Jennifer Faye – The Greek's Ready-Made Wife (страница 3)
“I know. I checked into them.”
Again, she was leaving something out, but he was pretty sure of what she was hesitant to say. “But we don’t offer the classes you are interested in. And if you don’t mind me asking, what might that be?”
She straightened her thin shoulders and tilted up her chin. “Property manager.”
Of course. He should have known. There was a get-it-done spirit to her. “I have no doubt that you will succeed.”
Her lips lifted into a warm smile. “Thank you.”
So she had drive. He respected that. But there was still so much that he didn’t know about her. The cautious side of him said to pull her personnel file, but there wasn’t time. However, his manager made a practice of thoroughly investigating prospective employees. She must have a clean history or she wouldn’t be here.
“I enjoyed our conversation yesterday. You’re a very insightful young woman. And I would consider it a huge favor if you were to help me out with my business issue.”
The panic vacated her eyes as her rigid stance eased. “I really do like my job with housekeeping. It allows me time to, uh...sightsee and stuff.”
“Will you at least consider my proposition?”
“I have. And the answer is no. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find yourself someone else to play the part.” She started out the door.
“Please think it over.” He threw out an outrageous dollar figure that put a pause in her step. “I really need your assistance.”
He was running out of time.
And options.
THE MOST LOGICAL thing to do right now was to keep walking.
Yet there was that note of desperation in Cristo’s voice. Something told her that he didn’t say please very often.
Kyra hesitated, her back still to him. Why was this most bizarre plan so important to him? What secrets was he holding back? And why did she care? This wasn’t her problem.
“If I didn’t really need your help, I wouldn’t have proposed this arrangement. I swear.” Weariness laced his every syllable. “I will make it worth your while. If that wasn’t enough money, name your price.”
Why did it always come back to money? “I’m not for sale.”
She headed straight for her cart of cleaning supplies. She dropped the feather duster back in its proper spot. Her curiosity got the best of her. She glanced over her shoulder to see if Cristo had followed her into the hallway.
He hadn’t. She breathed easier. What in the world did they put in the water around here? Because there was no way that whole scene was normal. After all, they were strangers. No one would ever believe they were a couple.
As she prepared to push her cart to the next suite, she recalled the large dollar figure he’d named and the offer to make it bigger if necessary. Okay, she may not be a gold digger, but that didn’t mean she’d turn her nose up at some extra income. But could she really play the part of his fiancée?
Could she pretend to be something she wasn’t?
Wouldn’t that make her a hypocrite?
Kyra paused in front of the next suite. She recalled how many times she’d gone round and round with her mother in the past year since her father’s death about putting on a show for her mother’s country-club friends. When her father had died, so had their silver-spoon lifestyle.
Kyra felt sorry for her mother—first losing the love of her life and then having to go back to work after twenty-plus years as a stay-at-home mom. With her mother buried beneath a mountain of debt, Kyra had moved back in to help meet the mortgage payments. And though this new position in Greece took her away from home, Kyra reconciled it with the fact that it paid more so she could send more money home.
The one other reason Kyra had taken the position was to help her mother—even if her mother swore she didn’t need help. With her father gone, her mother was depressed and lonely as her country-club friends had less and less to do with her. With no other family in New York, Kyra had hoped to locate her father’s extended family. If she could forge bonds with them, maybe she could make a life for her and her mother here in Greece. By once again being part of a warm, supportive family, perhaps her mother wouldn’t feel so alone.
One thought after the next rolled around in Kyra’s mind as she cleaned the remaining suites on the floor. All the while, her thoughts moved back and forth between doing what she felt was right and earning enough money to help her mother, who had always been there for her. Did Kyra’s principles outweigh her duty to help her mother?
And the fact she was in Greece gave her the freedom to make decisions she wouldn’t normally make. Being thousands of miles from New York City meant her chance of running into anyone she knew was slim to none. Well, there was one person at the Blue Tide that knew her, her best friend, Sofia Moore. But Sofia would keep her secret.
Speaking of her best friend, Kyra could really use some advice right now. If anyone could make sense of this very odd opportunity, it would be Sofia. Once the last suite on the floor had been put to rights, Kyra paused next to the large window overlooking the private cove. She pulled out her phone. Her fingers moved rapidly over the screen.
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Hey, you’re never going to believe this. I met someone.
She just couldn’t bring herself to admit that she’d been proposed to by a stranger, only to learn later it was their boss. Somehow, it sounded desperate on his part. And she felt sorry for Cristo.
Seconds turned into a minute, then two, and still no response. Where was Sofia? Probably still cleaning the exclusive bungalows that lined the beach. But Sofia always had her phone close at hand.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): As in a guy?
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Yes.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): What? But how? You swore off guys.
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): I know. But he found me.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): And it was love at first sight?
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Not quite. More like a business deal.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): He offered to pay you to be his girlfriend?
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Yep. A bundle.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): You can’t be serious. Is this a joke?
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): No joke.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): Is he cute?
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Very.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): Is he rich?
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Very.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): And you accepted?
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Not yet.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): Why not?
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): You think I should really consider this idea?
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): Sure. It’s not like you have anything better waiting in the wings.
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Thx for making me sound so pathetic.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): Oops! My bad. Go for it. Gotta run. Talk soon.
Kyra blinked and read Sofia’s last message again. Go for it. Was she serious? Then again, ever since Sofia had caught her boyfriend in bed with another woman, Sofia’s attitude had changed drastically. When it came to men, she didn’t trust them and she refused to get serious, but she was open to having a good time. Kyra was happy that Sofia had regained her spirit and was getting out there and trying different things. But should Kyra do the same? Then again, wasn’t that part of the reason for this trip to Greece? Trying something different?
Maybe it was time she quit living life so conservatively. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to color outside the lines, just a little. Mr. Kiriakas’s tanned, chiseled face formed in her mind. It certainly wouldn’t be so bad being his fiancée for a night or two. She had enjoyed talking to him the other day, and when he smiled, it made her stomach quiver. Sofia was right. She had nothing to lose. It might actually be fun.
Before she could chicken out, she turned in her supplies and rushed to the small apartment she shared with Sofia in the employee housing. Once she had showered and changed into yellow capris and a pink cotton top, she rushed to his suite. She didn’t have any idea if he’d still be there.
Her knuckles rapped on the door. She hadn’t been this nervous since she came home from school with a below average grade on her report card. She didn’t know why she was so jittery. Cristo certainly was nice enough. Besides, this whole thing was his idea.
The door swung open and there before her stood her almost-fiancé, all six foot plus of toned muscle. She tilted her chin upward in order to meet his gaze. “I...I thought over what you said earlier, and I have a few questions for you.”
He hesitated and then swung the door open. “Come in.”
She glanced around, making sure they were alone. As she did so, she took in the difference in decor between this suite and the other units. For one thing, the standard black upholstered furniture was leather in this suite. The art on the walls consisted of prints in the other suites, but in here everything was original, one-of-a-kind paintings. And lastly, the suite definitely had a lived-in feel—a sense of hominess to it.
Behind her, she could hear the door snick shut. It was just the two of them, alone. Suddenly Kyra didn’t feel quite so confident, so ready to strike a business deal. Right now, even the memory of Sofia’s encouraging words sounded foolish. After all, she didn’t go out on limbs and take big risks. She liked to play it safe.