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George Wilson and Marc Swindard were the only two friends to come to mind. Perhaps because they’d shared so many holidays at school when it was too inconvenient for each of them to be flown home. He would send them both e-mails and catch up. Maybe they could get together soon. The demands of business could be consuming. He was guilty of not making more of an effort to get away. But a short trip to New York or London in the near future could be arranged.
Of course, if the idea of marrying Gina Fregulia grew, maybe he’d be contacting his friends to announce his engagement. This time the engagement would be more likely to endure—no lies of love and passion to cloud the issue. He found Gina attractive. She certainly knew how to entertain and moved in the same social circles he did. She’d be a definite asset to the restaurant side of the resort with her knowledge of excellent wines and the contacts her family had.
Nikos pushed open the door to the suite and loosened his tie. He had a little time to catch up on business before he retired for the night.
When Stefano brought his breakfast promptly at seven the next morning, Nikos had been working for almost an hour. The yacht rode at anchor during the night and Nikos had taken advantage of that to have a quick swim in the sea at dawn before showering and dressing for the day. Satellite connections kept him in constant touch with the resort and anyone else who wished to contact him—such as his father, who called just as Stefano put the tray on the desk.
“Have you checked on your grandfather lately?” Andrus asked when Nikos answered the phone.
“Is there a problem?” Nikos asked. It was rare his father spoke of family matters. The shipping business was even more consuming than hotels, especially to Andrus. He had lived for the family shipping company as long as Nikos could remember—to the exclusion of everything else.
“He has some idea about buying another boat to use to get from the island to the mainland. He says the old one is too decrepit.”
“It’s in perfect running order,” Nikos said. He made sure maintenance was always current on all the family’s watercrafts.
“I think he wants a new one, smaller, that he can drive himself. But he’s eighty-two years old. Too old to be jaunting all over the Aegean by himself,” Andrus said in disgust.
“Did you tell him that?” Nikos asked, already knowing the answer.
“Do you think I’m crazy? I thought you could visit, convince him to keep the ship’s crew and make sure he doesn’t do something foolish.”
“My grandfather is not a foolish man,” Nikos said mildly. His father asked him to act as intermediary between them from time to time. It was the closest to familial affection his father got.
“When were you there last?”
“A month ago,” Nikos replied.
“Can you get away soon?” his father asked.
Nikos gazed out of the wide window at the sparkling sea. “I could when my guests leave. I’m entertaining the Fregulias and Onetas right now.”
“Next week, then. Let me know.” His father hung up.
“Want to know how my own business is going?” Nikos said as he hung up the phone. To his father, if one wasn’t in shipping, it was of no account. “Or how about my plans to ask Gina to marry me?” He knew the answer to that one, as well: do as you please. Nikos didn’t mind anymore. His father wasn’t going to change—any more than his grandfather would. If the old man wanted a powerboat so he could operate it himself, he’d get one. Nikos wasn’t going to try to talk him out of it. More power to him. He hoped he was as active when he was eighty-two.
Nikos poured a cup of coffee, surveying the meal. An individual portioned quiche lorraine centered the plate. A fresh fruit compote accompanied it, as well as two slices of a rich walnut bread. How early had Sara risen to have this prepared by seven, he wondered?
He knew so little about his temporary chef. He admitted to being a bit intrigued by a woman who had risen so fast in a field dominated by men. Yet the chief chef had recommended her. That spoke volumes. The fact that she was pretty didn’t hurt, either.
He shook his head and picked up the reservation schedule for the next month. He had other things to do besides think about his temporary chef.
At noon Nikos consulted with the captain and arranged for the ship to stop on one of the smaller islands not too far distant. It would offer his guests a chance to visit the local market and see some of what the Aegean islands had to offer.
Nikos instructed the captain to give the crew the afternoon off and then set sail again at seven. That would allow for dinner on board and some after-dinner conversation before going to his suite for the night.
