Designing Hearts

  “This is Veronica Chamberlain,” he said proudly. “Veronica. This is my best friend Evander, and his wife Grace.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Veronica said.

  Standing, Evander and Grace each gave her a hug. Evander grinned at her. When he spoke, his accent was thick and Greek. “He told us you are a magician with design. I hope you can turn this pumpkin into a palace. God knows, he needs help.”

  Laughing, Veronica sat in the vacant seat next to Stephano. She rested Guido in her lap. Stephano rolled his eyes and draped his arm around her shoulder.

  “My place is fine. It just needs sparkle.”

  “It needs a damn blowtorch,” Evander chided.

  “I hear congratulations are in order,” Veronica said. “You just got married, right?”

  “Yes. Thank you,” Grace said. “Although, if he doesn’t start picking up his wet towels, we’re not going to make it to our first anniversary.”

  Evander snorted. “The way I make you come, picking up after me should be a privilege.”

  Grace visibly blushed. “Jackass.”

  Veronica giggled. She loved them immediately. When she learned Grace was also from the east coast of America and moved to Greece to be with Evander, Veronica was even more intrigued. She wondered how Grace made such a transition so easily.

  “So, what is this news?” Stephano asked.

  Grace and Evander exchanged glances. The way Evander’s eyes sparkled when he looked at his wife warmed Veronica’s heart. Did Stephano’s eyes dance when he looked at her? Veronica shook her head. It was too soon to think about that. And she was leaving in a few hours.

  “We’re moving to Rhodes,” Grace said. “We’re taking over his aunt’s cottage.”

  “That’s great,” Stephano said. “But why? I thought you loved Athens.”

  “Well,” Grace began. “We wanted to be closer to his parents. Because—”

  “My boys can swim!” Evander exclaimed. His arms shot into the air in victory. “I knocked her up!”

  Grace covered her face with her hands. Stephano rose. He rounded the table and slapped Evander on his back. “That’s awesome, my friend! This calls for a celebration. A feast for the ages.”

  Evander stood. He said something in Italian, to which Stephano replied in Greek. Stephano raised his hands into the air. Evander gestured toward the kitchen. Swallowing a laugh, Veronica watched the exchange.

  “Yeah,” Grace said with a sigh. “I have no idea what they’re saying either.”

  Veronica laughed out loud. “Whatever it is, it sounds sexy.”

  “I know.”

  The men paused mid-conversation. Stephano leaned toward her to brush his lips against hers. Veronica inhaled his earthy cologne. Pulling away, he winked at her and then moved toward the kitchen. Evander followed, still talking in a mix of Greek and Italian.

  Veronica’s heart fluttered, and then sank. She had no choice but to go back to New York. Her eyes misted and she tried to blink away the tears.

  Grace reached across the table and covered Veronica’s hand with hers. “I know that look,” Grace said gently. “When do you leave?”

  Veronica flinched. Was she that transparent? “Tomorrow morning.”

  Grace nodded. “The only advice I can give is to follow your heart. It’s never wrong.”

  Veronica wiped her eyes. “I wish it was so simple.”

  “It is. Just ask yourself what you really want—if it’s worth leaving a man like that because you’re afraid.”

  “I’m not afraid,” Veronica said defensively. “What am I going to do about my career? My clients are in the States. I doubt many businesses in Greece need commercial designers.”

  Grace squeezed her hand. “It’s going to work out. You just need to have faith.”

  “How did you decide?”

  “It was a conversation I had with my mom. That, and a picture message Evander sent me that same day. I knew this was where my heart belonged. And I came back.”

  Veronica smiled sadly. “I’ve worked so hard to get where I am. I can’t turn my back on my career now.”

  “Who said you have to? Maybe, you can do it in a different way.”

  Veronica paused to turn Grace’s advice over in her mind. The men returned. Evander carried a platter loaded with fruit, vegetables, dips and bread while Stephano brought a bottle of wine and four glasses.

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “It’s sparkling juice from my father’s vineyard.”

