Page 186 of Love Among the Ruins
She replayed it again, the events of that weekend, as she had many times since. The pool, the two of them talking, sipping lemonade, getting in the pool, and ending up in her bed. It had been the best sex of her entire life. She stared at the table, her cheeks heating.
“I’m your friend, Eleni. I’m happy for you. I have fantasized about that man because ... how could anyone not? Have you seen that gorgeous butt of his? But it was all just a fantasy and nothing more. There is no way that Dominic Steele and I would ever be together. Not even in parallel universes.”
It was clear to her that Miranda was trying to put on a brave front. But what she’d just said, also rang true for Eleni. Never would she have ever thought of her and Dominic together. And yet when it had happened, it was so natural, like life taking its course. Him coming to Spetses to break the news about Galatis, even after things had turned cold between them, was the kind of thing someone who cared would do.
Maybe it wasn’t insane for the two of them to be together. What seemed insane was being apart.
Miranda continued. “I’ve walked in on him when he’s stripped off his shirt. The man can’t stand the heat, lucky for us, and if you time it right, about ten minutes after he walks in from a meeting, usually with Galatis—” She stopped. “Did you say...? Did you ... is Galatis your father? Did I make that up?” Her friend’s face turned a multitude of expressions. “Am I going mad? I did make that up. The shock of Dom being unfaithful must have mashed up my brain—”
“You heard right.”
A zucchini ball fell from Miranda’s fork. “Are you sure?”
“My mother is.”
Miranda leaned forward and reached for Eleni’s hands, shaking her head as she gazed at her with sorrowful eyes. “My dear Eleni. This is ... a bigger shock than you and Dominic being together.”
“We’re not together. We just slept together.”
Miranda fanned her face. “Do I get any details on that?”
Eleni’s insides quivered. She was lost again, her feelings for Dominic constantly flip-flopping between hate and desire.
“Forget I said that.” Miranda crunched on another zucchini ball. “Tell me everything else, from the beginning, but slow down. I can only take one piece of drama at a time.”
Eleni let out a breath. It was so difficult to say it all out loud and there was so much Miranda didn’t know—about Jonas, and the yacht, and her Mount Kilimanjaro climb. Now was the time to tell her.
She did so, slowly, and Miranda listened to it all.
