It's All Greek to Me (15 page)
Read It's All Greek to Me Online
Authors: Katie MacAlister
All that walking in the blistering heat of the afternoon had really made her sweat, and she knew she should get something to drink lest she risk getting dehydrated.
Stubbornly, she wanted to wait for Iakovos to enjoy a meal, but after wandering around trying to find a seat in the shade, or somewhere to buy a bottle of water, she gave up and headed down the hill.
She’d just get something at the taverna and wait for Iakovos there.
Stubbornly, she wanted to wait for Iakovos to enjoy a meal, but after wandering around trying to find a seat in the shade, or somewhere to buy a bottle of water, she gave up and headed down the hill.
She’d just get something at the taverna and wait for Iakovos there.
Chapter 12
S
he woke up to find a circle of faces peering down at her.
She felt woozy, sick to her stomach, and despite the heat of the afternoon, oddly chilled.
he woke up to find a circle of faces peering down at her.
She felt woozy, sick to her stomach, and despite the heat of the afternoon, oddly chilled.
“Oh god,” she said, pushing herself up to a sitting position.
“What happened?”
“What happened?”
The bodies attached to the faces moved back to give her room, which was a good thing considering that they spun around in a whirl that threatened to make her vomit.
She gritted her teeth and bit back the urge, her eyes squeezed shut until the feeling passed.
When she opened them again, some kind old lady was offering her a bottle of tepid water.
She took it gratefully, sipping at it as she looked around.
She was on a sidewalk in front of a shop that featured sewing machines.
When she opened them again, some kind old lady was offering her a bottle of tepid water.
She took it gratefully, sipping at it as she looked around.
She was on a sidewalk in front of a shop that featured sewing machines.
She thanked the woman in Greek, one of the few phrases she’d had time to learn, and allowed two middle-aged men to help her to her feet.
The little old lady and a younger woman with a small child attached to her hip helped to brush her off.
The little old lady and a younger woman with a small child attached to her hip helped to brush her off.
“I’m sorry; it must have been the heat.
Thank you—I’ll be fine.
Can I pay you for the water?”
Thank you—I’ll be fine.
Can I pay you for the water?”
The little old lady waved away the couple of euros Harry pulled out of her pocket.
“You are a tourist?”
one of the men said to her.
“American?”
one of the men said to her.
“American?”
“Yes, I’m American, although I’m not really a tourist.
Well, I am, but I’m not.
Kind of.
My .
.
.
er .
.
.
boyfriend lives here, on an island over there.”
She pointed toward the water.
“I’m supposed to meet him, as a matter of fact.
Oh, dear god, is that the time?
I should have been at the taverna half an hour ago.”
Well, I am, but I’m not.
Kind of.
My .
.
.
er .
.
.
boyfriend lives here, on an island over there.”
She pointed toward the water.
“I’m supposed to meet him, as a matter of fact.
Oh, dear god, is that the time?
I should have been at the taverna half an hour ago.”
“Your boyfriend?”
The man had a big barrel chest, a shock of white in his dark hair, and bushy black eyebrows that he beetled at her as he looked her up and down.
“Who is this boyfriend?”
The man had a big barrel chest, a shock of white in his dark hair, and bushy black eyebrows that he beetled at her as he looked her up and down.
“Who is this boyfriend?”
“His name is Iakovos .
.
.”
She stopped, her mind going blank on his last name.
Damn him and his vowels.
“Er .
.
.
Iakovos Papa .
.
.
er .
.
.
he owns the island over there, the one with the big house.”
.
.”
She stopped, her mind going blank on his last name.
Damn him and his vowels.
“Er .
.
.
Iakovos Papa .
.
.
er .
.
.
he owns the island over there, the one with the big house.”
“You do not know his name, this boyfriend?”
the man asked, now looking at her with suspicion.
the man asked, now looking at her with suspicion.
“Well, I have this problem with his name .
.
.”
She stopped again, aware that there was no way she could admit to these people that she couldn’t pronounce a Greek name without it coming across as an insult.
.
.”
She stopped again, aware that there was no way she could admit to these people that she couldn’t pronounce a Greek name without it coming across as an insult.
