My eyes caught his stare and I was positive I saw something in those eyes that I’ve longed to see in a man’s eyes, only it was gone as soon as it came.
My chest tightened and I felt sick to my stomach. “And then you’re looking at me like you just made the biggest mistake of your life.”
Thano jumped up and walked toward me. I held up my hands. “Stop. Please don’t come near me. I don’t think I can resist you when you touch me.” My chin trembled as I looked down and swallowed hard.
Get it together, Kilyn.
“Your heart is camouflaged and I don’t know how to read it.” Looking back up at him, I barely said, “One minute you’re warm and the next you’re cold. Maybe I’m not supposed to be the one to read it.”
He shook his head. “Kilyn, I . . . I’m not sure I’m ready yet for you to have a piece of my heart.”
And there it was.
The final blow to my already fragile heart. I forced a small grin. “And here I thought, maybe, we both shared a moment together.”
“We did,” he said with an urgency in his voice.
“I’ve been through too much shit in my life and maybe . . . maybe I was wanting something that just wasn’t there.”
He shook his head, “No. Kilyn, if you would listen to me for a minute.”
His doorbell rang and we both looked out. I was dressed and he wasn’t.
Taking the light, I said, “I’ll see who it is.”
“No, wait,” Thano said as he frantically searched for his clothes.
Quickly making my way out of his room, I needed to put distance between us. Opening the door, I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw a state trooper standing there.
He smiled, as he looked me over. “Ma’am, just checking to make sure everyone and everything is okay. I see you had a tree land on your vehicle.”
“Oh, um . . . yes that is Thano’s car. He owns the cabin.”
“The storm has already passed and they are working on the roads to clear them, so you should be able to leave by morning.”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw Thano walking toward the front door.
“And the power?” he asked.
The trooper nodded his head. “Crews are working on it now. I’m actually heading back down the mountain.”
“Is there any way you could take me to Manitou Springs?”
It was out of my mouth before I even realized I was thinking it.
“What?” Thano said. “Kilyn, what are you doing?”
Not bothering to look at him, I stared at the trooper. He looked between the two of us.
“Is everything okay here, ma’am?”
“Yes. Everything is fine; I’m feeling rather claustrophobic. I don’t think I can wait until morning.”
Thano walked up next to me. “Jesus, Savannah. What in the hell are you doing?”
My head snapped over as my mouth dropped open. My entire body shook from head to toe. “My name is Kilyn. Not Savannah.”
Thano’s face turned white. “I . . . I didn’t mean to call you that. I swear, Kilyn.”
Turning back to the trooper, I looked at him with pleading eyes. “Please, can you take me home?”
When the single tear rolled down my cheek, he nodded.
I quickly slipped on my Converse sneakers. Thano stood there the whole time, not uttering a single word.
Before I stepped out into the frigid cold, I looked at him. “I’ll have your drawings ready by Wednesday.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I hadn’t realized until that moment how much I had longed for him to put up an argument. For him to beg me not to leave.
Another stupid tear slipped from the corner of my eye. Quickly wiping it away, I forced a smile.
“Goodbye, Thano.”
The trooper started for his truck as I followed.
By the time I got to the car, I lost all control of my emotions and began crying. When the trooper opened the door to the back seat, he lightly took a hold of my arm. “Are you sure everything is okay?”
I nodded. “The only thing that’s wrong is I was foolish enough to open my heart up again. He didn’t do anything to hurt me, I swear.”
He didn’t say a word. Just a small head nod as he held the door open for me to slip in.
The trip down the mountain was nerve wracking and probably the longest drive of my life. By the time I got home, a small amount of snow covered the streets. With the streets empty and the lights shining on it, it almost looked magical.
“Are you okay, Kilyn?”
During our drive, I made friends with Trooper Joe. He was married, with three boys, all under five. His wife was his best friend and they had been high school sweethearts.
“I am. Thank you so much, Joe. I’ll never be able to repay you.”
