Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Below the sweater, there was a gray knee-length skirt with pockets and a thick cotton belt that tied around the waist. There was a clip to the side that held a tortoise shell thin-strap watch. And finally, at the bottom of the bag, were simple nude flats.
I tilted my head to the side, unable to fight off the smile at how much I loved the entire ensemble. It felt strangely… me. The colors were neutral, but the style was fun and quirky, as if Theo had jumped inside my head and picked out exactly what I would love to wear if I knew anything at all about fashion.
And yet… I was confused.
This wasn’t his usual choice of a long, flowy, sparkling dress to take me out on the town to wine and dine. And besides, we were on an island… why in the world would I need long sleeves?
I searched the bag for a note, but found nothing, and one look at the clock had me panicking at the thought of figuring out what to do with my hair and makeup in the hour I had to get ready.
So, for the moment, I put my anxiety on hold and flew downstairs to find Emma, begging her to help me.
She obliged with a squeal of delight, and at six o’clock sharp, I was on the tender with Wayland and headed to shore.
Theo wasn’t waiting for me at the dock, like I expected. Nor was he in the sleek black car that picked me up and drove me across the island. I was alone in my thoughts as the sun set over the water, and my knee bounced along to the lovely Greek music playing on the driver’s radio.
We pulled to the side of a narrow street about twenty minutes after leaving the dock, and the driver told me I would need to walk the rest of the way, given the nature of Santorini’s cobblestone alleyways and stairs. He handed me a slip of paper with clear directions on it, as well as a phone number, in case I got lost. Then, I was on my own.
It was like walking in a dream as I followed the directions through the tiny streets to my next destination. The setting sun cast the white buildings in brilliant shades of orange and pink, the sky slowly faded into dusk, and all over town, lights began to flick on one by one. There was a gentle breeze rolling off the water, and I was thankful for the long sleeves now that I felt how the sun setting could call in a cooler evening.
I checked the directions twice once I arrived at the destination — a bustling white building with a bright blue roof nestled between a hotel and a restaurant. There was a considerable crowd inside the building, from what I could see through the glass front doors, and two couples offered me polite smiles as they pushed past where I hesitated and let themselves in, too.
The sign above the doors read γκαλερί τέχνης.
Which meant I had zero idea of what was inside.
An older gentleman brushed past me, and when he saw the unsure look on my face, he smiled, opening one of the glass doors and gesturing for me to enter. I returned his smile as best I could, trying to soothe my stomach with a warm palm pressed against it as I slid past him and inside the building.
No, not just a building.
A gallery.
I blinked like I’d walked in from the blinding light of the sun, adjusting my purse on my shoulder as the gallery came into view. It was a small space, quaint, all-white walls and black ceilings with a mosaic-tiled floor. There were two thick wall-like dividers in the middle that separated the one room into four sort of aisleways, each one lined with artwork. The lighting was low, mostly just the up-lights illuminating the art, and soft jazz played from a speaker in the corner.
There were at least a few dozen people inside, the sound of laughter and chatter and the clinking of drinkware combining with the music to set a pleasant ambience. It was like a party, but I had no idea who the guest of honor was, what we were celebrating, or why I was here.
A lean woman dressed in all black approached me with a tray full of champagne, but I declined with a smile, confusion setting in more and more as I waited by the door for Theo.
I searched the crowd, but didn’t see him.
I searched the alleyway outside, but didn’t see him.
I scanned the crowd and the gallery again, and still, I didn’t see him.
But what I did see that second time around was so unbelievable I pinched my side to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
I tilted my head, heart picking up from a trot to a gallop as my brain tried to fight me with logic. It screamed at me all the reasons why there was no way I could possibly be seeing what I thought I was.