The water lady tugged on his arm, clearly asking for a translation.
Harry just wanted to collapse in a cool, dark room, but to her dismay, the circle around her grew as a few passersby stopped to see what was going on.
Harry just wanted to collapse in a cool, dark room, but to her dismay, the circle around her grew as a few passersby stopped to see what was going on.
“Look, I think I’ll just be going on my way to find Iakovos.
Thank you again for the water, and I’m sorry if I caused any trouble.”
Thank you again for the water, and I’m sorry if I caused any trouble.”
The man grabbed her arm as she started passed him.
“You do not go to bother Kyrie Papaioannou, American.”
“You do not go to bother Kyrie Papaioannou, American.”
“Papaioannou,” she cried with relief.
“That’s his name.
Good on you for remembering it.”
“That’s his name.
Good on you for remembering it.”
The man frowned, his bushy black brows pulling together.
“He is a good man; he gives much to our town.
You do not bother him.”
“He is a good man; he gives much to our town.
You do not bother him.”
“No, you see, I know him.
We’re .
.
.
for lack of a better word, dating.”
We’re .
.
.
for lack of a better word, dating.”
His eyes narrowed further as he rattled off something in Greek.
The entire crowd of around ten people now considered her with outright hostility and suspicion.
The entire crowd of around ten people now considered her with outright hostility and suspicion.
“Honest, we are,” she said, then decided it wasn’t worth the trouble.
“Believe what you want, but I need to go to the taverna to meet him.
I’m already late.”
“Believe what you want, but I need to go to the taverna to meet him.
I’m already late.”
“You call him,” the man suggested.
“You call and tell him you fall over from the sun, and he will come and get you.”
“You call and tell him you fall over from the sun, and he will come and get you.”
“An excellent idea,” Harry said, pulling her cell phone out of her skirt pocket.
She flipped it on, and realized, to her horror, that she didn’t know his cell number.
“Umm .
.
.
yeah.
Why don’t I just go down to the taverna.”
She flipped it on, and realized, to her horror, that she didn’t know his cell number.
“Umm .
.
.
yeah.
Why don’t I just go down to the taverna.”
“You do not know the number of Kyrie Papaioannou?”
the man asked, triumph in his eyes.
the man asked, triumph in his eyes.
“We just met a few days ago, and I haven’t had the opportunity to get his number,” she protested.
“You just met?
You said you were dating him!”
You said you were dating him!”
He translated this to the folks who didn’t speak English.
Harry ran her hand through her hair as several pointed things were said.
She didn’t understand the words, but she could tell from the way they were spoken that people regarded her as some lesser species of celebrity chaser.
Harry ran her hand through her hair as several pointed things were said.
She didn’t understand the words, but she could tell from the way they were spoken that people regarded her as some lesser species of celebrity chaser.
“I’m going to the taverna,” she said, pushing past the man.
“You believe what you want.”
“You believe what you want.”
“We will come with you,” he said, and she’d be damned if they didn’t all fall in behind her as she stumbled down the hill toward the water.
The sun was glinting on the rippling water by now, gilding it orange and red and gold, but Harry had no eyes for the beauty of her surroundings.
The sun was glinting on the rippling water by now, gilding it orange and red and gold, but Harry had no eyes for the beauty of her surroundings.
It was at that moment that she discovered that Agios Nikos boasted not one, not two, but four tavernas along the waterfront.
And Elena hadn’t bothered to mention which one was Iakovos’ favorite.
And Elena hadn’t bothered to mention which one was Iakovos’ favorite.
“Son of a bitch,” she muttered as she marched toward the first one, her crowd gasping in shock as her self-appointed translator repeated her oath in Greek.
Iakovos wasn’t at the taverna.
She knew he wouldn’t be, because that would have been just way too convenient.
Neither was he at the second or the third, which were scattered along a half mile of waterfront.
The fourth taverna, she could see as she stood weaving with heat exhaustion, lay even farther down the curved stretch of seafront.
She knew he wouldn’t be, because that would have been just way too convenient.