  Popping the cork, he poured the liquid. Evander set the platter in the middle of the table. They each raised their glass.

  “I’d like to make a toast,” Stephano said. “To the new life Evander and Grace have created, and the new chapter being written for my inn.” He paused to look directly into Veronica’s eyes. “And to Venus for finally blessing me with one of her angels. Thank you, Veronica Chamberlain, for showing me the meaning of life.”

  Unable to speak, Veronica touched her glass to his, and then, to Grace’s and Evander’s. She sipped the sweet elixir but didn’t feel like celebrating.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  It was two a.m. Grace and Evander were long gone, and Stephano couldn’t sleep. He lay in bed facing Veronica. With his index finger, he traced her jaw line. Her eyes fluttered but she didn’t wake up. A cold breeze flowed through the open window of the room. When she shivered, he pulled the blanket over her bare shoulder and tightened his arm around her.

  Did the universe hate him this much? Once again, it brought light to his life, only to snatch it way. This time, however, was different. Her bags were lined up by the door. What last ditch plea could he make that would convince her that Rhodes was her home?

  “Are you just going to stare at me all night?” Veronica asked.

  “I can’t think of anything more beautiful to rest my eyes on.”

  She opened her eyes. Turning her head, she glanced at the clock. “We only have three hours left.”

  “That’s why I don’t want to waste time sleeping.”

  “I can’t make love to you again,” she confessed. Her voice trembled. “Your touch makes my heart ache.”

  Stephano rested his forehead against hers. “When can you come back?”

  “I don’t know. I’m already booked for the next six weeks. Can you come to New York?”

  “It will be a busy time of year. I can only try.”

  Veronica pressed her face into his chest and sobbed. Swallowing his own emotions, he simply held her.

  The sun was just breaking through the clouds when he parked in front of the airport. Every muscle in Stephano’s body ached as he climbed out of the Jeep to give her luggage to the curbside attendant. He moved to Veronica’s side of the vehicle. He held out his hand to steady her as she got out.

  Stephano shoved his hands into his pockets and waited beside the Jeep while she checked in with the attendant. It was up to him to be the strong one, but he didn’t want to be. When she returned, he patted Guido on the head and then pulled Veronica into his arms.

  “Don’t say anything,” she whispered. “It’s just too hard.”

  “But—”

  Veronica stood on her toes to lightly touch her lips to his. She turned. Without looking back at him, she went inside the terminal. Stephano cursed, slamming his fist into the side of the Jeep. He jumped in and sped out of the parking lot. Two hours later, he was back at the inn. Rage still coursed through his veins, but he couldn’t be mad at anyone but himself. He should’ve put up more of a fight.

  Evander was waiting for him at the front door. His best friend leaned against his stucco wall. Evander held up two six packs. “I thought you might need one, or three,” Evander said in Italian.

  With a sad smile, Stephano went inside the inn. Evander followed. The dining room smelled like a mixture of thyme and oregano. When they reached his office, Stephano closed the door and accepted the beer Evander gave him. He sat at his desk while Evander perched on the edge.

  “As soon
as I saw her, I knew you were in love,” Evander commented. “I know what it feels like to watch the love of your life walk away, unsure if she’s coming back.”

  “How did you get through it?”

  “Work. Beer. You saw me. You know how miserable I was while Grace was gone.”

  Nodding, Stephano drained his beer and reached for another.

  “It was different for you,” Stephano said. “Grace can work anywhere as long as she has her laptop and internet. Veronica has to be in the space to design it. It would get expensive if she had to fly back and forth from here to there. And I can’t move. I’ve invested my blood and soul in this place. This is my dream.”

  “If you’re meant to be together, you will be.”

  Stephano waved off Evander’s comment. “That’s bullshit,” Stephano said bitterly. “Am I just supposed to leave it up to fate to decide?”

  “Yes. It’s fate that brought you together. You have to trust that it’s going to happen.”

  Stephano sat back in his chair. If only it was that simple. His phone buzzed, indicating he’d received a text. He set the bottle on his desk and opened the message. “Miss you already,” Veronica wrote.