Shortly after the island came into view, Nikos received a communiqué from the resort. He went to take the call, only to be told his assistant was busy trying to deal with a power outage at the sprawling resort—no power to rooms, pools, common areas or kitchens. When they docked at the island, Nikos sent word to Gina he would be tied up for a little while but urged the Fregulias to go on ahead and he’d catch up, if the situation could be resolved soon. Tapping his fingertips on the desk, he chafed at the distance between him and the resort. He wanted to be right there finding out what had gone wrong, handling the emergency. With the portable phone held to his ear, he went to the cabin’s wide windows.
It was market day on the island. Colorful canopies lined the streets, fluttering in the breeze, shading the wares and goods for sale. The small population seemed to turn out in force to see what bargains they could get, and he watched as Gina happily went down the gangway with her parents and the Onetas, the other couple cruising with them. Soon they were lost from sight as they began exploring the market.
Fifteen minutes later he’d been briefed on the cause of the outage—a power cable severed by road construction near the outer perimeter of the resort. Nothing to be done except wait. The generators had been started and for the most part the resort was operating as usual. Nikos instructed his assistant to keep him informed and hung up. Nothing he could do from the ship.
He started to leave to find his guests when he realized he hadn’t seen any of the crew disembark when he’d been at the window. He’d given instructions they were to have the afternoon off. Glancing at the bridge, he saw it was empty. He went to the kitchen to see if any were there. Pausing at the doorway, Nikos’s gaze went straight to Sara. She was even prettier in daylight. He frowned. He had no business thinking about her at all.
She was wrapping a platter while Stefano lounged against one of the counters chatting. When he saw Nikos, he straightened up, almost coming to attention.
“Did you need something, Mr. Konstantinos?” he asked.
Sara looked at him. “Did you want lunch? I had it nearly prepared when I heard the change in plans. Are you hungry?”
He looked at the sandwich wraps artistically arranged on a platter. Stepping closer, he reached beneath the plastic wrap and took one. Biting into it, he recognized good Greek cheese and olives. And a hint of some spice he wasn’t familiar with. It was delicious.
“As it happens, I have not eaten. There was a minor crisis at the resort, so I sent my guests ahead. Perhaps you could prepare me a plate and bring it up.” He’d eat lunch before leaving the ship. No sense in wasting food, or her efforts.
“Yes, sir, right away, sir,” Stefano said.
Nikos’s eyes met Sara’s. “Actually, I thought Miss Andropolous could bring it up. It would give her a chance to see more of the yacht. The captain has also gone ashore, so I could show you the bridge, as well.”
She glanced at Stefano and shared his look of surprise.
“Thank you, I would love to see the rest of the ship. I can bring you a plate in ten minutes,” she replied. “The crew decided to eat on board and then we’re all going exploring.”
Nikos nodded once and then left. He wasn’t sure why he’d made the offer. He’d never done so before. But then, he’d never had a woman chef before, either. For a moment Nikos wondered if he’d lost his mind. He was considering marriage to Gina Fregulia. He’s spent less than a total of ten minutes with Sara Andropolous. Yet he could postpone finding Gina to show a stranger his ship? Maybe the sun was getting to him. To single out a crew member went against everything he normally did. Yet there was something fascinating about the woman. And she was only bringing his lunch.
Sara knocked on the door in exactly ten minutes. He heard her say something and wondered if she’d needed Stefano to guide her to the suite.
He opened the door and caught a glimpse of Stefano disappearing around the bend.
“Come in.” He stood aside as she entered, carrying a tray with his lunch—a plate piled high with delicacies and an iced beverage.
She looked around and headed for the low table in front of the sofa. Placing the tray carefully, she straightened and smiled in delight as she walked straight to the windows. “Wow, this is fabulous. You are so much higher than our quarters. What a great view of the harbor. What island is this?”
“Theotasaia, a small island whose inhabitants depend upon fishing for a living. Today is market day. The perfect entertainment for my guests.”
“They like to shop?” she asked, still looking from the window.
Nikos crossed to stand beside her. The colorful market was spread out before them, the canopies still fluttering in the breeze.
“I do not know them well,” he said. “They seemed content enough with the suggestion.”
Sara looked at him. “You did not go with them.”
