Page 52 of The Witching Hours

“Right. Of course. I meant your pre-immigrant genetic code.”

I laughed. “People used to ask about astrology sun signs. No need to play guessing games about you. Your name screams Greek.”

“Yeah.” He grinned. “Guilty.”

“Looking for roots?” I asked.

He looked out at the water for a second like he was deciding what to say. “Partly, I guess. Mostly I’m here because of a costly breakup. Thought it would be a good time to see where my great-grandfather spent his childhood.”

“Hard to imagine leaving here voluntarily.” I waved at the expanse of water to punctuate the obvious.

He smiled when he nodded. “It’s a story for sure.”

“Want to tell it?”

“Sometime maybe. Where are you from?”

“Originally Fort Worth.”

“Texas?”

“Yeah. I live in New York now. Well, New Jersey. I work in Manhattan three days a week and remote the rest.”

“What kind of work?”

“Publishing. I’m a cover designer.” He looked impressed and that made me sit up a little straighter. “How about you?”

“Silicon Valley.”

“First, how can you afford that? Second, what techie-related thing are you good at?”

When he reached for his glass with mystery amber liquid, my eyes were drawn to his hand. Big. Strong. Capable. I wondered how it would feel to…

His voice pulled me out of my reverie. “I guess the word is out that it’s expensive to live there. I supervise graphic design for a gaming company.”

Really?“Fun!”

He bobbled his head. “Sometimes. Chalk up another coincidence. We’re both in graphic design.”

I shook my head. “There’s a galaxy of difference between print and gaming.”

“Art is art.”

“I know you weren’t born in Silicon Valley. So, where are youreallyfrom?”

“Not that far. Oakland.”

“I’ve never been.”

“Well. It’s not Santorini.”

I looked around and said, “Nothing is.” After a pause to once again absorb some of the exotic scenery, I said, “So. Breakup?”

“Yeah?”

“You said it was costly. Financially? No prenup?”

He emitted a single soft laugh with a slight shake of his head. “No. Not financial. And not a divorce. I mean it was costly to… Well. My pride I guess.”

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