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Walking into the hotel reminded me why my father loved it down here. The whole island catered to the glitterati. He was totally in his element. It was a palatial explosion of pastels and money.
I’d texted him at the valet station, and he met me in the lobby.
My father offered a quick hug, patting me on the back. “Dex…so good to see you, son.”
“You, too.”
I wasn’t sure if it was the lighting or what, but my father looked a lot older than the last time I’d seen him. Despite that, he was in pretty good shape for his age because he made a point to stay active every day.
“We were just having lunch out on the balcony. Smoked salmon and capers prepared by Chef Jon. Why don’t you join us?”
“Who’s we?”
“Myra and some friends.”
Myra was my father’s most recent wife. She looked like many of the women down here: heavily blonde, Chanel-clad and tweaked by lots of plastic surgery. Let’s not forget the small fluffy dog by her side at all times. I was pretty sure Caroline would turn into a Myra someday.
“I was actually hoping that you and I could talk privately.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No. I just have some questions for you.”
“Alright. Let me just tell them I’ll rejoin them. We can take a walk along the beach.”
“That sounds good.”
I’d dressed for the occasion today, wearing khaki pants and a pink Polo shirt. When in Rome.
After he returned, we ventured down to the water. Rolling up my pants and holding my shoes in one hand, I walked alongside my father amidst the crashing waves as the tide came in. Shells crunched under my feet, and a few seagulls nearly grazed my head as they flew by.
“So whatever happened to the situation you called me about? The girl you lied to about your identity?” he asked.
“Well, miraculously, she’s decided to forgive me. We’re working on things. I haven’t earned her trust one hundred percent yet. She’s actually the reason I came to see you. Well, more specifically, her mother is the reason.”
“What about her mother?”
“She used to work for you. You fired her years ago.”
My father laughed. “That narrows it down to a few hundred people, then.”
“I met her the other night and immediately recognized her, which was odd. She must have worked for you longer than most, because I don’t remember many people from those days.”
“What’s her name?”
“Eleni George.”
He suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look me in the eyes. “Eleni Georgakopolous.”
“No, Eleni George.”
“Georgakopolous. It’s Georgakopolous.” He walked over to a rock. “Come sit. I need a bit of a rest.”
“You sure her name was Georgakopolous?”
“Yes.”
“Hang on.” I quickly typed out a text to Bianca.Dex: Random thought. I never asked you…George doesn’t sound like a Greek name. Is that short for something else?She responded right away.Bianca: Yes. I shortened it a while ago for work purposes. No one could seem to spell my last name. My legal name is actually Georgakopolous.Dex: Good to know.“What did she say?” my father asked.
“She said her last name is really Georgakopolous.”
He nodded. “Let me guess…your girl…she has big, golden brown eyes, gorgeous dark hair, and killer curves?”
“Yes.”
“The apple doesn’t fall far…”
“If you were so fond of her mother, why did you fire her?”
“Fire her?” My father laughed incredulously. “Is that what she told you?”
“Yes. Bianca said you gave Eleni the ax and that it devastated their family financially. It set off a chain of events that they never recovered from.”
“Let me tell you something about Eleni Georgakopolous. And I can tell you this because we’re both grown men, and also because I’m not with your mother anymore.”
“What?”
“That woman was like…sexual napalm. I’ve never in my life experienced anything like her.”
“Sexual what? Excuse me?”
“Eleni was my secretary, yes. And I was her boss. But we were also lovers, Dex. She was cheating on her husband with me.”
“What?”
“It went on for several years. She wasn’t the only woman during that time, of course—you know your dear old dad—but she was the only memorable one.”
It sickened me to think about my father and Bianca’s mother.
“Wait…you need to back up.”
“Alright. I’ll explain anything you need.”
“She was cheating on her husband…with you? And then you fired her on top of that?”
He shook his head. “No. I never fired her. Her husband found out about the affair and forced her to quit. They may have told their children a different story. I would have never fired her, because I couldn’t quit her. I would’ve never let her go. She was too addictive.”
“God, that’s fucked up. This went on for years?”
“On and off, yes.”
“I can’t believe it.”
“What’s so hard to believe? If her daughter is as beautiful as she was, surely you can understand?”
“No. I can’t understand cheating on your wife—my mother—to begin with. But knowingly wrecking someone else’s marriage? That I definitely cannot understand.”