“I was needed here. There was a power outage at the resort.” He briefly told her the situation. He turned back to the plate she’d prepared. There was plenty of food.
“Did you eat?” he asked.
“I nibbled as I was preparing lunch. May I go out to the upper deck? I’ll wait there until you eat—for the tour.”
“I’ll be along in a few minutes.”
Sara let herself out of the stateroom and hurried to the upper forward deck. Being around Nikos Konstantinos was unnerving. She couldn’t forget she was hoping he’d get her access to her grandmother. But he disturbed her equilibrium. She vacillated between wanting to stay away, lest she let something slip, and getting to know him better. On the surface he was just the kind of man her mother had run away from—wealthy, self-assured and maybe a touch arrogant. And in the midst of arranging a marriage to a woman who matched his fortune. Did Gina Fregulia really want a marriage like that?
Stepping out onto the deck, Sara immediately felt the warm breeze blowing from the sea. The sun was almost directly overhead, the sky a cloudless blue. She went to the railing and looked down. It was quite a distance to the sea’s surface. Gazing around, she looked behind her at the wide windows of the bridge.
If her mother had married the man her father had picked out for her, would she have enjoyed luxurious yachts and visits to Aegean Islands? The reality had turned out far differently from what her mother had once envisioned when she’d run away with Sara’s father. But her pride had kept her from admitting a mistake and returning home to seek forgiveness.
Sara still hadn’t come to any conclusion when Nikos joined her a short time later.
“Come, the captain is not on the bridge. We can see everything and he’ll never know,” he said with a hint of amusement in his voice.
She laughed, intrigued by the hint of mischief in her boss. “You’re not afraid of your captain, are you?” she asked as she followed him to the side door and stepped inside.
“He does not consider the bridge a sightseeing stop for guests. I do what I can to keep him happy,” Nikos replied.
She couldn’t imagine the man afraid of anything. He carried himself with such an air of competence and assurance, she knew he could do anything he wanted. Interesting that he humored the captain.
The bridge had a 360-degree view. The wide windows had been tinted slightly to keep off the glare from the sea. The wheel was more like an automobile’s than the wooden spoke-handled ones of old. With all the gadgets, dials and computer equipment, she marveled at how the captain managed all with only one mate to back him up. Or maybe that was why—everything that could be automated had been.
“Wow, this is fantastic,” she said, enjoying the view. “Surely the captain wouldn’t mind showing this to guests.”
“He is an excellent man and I don’t want to jeopardize his staying.”
“Like he’s about to quit,” she murmured. From what she’d learned from the rest of the crew at meals, this was a cushy assignment, and every one of them was grateful for their position.
“If he does, it won’t be because I ruffled any feathers,” Nikos said, coming to stand closer to Sara and pointing to the west.
“Thessalonika is that way.” He swung his arm a bit more. “Thessaly is almost due west of us.” Another swing. “And Athens is that way.”
“But not close,” she said, feeling the heat from his body as he stood so casually near. She could smell his aftershave, a woodsy scent that had her senses fluttering. She wanted to step closer. See if there was some special chemistry between them.
Appalled at her thoughts, she moved away. She would be the most foolish woman on the planet if she thought anything would ever come between her and the fabulously wealthy heir to the Konstantinos shipping fortune. Not to mention Nikos’s own fortune from the resort.
“Tell me more about this little island,” she said, looking over the rugged terrain. The only flat ground seemed to be where the town had been built. White homes with red tiled roofs filled the small valley. A few had been built at the lower levels of the hills. Several weathered fishing boats bobbed nearby. Probably the majority were out working.
“It only recently became a place for ships to stop. Ten years ago their docks couldn’t service a ship with a deep draft. It was suitable only for the smaller fishing boats, but nothing like the Cassandra. Now I bring friends here from time to time. I thought my guests would enjoy it.”
“Did you get the crisis resolved?” she asked.
“For the time being. We await repair of the main cable, but the generators will suffice until then.”
