AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s an awesome idea,”Carter agreed when her mom said she’d like to invite a friend.
Sienna’s stomach sank, yet she said, “Great.” She’d been looking forward to another day wrapped around Carter on the moped, not a day spent with her mother’s new flame.
But that was mean. Mom deserved some happiness.
The others cheered.
Except Tamryn, who muttered under her breath, “Who is this guy anyway?”
Mom had returned from her walk with the news that she’d found a way they could all get to the Minoan ruins without having to rent mopeds.
“Remember I said I knew the man I was with last night at sunset?” She didn’t wait for an answer, but rushed on. “Well, he was our tour guide on my previous trip.”
Irena waggled her eyebrows like a lecherous old man. “Ooh, your tour guide.”
She felt Carter staring at her mom.
“And now he owns that company, Exotic Adventure Travels.”
Carter whistled. “They’re the tour group we used for the catamaran. That’s also who I’ve rented the mopeds from. I’d say he’s far from just a tour guide.”
Her mother blushed, as if she was proud that she’d known the man when he was on his way up. Now he was probably as rich as Croesus. Or was it Midas? Sienna couldn’t remember.
A bus. Old ruins. Sienna was planning. She’d find a way to be close to Carter. No problem.
Tamryn was the only one harrumphing like an old woman.
Xandros Daskalakis arrived at eleven-thirty, driving an air-conditioned bus. He was tall, maybe six-three, and handsome for an older man, a silver fox like Tamryn said. Sienna had to admit it was nice to have a ride out of the heat and dust. Even Tamryn seemed mollified.
Mom sat in the seat behind Xandros, pointing out the front window, and listening to his tour monologue.
Sienna snagged the back row next to Carter, her thigh pressed to the warmth of his. It was crazy the way her heart pitter-pattered like an old spinster from a vintage movie.
He leaned close to say, “Your mom looks excited. Happy.”
She didn’t want to think about her mother’s happiness, however deserved. She wanted to concentrate on last night, sitting in the hot tub with the gang after Mom went to bed. Carter had been glued to her side. He insisted Tamryn was just a friend, that they were all friends. And none of them seemed to partner with anyone, at least not in a sexual sense, though the girls hung on the guys, whispered with them, followed them inside to refresh the drinks. But they were a gang, not couples.
Still, Sienna couldn’t help but wonder about Tamryn. She looked at Carter with what Sienna could only call a hungry gaze, as if she wanted to eat him up. And she often caught Tamryn looking at her with narrowed eyes.
But on the bus, Carter sat down next to Sienna, not the other way round. “Since your mom’s been divorced for a year, it’s nice to see her have a little fun.”
She wondered why he was feeling her out about her mother. Maybe he wanted to see if she was one of those kids who begrudged their parents a new relationship after a breakup. Sienna didn’t. “My dad’s getting remarried. And Mom deserves whatever happiness she can find.”
It was odd how suddenly that had become the truth for Sienna. She’d resented her mother for so long that bitterness became ingrained.
But somehow, on this trip—or even earlier, when her dad had sabotaged her life—Sienna was finding empathy for her mother, who’d always been the bad guy. But now Sienna saw that Dad had often set Mom up, playing the children off against her.
She admitted as much to Carter. “I don’t think she had it easy with Dad. It was probably never a great marriage. So if she can have a little fun on a holiday, more power to her.”
Carter laced his fingers through hers, caressed her thumb, and she knew that’s how he’d hoped she’d feel.
They bumped along the road—Santorini didn’t have highways—and took the curves, swaying with the bus. Sometimes Xandros pulled off when a fast-moving car wanted by, waving them on, smiling. Even if she’d rather listen to Carter, Xandros was interesting, telling them about the history of the island, pointing out the sights through the windows.
Then they rattled into the car park. It was probably later in the day than most people came out here. Tourists didn’t sleep in, they started early to beat the heat. The lot was almost full, with reserved spots marked for Exotic Adventure Travels. One of those was open, and Xandros expertly wheeled in.
Climbing out, Xandros helped the ladies down like a practiced tour guide. The day was hot, the sun beating down and the wind whipping dirt across the lot. She was glad they hadn’t come in July or August, the hottest, windiest, and most crowded months on Santorini.
He smiled as he helped her out of the bus. “I’ve got our tickets.” He fanned them out.
