A Date with Dr. Moustakas

by Amy Ruttan

  “Not bad,” she said. “See—even your son agrees.”

  “He claps when I do the dishes. He’ll clap at anything.”

  “It looks good,” she said. “That’s the one you need to get.”

  The clerk who had been hovering stepped forward. “It suits you very well. It just needs minor adjustments.”

  “Can you have it done by Friday morning?” Chris asked.

  “Yes, of course, Dr. Moustakas. A lot of men have come here for the auction,” the clerk said, pinning the tuxedo and making the adjustments.

  “Is there a lot of buzz about it?” Naomi asked.

  “A lot of buzz. The shop next door is selling many formal gowns. It will be a night of splendor.”

  Chris turned to Naomi. “I hope you have a dress.”

  “Of course. I’m the master of ceremonies for this thing. I got my dress a few days ago.”

  “You’re a good planner,” Chris teased, before he went back inside the curtained room to take off the tuxedo.

  Once he’d changed out of the tuxedo and paid for it, with another guarantee from the clerk that it would be ready in time for the bachelor auction on Friday, he followed Naomi, who continued pushing the stroller as they left the store.

  They walked along the sidewalk until they found a little park that was shady. Chris picked Evangelos up out of the stroller and took him over to one of the infant swings. Strapping him in, he began to push gently.

  First Evan had a big grin on his face, and then he started to screech with laughter.

  Naomi started laughing as well, and Chris couldn’t help but smile too. When he was a kid, he’d never gone to a park. His father had always been too busy and the nannies who’d taken care of him had never taken him either, for some reason.

  “Look at how much fun he’s having,” Naomi said. “It’s adorable.”

  “It looks like fun,” Chris said, pushing his still giggling son. “I’ve never been on a swing.”

  “What? Never?” Naomi asked, stunned.

  “Nope. I didn’t get to play in parks and there weren’t any swings on Mythelios. I’ve swung on a rope before...”

  “You were so deprived! I spent my summers in our local park. We’d stay out all day until the streetlights came on and then we’d head for home. Of course, it was different back then.”

  Chris nodded. “Well, I’m glad Evan is able to enjoy it.”

  Naomi glanced at her watch. “I have to get back to check on the venue.”

  “Do you want me to walk you to your apartment?” Chris asked, even though he wasn’t sure he would be able to pull his son away from the swing.

  “No, you stay here with Evan—he’s having so much fun. I’ll see you tonight.”

  Naomi waved at the baby and then walked out of the park, disappearing down a side street.

  Evan looked after Naomi, his lip protruding, and began to fuss.

  Chris stopped the swing and picked him up, holding him close. “Yeah, I miss her too.”

  He missed her so badly—but it was all his own fault. And he couldn’t go back and fix his mistakes. No matter how much he wanted to.

  * * *

  Dealing with stuff at the venue had taken Naomi a bit longer than she’d expected, so now she was running late for dinner at her theía and theíos’s house.

  When she got to the house, her theíos Costa opened the door. “I thought you were lying dead in a gutter, Naomi!”

  “I know I’m late, Theíos. Sorry, but there were some problems at the venue, and I’m not a party planner.”

  “You should’ve had your cousin Anita take care of that. She’s a party planner.”

  “Isn’t she on Mykonos?” Naomi asked.

  Her uncle just waved his hand, as if it was no bother. “Family is family. Come into the living room. Lisa’s boss, Dr. Moustakas, and his son are here. Lisa tells me you are friends with Dr. Moustakas?”

  “Yes.”

  Her uncle grinned. “That is very nice indeed.”

  “No, Theíos, it’s not like that at all.”

  Her uncle ignored her and led her into the large living room at the back of the house, which in turn opened out into the garden. Most of her cousins were there, and they greeted her with kisses and hugs as she came into the room.

  Chris was sitting next to her theía Leda, who was holding Evangelos and making a fuss over him. Chris smiled at her and mouthed the words help me with a twinkle in his eyes.