“So now you can join your guests onshore. I shouldn’t hold you up,” she said, turning a little. He’d stepped closer, and she almost bumped into him. Her senses went on high alert. Her awareness gauge shot up. He was too close; she felt as if he were taking the air and leaving her breathless again.
“Come and I’ll also show you the main square of the town. Time enough to find my guests. We’re not leaving until seven this evening.”
Sara blinked at that. Was he serious? The host of the yacht going off for an afternoon with the hired help? What was wrong with this picture?
“Do you think that wise?” she asked in a husky voice. Her heart was tripping so fast she thought he must hear it, or at least see it pounding in her chest.
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Maybe because I’m your chef?” she asked. Hadn’t Stefano said he expected to hear of an engagement between Nikos and Gina? What kind of man would spend the afternoon with another woman if his almost-fiancée was nearby? Her instincts rose. He was the kind of man she wanted to stay away from.
“It is only an afternoon in a market square. Come if you like. Or say no.”
She nodded, looking away. She was not responsible for how Nikos Konstantinos behaved. She needed more information if she wanted to get on the family island. Maybe this was the chance to find out more about his family—and satisfy some of the curiosity she had about him.
“I’d love to see the square. I’ll need to be back around five to have dinner ready by eight. But until then I’m game.”
If the crew on the yacht thought it odd the owner was escorting the new chef when he had guests visiting from Italy, no one said a word. Ari had drawn guard duty, and he was at the gangway to make sure no unauthorized person came aboard. He gave a two-finger salute to Nikos and grinned at Sara.
In only moments they were in the midst of the crowd that clogged the streets where the market was set up. Old women all in black carried string sacks in which they put the produce they bought. A small boy walked beside his mother carefully carrying a fresh loaf of bread wrapped in paper. Children’s laughter rang out, mingled with the rise and fall of bargaining debates and the spiel of those with less popular items trying to entice buyers.
It was more fun than she’d had in a while, Sara thought. Her mother would have loved it. She felt a pang when she remembered how her mother had spoken so fondly of her childhood memories. Sara nodded to the vendors, sampled one of the sweets—walnuts and honey—and danced out of the way of several children running through the marketplace.
Nikos caught her arm to steady her. She felt the touch all the way to her toes. Catching her breath, she looked at him. “Thanks.”
Oh, goodness, those dark eyes looked fathomless. His face was angular and masculine. His hair was tousled just a bit from the breeze. She wished they could have met under other circumstances.
But what other circumstances? If not for her needing access to his family island, they would never have met in a thousand years. Their life-styles were too distant.
“Why, Nikos, you took care of the emergency already?” A tall dark-haired woman seem to spring up from the ground beside Sara. As she looked at the woman, Nikos released his hold.
“Gina.” For a moment he said nothing. Sara wondered if that was resignation in his eyes, but it couldn’t be. Wasn’t this the next Mrs. Nikos Konstantinos? Or was she a friend from Thessalonika?
The woman slipped her arm between his and his chest and leaned against him slightly. “I lost Mama and Papa. I knew the yacht was the best place to go if I got lost. But now I have you to show me the sights. I saw the cutest church on the town square. I would love to see inside.”
Sara watched her for a moment, wishing Stacy could be here. She’d make some snide comment, which would have both of them laughing at the obvious ploys of this Gina. Yet the woman had to know she was special to Nikos. Sara mentally sighed. She had known spending the afternoon with a fabulously wealthy man was beyond her reality.
“Sara, may I introduce Gina Fregulia, one of my guests for the cruise. Sara is responsible for the wonderful meals we are enjoying.”
“Oh, the quiche this morning was just delicious. I couldn’t eat it all, of course, I do have to watch my figure. But what I sampled was simply divine. You’re so clever. I can’t cook.” She glanced up at Nikos with a simpering smile. “But I don’t need to. We have a cook for that. I do have other talents.”
“I’m sure you do,” Sara said softly in English, just imagining what talents the voluptuous Italian woman had.
Nikos caught her eye, amusement evident in his. She must have misread the earlier emotion.
“Well, I’m looking for fresh produce to enhance tonight’s meal. Enjoy visiting the church,” she said briskly and turned.