He walked me up to the door and flashed me an adorable smile. “Nonsense. It’s my job to help people.”
My phone vibrated in my hand, but I didn’t dare look at it.
Joe nodded and turned to leave as I unlocked the main door to my apartment building.
“Hey, Kilyn?”
Glancing over my shoulder, I asked, “Yes?”
“Give him a chance to explain. He looked like his whole world collapsed when you walked out of his house.”
I doubt it.
With a forced smile, I nodded. “I will. Night, Joe.”
“Good night, Kilyn. Good luck with everything.”
I watched as he walked back to his Chevy Tahoe. “Be careful!” I called out. Not really caring that it was almost five thirty in the morning and I was yelling out.
When my phone vibrated again, I lifted it to see Thano’s number. My finger hovered over the answer button. When it stopped ringing, I slipped it into my back pocket and made my way into the building.
I STARED OUT the window while my mother went on and on about someone coming over for dinner. It had been almost a week since I’d talked to Kilyn. She had emailed me the plans she drew up for the cabin. When I called her office, Kasey told me Kilyn had taken a few days off and wouldn’t be in until next week. If I needed anything, Claire should be able to help.
“You’re a million miles away, Athanasios.”
Lifting my head up, I smiled at the sight of my grandmother. “Yiayia, look how beautiful you look.”
She made a spat sound three times on herself before reaching her arms out for me. “When am I going to get some great-grandchildren? I’ll be dead soon, I’d like to meet them, you know.”
I held back a smile and kissed her on the forehead.
“You see, Mama, I told you. He is stubborn. He wants to see me suffer.”
Rolling my eyes, I glanced outside to see Thad walking up with a group of people. “Who is that with Thad?”
My mother clapped her hands and cried out, “They’re here! Quickly, Athanasios, walk your Yiayia into the dining room and help her get seated.”
My grandmother pulled her arm from mine and shot my mother a dirty look. “I’m not dead yet. I can walk myself to the food.”
Turning to me, she asked, “Have you been eating? You look too thin. Come to me tomorrow, I’ll make you a good old-fashioned Greek dinner.” Leaning in closer, she whispered, “Your Mitera doesn’t cook as well as I do.”
Peeking over to my mother, she hadn’t heard her mother dissing her. Deciding to go along with her, I nodded. “Sounds good, Yiayia.”
We both walked into the dining room as everyone else was piling in. Thad caught my eye and I swear he looked like someone had kicked him in the balls.
He walked up to me and said, “Mom’s friends. From Greece. I just picked them up at the airport. Heads up, the one in red . . . she’s your betrothed.”
My head jerked back. “What the fuck?”
Everyone turned and looked at me. I swear, if my mother was able to shoot daggers from her eyes, I’d be dead right now.
“Athanasios, your mouth. Do I need to wash it out with soap?”
The
girl in red looked at me and smiled. She was pretty. Very pretty, but I wasn’t the least bit interested in her.
“Sit, sit! Let’s eat!” my mother called out as the group didn’t even have a chance to be introduced.
By the time the food was served, I was introduced to my mother’s best friend’s family. Seeing as this was the first time I’d ever heard of this best friend, needless to say, I was a bit surprised to learn that her youngest daughter, Karen, and I used to play endlessly when we were younger.
“So you lived here in the States until moving to Greece ten years ago?” I asked.
Agatha nodded. “Yes. When my father-in-law needed help with the family’s restaurant, my husband was quick to move us all back to Greece.”
Nicholaus looked bored out of his mind and kept looking at his watch. “Got somewhere to be, Nicholaus?” I asked with a smirk.
Before he could answer, my mother replied, “Nonsense. He is looking forward to tonight with you, Athanasios.”
Nicholaus and I both sat up straighter and said together, “Tonight?”
My mother smiled as she glanced over to my father. He looked like he would rather be sitting in front of the TV watching football. “Did you not talk to the boys?”
