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Easier said than done, Willow thought, but unfortunately she also knew it to be true. Slowly, she said, “When I first learned of your proposal, I thought you just wanted to make a quick one mil or something. I thought you wanted to publish something that was like a cross between an Idiot’s Guide for Gold Diggers and a self-help book for the Real Housewives of Athens.”
Although it wasn’t his first time to hear of Willow’s initial thoughts, Damen still winced.
Catching sight of Damen’s pained look, she said sheepishly, “Sorry. When I got to talk to you, I knew right away it wasn’t like that.”
“So what is it about then?”
She closed her eyes, letting her imagination fly. Papers shuffled, words drifted up in the air in a colorful tornado, and around it were readers – so many of them, and they all wanted to read the book because…
“It’s a book about love,” Willow said softly, eyes still closed. “The Art of Catching a Greek Billionaire isn’t about making a woman happy because she now has access to billions of dollars. It was never that. It’s about the man – the billionaire who may seem to have everything but doesn’t. This book shows that Greek billionaires need to be caught by the right woman because...”
Willow squeezed her eyes shut more tightly. “Because a woman who loves selflessly, eternally – that’s his true wealth. The one thing he can’t ever buy.” A smile touched her lips, and the look on her face made it obvious why she was named such.
Willowy beautiful in a way that could easily make people catch their breath, Willow continued, “The Art of Catching a Greek Billionaire doesn’t aim to be profound or informative. It’s just a book of love and hope, a book that’s likely to make you cry and laugh but in the end, it’s going to make you feel good. It’s going to make you look forward to tomorrow because you know…if fate was able to make Mairi Tanner’s dreams come true…if fate was able to make Damen Leventis fall in love when he never believed it existed in the first place…” Her shoulders lifted in a helpless shrug. “Why couldn’t it happen to the rest of us?”
A second later, Willow’s eyes flew open at the sound of someone slowly clapping his hands. When she spun her seat around, she was stunned to see her father inside the conference room, and behind him was the rest of the acquisitions committee.
William Somerset asked gruffly, “Would a 100,000 initial print run do?”
Everyone in the room knew the answer to that.
Willow shrugged, not knowing how to express her emotions so in the end, she decided to do what she usually did, and that was to retreat behind a shell of indifference. “I…umm…think it’s adequate.”
The too-proud answer had Damen clearing his throat.
“I mean, thank you for your trust in me. I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed, sir.”
William glanced at the ex-billionaire. “Willow has filled me in about your plan in the event that we do offer to publish your work. We can probably have a hundred ARCs ready in time for your party. It will be the day after tomorrow, correct?” It was William’s way of expressing his gratitude for Damen Leventis’ patience, something that not many people was able to offer his wayward daughter.
“That would be much appreciated. The book is to be my wife’s surprise, so I hope that nothing about it leaks out.” Damen walked forward to shake hands with Willow’s father.
William murmured, “You must love your wife very much to go to such lengths just to let her know of your feelings.”
Damen’s lips twisted in a smile. “If you have the chance to read the book, you’ll know that what I’m doing – or whatever I can think of doing – is not enough. I’ve hurt her too many times that having the chance to show my wife I love her is a privilege in itself.”
When William Somerset left with the other executives, Willow said accusingly, “You knew he was there, didn’t you?”
He said evenly, “Next time, I know you won’t have to be tricked into doing the same thing.”
Her shoulders slumped. “I don’t know about that. My nerves always get the better of me.”
“Come to the party. I have someone who’d be the perfect trainer for you.”
The offer was generous and kind, which of course made Willow feel uncomfortable, pushing her to mutter ungraciously, “I don’t need a trainer.”
“Yes. You do. And that answer is exactly why you need one.” Together, the two of them walked out of the conference room, Willow accompanying him until they reached the elevators.
It was only when the elevator doors slid open and Damen stepped in did Willow mumble, “Thanks for helping me in there.”
Damen smiled slightly. “Thank you for taking a chance on my admittedly ambitious and unorthodox project.”
Willow said seriously, “Good luck with winning your wife back, Damen.”
The doors closed at the same time his phone buzzed. The name on the screen made Damen frown, but in the end, he decided to reply. If he wanted a future that was completely free of any kind of obstacle that could hinder him and Mairi from getting back together permanently, then it was time to clear up all loose ends.
Starting…with Alina.
Chapter Eleven
She said: To wed a Greek billionaire, one becomes an expert at lie detection.
He said: Is that so?
She said: Go on. Test me.
He said: We’re in a private place.
She said: Lie. And umm, duh!
He said: We’re alone.
She said: Lie. Willow, tell me, is he for real?
He said: I’m not finished.
She said: Ooookay.
He said: You want to fuck me right now. I only have to touch your hair and you want me. I only have to look at you and you want me. I only have to say your name and you want me. Are those lies, matakia mou?
She said: Unfair! That’s a trick question!
Important meeting? Ha! Yeah, right. These were the thoughts that ran through Mairi’s head as she tried not to bang pots in Damen’s ultra-modern kitchen. She had taken pains to prepare breakfast, hoping they could eat it in bed, but instead he had told her in a distracted voice that he had to leave right away.
And then she had watched Damen – the man who she had never even seen glance at his reflection on the mirror unless he was having sex with her in front of it – stand a good five minutes in front of his extensive wardrobe, a taut look on his face as he pulled out a new pinstriped suit. “Do you think this looks good on me?”
That was when she really knew. Oh my God, he really was having an affair with Alina Kokinos! She had read about this in those women’s magazines that Mandy secretly devoured in hopes of being more “sensitive” and “feminine”.
When Damen had raised a brow at her, Mairi had snapped, “No. I think you look bad in anything you wear.” And then she had shoved past her husband, muttering about eating breakfast with Drake.
For once, Damen’s jealousy had not made him go after Mairi.
“What’s with all the racket?” Drake asked as he entered the kitchen, wincing at all the banging and clanging that Mairi was making with her frying pans. He grabbed one of the stools by the counter, one eyebrow lifting when he saw the lineup of dishes Mairi had prepared. Pancakes, toasts, Eggs Benedict, bacon, and even a fruit platter – all of them untouched. “Are we celebrating or something?”
“Nope.” Mairi tried to keep her tone cheerful as she turned around to face Drake. Hair still wet from a shower and dressed in a white wife beater that exposed his broad shoulders and biceps, the ex-sniper appeared like he had just stepped out of a sexy edition of Bed Bath & Beyond.
Taking the stool next to him, Mairi stared at Drake for a long time, willing for her breath to catch, her heart to race, her body to tense. Mairi willed herself to feel something – anything – for Drake Morrison. Just one sign, Mairi thought desperately, to prove that she had not completely lost herself in Damen. Again.
But there was none.
The despair on Mairi’s brown eyes had Drake frowning. His first instinct was to be gentle, a feeling prompted by guilt, but Drake knew that wasn’t really what Mairi needed right now. He also knew that even if it was, it had never been his role to give Mairi a shoulder to cry on.
That was Damen Leventis’ role…even if he was likely the reason Mairi’s gaze was dark with misery.
Drake slapped a couple of pancakes on his plate, giving Mairi time to speak. From the corner of his eyes, he watched her reach for a piece of toast and munch on it. He said brusquely, “Pretending to be strong doesn’t actually make you strong, Mairi.”
Mairi flinched, her half-eaten toast falling from her fingers to her plate.
When she still didn’t speak, Drake swung his seat sideways so he could take a good look at her. “I taught you better than that, don’t you think?”
