My Greek SEAL (21 page)

“What kind of work do you do, Miss Maya?” the reporter asks.

“I work in magazine sales.”

Steve raises his chain and speaks in an oily voice as if he is doing a campaign speech for the Presidency. “Our magazine is the premier lifestyle magazine in the United States. We also have many articles about European travel and many of our advertisers are from Europe.”

Bile rises in my throat. Does anyone in Greece even care about his stupid magazine?

“You are very modest, Miss Maya. I understand you are a top sales person with the company.”

That’s it, I’ve had it with this bull shit. “Yes, that is true. I was his top sales person as a matter of fact. But I was making too much money that Steve wanted for himself so he fi—“

“She really is modest isn’t she? She really is an amazing person all around. Everyone who works for our company loves her.” Steve rambles on and on about various contracts I helped him land. Most of what he says is false. He’s just giving a speech that allows him to tell as much about the company as he can possibly cram in while he’s got the microphone directed his way.

“In business and in an emergency, you are very brave, Miss Jorgenson. Was there a moment during this crisis when you were afraid?” asks the reporter.

“Sometimes I was completely terrified. But Eros made the whole ordeal so much more tolerable. His confidence made me believe we would prevail.” I wish more than anything that he was the one standing beside me during this interview. I felt safe with him near me even in the worst of circumstances. Now, I’m back to feeling intimidated, like I always did at work. I’m not worthy of anyone’s admiration. If I were, I’d find a way to talk myself out of this instead of once again allowing Steve to run the show.

“Who is this Eros you give so much credit to?” Steve asks, his lips curled up in disgust.

All at once I see Eros, the man I want near me more than anything right now. He takes an agile leap from the boat to the dock and strides toward us. His gaze meets mine and I see a hopeful flicker in those dark eyes. I want to run toward him, to dive in his arms where I’ll feel safe and protected once more. “He’s, he’s...the other person in my swimming group. Margie and Eros and I were the pink group swimmers. But Margie was tired and returned to the boat, so we were alone during the earthquake.”

“Well both of us enjoyed this little interview,” says Steve. “But Maya and I are expected back in Athens this afternoon for a press conference. A driver is waiting to take us there now.”

Steve is such a dick. He rambled on and on about his company and now he’s giving this small town reporter the brush off? Can’t he even be courteous for a minute or two?

Eros’ gaze wanders from me to Steve and back to me again. He frowns, drops his gaze to the ground and walks away. I want to shout, Come back. Damn it. I should have said he’s the man I love. That during almost every minute we spent together, I knew he was the one.

“Thank you very much for speaking to me about your experience, Ms. Jorgenson,” says the reporter. “All of Greece is in admiration of what you have done.”

“Sir, it really wasn’t anything. Eros and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I only hope not too many people were lost. This is a terrible tragedy for Greece. And I wanted to do some small thing to help. I would like to do something to help rebuild all these towns that have—“

“Yes, what she means to say is that DEF company will be sending a donation to help with the cleanup.” Steve glances at his watch. “Now we really must be going.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I blurt out.

Heads swing in my direction.

Steve releases a nervous laugh. “I am sure you must be exhausted. The car is very comfortable. You can sleep during the drive to Athens.”

“I’m not tired at all. And I don’t care much whether I’m comfortable either. Who cares about being comfortable when you look around and see the devastation here and what people are going through?”

Steve’s jaw muscles tighten as he forces a grin. If he tries any harder he’s going to strain a muscle. “Yes, I know this is a very trying time. Thank you, Mister Reporter for interviewing us.” He grips my shoulder and tries to steer me away.

I shrug him off. “ I’m not going anywhere with you. I don’t even work for you any more. I was no use to you anymore. You thought you had all my sales techniques figured out and so you fired me. You’re just here because you want to promote your company.”

People gasp and speak in hushed voices.

“And furthermore, I will never come back to work for you. It would be nice if you would pay me the commission you owe me, though, so I didn’t have to spend the rest of my savings on attorney bills.”