He rolled his eyes. “For the love of all things good, can you let them be?”
I stole a look over to Thad. He shrugged but smiled. He had finally brought Phoebe home to meet my parents the other day. I knew he only did it to get our mother off his back. Strut a pretty Greek girl in front of our mother and she was satisfied, for the time being.
“Nonsense. I want my boys to find happiness.”
“Oh, shit,” Nicholaus mumbled.
I couldn’t help but notice how Karen was staring at me. I wonder if she got the memo this wasn’t the late eighteen hundreds and marriages were no longer fixed. Leaning over to Nicholaus, I whispered, “If you can cause a distraction, I’ll grab my truck and we can hightail it the hell out of here.”
He chuckled and whispered, “Okay, but is it bad that I am actually attracted to Hadley? It’s been a while since I’ve gotten fucked.”
Turning to him, I shook my head. “Are you kidding me?”
“No. I’m not. She’s pretty, Mom is throwing her at my feet, and I’m tired of jacking off in the shower.”
“You’ll lead her on, asshole. What happens when Mom starts talking marriage?”
Nicholaus laughed. “Jesus, Thano. I’m talking about fucking the girl for one night. What in the hell are you doing talking marriage?”
“You can’t take Mom’s best friend’s daughter out and then fuck her and expect she is going to be okay with that.”
“Who? Mom?”
Rolling my eyes, I hit him on the leg. “No! Hadley. She’s the one who isn’t going to be okay with it.”
Nicholaus reached for his glass of wine and took a drink, but not before he winked at Hadley and she blushed. “Oh, trust me. She’s going to be fine with it. So will her little sister, Karen. You can practically smell the horniness coming off of both of them.”
I fell back into my seat as I pushed my hand through my hair. When I looked across the table at Karen, her eyes were lit up while she ran her tongue slowly over her lips.
I quickly looked away. Oh, shit. I’m so screwed.
The music felt like it was pounding inside my head. Nicholaus and Hadley had hit it off almost immediately. Of course, they also made out in the backseat of the truck the entire ride over to the club. At one point, I swore they were fucking with the way she was sitting on his lap.
“Will you dance with me, Thano?” Karen asked with a pout.
My muscles tensed. “Maybe in a bit.”
She looked disappointed. “I really don’t want my sister to have all the fun tonight.”
I could easily take this girl back to my apartment and fuck the shit out of her.
The problem was, I had zero interest in her. The only way to cut to the chase was to ask her what she wanted from me.
“What exactly are you wanting from me, Karen?”
She tilted her head and pressed her lips together. Walking up to me closer, she ran her finger across my chest. “Sex. Lots and lots of sex while I’m here before my mother drags me back to Greece.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Then you’re with the wrong Drivas brother. You should have gone out with Thad.”
Her smile dropped and was replaced with a look of anger. “I knew it. My mother said you probably weren’t over your fiancée dying, and she was right. What a waste of time. The only reason I went along with this is because all my mother does is tell me I need to find a good Greek boy to marry. Ugh. I just want to get laid. Maybe Hadley will share Nicholaus.”
My eyes widened in surprise.
Well, okay, then.
Laughing, I used my hand and made a sweep across the crowd. “Well, if you want to get laid, there ya go. Have at it.”
Turning, I walked up to Nicholaus and shoved my keys into his hand. “If you’re into threesomes, Karen is open for it.”
My brother’s face lit up. “Fuck yeah. Where in the hell are you going?”
“I’ll take a cab home. I’m over this shit.”
Sitting in the lobby of Kilyn’s office, my knee bounced as I waited for Claire. When she cleared her throat, I jumped up.
“Claire, it’s good seeing you again.”
She lifted one eyebrow and managed to narrow her other eye. I don’t think I’d ever seen anyone pull that off before. It for sure made her scary looking as hell.
“I wish I could say the same thing, but seeing as you made my best friend take off for a week and not tell a soul where she was going, I think I’ll pass on the friendly gestures.”