  He raked his hands through his hair and hung his head. Evander patted Stephano on his shoulder.

  “It will work out,” Evander said.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Three months later…New York

  At ten p.m., Veronica finally shut down her computer. Her neck ached from being hunched over fabric samples all day. The owners of the new project were questioning her every move. So far, they vetoed every idea she offered. Exhaling, she rested her head against the back of the chair.

  Tammi rose from her seat opposite Veronica’s desk and stretched. “Want me to call you a cab?”

  “Please. Go ahead home. I know Jared’s waiting for you downstairs.”

  “No. I’ll wait so we can walk out together. I’ll close down the outer office.”

  “Thank you.”

  When Tammi left, Veronica made her way to the door. She put on her black coat over her black sweater dress. The thought of going home to an empty apartment caused her heart to ache. Her fridge was also bare. Tonight, she was feeling Chinese. Veronica walked back to the desk and picked up Guido.

  The buzzer on the street-level door sounded. Veronica assumed it was the cab. She turned off the lights and walked into the reception area. Tammi was waiting for her.

  “Take the morning off,” Veronica told her. “Come in at eleven.”

  Tammi eyed Veronica. “Are you doing the same?”

  “Probably not. I can’t sleep anymore.” Tammi opened her mouth to comment, but Veronica stopped her by holding up her hand. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Veronica rushed out of the office. She waited in the hallway while Tammi turned off the light and locked the door. Veronica’s thoughts caught up to her. Part of the reason she stayed busy was to get her mind off of Stephano. Other than a few cryptic messages telling her not to worry, she hadn’t talked to him in over a week. Her calls to him went straight to his voicemail. At first, she thought it was because he was busy. But now, she suspected he had moved on.

  Tammi touched her shoulder. “He’ll call. Isn’t this his busy season? He’s probably just swamped.”

  “I’d accept that after a few days, but not now, Tammi. He’d damn well better have a good excuse.”

  Veronica walked down the stairs and outside. Both the cab and Jared were waiting. Snow was falling. White flakes covered the shoulders of Jared’s jacket. He was a handsome guy. Tall, thin, wispy brown hair and glasses. Jared smiled. Moving to the waiting cab, he held the door open for her.

  “Would you two like to share the cab?” Veronica asked. “My treat.”

  “Sure,” he said.

  The trio climbed into the back of the taxi. When the couple kissed in greeting, Veronica turned to look out the window. Rhodes was six hours ahead. What was Stephano doing? Or, who was he doing? She shook the thought from her head. The last time they spoke, he had asked to see her vision for the restaurant. Had he received the package?

  A few minutes later, the cab screeched to a halt in front of her loft. Veronica handed the driver a one-hundred dollar bill to cover her fare and a tip, plus taking the couple to Brooklyn. She smiled at them. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Tammi.”

  “Okay. Don’t worry. He’ll call.”

  Veronica’s lip trembled as she exited the car. While the driver waited, she paused to let Guido use the bathroom on a strip of grass next to the building. Snow was falling harder. She hoped Peking Palace hadn’t closed yet. They were only three doors down, but her feet were killing her. When she got upstairs, she would call Li for her usual.

  She waved as the cab pulled away from the curb and went inside her building. The elevator ride seemed to take longer than normal, but that might be because every muscle in her body ached. Wearily, she got off on her floor. The scent of fresh herbs surrounded her. She wondered which of her neighbors were cooking at this time of night. Inhaling deeply, she wished she had learned how to cook. Or had a hot chef like Stephano waiting for her.

  Putting the key in her lock, she opened her door. It took a moment for it to register that her lights were on. And the delicious aroma was coming from her kitchen. Was that music? Closing the door, she tiptoed toward the sound. Her eyes spotted Stephano’s muscular shoulder blades. Startled, she dropped the purse and phone she was carrying. .

