Sweet Baklava (5 page)

Paula carried her bowl to the sink and glanced at the baklava on the counter. "That's way too much sugar for one person. Why don't you keep some here for the family, Mrs. Papadopoulos?"

"Oh, but you love baklava, and I wanted—"

"I know, and I appreciate it, but really . . ." Paula rubbed her belly. "I can only eat so much."

Mrs. Papadopoulos nodded. "Okay, you kids can each have one small piece, but you have to promise to behave the rest of the afternoon."

Paula noticed Nick trying to hold back his amusement as his aunt handed her a plastic container filled with pastries. "Ready to take me home?" she asked.

"Let's go."

They'd almost made it to the curb when a full-size van pulled up behind the Town Car and some people from the Bible study group piled out. "Nick! Hold on a sec! Where ya goin'?"

P
aula groaned inwardly as Michael headed toward her and Nick. "Your mother told us there was plenty of food, and we're starving."

"My mother?" Nick placed his hands on his hips. "Where did you see my mother?"

Steph came around from behind the van. Paula glared at her, but she wouldn't look Paula in the eye.

Nick turned to Paula. "How important is it to leave right this minute?"

Paula took out her cell phone. "Let me call Oria and see how things are going at the shop."

As she stepped away from the noisy group around the van, she felt Steph staring, but when she glanced up, Steph was never looking directly at her.
Ooh, that girl is in deep swamp water.

"Everything's fine here," Oria said. "Business is steady."

"Do you need change or anything?"

"Nope. Most transactions have been credit or debit."

Paula thought for a moment. "So do you need me at all this afternoon?"

"Not really, unless you
want
to come in," Oria said. "I know how you can't stand leaving things alone here, but this place practically runs itself."

Something about the way she said that bothered Paula, but she tried to ignore the feeling. "Okay, then. I guess I'll just leave you alone, unless you need me. I have my cell phone."

"Paula, why don't you relax and try to have some fun on your day off?"

That's what she got for hiring the sister of one of Steph's childhood friends—advice. "I'm relaxed. In fact, I'm so relaxed I have to hang up before the phone falls on the ground."

She flipped the phone shut to the sound of Oria's laughter. What was it with people, all thinking they knew what she should be doing?

Nick didn't waste any time when he spotted her walking toward him. He held up his finger to pause the person talking to him and was by her side in a flash.

"Everything okay at the shop?"

She nodded. "I don't have to go in."

"That bothers you, doesn't it?"

Paula faked a smile. "Of course not. Why would it bother me?"

"You say that enough times, you might start believing it."

She was about to make a snippy comment when Steph broke away from the group on the Papadopoulos lawn and started moving toward her and Nick. Her hesitation let Paula know she was up to something.

"The guilty always return to the scene," Paula whispered to Nick. "Don't look now, but your cousin is about to make a confession."

Nick glanced over his shoulder then back at Paula. "Why don't I let you interrogate her while I show everyone inside?"

She was about to blast him for leaving her to do the dirty work when Steph replaced Nick on the sidewalk. A tiny grin played across her lips.

"What's this all about? Are you conspiring?" Paula cleared her throat. "Scratch the last question. I know you're conspiring. Just tell me the plan now. I hate surprises."

Steph held up both hands, but she had guilt written all over her face. "I'm innocent. We ran into Aunt Ursa, and she said there was still a ton of food left from Nick's homecoming party, and if we were hungry there was no reason to go out to lunch, and . . ."

"You're doing way too much explaining," Paula said.

"I have a clear conscience."

"No, you just have a bad memory." Paula snickered. "Whatever. If everyone's hungry, this is the place to be. There's food all over the house." She suddenly remembered something. "When your mother cooks avgolemono, how much does she normally make?"

Steph shrugged. "Enough for whoever is coming."

Paula figured as much. "I don't know how you do it, but your family is amazing. I'd hate to be an enemy of the Papadopoulos family."

"We don't have any enemies."

"That's because y'all feed everyone in town!"

"You got a problem with that?" Steph challenged.

"Of course not."

"Then why are you mad?"

Paula softened when she heard her friend's tone. "I'm not mad, Steph. Maybe a little perturbed about all the scheming."

"I'll take perturbed over mad any day." Steph linked her arm in Paula's. "C'mon, we have a lot of people to entertain."

"Just don't make me sing."

Steph snorted. "Trust me, I won't. I heard you singing on the way to Ellenton."

Paula pulled away and feigned hurt. "Are you trying to say I don't have a beautiful singing voice?"

"I never said that." Steph tried not to smile, but she couldn't stop the chortle that escaped.

Paula rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Okay, just checking. Did y'all bring the whole Bible study group?"

"They were invited," Steph admitted, "but we couldn't get them all in the van." She glanced at her watch. "Billy and Thomas can't come, but the rest of them should be here soon."

"You people really take the cake."

Steph stopped and turned Paula around to face her. "But you take the baklava."

Paula groaned. "This is going downhill, and fast. Let's go party."

Once inside, Paula noticed that Nick was the center of attention again—no surprise. It was like he'd never left town. He chatted with old friends as if he saw them every day, and he treated new folks like he'd known them all his life. The only difference now was he kept looking at her, almost as though afraid she'd bolt.