  Naomi couldn’t help but laugh. Her father’s family was loud, and very large, but they were warm and friendly. Still, she could see why her father had wanted to get away from it all. Her father had liked quiet. Maybe that was why she was an only child.

  “Naomi, you didn’t tell us what a nice man Dr. Moustakas is. Of course, Lisa didn’t say either. And what a gorgeous baby he has!” her aunt gushed.

  “You’re very kind, Leda,” said Chris.

  Naomi took a seat next to him and reached out to touch one of Evan’s chubby hands. “Where is Lisa?” she asked.

  Leda leaned over Chris and said in a hushed tone, “Getting engaged. She’s in the garden.”

  Naomi was shocked. “What?”

  Leda nodded. “Her boyfriend, Themo, has been away for a year in America. He promised to come back, but Lisa didn’t like to talk about it much, as she was hurt when he left. He returned yesterday and—well, you can’t stop love.”

  On that bombshell, Leda handed the baby to Chris and moved away, leaving Naomi and Chris sitting there on the small couch looking stunned.

  “I guess you’re going to be looking for a new nanny soon,” Naomi said. “I had no idea. She never even mentioned him to me.”

  “Me neither,” Chris said. “Now I feel really bad, intruding on a family engagement.”

  “Don’t feel bad. I don’t think they knew it was coming when they invited us.”

  There was the sound of some excited voices and Naomi craned her neck to see over the heads of her family as Lisa and Themo came in together.

  There were cheers as Lisa and Themo announced their engagement. Then ouzo was passed out on a tray, and everyone held up a glass in the air and drank in congratulation, with exuberant shouts of “Opa!” to follow, which caused Evangelos to cry.

  Chris calmed his son, and Lisa came over with her new fiancé in tow.

  “Themo, this is my cousin Dr. Naomi Hudson, who is visiting from America.”

  “A pleasure, Dr. Hudson,” said Themo, taking her hand.

  “And this is my employer, Dr. Moustakas, and his son, Evangelos.”

  Themo grinned and nodded as Chris stood, shifting Evan onto his hip in order to congratulate them both.

  “Now I feel bad that I’m making you come back to work for the weekend,” Chris said. “You should be celebrating with your fiancé, Lisa.”

  “No, it’s no problem, Dr. Moustakas. Themo needs to head back to Corfu to visit his family this weekend. We’ll see each other next week, and we’ll talk about my notice at the end of the month.”

  Chris nodded. “I’ll hate to lose you, but I understand.”

  “Dinner is ready!” her uncle announced over the din.

  Lisa reached out and took Evangelos. “You enjoy your dinner, Chris. I have an old high chair by me.”

  Lisa winked at Naomi and she felt heat rise in her cheeks. Evan was taken down to one end of the table and Chris and Naomi were seated at the other.

  “I’m not used to this,” Naomi whispered as Chris pulled out her chair.

  “Me neither,” Chris remarked. “I just have my father to deal with. Sometimes I go to dinner at Ares’s place, or Theo’s or Deakin’s, but I don’t remember it being such a crush of people like this.”

  “My father’s family is quite large. My dad was always quiet, though, so I get why he went to Amer
ica.”

  “And you said your yia-yia was a bit crazy?”

  Naomi laughed. “Yes, but I wasn’t the only one who thought that.”

  “You mean my mother?” her uncle Gus called from the other end of the table. “If so, yes—she was crazy. She was a crazy woman. You’re not the only granddaughter she said was cursed, you know. She said Anita was cursed too, but she’s married and happy in Mykonos. You will be announcing your engagement soon enough, Naomi.”

  Oh, Lord.

  “Thanks, Theíos.”

  Chris was chuckling as food was passed around the table. “You’re cursed?”

  “So said my late grandmother. She said I was cursed when I was about fourteen.”

  “And do you believe her?”

  “I did.”

