Page 14 of Loving the Greek Billionaire

Rose felt wrong-footed. She sighed. “Yes, it’s my wedding band. I can’t seem to take it off and place it in a drawer to be forgotten along with my husband, even though it’s been several years. I don’t know if you can understand that.”

He nodded. “Does the ring bring you joy or sorrow when you touch it?”

She fingered the gold circle. “A bit of both. Joy for the time we had and sorrow that our life together was cut short. There were so many dreams left unfulfilled.” Rose looked out the window. “Stavros, where are we going?”

The car pulled onto a large bank of cement surrounded by airline hangars and parked.

She looked at him. “I thought we were driving to Meteora. We’re flying?” A small squeak punctuated her final word.

“Yes. A car ride would take four hours. The trip is only one hour by air.”

Plutus opened her car door, and she stepped out. The heat of the cement penetrated her flats. She looked beyond the open hangar doors to see small planes and helicopters inside. She gulped.

“Do you prefer planes or helicopters?” Stavros asked.

“Are you asking me to choose? Because I’ve never been in a small plane, and I’ve never been in a helicopter at all. Do all of these belong to Mr. P?”

“No, they don’t, and no I’m not asking you to choose. We’re taking the helicopter.” He pointed to their waiting flight vehicle.

Rose gaped, equally terrified and elated.

“Are you afraid of flying?” Stavros asked as they crossed the tarmac.

“Not exactly. Afraid of dying while plummeting to the earth would be more accurate. Are you sure this thing is safe?” Though the copter was off, she instinctively ducked as they passed the point where a spinning blade could potentially cut off her head.

“Neither Mr. P nor I would ever put your life in danger.”

“Well, certainly not intentionally.” She stared at the glass windows that harbored seats for six. “Where will the luggage go?”

Stavros opened one of the doors and indicated a compartment behind the rear seats. “There are only three cases. Yours, mine, and Plutus’s.”

“Who’s going to fly this contraption?” She half wondered if Stavros would be with Plutus in the copilot seat while she prayed in the backseat.

“I am,” said a male voice from behind her.

Rose whipped around, her skirt flaring away from her legs.

“Ah, Dino, good to see you.” Stavros shook the beefy man’s hand. “Ms. Berret, may I introduce Dino. He’ll be our pilot, and Plutus will be our co-pilot. I’m taking the day off to sit with you in the back.”

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Rose.” She limply shook Dino’s hand before turning to Stavros. “You can fly a helicopter?”

“He’s one of the best,” Dino supplied.

“I flew helicopters and planes in the military,” Stavros explained. He checked the time. “We need to go, or we’ll be late.”

With trepidation and more than one doubt, Rose allowed Stavros to hand her into the windowed contraption of death. “Well, at least I’ll be able to see the ground coming at me,” she muttered.

“You’ll be quite safe,” Stavros assured her.

With bags stowed and everyone seated and buckled, the copter roared to life. The blades spun until Rose couldn’t distinguish them individually. She gripped the edge of the seat.

They lifted into the air, and Rose gave a yelp. She closed her eyes and started praying the rosary.

“Are you Catholic?” Stavros’s voice came through her headset. He sat across from her so he was going backward.

She’d forgotten that anything she said could be heard by the rest of the crew. Right now, she didn’t have any energy to care about how foolish she looked. “Not for a long time. The words come from my childhood. I guess it seemed like a good idea to pray. Wasn’t my religious affiliation or lack thereof in your report?” She peeked at him through slitted lids.

The corners of Stavros’s lips twitched.

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