Neither was he at the second or the third, which were scattered along a half mile of waterfront.
The fourth taverna, she could see as she stood weaving with heat exhaustion, lay even farther down the curved stretch of seafront.
“You do not find your boyfriend yet, eh,
kyria
?”
the spokesman of her followers said.
She turned to tell him that Iakovos was sure to be at the last taverna, but the words shriveled to nothing on her lips as at least two dozen faces glared at her.
Evidently she’d picked up some bystanders at the other three tavernas.
kyria
?”
the spokesman of her followers said.
She turned to tell him that Iakovos was sure to be at the last taverna, but the words shriveled to nothing on her lips as at least two dozen faces glared at her.
Evidently she’d picked up some bystanders at the other three tavernas.
“I’ll find him,” she told the crowd, and stubbornly turned on her heel to walk the five hundred miles to the next taverna.
Several people ran ahead of her as her procession made its way there.
She had no idea if they ran ahead to warn Iakovos of her arrival—she rather hoped they would, so that he would come out and meet her with applications of cooling beverages and sympathy for passing out in the heat—but as it happened, he didn’t.
She had no idea if they ran ahead to warn Iakovos of her arrival—she rather hoped they would, so that he would come out and meet her with applications of cooling beverages and sympathy for passing out in the heat—but as it happened, he didn’t.
The bastard wasn’t at the taverna.
Harry stared in openmouthed dismay at the taverna full of people who weren’t one of the world’s sexiest, most eligible bachelors, and wanted to cry.
“He’s supposed to be here,” she said, her gaze shifting along the long line of accusatory faces.
They’d been joined now by several people from the taverna.
She held out her wrist, tapping on the watch.
“I was supposed to meet him at six.
It’s almost seven now.”
“He’s supposed to be here,” she said, her gaze shifting along the long line of accusatory faces.
They’d been joined now by several people from the taverna.
She held out her wrist, tapping on the watch.
“I was supposed to meet him at six.
It’s almost seven now.”
No one said a word, but they didn’t have to—their expressions said it all.
“Right,” she said, closing her eyes for a moment.
She just wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.
“To hell with this.
I’ll just take a boat back to the island.
Either Iakovos is there, or someone will have his phone number.”
She just wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.
“To hell with this.
I’ll just take a boat back to the island.
Either Iakovos is there, or someone will have his phone number.”
“You have a boat?”
her primary escort asked her.
her primary escort asked her.
“No, but there’s bound to be one of Iakovos’ .
.
.”
.
.”
The man’s expression darkened.
“Or maybe I’ll just hire someone to take me out there,” she amended.
“No one will take you.
No one goes to Kyrie Papaioannou’s island without his permission.”
No one goes to Kyrie Papaioannou’s island without his permission.”
Harry rubbed her forehead, wondering what would happen if she collapsed right there in the middle of the taverna.
Would someone find Iakovos?
Or would she be handed over to the police as a potential stalker?
Would someone find Iakovos?
Or would she be handed over to the police as a potential stalker?
“Fine,” she said, coming to a decision.
She’d be damned if she let a lot of unfortunate circumstances keep her away from the man she loved.
She looked out at the water, the dark shape of Iakovos’ island visible as the last flaming rays of the sun stretched across the horizon.
“It’s only a couple of miles out.
I’ll swim to it.
And the first person who tries to stop me is going to get a knuckle sandwich.”
She’d be damned if she let a lot of unfortunate circumstances keep her away from the man she loved.
She looked out at the water, the dark shape of Iakovos’ island visible as the last flaming rays of the sun stretched across the horizon.
“It’s only a couple of miles out.
I’ll swim to it.
And the first person who tries to stop me is going to get a knuckle sandwich.”
They were marching her up to the police station, two men holding either arm, half the damned town trailing behind her, when a jeep squealed to a stop a half block away.
“Harry!”
a man’s voice roared into the night, and she stopped, glaring furiously as Iakovos strode toward her, pulling out his cell phone as he did so.
a man’s voice roared into the night, and she stopped, glaring furiously as Iakovos strode toward her, pulling out his cell phone as he did so.