“Sara,” Nikos called.
She turned.
He hesitated a moment as Gina clung. “Tell them to charge it to the yacht, they will know how to collect.”
For a split second she had hoped he was calling to reissue his invitation to see the town square together. To dump his guest and spend the afternoon with his chef. Ha. Gina was much more his type. He had been kind to offer to show her around. She relieved him of his impetuous offer.
Waving gaily, she turned and plunged into the crowd, hoping to lose herself quickly before the false smile plastered on her face dissolved and her disappointment showed. She would have liked to explore the island with someone who knew it. That was all.
Sara ended her afternoon at a small taverna near the docks. Fishing boats arrived every few minutes and she watched as the catch of the day was handed from the smaller crafts to a large ship that had tied up only moments before the fishermen returned. Most of the fish went into cold storage in the ship that probably took it straight to the mainland. Some fishermen carried their catch straight to a series of tables with running water to clean the fish and pass it along to one of the booths at the market.
Giving in to impulse, she went to buy some fresh catch to serve for dinner. She could rearrange her menu and knew the fresh fish would be excellent.
When she returned to the ship, she saw Nikos standing near the rails, talking with his guests. They were seated on the cushioned chairs dotting the upper forward deck.
Just before she looked away, he glanced around, his gaze catching hers. For a long moment he merely stared at her. Then slowly he raised his glass in silent toast.
Someone—probably Gina—said something and he looked back. Sara hurried on board, her nerves tingling. Would he seek her out again before the trip was over?
Why would he? she silently asked.
CHAPTER THREE
ONCE the yacht stopped for its nightly anchorage, Sara felt an unexpected rise in anticipation. She and several of the other crew members were lounging on the aft deck, enjoying the evening. It was much cooler tonight. She’d brought a sweatshirt. The breeze that blew constantly was refreshing but chilly. She listened to the conversation more than contributed. Now that the ship had dropped anchor, she wondered if Nikos would come again to thank her for the meal. She’d taken extra pains with tonight’s dish, broiling the succulent fish to perfection.
Probably not. He’d merely been kind to a new employee last night. He expected good work; she delivered. And he’d also been hospitable when he’d offered to show her around the upper deck of the yacht. She didn’t think he was the type to mingle with his employees on a routine basis. With the rest of the crew lingering on the aft deck, even if he wanted to speak to her again, she doubted he’d do so in such a public place.
And why would he want to? She wasn’t a regular member of the crew. Once the chef with the ruptured appendix recovered, he’d be back in his galley and she’d be back at the resort looking for another way to contact her grandmother.
Unless she could somehow get to the family island before that.
One by one the crew members rose to depart to their quarters. When only Sara and the captain remained, she changed seats to be closer so she could ask him some questions. She wanted to be able to turn the conversation to access to the island.
“Have you been in charge of this ship long?” she began.
“Since it was commissioned. Before that, I was captain of a ship for Mr. Andrus Konstantinos, Mr. Nikos’s father. I have served the family for almost twenty years.”
“An ideal job, I’d say, sailing around the Aegean all the time.”
“Ah, but sometimes we go further—into the Med and to ports west of Greece. One summer I took the patriarch and his new bride to Spain and Morocco. It was a beautiful summer sail.”
That had to be her grandmother he was talking about. The senior Konstantinos was now married to Eleani. “How long ago was that?” she asked.
“Many years now. More recently we have sailed to Egypt and to Italy.”
“Do you have any family?” she asked, wondering how they managed his being from home for long voyages.
“Only a brother and his children. His wife died two years ago. They are mostly grown, but I see them at holidays if not required on board. Have you sailed a lot?”
“No, this is my first trip.”
“Lucky for you seasickness is not a problem.”
“If she’d gotten sick, she’d have been in a real pickle,” Nikos said from the shadows.
The captain turned his head and nodded a greeting. “Mr. Nikos. Did you require something?”
“Just a brief break from the work that never ends. I came to check up on my chef and compliment her on the excellent dinner tonight. The presentation added to the delicious taste of the fresh fish.”