I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. Yesterday, she’d yelled at me, threatened me, and now she was standing there looking all sweet and innocent. “What are you doing here?” I snapped, not at all friendly.
Bella put a hand on her hip and scowled at me. “Rand!”
I looked back at Adrian, hoping he would help me out. He put up both hands, effectively bowing out of whatever it was that was happening.
“Why are you here?” I asked, keeping my voice calm.
“I was wondering if you were free for lunch,” she asked in a soft voice.
I only realized then she was an American. It was something that had slipped past me yesterday when she’d been yelling at me. It explained the instant alliance between her and Bella. “It’s not even ten,” I replied.
Bella was scowling at me again. “I’m sure you can grab coffee.”
I was really going to have a talk with her about where her loyalties lied. She was throwing me to the wolves. The woman might appear nice, but I’d seen her gnashing teeth. I didn’t trust her not to turn on me again.
“I’m busy, but maybe another time,” I offered, hoping it would stop Bella from glaring at me.
Bella looked at her husband, and I knew I was screwed.
“We’ll be okay for a couple hours,” Adrian said, his voice stilted as if he was reading a script.
I turned around to glare at him. He shrugged his shoulders, letting me know he was helpless to ignore his wife’s unspoken request. I hated the telepathy they shared. They could have an entire conversation without saying a damn word.
“Well, I guess it’s been decided for me,” I grumbled, not caring that she knew I was pissed I was being forced to go with her. “Give me a minute.”
Bella smiled and walked out of the office with my stalker, talking about cheesesteaks or some shit. I rounded on Adrian, my gaze angry.
“I’m sorry,” Adrian said. “You know I didn’t have a choice.”
“If I’m not back in two hours, I’m dead. I’ll be dead, chopped up, and buried around the city, and it will be your fault.”
He burst into laughter. “I think you can take her.”
“Crazy is strong, and that one is crazy,” I muttered.
I stomped out of his office, my nemesis leaning against the wall, waiting for me. “Remember what I’m wearing,” I whispered in Bella’s ear.
“Why?” she asked with confusion.
“For the missing person’s report you’ll be filing later,” I snapped and headed down the hallway, making sure to keep the woman at arm’s length.
We stood in front of the elevators, and she glanced at me. “I’m Nicole by the way. I don’t think I introduced myself yesterday.”
“No, you didn’t. I guess I don’t have to introduce myself since you already know my name, where I work, and where I hang out. I’m sure you already know my birthday and what size of underwear I wear.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I understand you’re a little weirded out by all this, but I promise I can explain.”
We stepped into the elevator. I leaned against the back wall, my arms folded over my chest as I gave her another once over. She was really quite attractive. It was too bad the pretty ones were always a little touched in the head, or at least in my experience, that seemed to be how it always panned out.
We walked down the street to a small diner. I sat across from her, not saying a word. This was her party, and I was only there because I was somehow ordered to be. I didn’t have to like it, and I didn’t have to like her.
“I’m sorry about yesterday,” she said. “I was very fond of your grandfather, and his death kind of hit me hard. After being at the funeral, all those emotions were running high. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you, though.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. You don’t know my reasons for not being there. You have no right to judge me.”
“I suppose I don’t, but I did know Alec. He was a good man. So good and so kind and generous. It’s hard to think he didn’t have his family by his side those last few days. He was always very good to me, and I feel very protective of him.”
“Fine, I get it, but why did you seek me out?” I asked, really wanting her to get to the point.
She reached into her purse and pulled out a white envelope that had been creased several times. “This.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a letter your grandfather gave me to give to you. He gave it to me the afternoon before he died. He said when he passed, to find you and give it to you.”
I took the letter from her hand and felt my stomach clench as I stared at my name in my grandfather’s signature, messy scrawl. “He did?” I asked, a little dumbfounded.
She nodded. “He talked about you a lot. I don’t know what happened between you two, and I don’t need to know, but I can assure you he loved you. He thought you were amazing and was so very proud of you. He told me you started some business. I didn’t realize who you were until I Googled you. I honestly thought he was just talking you up like a proud grandpa. I guess you are successful. Anyway, that’s all I was trying to do. I wasn’t trying to get into your business or cause you any pain.”
“I see,” I muttered, still staring at the envelope.
“I don’t have family, not really, but I can only imagine what you must be feeling to lose someone like Alec. He was a really special man. I gathered he was very wealthy, but he never acted like it. He was very humble and respectful.” As she spoke, a smile spread over her face.
“He came from nothing,” I said, my voice a little harsh.
“He told me. He told me about your grandmother and about moving here to Crete from Athens.”
“You talked with him a lot?” I asked, my impression of her softening.
She smiled, tears welling in her eyes. “I did. He really was one of my closest friends here in Greece. I know that sounds weird, and I want to assure you there was never anything inappropriate between us. I was just the girl who fed him soup and took him for walks in the garden when I wasn’t making beds that were never slept in or mopping floors that were never walked on.”