  That sobered him. “I don’t think you’re cursed. If anyone is cursed, it’s me. But I don’t like talking about curses too much—especially when I have to do some rounds at your hospital here tomorrow and now that Deakin has called. Stavros has agreed to surgery to remove the anaplastic oligodendroglioma.”

  “He has?” Naomi asked in shock.

  “His brother is flying in from Venice to run the taverna for him while he recovers. It’s going to be hard on Stavros. He’s not a young man anymore.”

  “But he’s not old either,” she said. “Fifty-five isn’t old. And he’s in good health otherwise. He’ll pull through.”

  “I know he will, but we have to convince Stavros of that. He wants the surgery done as soon as possible, so I’ve extended my stay in Athens. After the auction date night I’ll have Stavros come to Athens so I can do it then. He won’t wait.”

  “Good. Get it over and done with. And since you’re here you might as well do it.”

  “Will you assist?” he asked. “I’m still not used to the surgical team here, and even though they’re good, I would feel better if you were in the operating room with me. I trust you.”

  A pang of guilt cut through her. He shouldn’t trust her—especially when she couldn’t even tell him about the baby that she’d lost.

  “Of course. I’ll help any way that I can,” she said.

  “Good. I’m glad. I think I can pull it off, knowing that you’re by my side.”

  She was stunned that he’d say that, because he would never have said anything like that years ago, when they were dating. He had been full of himself then. Borderline arrogant. He’d walked the halls of the Nashville hospital where they’d met like he owned the place.

  His absolute confidence and self-reliance was what had drawn her to him then, but this man, the way he was right now—still strong, still confident, but far more gracious and seemingly unafraid to admit to needing someone—was the kind of man she wanted.

  He was breaking through all the barriers she had set up to keep him at bay. And as she glanced down the table at her big Greek family, seeing Evangelos next to Lisa, it was as if Chris belonged there. She felt as if she belonged there too. It was like they had been part of a great big family for a long time.

  It scared her, but it also made her feel good.

  After the death of her mother she hadn’t been sure where she belonged. Chris had come along and swept her off her feet. And then he’d broken her heart. She’d been lost again. Just drifting.

  Coming here to help after the earthquake had given her purpose, and being here, right now, with her father’s family and with Chris, just seemed right. As it was supposed to be.

  Only, it’s not. You’re just friends. Remember?

  She was being swept up in the excitement of Lisa’s engagement to her beau. That was all it was. There was an energy in the air tonight, and definitely romance, and Naomi had always been a sucker for happily-ever-after.

  She was just being carried away. That was all.

  Chris was chatting with another one of her uncles, so she ate her dinner, enjoying the fifty different conversations that were being blasted around the table, along with the hand gestures that seemed to accompany all the talking.

  She couldn’t help but smile. She was going to miss all this when she had to head back to America after her assignment in Athens was up, but at least she got to enjoy it now. And she was going to relish it.

  After dinner was over, Chris managed to collect his son from his adoring fans and a cab was called. Evan was sleeping on his father’s shoulder, tired out from all the attention and the excitement of the night. Naomi walked him to the door, pushing the empty stroller out onto the street to the waiting cab, while Lisa put the car seat in the back.

  “Thank you for having me,” Chris said to Naomi.

  “I didn’t have you—Lisa invited you.”

  “Yes, I’ve thanked her too. But I wanted to thank you for letting me come tonight. It was nice.”

  “I’m glad you came,” she whispered. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the hospital. And tomorrow afternoon is a dry run of the auction down at the venue.”

  “A rehearsal?” Chris shuddered. “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow at the hospital, then.”

  And then, before she knew what was happening, he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, before climbing into the cab next to his son.

  Naomi stood there, her pulse racing, stunned.

  She was going to have to be more careful when it came to Dr. Moustakas or she would be in danger of losing her heart again.

  Isn’t it lost already?

