Page 38 of Love Among the Ruins
Miranda looked guilty. “His father isn’t nice. He’s bossy. He likes to think he’s important. I know he is, but the way he talks to everyone else isn’t nice. They’re all like that, even Alexander. Dominic is bossy, yes, moody and mean a lot of the time, but he’s the nicest of them all.”
Eleni was puzzled. She’d seen a little of that behaviour, but he’d been mostly nice to her.
“He’s different with you,” Miranda commented, when Eleni remained silent.
“You think so?” She was all ears to discover another opinion on the matter.
“He doesn’t talk to you the way he talks to everyone else. Are you and Dominic …” Miranda winced. “Just good friends?”
The way she said ‘good friends’ indicated something weighty behind those words and when she blushed a few seconds later, Eleni got the drift.
“We’re not friends. It’s nothing like that!” It was definitely NOTHING like that. “I’m just an employee, like you.”
“We should try and get some lunch together one day,” Eleni offered. She didn’t have any friends here, and that’s what was lacking.
“Lunch?” Miranda’s face brightened. “That would be nice. How about one day next week?”
Eleni smiled, genuinely feeling happy. “My schedule is free. I can go whenever you want.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you came the first time for your interview.”
Eleni thought back to her interview. That moment seemed like a lifetime ago.
“He’s such an important man, nobody sees him without an appointment. You can’t show up and demand to see him, and that’s why I thought … and… “Miranda visibly swallowed, tuning Eleni in to her discomfort. “You’re so pretty and … I thought maybe …”
Eleni dipped her head, falling into this unnecessary delusional rumor. “You thought?”
“That you were … a new friend or something …”
“A new friend?” She wanted to ask more, but Miranda’s face was so red, Eleni was worried she might explode. “Let’s talk privately when we meet for lunch.”
* * *
DOMINIC
“What is she working on?” Linus asked, carrying a wad of papers in his hands.
“She?” Dominic asked, distracted. He rifled through the paperwork Linus had landed on his desk.
“The new person.”
Dominic’s mind was still on the dinner date he couldn’t get out of. It was something he didn’t need this weekend, but business was a matter of nurturing relationships. Tomorrow’s meeting was at one of Athen’s newest restaurants. An investor Dominic was keen on doing business with had invited him to join him and his wife for dinner there.
“Eleni?” Good job he remembered her name.
“What have you got her doing?”
“Something.” Dominic was deliberately being vague.
“She’s sitting with Agnes and Isidora?”
“And?”
“Is she up to the task?” Linus asked, clearly not happy about the way in which Dominic had suddenly hired her.
“Yes, she’s up to the task. Whatever Agnes and Isidora are working on, Eleni is more than capable of doing.”
“Are you sure?”