Kicking at nothing on the floor, I nodded. “I deserve that. I was wondering if I could talk to you, though. Please.”
Glancing over to Kasey, she said, “Send my calls to voicemail unless it’s Kilyn and don’t tell her the ass . . . I mean . . . don’t tell her Thano is here.”
Ouch. I was starting to second-guess me coming to talk to Claire.
I followed her into a meeting room where she shut the door and motioned for me to have a seat.
I did and waited for her to sit. When she didn’t, I dragged in a deep breath and decided to get right to it.
“Who is Peter?”
Her face turned white as a ghost.
“I’m sorry. What?”
“Peter. Who is Peter?”
Swallowing hard, Claire sank into a chair and covered her mouth. The tears in her eyes caused my heart to start racing.
Shit. Now I really wanted to find this guy and beat the hell out of him.
Opening her mouth to speak, her voice cracked a few times before she was able to talk. “Why are you asking?”
I moved about in my seat for a second. “When Kilyn and I were up in the cabin, we um . . . we made love.”
She pinched her brows together. “Yes, I know. I also know you acted like you had made a mistake after you fucked her and then you called her by someone else’s name.”
My heart physically ached thinking that Kilyn thought I regretted being with her. I had no damn excuse as to why I called her Savannah except for maybe having just said her name earlier.
Cracking my neck, I tried not to let my anger show. If Kilyn had only given me a chance to talk to her, none of this bullshit would be necessary.
Standing, I looked directly at Claire. “First off, I do not regret making love to Kilyn. That’s what we did. Made love. I didn’t fuck her, as you saw fit to say. We made love. It was amazing. She was amazing. She is amazing. I have . . . issues I’ve been trying to work through.”
Claire let out a gruff laugh. “You don’t say. Well, newsflash, Thano. Kilyn has issues too, but she wouldn’t lead you on and then drop you.”
Scrubbing my hands down my face, I let out a frustrated sigh. “That’s something for me to talk to Kilyn about. Not you. Sorry, Claire.”
She glanc
ed over my shoulder and smirked. “Well then, here’s your chance.”
Turning around, my breath caught at the sight of Kilyn standing there.
“Kilyn,” I whispered.
With a soft smile, she looked from me over to Claire. “Sorry I left without telling you where I was going. I needed some time to clear my head.”
Claire stood and made her way over to Kilyn. “It’s totally not okay, but I’m glad you’re back. Where did you go?”
“My parents’ summer place.”
With a knowing nod, Claire kissed Kilyn on the cheek. “Want me to stay?”
When her eyes met mine, I saw something in them. Something that gave me hope I hadn’t fucked things up too badly.
“No. It’s okay.”
Peeking over her shoulder at me, Claire used her two fingers and motioned that she was watching me. I couldn’t help but chuckle. I loved seeing how close the two of them were.
When Claire shut the office door behind her, Kilyn made her way to the very opposite side of the room and sat down at the end of the table. I slowly sat and we were both soon lost in one another’s eyes.
Kilyn finally broke the silence. “Why are you here?”
I knew what I was about to do might push her away from me, but I was ready to take that chance.
“Who is Peter?”
Her face turned white like Claire’s had.
When her breathing picked up I had to force myself not to jump up and take her into my arms.
Glancing down to the table, she swallowed hard and then cleared her throat. “Peter is Claire’s brother. When my parents died, I went to . . . um . . . I went to live with Claire and her family. I had no other family. My father’s parents died years ago and my mother was estranged from her family.”
My heart ached inside my chest. I wanted to comfort her but I knew she needed her space as she retold her story. She played with a spot on the table as she continued to speak.
“Claire and her family were all I had left. My parents named Claire’s parents as my legal guardians if anything was to ever happen to them. I moved in with them almost immediately. I was fourteen and little did I know my nightmare wasn’t only going to be my parents dying.”