The taxi pulled to a halt in front of a stone-fronted residence built to emulate Greek classicism at its most grand. A maid opened the door to him, smiled in recognition of the times he had been here before. When he asked to see Eve, she offered to take his suit bag from him then directed him towards the garden at the rear of the house.
His heart began to pump with the adrenaline rush of relief because he now knew his instincts had not let him down and he had been right to miss out San Estéban to come straight here.
It was mid-afternoon and as he stepped out onto the wide stone-flagged terrace the air was just taking on the warm golden glow that reminded him of the Caribbean. Striding forward he paused at the head of a set of wide shallow steps which led down into the garden. Standing on a hill as the house did, the garden itself sloped away from him in a riot of summer colour, so from up here he should easily be able to pick out Eve.
He did so immediately. It would have been impossible not to do when she was wearing a hot-pink stretchy top with a short lavender skirt. She stood out in this garden of colour like the most exotic flower ever created. As his heart began to pound in response to wrapping all of that vivid colour to him and never letting go of it again, he saw her move, realised that she wasn’t alone, realised that she was also standing in the exact same spot he had seen her standing the last time he’d seen her here—and locked in the arms of the same man.
Aidan Galloway—she was locked in the arms of Aidan Galloway! Lightning was striking twice again, using a burning blast of cynical reality to hit him full in the face.
Aidan Galloway. It was a joke. He almost laughed. Only he didn’t feel like laughing. Turn, he told himself. Leave, he told himself. Get away from here before she sees you and knows what a bloody fool you’ve made of yourself.
‘Oh, Aidan,’ Eve sobbed into his shoulder. ‘I’ve made such a fool of myself!’
‘Join the club,’ Aidan said.
‘He isn’t going to come, and I’ve left this stupid message on his machine…’
‘Now it’s playing over and over in your head. I know.’ Aidan sighed. ‘Been there, done that, felt the agony.’
‘I hate Ethan Hayes.’ She sobbed into his shoulder.
‘I wish I could learn to hate Corin,’ Aidan murmured wistfully.
‘Oh.’ Eve touched his cheek. ‘Is she still—?’
‘Yes.’
Eve playing Eve, Ethan observed bitterly, as he watched her lift up her head and gaze into Galloway’s eyes.
He felt his muscles go into violent spasm, as a need to go down there and commit murder swelled in his chest. He was about to take his first step towards assuaging that desire when a hand touched him on the shoulder, making him spin round and almost explode all that violence on Theron Herakleides instead.
‘Come back inside, Mr Hayes,’ Eve’s grandfather said quietly.
‘That’s Aidan Galloway she’s with,’ he heard himself murmur hoarsely.
‘Yes, I know it is.’ Theron’s steely head nodded. ‘But angry men do not confront weaker men. So come inside,’ he repeated the invitation. ‘I have a matter I would like to discuss with you.’
Business, Ethan surmised, and shrugged the older man’s hand from his shoulder. ‘Keep your business proposals for someone else,’ he said. He had taken enough from other people trying to direct his life. ‘I’m leaving.’ And he turned to stride back into the house.
Theron followed. ‘Take care, Mr Hayes, what you say right now,’ he quietly advised. ‘For a man can still be chased through the courts here in Greece, for jilting his betrothed…’
There were several words used in that comment that stirred Ethan’s blood. Jilting, was one of them, he chose to challenge another one. ‘There was no betrothal,’ he coldly denied. It was all just an elaborate sham thought up by the manipulating witch wearing hot-pink.
‘How many witnesses do you think will I find in San Estéban who would be willing to swear the opposite to that?’
Ethan stopped walking, turned and looked at Eve’s grandfather, aware that there was still more to come.
‘Ah,’ Theron said. ‘I see you understand me. Then we will go in here and continue to discuss the small matter of a settlement…’
With that, Theron opened the door to his study and walked inside. After a small hesitation, Ethan followed him with the word settlement ringing warning bells in his head.
Theron’s study was furnished to suit the man’s big persona. Heavy furniture filled the floor space, heavy-framed portraits adorned the walls.
‘So,’ the big man began as he slotted himself behind his heavy oak desk. ‘Did you really think that you could send my granddaughter back to me like used and broken goods without paying a heavy price?’
Broken. That word made Ethan release a hard mocking laugh. There had been nothing broken about the woman he’d seen wrapped in the arms of another man. ‘Ask Aidan Galloway to pay the price,’ he suggested. ‘He has the money. You’ll struggle to get a penny out of me.’
‘Eve loves you.’
‘Hell, damn it!’ Ethan suddenly exploded spectacularly. ‘Open your eyes, Theron! Eve only loves the thrill of the chase!’
Through the fine silk drapes covering the opened French window of her grandfather’s study, Eve heard the deep rasping tones of Ethan’s voice, froze for a split second, then spun around to stare at the house.
‘Be assured that Aidan Galloway is more than willing to take your place tonight,’ Theron smoothly replied. ‘Oh, yes,’ he confirmed at Ethan’s sudden stillness. ‘Eve’s betrothal celebration will take place tonight whether or not it is you standing at
