AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thank you again for letting me play detective with you. I won’t forget your generosity.”
Andrea walked past him and out the rear door of the house to her car. It was the longest walk of her life. Getting away from him now meant she’d escaped before it was too late. To remain here another minute would be putting herself in emotional jeopardy.
She’d had enough time to think about his mother’s shock at finding her son with Andrea. Stavros had admitted this had nothing to do with his recent business decision, but it was all too much of a mystery for Andrea. She pressed on the gas as she made her way down the mountain.
As Andrea was finding out, Stavros was more complicated than she’d first realized. Not so Ferrante, who’d been open with her from the start. No mystery, no secrets. He’d asked Andrea to marry him. He’d wanted a life with her. Marriage, children. The whole thing. Why that fierce mountain blizzard had to come along and destroy their dream, she didn’t know.
The first set of tears she’d shed for him in a long time made her vision blurry. She needed to slow down or she’d get in an accident. Maybe it would be years before an uncomplicated man like Ferrante came along again. Maybe never.
Forget Stavros Konstantinos!
* * *
“Andrea? I know it’s time for you to go home, but would you step into my office for a minute, please?”
She couldn’t say no to Sakis, but it was Friday night. Her single friend Dorcas worked in the accounts department for the tour company on the next floor up. Maybe she’d want to get some dinner and go to a film later with Andrea. After she talked to Sakis, she’d give her a call.
“I’ll be right there.”
The mock-up for the latest itinerary just needed a few finishing touches, but it could wait until Monday. She closed the file, backed it up on the computer and reached for her purse in the bottom drawer of her desk. A little lipstick and a quick brush of her hair would have to do to make herself presentable.
Andrea said good-night to a couple of coworkers as she walked past their desks to reach Sakis’s office. The door was closed, so she knocked.
“Come in!”
Sakis, in shirtsleeves, reminded Andrea of an overweight newspaper editor who smoked, drank tons of coffee and talked with ten situations going on at the same time. He loved to tell crass
jokes to provoke a reaction. But for once she didn’t even notice him because there was another man in the office, seated across from his desk. A striking, dark-haired male dressed in a gray business suit and tie. The sight of him robbed her of breath.
Stavros.
No, no, no. A week had gone by since she’d left his villa. It wasn’t enough time...
He got to his feet, making her more aware of his virility than ever. Stavros didn’t have to try to knock a woman dead. It just happened automatically in his presence.
“Andrea,” he murmured in that deep voice. “How are you?”
How am I? She was reeling. “Fine, thank you. And you?”
“I wasn’t fine until now.”
Warmth spread up her neck and face.
“Sit down, my dear.” Sakis indicated the chair next to Stavros, unaware of her shock. “I’ve wanted to speak to both of you since the incident with the Lewis boy. But Kyrie Konstantinos couldn’t break away from business matters until now.”
Sakis had phoned Stavros?
“Words can’t express my gratitude to both of you for finding the teen in such a short period of time. An international incident was avoided, sparing both our companies adverse publicity and possible litigation.”
Andrea sat forward. “We’re all happy about that. Do you have any news of how he is now?”
“I understand he’s back in Connecticut with his parents.”
“He told us he was upset with his father. That’s why he tried to run away.”
Sakis spread his hands apart. “It happens. My son has threatened to kill me several times.” But he laughed when he said it. In that moment, Stavros’s eyes sent her a silent message, as if to say the two of them knew the teen’s situation hadn’t been a laughing matter.
Her boss sat back in his swivel chair. “Kyrie Konstantinos? The police lieutenant told me you influenced him not to bring charges against the teen.” Andrea hadn’t known that. “Such a gesture on your part is amazing.”