“Of course all of your commissions will be paid in full. My company always pays what is due. Now tell me you’ll come back. I’ll offer you a 20 percent increase in salary.”

“I’m not interested. As a matter of fact, I’m going to stay in Greece?”

Steve bursts out laughing. “Have you lost your mind? What on earth would you do here?”

I turn toward the camera and smile. “See how he acts like the nice guy and then sometimes slips into his real character?”

Once the interpreter finishes, several people burst out laughing.

“So you are going to stay in Greece?” the reporter asks.

“Yes, I think your country is very beautiful and I want to stay. After I help people here rebuild this town, I want to start a career as a journalist. I have been writing for many years and never had the guts to break out and start doing something new.”

People in the crowd begin to clap and cheer.

Steve turns away and walks away in disgust.

“I’m sure you will have no problem finding opportunities in Greece after what you have done for the people on these islands. I imagine you might even want to write a book about your experience surviving the tidal wave.”

“Yes, maybe.”

“What made you decide to stay in Greece?” asks the reporter.

“There were many things. The most important thing that happened was that Greece changed me. I came here thinking that my life was a disaster because of a lost job. And then I realized what I really needed to do was understand myself and what I want from life. I’m sorry, I’m talking way too much.”

“No, please, your story of transformation is very interesting. Please finish.”

“Here, I found out who I really am. I’m no longer the one who always needs to be comfortable or who is glued to her electronic devices every hour of the day or night. I’m no longer the enslaved employee of a hypercritical boss. He fired me because he’s greedy and wanted to hire someone for less money and now he realizes he had it good, but I’ll never go back. I want something different now. I’m the one who is happy as a clam swimming in the sea. I’m the person who wants to enjoy what’s happening now instead of worrying about tomorrow. I want a simple life, a life filled with beautiful moments with the people I love. I didn’t tell you the truth about Eros because I was feeling camera shy and awkward because of my old boss showing up. Eros wasn’t just another swimmer on the tour. He’s someone special. I met him and realized that yes, this is what it’s like to love someone. I love him. I love him so much.”

“You love Eros. And where is this Eros?”

I hang my head and speak in an unsteady voice. “I don’t know. He heard me say he was just another swimmer and heard my boss talk about taking me in a car back to Athens. And then he walked away. He probably thinks that even though I told him earlier today that I loved him and wanted to stay in Greece with him, I didn’t really mean it.” I brush away tears that fill my eyes and cloud my vision.

“Miss Maya, please slow down. The interpreter has fallen behind.”

“I’m sorry. No one wants to hear all this anyway.”

“No, they do. And they want you to find him. The people of the Greek Islands want to see you find a happy ending.”

“If it is okay with you, I would like to try to find him.”

“Yes, please go ahead.” The cameraman hands me his card. “Our office is at this address. If you are willing, I would like to do a follow-up interview after you find him.”

“I promise to get in touch with you if I find him. Thank you very much, sir. I enjoyed talking to you.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Once we secure lodging in Nidri, I leave my room and wander the streets looking for Eros. Maryann offered to go with me. I thanked her and said I had to talk to him alone. I walk up the main street that had once been lined with tourist shops. Some of the business owners are rummaging through the rubble, searching for anything salvageable. A man runs up to me and speaks in rapid fire Greek. I smile and shrug and say in an apologetic tone that I only speak English. I wonder if he saw me on television. I feel frustrated that I can’t communicate with him. I’ll never know what he said and there’s no way to ask if he’s seen Eros.

I wave and walk away, feeling more dejected than I did when I first arrived in Greece. I wander through the debris-riddled streets for four hours until my back aches and my throat is parched from thirst. Why can’t I find Eros? With every step, my mood plummets further.

Tomorrow, the others will board the bus back to Athens and then take an evening flight home. If I can’t find Eros, maybe I’ll go back to Athens with them. Staying in Lefkada alone seems like such a daunting task. The place is in ruins. I have no job, no money. And no one speaks English. At least in Athens, I’d be able to communicate with most of the locals. But I made a promise to these people, one I don’t want to break.

