Page 172 of Love Among the Ruins
Miranda moved her arms and hips in tune to the music, closing her eyes and losing herself. “Dominic doesn’t even know I exist,” she shouted, over the music.
Eleni didn’t want to hear that name.
“One more shot, pleeeaase!” Miranda begged.
“I should put her out of her misery,” suggested Stefanos.
Eleni shrugged. “Okay, get one more round of drinks. Just one.” She opened up her bag to take out some notes, but Stefanos waved her hand away, refusing it.
“You pay when I come to Athens,” he said, and disappeared into the dark pit of people gathered at the front of the bar.
“I’m not going to be in Athens for too long,” she said to herself, sitting down again.
“Come and dance with me,” Miranda shouted, her hips swaying even more vigorously to the music.
“I’m having more fun watching you,” Eleni shouted back.
Sitting in a busy place, surrounded by people on a hot summer night, she should have been happy. She should have been carefree.
She had been, this time last weekend. The difference between what had happened last weekend and this one was so monumental, it was as opposite as day and night.
She lowered her head, clasping the back of her neck with her hands. She’d never felt lonelier.
If only she could erase everything that had happened between her and Dominic. There were so many memorable moments between them. From the first time she’d taken his order for espresso, to the party on the yacht, the time when he’d come to the taverna to give her his business card, when he’d unstuck her heel from the pavement, when she’d accompanied him to the meetings with Galatis, when he’d insisted she stay at his house to recover from her ankle.
There were so many.
And of course, the weekend in Santorini.
She couldn’t erase Dominic from her mind if she tried.
But maybe like it was with Jonas, she would in time. It would happen gradually.
Their night together had been too potent, too intense. He’d taken her mind, body and soul, taken her heart and ruined her for other men.
“Here we go!” Stefanos returned with a tray of six tequila shots.
Eleni looked horrified. “I said one each!” At this rate, Miranda was going to throw up and then fall asleep.
Miranda clapped her hands together with glee.
“It was buy-one-get-one-free offer.” Stefanos pouted as if he were a naughty child who’d taken too many sweets. “Relax. You’ve been so uptight, Leni. Should I even ask why?”
As always Stefanos could read her like a book, but thankfully, with Miranda around, he hadn’t been able to catch her alone to interrogate her.
“I’m just tired, that’s all,” she lied.
“Okay, let’s go then,” Stefanos lifted his shot glass. “Ready!” They lifted their glasses and downed them in one. Miranda shivered, and Stefanos grinned, Eleni felt even more lightheaded. She pushed her glass away. “I’m done. I can’t have anymore.”
“Lightweight,” Miranda poked her in jest.
“Oh, I’m a lightweight, am I?” Eleni side-eyed her friend. It was good to see her friend letting her hair down and Eleni wished she could feel the same, but she wasn’t going to feel that trouble free for a while.
Getting over Dominic would take time.
Stefanos sat down, and Miranda did too. “Are you going to tell me what’s the matter?” He pushed another shot glass towards her.
Eleni pushed it away from her again. “Not now. I’ve drunk too much.” She didn’t feel so great. Fanning her face, she looked around, trying to find an exit in case she needed to throw up. That’s when she caught sight of the bodyguard. At six foot something, dressed all in black and looking as out of place as an iceberg in the desert, Sven was impossible to miss.