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  FRIDAY CAME AROUND all too quickly. Naomi had managed to avoid Chris all of Thursday. She’d been busy with things at the hospital and had stayed out of his way. Even during the rehearsal of the bachelor auction she’d remained backstage while the stage director had done his job in guiding some of Athens’s most eligible bachelors across the stage and down to the table they were to be seated at after they’d been won by the highest bidder.

  After the auction was over, there was going to be a “mix and mingle” for the rest of the evening, so plans for the dates they were planning could be settled by the bachelors and the ladies who’d won them.

  Chris had looked confident onstage, but also a little flustered. She could only assume that it had been a long time since he’d done anything like that, or been the center of attention the way he had in Nashville, when he’d been the chosen one of the surgical fellows there. Or when he was in Manhattan, being feted by the elite of New York.

  Or so she’d understood from the gossip magazines, which had featured him dating all the glitterati of Manhattan.

  And now he was one of the most eligible bachelors in Athens. All the wealthy women attending this event would have eyes for Dr. Chris Moustakas. Not only was he famous for being the son of Nikos Moustakas, shipping magnate, but he was also well-known among the jet-setters for his brilliance in neurosurgery.

  To top all that off, he was good-looking and he oozed sex appeal. He was a total catch. And Naomi was feeling a bit jealous that someone else would be winning a dream date with him. A dream date that she wouldn’t mind going on herself.

  He’d changed from the man she knew three years ago. He was kinder, more gentle, and the way he was with his son made her heart melt. This man, the way he was now, was the man she’d thought he was three years ago.

  Careful.

  She couldn’t let him interfere with her life plans. She’d worked too hard to get where she was. It was good that she wouldn’t have a chance to bid on him. Even if she wanted to.

  Don’t think about it.

  Naomi sighed and finished doing her makeup. She had to be at the venue soon, to wrangle all the bachelors and make sure that she had the right descriptions for each one and details of the date that could be won.

  She looked at her watch and then there was a buzz up to her apartment.

  Drat. The limo had arrived to take her to the venue.

  “I’ll be down i
n a moment.”

  “Very good,” the driver responded.

  Naomi finished what she was doing and checked herself in the mirror. She was wearing a gold lace evening gown that was fitted, short and very sparkly. She was glad she was getting a ride and that she could wear her heels tonight. She’d left her hair down.

  She hoped she was representing International Relief well enough tonight. And she hoped she’d make a good impression on the hospital’s board of directors.

  She ran her hand over her dress and then headed downstairs. The driver helped her into the limo. Her heart was hammering, because she hated public speaking. She pulled out her cards about the dates and the bachelors, reading them through once again.

  You can do this.

  It didn’t take long until they were at the outdoor venue. Thankfully it was a beautiful clear evening. She was led to the front. People were starting to arrive and there were pictures being taken of all the attendees of the gala on a red carpet.

  “Dr. Hudson, I would like you to meet someone,” said Mr. Galinakas, the head of the hospital board, as he led her off the red carpet to a group of women who were dressed to the nines in designer gowns.

  It made Naomi feel she wasn’t up to muster—but only for a moment. She knew she looked just as good as they did.

  “This is one of our benefactors, Ms. Alexandra Pappas.”

  Even during her short time in Athens Naomi had heard of Alexandra Pappas. She was a gold digger. She’d been married four times to wealthy older men and had outlived them all. She had a penchant for playing with younger men but marrying older ones. She was a man-eater, a manipulator, and Naomi couldn’t help but think of Evan’s mother, who had only wanted money to have a baby.

  Alexandra Pappas held out her hand as if she was bestowing some great honor on Naomi. But Naomi could see right through this woman.

  “Charmed,” Alexandra drawled in a bored tone.

  “Alexandra is looking forward to bidding tonight,” Mr. Galinakas said.

  “Oh?”

  “Yes. I was widowed last year and I’m looking for the right companion. I think this is a wonderful idea and there is one bachelor I have my eye on. One I haven’t seen in our social circles in quite some time.”