  Stephano hummed along with a Bon Jovi song. He stirred something in a large skillet, and then added a splash of wine. His hair was a few inches longer than she remembered. When she rounded the island, she saw he was naked and smiled. Turning from the stove, he looked at her. Her heart fluttered. Just like that, all of her anger and uncertainty evaporated. Guido danced around Stephano’s feet. He bent to scratch her pup behind his ears and then straightened.

  “The whisperer returns from her day with paupers,” he said with a bow. “I have made chicken and risotto. Would you like to take a hot bath first or have your meal?”

  Veronica parted her lips, but nothing came out. Stephano closed the distance between them. He reached for her hand and led her into the living room. She noticed suitcases standing in the center of the room. Gripping the lapels of her coat, he freed her of it and draped it over the back of the sofa.

  “You have questions, yes?”

  She nodded. Stephano sank to his knees and unzipped her boots. Veronica balanced her weight against the arm of the sofa and lifted each leg as he pulled them off. Reaching under her skirt, he tugged her stockings down her thighs.

  “There was a terrible fire,” he said. “Everything is lost.”

  She gasped. “What happened?”

  “The idiot contractors forgot to turn off the gas before they moved the stove. There was an explosion. The Welcome Inn is no more.”

  He rose to his feet. Veronica touched his chest. “Oh my god! I’m so sorry.”

  Stephano reached for her belt. He unfastened it and tossed it on the floor.

  “I had no time to call you,” he explained. “Everything happened so fast. Mikeli offered his place as refuge until I got my bearings.” Stephano shrugged. “I guess he’s not so bad. I couldn’t call because your number was in my phone and my phone was ashes.”

  Grasping the hem of her dress, he yanked it over her head and tossed it over his shoulder. She shivered.

  “And so,” he continued. “I’ve been spending my time making arrangements to rebuild. The only thing that survived the fire was your key because I was still holding it in my hand when I ran out.”

  Veronica blinked. Now, she remembered. It was in the box. She had sent him a package that included her drawing of the new Welcome Inn, a coffeemaker and the key. Her address was engraved on the gold, heart-shaped key ring.

  Stephano moved behind her. Unhooking her black bra, he pushed the straps down her arms. He pulled the barrette from her ponytail and ran his fingers through her hair
.

  “I took it as a sign,” he whispered against her ear. “So, I wanted my moving here to be a surprise. I had to wait for my visa to go through. But, here I am. I’m all yours.”

  She turned to face him. “Really?”

  He nodded and brushed his lips against hers. “It will take some time for Ciao Bella to be resurrected.”

  “Ciao Bella?”

  “That’s her new name. Do you like?”

  Veronica smiled. Standing on her toes, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes.”

  “And when she is finished, we can—”

  “Move back to Rhodes.”

  Stephano grinned. “Yes.”

  She stared into his green eyes for a long time. “I love you.”

  “Tesoro. You make my soul dance. But, your meal is getting cold.”

  “Can we heat it up in the microwave?”

  “Of course.”

  Releasing him, Veronica took his hand and led him into the bedroom. “Good.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Eighteen months later…Rhodes, Greece

  “A little to the left,” Stephano commanded.

  Veronica rolled her eyes. She teetered in her red stilettos as she shifted the painting. A deal was a deal. While living in New York, Stephano had finally taught her how to make ziti and she was holding up her end of the deal by decorating the living room of their newly built home naked.

  The walls had been painted a soothing vanilla. Dark chocolate furniture accented the light walls and dark hardwood floors. Sunlight streamed through the floor to ceiling picture windows. The view outside the window panes was an abandoned field. Just beyond the field was the new Ciao Bella restaurant.

  “We’ve been married for seven days and you’re already bossing me around,” she said with a smirk.

  “Of course. That’s why I got you. Now, down.”

  Giggling, she glanced over her shoulder at him. Her nude husband was sitting on the floor. Guido was curled against his chest. Swallowing tears of joy, she turned back to the wall. The painting she hung was a drawing of the former Welcome Inn—a wedding gift from her good friend Scarlett who would be moving to Rhodes and opening an art gallery in a few months.