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CHAPTER TWELVE
THEREALWORLDwas waiting, of course.
There were hundreds of calls to be made, but the people she needed to speak to refused to take her call.
Roula left a message. ‘Mamá, please call.’
She walked back into the bedroom, where Galen sat holding his phone.
‘Costa called,’ he added. ‘I’ve told him you’re fine.’
‘You didn’t tell him I was here?’
‘Of course not,’ Galen shook his head. ‘I said you’d checked into a hotel and were sensibly keeping your phone off. I told you I am always discreet.’
‘You did.’ Roula took a breath. ‘Galen, I don’t want to take advantage, but I might need to take a couple of days off.’
‘That’s my plan.’
‘I mean, I’m going to head home.’
Galen sharply looked up. ‘You’re going back?’
‘Yes,’ Roula said. ‘By the time I’ve called everybody it would have been easier to just...’
‘Roula!’
He was appalled at the thought. Galen had heard her messages and, no, the cauldron of Anapliró was sonotthe place she needed to be right now.
‘The whole point of you being here—’ He stopped abruptly.
‘I get it,’ she said. ‘It was nice to hide for a night, but...’
She looked at him then, and frowned, because the very suave Galen, who was so upfront about so many things, looked uncomfortable as he got back to his phone.
‘Well, I’m not sure it’s the best idea.’
‘What else did Costa say?’ Roula asked.
‘Not much.’ Galen shrugged. ‘He just wanted to check you were okay. He and Mary are heading back.’
‘Honeymoon’s over, then?’ Roula said in a voice that held a question—and it wasnotin regard to Costa and Mary’s marriage.
Galen would know that. He rarely slipped up and was clearly rather hoping Roula hadn’t noticed, yet she had.
‘I’m trying to find a florist for Dora,’ he said.
Head down, Galen, Roula thought. As he had done all those years ago—only it was not bruises to his face he was hiding now.
She felt angry tears pricking her eyes and she swallowed them down—for, yes, this brief honeymoon, for want of a better word, was over. And she took a breath and spoke, as she would for any issue at work.
‘You said the whole point of me being here...?’ Roula checked. ‘Did Costa ask you to employ me?’
‘Sorry?’
‘Galen.’ She pulled the phone from his hands. ‘Answer me.’
Her cheeks were pink, her eyes angry, and it was truth or lie time. Galen never broke a shared confidence, but he preferred honesty over lies.
