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For days, they’d been inseparable, and now she was nowhere to be seen. And it was because of him. She was avoiding him. He’d overstepped with one too many kisses.
He should have respected her space, but he’d thought she’d wanted him too. And when their lips had met, he was certain she’d wanted him just as much as he wanted her.
He wanted to call her, but his phone was dead. He’d checked the ship’s courtesy shop, but they didn’t have a replacement battery. He’d have to wait until they got back to Athens to have access to his phone.
Having grown tired of pacing in his cabin, he’d moved to the sunny deck. Maybe a bit of fresh air would help him relax. As he took a seat at a vacant table, he heard a familiar voice.
“Good morning.” His grandmother placed a hand on his shoulder before passing by him and taking a seat across from him.
“Good morning, Yaya.” He slipped his dead phone back in his pocket. “I thought you’d be off on another tour.”
His grandmother sighed. “I’d love to, but my body, it’s not as young as it used to be. It needs a day of rest.”
Roberto nodded in understanding.
“I thought you’d be with Stasia.”
“I, uh, haven’t seen her since you went off exploring yesterday.”
A concerned look came over his grandmother’s face. “How strange.”
“Wait. Why do you look so worried?”
“Because she left the tour early yesterday. She said she had a headache, but I suspected she missed you.” His grandmother’s gaze searched his. “So she didn’t come back here to see you?”
He shook his head.
“That’s very odd.”
Concern coursed through him. If she hadn’t come back here to see him then perhaps she truly did have a headache. And then guilt assailed him. All this time he’d been sitting around worrying about himself and how the engagement had changed things between them. What if something was wrong and she’d tried to call him? With his phone dead, her call would have gone straight to voice mail.
He got to his feet. “Excuse me.”
“Go. Go.” His grandmother waved him off. “I hope everything is all right.”
He was already in motion before his grandmother finished speaking. He couldn’t imagine Stasia needing him and not being able to reach him. As he strode down the passageway, he realized there was a cabin phone. She could have used it to get ahold of him. Unless she was too sick.
Not having the patience to wait for the elevator, he opted to take the steps. He moved swiftly, dodging around the slow-moving vacationers. He had to get to Stasia. He had to be certain she was all right.
When he finally stopped in front of her door, he knocked rapidly. “Stasia? Stasia?” When the door didn’t open right away, he knocked again. “Stasia, open up.”
The door flung open and there stood Stasia. Her face was devoid of makeup and her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail. She was still wearing what he assumed were her pajamas—a black cami that hinted at her cleavage and matching satin shorts that showed off her long legs. She looked so good, so very good.
“Roberto, what’s wrong? Why did you almost pound the door off its hinges?”
With great effort, he lifted his gaze to her face. On second glance, he realized she was a bit pale and her eyes were dulled. Something was definitely amiss.
“Yaya said you weren’t feeling well. I wanted to check on you.”
Her gaze narrowed and she didn’t open the door enough to let him in. “Would you have noticed if your grandmother hadn’t said something?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means this arrangement is over. Let that woman you were enjoying a leisurely lunch with yesterday, after you blew me off, be your fake girlfriend. I quit.” She attempted to close the door.
He stuck his foot in the way, stopping the door. “Stasia, what are you talking about?”
She let go of the door and walked farther into the room. He followed her.
“Stasia, I don’t understand.”
She turned to him, anger flashing in her eyes. “Don’t try to deny it. I left the tour early because I felt bad that you were back here on the ship working hard while I was out having a good time. And imagine my surprise when I find my fake fiancé having a romantic lunch with some beautiful woman.”
