is that you?”

Tony chuckled and said in a low voice to Zoë, “It’s about time he stopped calling her Samantha. He is—”

Demo raised his finger to his lips, indicating quiet. “What do you mean they had to leave? It’s almost midnight and they left you alone?”

Demo shook his head in annoyance as he listened to Sammy on the other end of the line. “Oh, you’re with Kathy. Where are you,
koukla
?”

Tony raised an eyebrow in question, but didn’t interrupt him.

“Owl Café? You mean
Koukouvagia
? Where?”

All three scanned the terrace, but there were no redheads in sight.

“Where exactly?” Demo smiled in relief as he listened. “Okay, stay there. We’ll be right down.” He gestured for the waiter and then turned back to the table. “Sammy and her friend, Kathy, are sitting on the downstairs terrace. The pilots, Jamie and Paul, were called to the base, and the hotshot men left Sammy to take a cab home. What kind of men are they?”

“It must’ve been an emergency,” Zoë said.

“Well, at least Sammy called me. Good thing I gave her that phone tonight.” Demo kept looking for the waiter.

Tony chuckled, and shaking his head, he tried to speak between bursts of laughter. “It’s good… to see you all bent out of shape, Demo. But… I think Sammy will survive. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if she had to take a cab. Since she called, you have the chance to fly down the stairs and rescue her.”

“Who asked you?” Demo stood and tossed money on the table. “Be real for a moment. Would you leave your date stranded?”

“No, but you don’t know the situation. It really could have been an emergency.” Tony placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder and stopped him from walking on. “Listen, don’t act like a Neanderthal when we get there. It’s not as if they left them in a dangerous or seedy place. It’s as safe as your backyard here, and full of people willing to help. Relax and try to win her over with charm, not brute force.”

Demo stared at his brother in disbelief. “Who says I want to win her over?”

“Not me. I won’t go there.” Tony shook his head and taking Zoë’s hand, started towards the stairs.

Looking around the lower level of the crowded café, Demo spotted Sammy at a table waving and smiling at him. He smiled back and quickly headed to the woman who’d been on his mind all evening.

Sammy wondered how he managed to get to the café so fast. He definitely had surprises up his handsome sleeve. He looked so attractive framed in the backdrop of the soft light of the terrace and the Greek night ambiance.

The young blonde-haired woman sitting beside her gave a low whistle “You’re right. He is drop-dead gorgeous, and his body is so yummy. Sammy, you’re living with a Greek god for the summer. What are you doing here with me?”

“I don’t know. I guess I needed some time to think things through.” Sammy said, shrugging her shoulders.

The dark, good-looking threesome approached.

“
Gia sou, koukla
,” the brothers chimed in unison.

Tony was the first to reach for her, urging Sammy to rise from her seat and give him a hug. This was getting a bit touchy-feely for a non-Greek, but she found the greeting very sincere. She fell into the friendly and casual air the brothers had brought with their arrival.

“Welcome back to
Kriti, Andoni
.” She attempted the name in Greek.

“
Bravo,
Little Red. A few days in Greece and you have developed a bona fide accent.” He joked and placed a kiss on each of her cheeks. Then he turned and took Zoë’s hand bringing her closer to Sammy. “Have you met my Zoë?”

“Your Zoë? Zoë is the woman you spoke of in New York?” Sammy caught the sigh escaping her lips just on time, and coughed to mask her relief. “Of course we met. Only briefly on my first night…and I was so tired… I wasn’t seeing straight.”

“Sorry,” Demo whispered in her ear, placing a possessive arm around Sammy. “I was sworn to secrecy. I couldn’t tell you, but I don’t lie.” Then he pulled out her chair, and they all proceeded to sit.

Extending a polite hand to Kathy, Demo made the introductions. “I’m Demo, and this is my brother Tony and his fiancée Zoë. Pleased to meet you, Kathy.”

“Likewise, and thank you for coming to pick us up. I could wring my husband’s neck for putting you out like this.” Kathy made a chocking motion with her hands and the group laughed. “How did you get here so fast?”

“We were already here. Upstairs on the patio.”

“Paul was supposed to be only an hour, but then something important came up and Jamie, his flight partner, called to tell me they’ll be back at the hotel in the morning. If I was a jealous woman, I’d have his head on a platter.” Kathy rolled her eyes and chuckled.

“I’m sure Jamie can’t hold a candle to you,” Zoë said. “They’ll have a good explanation when they return.”

“Actually, we knew this was a possibility when the leave papers came through. We’re on alert, and that’s why we stayed in Crete. Their superior wouldn’t have signed off otherwise.” Kathy threw up her hands and laughed sweetly. “If he wanted to run off with Jamie and have a wild affair, he’s had plenty of opportunity. Those two have been a team since before I met him.”

Sammy watched Demo and Tony exchange shocked looks and broke out in a loud laughter. She wiped at tears rolling from her eyes. “Jamie is a beautiful five-foot-ten Barbie blonde. Paul’s been her co-pilot for the past two years.”

“Whew,” Tony said, wiping his brow in an exaggerated swipe before addressing Kathy. “I thought you were in competition with James, lovingly called Jamie—a hairy, brawny, testosterone driven pilot.”

“Not likely. However, I think my husband is thankfully blind. He doesn’t see Jamie like the rest of the world does.”