“I found her,” he snapped into the phone.
“Tell the police it’s all right.
Where the hell have you been?”
The last sentence was spoken to her, but even as the words left his lips his eyes were scanning her captors.
“And what’s going on?”
“Tell the police it’s all right.
Where the hell have you been?”
The last sentence was spoken to her, but even as the words left his lips his eyes were scanning her captors.
“And what’s going on?”
“I’m being taken to jail,” she said, wanting to simultaneously weep with joy at seeing him and lambaste him for not being where he was supposed to be.
“Evidently this town really, really likes you.
And they didn’t believe that we’re .
.
.
dating.”
“Evidently this town really, really likes you.
And they didn’t believe that we’re .
.
.
dating.”
He spoke rapidly in Greek, taking her arm in one hand, the other gesturing as he no doubt explained to the people the nature of their relationship.
One of the men answered him.
Harry knew what he must have said by the long look Iakovos gave her.
“You broke someone
else’s
nose?”
Harry knew what he must have said by the long look Iakovos gave her.
“You broke someone
else’s
nose?”
She examined her fingertips for a few seconds.
“I told him that if he tried to stop me from swimming out to your island, he’d get a knuckle sandwich.
He evidently didn’t believe I was serious.
He does now.”
“I told him that if he tried to stop me from swimming out to your island, he’d get a knuckle sandwich.
He evidently didn’t believe I was serious.
He does now.”
Iakovos took a deep breath, speaking again to the crowd, which reluctantly dispersed, before he steered her into the jeep.
“That was the mayor, sweetheart.”
“That was the mayor, sweetheart.”
“The man who owns the taverna where I was supposed to meet you?”
He nodded, put the car in gear, and headed down the road the way she’d just come.
“Where were you, speaking of that?”
“Where were you, speaking of that?”
“Lost.
And passed out.”
She explained about waking up on the sidewalk.
And passed out.”
She explained about waking up on the sidewalk.
He glanced at her, frowning.
“Where’s your hat?”
“Where’s your hat?”
“What hat?”
“You went out without a hat?
That’s not very bright, Harry.
You’re not used to the sun here yet.”
That’s not very bright, Harry.
You’re not used to the sun here yet.”
“Thank you, Captain Hindsight,” she said wearily.
He said nothing more, and she worried for a few minutes that she’d offended him, but if she had, he was above such things.
He helped her out of the jeep and escorted her to a table, calling for water as he got her settled.
He helped her out of the jeep and escorted her to a table, calling for water as he got her settled.
By the time she’d had three glasses of water and had eaten a little flatbread, she was feeling much more human.
Iakovos had gone to see the mayor, who had retired earlier in dignity to the back room.
The two men emerged now, the mayor wreathed in smiles despite the reddish purple skin below both eyes and his swollen nose.
The two men emerged now, the mayor wreathed in smiles despite the reddish purple skin below both eyes and his swollen nose.
When Harry apologized, he said, “Is fine.
My nose is broken more than once.
Never has it been so happy as to be broken by the
kyria
.”
My nose is broken more than once.
Never has it been so happy as to be broken by the
kyria
.”
“Apparently you can work miracles,” Harry said a few minutes later after the mayor had toddled back off to his cronies.
He flashed her a grin as several bowls of intriguing food were set before them.
“I just told him that you were a famous writer and might pick Agios Nikos as the setting for your next book.
He wants you to make a character based on him.”
“I just told him that you were a famous writer and might pick Agios Nikos as the setting for your next book.
He wants you to make a character based on him.”
“I just bet he does,” she said, smiling as he shifted his chair over closer to her, his leg pressing with comforting solidity against hers.
“Where’s Elena?
I thought she was going to have dinner with us.”
“Where’s Elena?
I thought she was going to have dinner with us.”
“When you weren’t here, Dmitri and Elena and I split up to find you.
She’s probably back home now, on the phone with her tiresome friends.
Dmitri said he was going to visit a woman he sees on and off when we’re here.”
She’s probably back home now, on the phone with her tiresome friends.
Dmitri said he was going to visit a woman he sees on and off when we’re here.”
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