I heard her words, but I couldn’t say anything. I knew what she was getting at. The spare rooms were left empty because I didn’t visit. I got it. That was my baggage to carry around.
I didn’t need a stranger laying a guilt trip on me.
Chapter 8
Nicole
I could see the myriad of emotions he was feeling as he held the letter in his hand. It couldn’t be easy for him. No matter what may have happened between them, it was obvious he loved his grandfather. I had seen the rough and tough exterior before and knew it was always a defense mechanism. I used the same tactic most of the time. It was easier to keep people at a distance than let them close. If they got close, they could hurt you.
I began to worry he was going to throw the letter back at me. He didn’t look all that happy to have it. I couldn’t even begin to guess why that was.
“Have you read it?” he asked, putting it on the table.
“No!” I assured him. “Absolutely not. He gave it to me, and I took it home and stuffed it in my sock drawer, thinking I wouldn’t need to worry about it for a long time. I was tempted, trust me, but I never peeked.”
“When did he give it to you?” he asked, raising a hand to signal a waitress.
The woman hustled over, and he ordered two coffees. He was stalling. I got that. I waited until he took a sip from the glass of water that had been delivered.
“Monday before I left for the day,” I answered him.
He nodded his head. “I see.”
“I really had no inclination he was—you know,” I said, not able to say the words.
“What happened?” he asked.
I inhaled through my nose. I knew he was asking about Alec’s death. I wondered why the family hadn’t shared the details with him. They were definitely a weird bunch. They had all held their stiff upper lips during the funeral.
It was like they were at the funeral of an acquaintance and not a family member. Few of them wore black, which struck me as odd, but then I remembered I was in a foreign country and maybe they did things a little differently. In America, we cried at funerals. In Greece, they seemed like it was just another day. Or maybe it was just that particular family. I was really hoping it was the latter.
“He had been steadily declining for weeks. Monday, he was weak. He ate a little chicken soup. We chatted briefly, and he gave me the letter. I told him I would see him the following day, and I was supposed to bring him meat because he was tired of the soup.” I recalled the memory with fondness. “We both knew he wouldn’t be able to eat the meat. His stomach had been upset, and he had no appetite.”
“That was kind of you,” he said, his tone somber.
“When I moved to leave, he said goodbye instead of his usual, ‘see you tomorrow.’ I should have known something was wrong. He didn’t seem any sicker or weaker than he’d been the previous few days. We talked about going for a walk in the garden the following day. He passed away in his sleep that night. The morning nurse found him.” I fought back the tears.
“Good.”
“What?” I asked, shocked by his response. My claws were popping out. I was ready to skin the man alive for speaking so harshly and callously about a man I cared about.
“I’m glad he went peacefully,” he clarified.
“Oh, yes, me too,” I said, feeling the claws retracting and my heart slowing down again. That had been a close one. I tended to get defensive. It was a force of habit after years of training to go on the defensive before it was too late.
He tapped the letter against the table before opening it up. I looked at him with surprise. I wasn’t expecting him to read it right there in front of me. I felt like I should get up and give him some privacy. “I’ll leave you to read it,” I murmured.
“No. Stay.”
“Okay, if you don’t mind,” I said, watching him scan the letter. I scowled at him. If I was going to sit there across from him, I wanted my curiosity satisfied. “What does it say?”
He scowled back at me. “It’s a letter to me.”
“You asked me to sit here. I’d like to know what he had to say.”
He grinned, and then I knew he’d expected me to ask. He wanted me to ask. I was again tempted to get up and leave, in no mood to deal with his arrogance, but curiosity kept me in my seat.
“Dear Rand,” he started to read. “I know you won’t be at the funeral. I don’t blame you. Those things are always a drag, and everyone cries too much. I don’t want you there. I don’t want you to dwell on my death. I want you to remember my life.”
I couldn’t help it. The words sounded so much like Alec. If I closed my eyes, I could hear him talking. I wiped a tear before Rand could see it. His eyes met mine before dropping back down to the letter again.
“Let go of the past,” he read, the words tight as he said them through clenched teeth. “Forget about those old hurts and move on. Family is everything. It’s time to forgive and forget.”
“Wise man,” I whispered.
Rand cleared his throat. I got the feeling the letter was affecting him, even if he was pretending it didn’t. His face was tight, and I could see the grip he had on the letter. In that moment, all I wanted to do was hug the man and offer comfort. He looked so lost and alone. I knew that feeling all too well.
“I’ve left the estate to you,” Rand read, lowering the letter to look at me with shock.
“Wow,” I said, offering him a smile.
He shook his head. “Why would he do that?” he asked.
I shrugged a shoulder. “I’m not surprised in the least. I told you he was so proud of you. I’m glad it’s staying in the family. He often teased he was going to leave it to some stranger in the street.”
Rand raised the letter and began to read again. “The estate is yours on one condition. The staff that is currently working at the house must be kept on. There have been arrangements made to ensure their wages are paid. You’ll want to keep them. They’re the best in Crete.”
