ELI
The breakfast with the Summers-Servopoulous clan the following morning is a unique experience. There are loud people, children playing around us, music coming from the room next door, dogs barking, and adults laughing.
Dimos comes from a big family that lives around the island and on the mainland. One of his cousins is visiting with their family, which means ten extra people. After the first five introductions, I start losing focus and can’t remember the names of the people around me. There must be at least thirty people, and many of them share the same first name.
Rose has been busy helping her mom, Dimos’ mom, and other relatives cook for the past hour. Most women got up early in the morning to cook. Since Rose doesn’t know the Greek specialties and how to prepare them, they only need her to help for now.
I asked earlier if I could help, but the men told me that it would be better not to interrupt them. It seems silly, but it must be another cultural thing, which means respecting their wishes.
Sitting there in the sunshine, sipping my Greek-style Frappe iced coffee, is a refreshing change from my usual daily routine. Garcia has been sending me daily updates about how things are going with Dalton Enterprises. Trusting him to deal with everything accordingly, I sent him a message that I would only reply if he needed my help. It has been good to see that he is taking this seriously. I would hate to be mad at him again.
The long flight with a shitty internet connection made me realize how I need to take time off for myself too. I can’t let my business take all my time. Especially now that Rose is back in my life. She should come first every time.
Talking about Rose, it looks like breakfast, well brunch, is ready. Rose walks towards the table with a tray of bread, olives, and other snacks. Her mother is carrying something that looks like a massive bowl of Tzatziki. The Greek yogurt-based sauce is my new favorite. I would eat that with a spoon if it were socially acceptable at this moment.
My stomach feels like it will eat itself soon. All the stress and worrying made my hunger disappear for days. But now that things are returning to normal, I feel like a bear who woke up from hibernation.
Time to eat and be merry. It’s like the holidays but in the summer. I like that.
* * *
In addition to its stunning ocean views and white houses, Santorini is also known for its beautiful vineyards. I have something special planned for tonight, so I ensure that we don’t go to one when Dimos and the twins show us around the island. We stop at other tourist destinations like a beautiful black sand beach called Perissa on the island's east side. It feels like normal sand but gets its coloring due to the volcanic nature of Santorini.
Looking at Rose next to me on the beach, I can’t believe what a lucky bastard I am. Each fiber of my being is hers. There is no one else I want to have every piece of me but her.
My darling Rose. The one and the only girl I have loved. I thought I had lost her for the rest of my days. Then when I least expected it, she came back to my life. Her rosy cheeks, freckles like stars in the sky, her full lips, and beautiful curls. Oh, how much I love her—every single part of her. Do you know that feeling in your chest when you just love someone? It feels like your heart wants to get out and dance on the street while telling everyone how amazing it is to be in love. Yeah, that’s my heart right now.
Every time I see my love, I just want to take her in my arms. Hold her so she will never leave me again. If she wanted to leave, I would let her go. But I hope it doesn’t get to that. I can’t say goodbye to her again.
As the sun is setting later that day, I finally have my moment when Dimos goes back to the hostel with the boys. We’ve been eating and drinking, having a wonderful time on our date. But there are still things I need to tell her to make this day one of the most memorable days of our lives. One day, hopefully, sooner than later, I will get down on one knee and ask her to marry me. But before that, other things need to be said. Something I mentioned in my letter but haven’t had the guts to communicate face to face.
There’s a honk from the cruise ship nearby, and Rose turns around. As she sees my expression, a worried look comes across her face.
“Are you okay, babe?”
Babe. Those four letters coming from her tempting lips have never sounded as good as it does right now. “Everything is fine, sweetheart. There is just something I have wanted to tell you for a long time. So long that it hurts to think that I haven’t had a chance to do so before tonight. You see—“
A passing waitress drops her tray of wine glasses, spilling red wine everywhere and onto Rose’s beautiful yellow summer dress. Getting up hastily, she starts laughing and murmuring something about good timing and luck. I agree with her. Timing or luck is rarely on our side.
Taking hold of her hand, I lead us to the edge of the terrace that looks to the sea. It looks so peaceful now that the sun has almost set down, and the lights around us create a calm atmosphere.
“Rose, what I wanted to say before the wine shower, was that I love you more than anything else in this entire world. I want to make you a promise today. I promise you all my tomorrows, no matter what. You have them all.”
She gasps and starts flapping her palms in front of her eyes to stop the tears. Even though I don't usually mind her strongly expressing her feelings, I have made her cry too many times in this lifetime. Happy tears or not, I can’t believe I managed to do it again.
“Don’t cry, my love. Save your tears for bigger moments in our lives–when I ask you to marry me, our wedding celebration, the births of our children, their high school and college graduations. Just don’t cry now. Seeing you cry makes me want to die.”
She manages to let out a teary laugh while wiping her eyes. Her mascara is all over her lids and upper cheeks. But she hasn’t looked more beautiful than she does right now. The last rays of the sun are shining through her hair, making it look like fire.
She’s something too special for this world and me. Her following words almost make my eyes water. “I love you too, Eli. Always have, always will. You’ve had my heart since we were teens. Now, it is time to keep growing our love more.”
An urgent need flows through my body. I need to kiss her. Taste her. Feel her.
When I finally press my lips to hers, it’s like the entire world around us disappears. It’s just us and no one else. When there are catcalls and whistling behind us, I remember that we are in a public place. Thank fuck I didn’t put my hand on Rose’s ass or under her dress as I wanted.
“Look at me, love. You must know that I love you more than I love myself or anything else in this entire world. I want to have you in my life because the past seven years without you have been like my personal emotional hell. It has always been you and nobody else. I have no idea what I did to deserve you in my life, but I can’t let you go now that I have you in it. You bring the best out of me.”
Shit. I should have saved that for another moment as she weeps again. Kissing her cheeks, I taste the saltiness and feel her body heat.