I walk along a long stretch of beach. It’s littered with debris, but there are stretches where the sand is white and clean. I gaze out over the water. It’s still blue and amazing, like it was before all this happened. The sea seems so unaffected by the earthquake and the tidal wave and all the destruction that’s taken place. The sea hasn’t changed since I fell in love with Eros or since I hurt him and he walked out of my life.

Maybe what I need to clear my head now is a swim. I unzip a pocket of my backpack and pull out a pair of goggles. I peel off the sundress I’m wearing and stuff it into the pack. I adjust the goggles and straighten the straps on my swimsuit. I wade into the water, eager to leave my problems behind. I want to be in that water again, to swim along in the sea and just feel free. I swim out until the water’s just over my head. Following the contours of the shore, I fall into the rhythm of my stroke. I see fish and clean white sand below me. I don’t see any boat fragments, roof tiles, or anything that reminds me of the disaster. I surface dive into a huge school of fish and watch them scatter in every direction. Then I surface and take in a deep inhale, breathing in the clean, salt air. I swim along the shore again, feeling the warm embrace of the sea as it slides over my body. I’m happy and free again because of the water. I am alive and feeling like this is the best moment of my life. I swim along the shore for more than an hour. It must be late in the afternoon by now. I know I should swim back. Maryann and the others will worry. I turn around and make my way back, sighting on landmarks so I will know to stop in the same place.

When I approach the beach I left two hours ago, I see the faint outline of a person sitting in the sand. My heart beats faster. I want so badly for it to be Eros. But that’s always what women want. To meet a guy who would climb mountains and descend deep canyons to find them. I remember times when I had relationships before where I just wished a guy would care enough to surprise me with a bouquet of flowers or a weekend trip or even to just realize he had hurt my feelings and show up at my house to say he was sorry. But it never happened. Not even once. And eventually those wishes felt silly. Like something that only happened in movies.

I kick and stroke along thinking maybe those guys never did those things for me because we weren’t right for each other. Eros and I experienced something very special. He understood me almost right away. He didn’t need to know where I went to college or what hospital I was born to see who I was.

He is the dream almost too good to be true. If only I hadn’t lost him. He could surprise me every day with something even better than I expected.

I stroke along, lifting my head and squinting into the setting sun, hoping to get a better view of that person on the beach. The person is standing now. And I can see he’s a man. His stature is tall and muscular and sturdy. Oh, please, let it be him. Please. Maybe he now knows that the whole interview situation was a set up and he understands how difficult it was for me to talk my way out of it. The man walks toward the water and plunges in. His strokes are strong and athletic. And purposeful. He’s swimming straight toward me. Now every cell in my body knows. It is Eros. He’s coming for me. I swim faster. I have to get to him. He’s swimming fast and I raise my head and his wet, sexy face is only a few feet away.

I tread water and one of my feet brushes the bottom. I let my feet touch down in the sand. The white sand feels so soft under my feet. I stare at Eros, unable to speak. His dark curls are wet and tangled and seawater drips from his long lashes and delicious lips. I rush through the water and dive into his arms. His arms wrap around me, comforting me. The sea and a wall of solid, lean muscle enwomb me.

“My old boss, he set me up. If you had seen the whole interview, it wouldn’t have sounded so awful. I told everyone after you left that I was in love with you. I’m sorry I hurt you. I walked everywhere looking for you. I’m so sorry.”

He holds me tighter. “It is not your fault. I understand everything now. When I got to the hotel and found Maryann, she told me about the interview. Your boss is a very bad man to try to manipulate you. I should have had more faith in you instead of doubting.”

“It was a misunderstanding. Everything is okay now that you’re here.” I pull my face away from his neck and look at him. “How long have you been here?”

“I saw your footprints in the sand. And I found your backpack. I knew the woman I love had swum away to find some peace in the sea. I knew you would be back. And that we would be together forever after that.” He slides his hands underneath my back. Gently supporting me, he carries me through the water and up on the beach. He kisses me more than once on the way.