I smiled. Once again I could hear Alec speaking the words. It was something he had often told us. At first, I thought they were just flattering words. It wasn’t until I got to know him better that I realized he truly felt that way. I knew it made me work a little harder, and I took a lot of pride in doing a good job. When someone like Alec told you how valuable you were, it made you feel like the sun was shining on you.
“He was such a sweet man, and I’m going to miss him,” I blurted out, feeling myself choking up.
I quickly schooled my features, telling myself not to cry. I was sitting across from the man’s grandson. He wasn’t crying. I didn’t get the right to cry.
“The letter just finishes up with more advice to let the past go and to live my life with no regrets,” he mumbled, folding it and stuffing it back into the envelope.
“I guess now I know,” I said, looking away from him.
My business with him was finished. I had done what Alec asked me to do. I had nothing else to say to the man. He was now officially my boss—assuming he carried out his grandfather’s wishes. I realized that was probably not likely, and I should start looking for a job.
“Thanks for getting this to me,” Rand said. “I’m sorry I made it difficult.”
I offered him a smile. “It’s okay. So, what are you going to do?” I asked, once again unable to hold my tongue.
It was one of my many character flaws. My filter had broken a long time ago. I tended to say what I thought and usually embarrassed the hell out of myself or really pissed people off.
“I don’t know.”
I nodded. It was exactly the positive answer I had been hoping for. I was really going to have to look for a job. I didn’t want to mooch off Alena, and I didn’t want to get stuck going back home.
“All right,” I said. “Well, it was nice to meet you. I’ll leave you be, and I promise not to stalk you anymore.”
He chuckled and actually smiled at me. “I haven’t been to the house in a while. I suppose I should visit.”
“I’ll be there tomorrow, as will a couple of the other maids. I can show you around.”
His smiled faded, and he was scowling at me. “I know my way around. It hasn’t been that long.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that as an insult. Trust me, when I’m insulting you, you’ll know.” I paused, realizing that sounded insulting. “I only meant I wasn’t trying to insinuate anything. Never mind. I’ll shut up now.”
“I’ll think about it,” he said. “Are any of the other family there?”
I shook my head. “Not that I know of. I went out this morning, and the place was empty. The house was opened, and the beds were all made up in case anyone stayed, but no one did. It made my job pretty easy this morning.”
“I see,” he said, his jaw firm.
“It was nice to meet you, Rand. I know we didn’t get off on a good foot, but I am glad to finally get to put a face to the many stories I’ve heard. Alec could paint a lively picture, but sometimes, you just have to see it with your own eyes.”
“I suppose,” he mumbled, clearly lost in thought.
I got up from the table and walked away. As I walked down the street, heading for my apartment, I replayed the letter in my head. I gathered there was some dirty laundry tucked away in the Mattas family closet.
The way Alec had worded it, it sounded like Rand had made some mistakes. I had suspected as much. Guilt could wreak havoc on a person. They naturally withdrew—or they got angry and blamed everyone else for their mistakes. At least, that had been my own personal experience. I wished my dad would have withdrawn into a deep, dark hole.
Rand wasn’t a bad guy. Yesterday, I had been convinced he was the spawn of Satan. Today, I was rethinking that assessment.
I hoped he did go to the house. I wanted him to see the house and connect with his grandfather. I had an instinct to ta
ke care of Rand. Maybe it was because I missed Alec and needed a man that was hurting and in need of being taken care of to focus my energy on.
If I could take care of someone, I didn’t have to think about my own problems. Worrying about someone else and deciding they were in worse shape than I was gave me a little boost. I knew it was horrible and not nice to use someone else’s problems to feel better about my own, but it was my coping method. It wasn’t like anyone was getting hurt.
With my mission accomplished, I felt deflated. It was my last connection to Alec. I still worked in his house until Rand decided to sell it or fire all of us, not wanting to waste the money on a staff he didn’t need. It was like closing a book and putting it on a shelf to sit and collect dust.
I hoped to revisit the memories I had made, but for now, it was over.
Chapter 9
Rand
I had been dreading it, but I had to do it. I needed to know what it was I inherited. I hadn’t been to the house in a while. I had no idea if it would have been remodeled or if it would look the same as I remembered.
As I pulled up the driveway, my eyes scanned the area, noticing most of it looked the same as I remembered. There were lots of shrubs and flowers perfectly tended surrounding the front entrance. I imagined the garden would be just as perfect. My grandmother had loved her garden. After she passed, my grandfather had kept it up, expanding it and making it even more grand.
I parked the car and took a few minutes to collect my thoughts before going up to the front door. I wasn’t sure if I should knock or ring the bell. Nicole had said there would be staff working in the house, but it looked empty. I saw no cars in the driveway. I decided since it was technically my house, I could go in.
I opened the door and felt the silence. The huge open foyer was devoid of any maids scurrying about or people in general. I could feel the emptiness. I closed the door behind me and moved down the hall. It was strange to be in the house without him there. I kept waiting for him to pop out of the kitchen or the living room. I had to remind myself several times he was truly gone. I would never see him again.
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