He stayed on the platform, watching us drift away. His smile was pure gold, like a kid who’d left a hidden surprise.
I smiled back, watching him as he got smaller and smaller.
The yacht was still on the horizon when Eddie steered into a quiet inlet and cut the engine.
“We’re here already?” I asked. We were on a narrow sandy beach, squeezed between the cliffs and the sea. The water was a startling cobalt blue, warm and clear and shallow.
“Captain Sandy decided to anchor the yacht close by, so we didn’t have to backtrack to pick you up,” Eddie said, unloading the coolers onto the beach.
In the shadow of the cliffs, a table and two chairs were beautifully set with sparkling plates, wine glasses, and silverware. A canopy of white sheets, held up by tall pieces of wood, fluttered over a blanket by the beach. Cushions and pillows lay scattered over it. A couple of loungers faced the sun, with drink tables lodged firmly in the sand beside them. Ice buckets, towels, water bottles—everything meticulously laid out for a picture-perfect beach picnic.
“Did Nikos do all this?”
“Eddie and I were here earlier today, setting up,” Hannah said.
Of course. All Nikos had to do was snap his fingers and everything fell into place.
“Are you all right?” I asked. Hannah seemed to have recovered from her allergies, but she wasn’t her usual bubbly self.
“I’m fine.” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. She probably had a ton of things to look after on the yacht, and here she was, laying out chocolate-dipped strawberries.
“Here comes Nikos.” Eddie pointed to the water-taxi approaching the inlet.
I shaded my eyes and squinted into the horizon.
It was Nikos all right—shirt unbuttoned and flapping in the wind, his buffed-up muscles unmistakable as he waved at us.
“Glikia mou.” Arms outstretched, he engulfed me in a big hug. “How I’ve missed you.”
I turned my head, so his lips landed on my cheek.
“So coy.” He laughed. “I love it.”
Hannah signaled Eddie. “That’s our cue to leave.”
“I just need another minute,” Eddie said. He was setting up a pair of speakers between the crevices in the cliffs.
“Take your time, Eddie. No rush.” Nikos led me to the table and held out the chair before seating himself. “I’m thinking it would be nice to have Hannah serve lunch before you leave.”
“I’ve laid everything out exactly as you requested,” Hannah said. “Captain Bailey is expecting us back—”
Nikos cut her off with a dismissive gesture. “Captain Bailey can wait. My date deserves to be waited on like royalty. I think we’ll start with champagne.”
Hannah wavered for a second. Then her professional demeanor kicked in. “Of course.”
“Nikos.” I leaned across the table. “We don’t really need Hannah and Eddie to—”
“Shhh.” Nikos put his finger on my lips. “I promised to make it up to you. So, let me.”
Hannah uncorked the champagne with an expert pop and filled our glasses.
Nikos took a sip and shook his head. “Nope. Not cold enough. I don’t think you put enough ice in that ice bucket. How long has this been sitting out here?”
“We just took it out of the—”
“I shouldn’t have to tell you how to do your job. Is it too much to ask—”
“Stop being such a jerk, Nikos,” a voice piped up.