Steph's mother was in her element—feeding family and their friends. Nick's mother arrived, arms laden with even more food.

"This is like a soup kitchen for starving Christians," Paula whispered to Steph.

"Some of them are always hungry, and none of them will turn down a free meal."

"I noticed."

Nick pulled away from the crowd and joined his cousin and Paula. "This is cool. Thanks for doing this, Steph."

Nick was glad Paula stuck around. Yeah, he was happy to have his friends here, but more time with Paula was like the cherry on top of a bowl of his mother's rice pudding.

He did everything he could to entertain his friends while staying close to the woman he'd never stopped loving. It wasn't easy with people tugging at him and wanting to talk about everything from sports to military life—and, when Paula wasn't listening, about their relationship. Paula always seemed interested in whatever the topic was, but as time wore on he wanted to focus on nothing but her. How pretty her hair was. How beautiful she sounded when she sighed. How soft her skin was. How wonderful she smelled. All the things he'd dreamed about for the past ten years. Being away from her made being here even sweeter.

No matter what he'd done to get his mind off her after she left for school, nothing worked. Other women never measured up. They might be pretty, but they couldn't talk about everything under the sun like Paula could. Even the same perfume smelled different on other women.

He'd been avoiding his parents' house ever since he got back. As soon as he was behind closed doors with his dad, he knew he'd get a lecture about joining the family business. Sponging had never appealed to Nick, but now he was starting to think he'd be willing to do it if it meant he could be with Paula for the rest of his life.

The problem was would she want him back? He sensed so many things lying deep beneath the surface with her, he wasn't sure if she'd be willing to make their relationship work, even if she wanted to.

"Nick! Wanna go toss a football?"

He glanced at Paula, who nodded, before looking back at Michael. "Sure. Let me go put on a T-shirt and some shorts, and I'll be right out."

Paula knew that when Nick came downstairs in his T-shirt, all the women would swoon. They always had. He looked good no matter what he wore, but he was at his best in athletic wear.

Steph's mother crooked a finger and motioned for her to step closer. "I'm getting ready to put the food away. Do you want me to set anything aside for you to take home later?"

If Paula hadn't known Mrs. Papadopoulos would do it anyway, even if she said no, she wouldn't have even thought of taking her up on it. "I love the soup, and a little bit of the bread would be good."

"What did you do with the baklava?"

"It's in the car."

"Why don't you go get it, and I'll put it in the refrigerator so it won't spoil."

Paula nodded. "I'll go get it now."

As she passed the oversized kids—the guys from the Bible study class—she could tell Nick was watching her. Suddenly, she heard a thud and "oomph!" Paula spun around in time to see Nick lying on the ground.

She ran over to check on him. His eyes were closed when she first approached, but after a few seconds one eye opened, and then the other one. A slow grin spread across his face. "So you do care." He hopped up and brushed himself off. "I'm getting you back for that, Drew. I don't care if you are clergy. That was a cheap shot, taking me down when I wasn't looking."

"Serves you right for looking at a pretty girl." Drew grinned at Paula then looked back at Nick. "Ready to get back in the game, or do you wanna call it quits?"

"One more play and we can call it a day. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Could've fooled me." Steph giggled. "But you're a Papadopoulos man, so I don't think you'll ever grow up." She turned to Paula. "What did Mama want?"

"She told me to bring the baklava back inside so it wouldn't spoil."

"You're not still mad at me, are you?"

Paula stopped and turned to face her best friend. "Now why would I be mad at you?"

"For this." Steph gestured toward the crowd, which had grown by two more carloads and a few of the neighbors.

"If I got mad at you for . . ." Paula waved her hand around, ". . . this, I'd stay mad at you all the time."

"True." As they walked toward the car Steph spoke up again. "So how'd Nick talk you into not working today?"

"He didn't. You did."

"Huh?"

"He was about to take me home when y'all pulled up in the church van."

"So who's minding the shop?"

"Oria."

"Good. You'll need to replenish stock soon. When that girl helps Mama out in the bakery, we blow through the pastries."

"Yeah, she definitely sells a ton of candles."

"So you're saying your store does just as well when you're not there."

"Sometimes," Paula admitted.

"So when was the last time you had a day off like this?"

"When we went to the outlet mall."

"Okay, so before that." Steph stared at her.

Paula stopped by the car door and shielded her eyes from the afternoon sun. "So what are you getting at?"

"No one should work twenty-four-seven. It's not healthy." Steph planted her fists on her hips and tilted her head as she stared Paula down. "Everyone needs some rest."

"I get plenty of rest."

"When?"

Paula shook her head as she opened the car door. "You're not gonna let up, are you?"

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't say something about you working yourself to death?"

No matter how hard he tried to keep his mind on football, all Nick could focus on was Paula, and how she was deep in conversation with his cousin over by the car. He kept fumbling the ball.

"Hey, man, you gotta concentrate on the game or you're gonna get hurt," Michael said as they had another turnover.

"We're not supposed to be playing tackle," Nick argued.