“Ma…” Something about the way she was looking at me—reallylooking, stopped me. Moments of connection with Dolly were like rare pearls. The last thing I wanted was to squelch the light shining in her eyes. I was the one who’d put it there. Maybe I was wrong to let her go on spinning happily-ever-after scenarios with Nikos and me, but I wanted to find a gentler way to let her down. And when I did, I hoped she would still look at me the same way.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Nothing. I better be off.” I grabbed my handbag and paused. “Bye, Naani. Bye, Isabelle.”
And then, as I turned to go, I heard Dolly say, “Love you,beta.”
My footsteps faltered at her words.
Dammit.A lump the size of a golf ball lodged in my throat. I was such a liar for playing along with the whole Nikos thing. I told Dolly there was someone else, but she only heard the things she wanted to hear.
“I love you too.” The words flew out of my mouth like they’d been waiting, fully formed, for the right moment to squeeze through.
Dolly smiled, and for those few seconds, we were as open and perfect as we’d ever get—me pretending to be the daughter she wanted, and her loving me for it.
I skipped the elevator and took the stairs, looking for Eddie. I found him readying the tender for our trip ashore, to the spot where Nikos had picked out.
“All set?”
“Almost. Just waiting for—” He broke off and grinned at someone behind me. “Perfect timing.”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw Alex and Hannah carrying coolers into the boat. My heart went off on a wild gallop at the sight of Alex.
His arms glistened in the sun as he handed one of the coolers to Eddie.
“One picnic lunch, ready to go.”
I cringed. Nikos had asked Alex to prepare lunch for us, and of course, Alex was obliged to follow instructions.
His eyes twinkled when they met mine. “Enjoy your afternoon.”
He was way too upbeat for my liking.Your confidence in us is great, Alex, but a little pathos would be nice, considering I’m heading off to some remote cove, to be alone with your biggest nemesis—a three thumbed man.I adjusted my floppy hat so he was no longer in my line of sight.
“Hey,” he called softly.
When I ignored him, he tapped my shoulder.
“Heart-Eyes.”
“What?” I snapped.
“Thank you for my morning star.”
“Half star.”
“I missed you last night. Captain Bailey snores like a horse.”
“Good.” My face broke into a reluctant smile. “I hope you didn’t get any sleep.”
“I didn’t, because I was thinking about you. I should’ve been planning today’s menu. It’s the grand finale dinner, and I have no idea what I’m going to serve.”
“You thrive under pressure,” I said, trying to disguise the heaviness in my chest. The grand finale dinner. Tomorrow, I’d be saying goodbye to Alex. More than anything, I wanted to spend the day with him—in the galley, pretending to help, listening to his favorite tunes and watching him put together the final meal.
“Alex?” Eddie said. “We need to get going.”
Alex’s expression filled with pathos then.I really, really don’t want you to go, it told me, even as he nodded and got off the boat.
“Be sure to try the pastitsio,” he called. “In fact, try a little of everything.”
