His words smacked her in the face. Theo, the one person who she’d thought believed in her, was thinking the same thing as everyone else: she was a joke. All the times he’d visited. All the adventures they’d gone on. He was only humoring her.
Poor, pathetic Dani. Stuck living with her mom and dad in her thirties because she was too big a loser to try. Theo wasn’t coming back to spend time with her in Grand Rapids because he had feelings for her. He feltsorryfor her. His trips were nothing different from a big brother checking on his sister, trying to help her through her litany of tough times and silly bad breakups.
She pictured the two of them on the couch together that last night in her apartment, spooning with his arms around her waist, and she cringed.That’swhy he was gone the next morning. Things had gotten weird.
How had she not realized it before? How could she have been so foolish to carry on this childish little crush for all these years? He pitied her like everyone else.
“Wow, Theo. I didn’t realize I was such aburdenon you.”
“Well, sorry, but I didn’t exactly have taking care of you on my kidnapping bingo card.”
“And I told you that I can handle myself. You don’t need to take care of me.”
“As if our parents would be okay with me leaving you on your own,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I can’t just wash my hands of any responsibility, here. You’re practically my sister.”
You’re practically my sister.
The image of him pressed against her body evaporated like the wave of a wand.
Over the years, she thought she’d sensed a shift between them, but apparently she’d been wrong.
“Fine,” she said, tearing the covers from the bed and getting in. “Be the hero. Have it your way.”
She turned off the lamp beside her while Theo was still standing in the middle of the room.
“Can you turn that back on? I wasn’t done,” he said.
“Turn it on yourself. You don’t need my help, remember?”
At least this trip wasn’t a complete bust. She’d finally gotten what she’d been looking for.
Closure.
* * *
It was a chilly boatride to Crete—and it had nothing to do with the air temperature.
Theo and Dani hadn’t spoken a word to each other since she’d turned off the light the night before. But she didn’t need to open her mouth to speak to him. Her icy glare and cold shoulder did plenty of talking for her.
Not that Theo tried smoothing things over, either. He carried with him an air of righteousness. Like he thought he knew better than she did and so his plan was the right plan.
It didn’t matter that it was the only plan.
Dani tried to pay attention while they traveled back to Crete so hopefully she’d remember how to get to Pierre’s island, taking note of unusual landmarks and the shapes and sizes of other islands, but Maurice and Louis might as well have blindfolded them. The ride back took detours and roundabout directions, obviously in an effort to confuse Dani and Theo. After an hour in, she couldn’t make heads or tails of where they were. Any hopes of being able to find the island again were lost.
So what was she supposed to tell the authorities?
Pierre Vautour has a secret island lair somewhere in the Aegean Sea!
Yes, one island in a sea of over six thousand. They’d find it in no time.
For the briefest of moments, Dani wished she hadn’t been such a stubborn brat all night so they could have at least firmed up the details of Theo’s dumbass plan. But it was too late now. Finally, Heraklion appeared in the distance.
The puttering of the speedboat matched her heartbeat as they pulled into the harbor. She glanced over at Theo, seemingly deep in thought, looking out at the sea with his chin propped up in his hand resting on the side of boat. What was he thinking?
She looked at the bench seat between them where his other hand rested mere inches from hers. She wanted to take it and give it a squeeze. But as he turned his head slightly in her direction, she could have sworn she saw his eyes gaze downward, also noticing the closeness of their hands. And seconds later, he pulled his hand away. Things were worse between them than she thought.
As they eased toward the dock, Louis jumped out and Maurice tossed him a rope to tie up the boat. With Louis and Maurice distracted, Theo finally spoke to Dani.
