Chapter Six

“It’s okay, nothing cracked or broken. Like I thought, I’ve bruised my lower back very badly. They’ve given me a crutch and a prescription for anti-inflammatories, and I just need to take it easy for the next couple of days.” Frankie waved the walking aid at Ali, who had been sat waiting for her in the X-ray department of St. Nektarios.

“Right, no heavy work for you in the shelter over the weekend then.” Ali rose up from her seat. “Come on, Francesca, we’d better get you home. You can phone your mum to tell her that everything’s okay. Hopefully, Stavros will have the boiler fixed by the time we’ve returned.”

Frankie noticed how tired Alison was looking. First Pavlos’s big tax bill, then Mrs Tsitakis’s decision not to give money to KATS anymore, and now the shelter’s boiler had failed. A series of financial blows had rained down, and things were looking tough. As she hobbled down the hospital corridor with the aid of her crutch, a cloud of guilt descended over her as she realized that the donations from Nik Kontarinis and the fire station would have come in very handy right now.

On the journey back from Paragolis to Agia Kalamaros, in Ali’s battered old Land Rover that had the KATS logo on its side, Frankie sat looking out of the window at the verdant landscape of the mountain valley, brooding.

“I had a call from Nik Kontarinis earlier this morning.” Ali’s voice broke into her ruminations. “Why didn’t you tell me he’d offered to get the dog he brought in the other week adopted?”

What? Frankie was startled. “Oh…uh…he came into the shelter yesterday and talked about it. But we didn’t finalize anything.” Well, that was true enough, wasn’t it? But what the hell was he doing, phoning Ali and telling her about the adoption?

“His idea for the dog to become the fire station’s mascot is terrific—great PR for us. And he mentioned he told you that both he and the klimakia would be making donations, which will be most welcome.” Ali slowed the Land Rover to a halt as they came up behind a farmer herding some goats. She turned to Frankie. “It would have been nice to know that. I could have had one less sleepless night.”

Frankie heard Ali’s gentle sarcasm and rubbed her clammy palms on her jeans, a sensation of panic gripping at her gut. “Sorry. My backside was so painful, I got distracted.”

“He also mentioned he’d asked you again if he could take you out to dinner to celebrate the adoption.” Ali swung her a sideways glance, then changed gears, ready to move off now that the farmer had rounded up all his wayward, bleating goats and ushered them onto the side of the road. “Would that be why it suddenly slipped your mind?”

Frankie shifted in her seat so that she could look at Ali, as much as her nagging coccyx would allow her. Her head was reeling. He’d performed another pincer movement on her to get his own way. She wanted to scream with frustration. She didn’t want reveal to Ali all of what had gone on. But how else could she avoid getting herself hopelessly tangled up any further in this web of Nik’s making? She had to say something. “Oh, Ali, I’m so sorry. You know I don’t want to get involved with him. But it’s not as simple as that. He…he insisted that I have dinner with him. What was I to do? It felt like he was blackmailing me.”

“Blackmailing you? More like keen. It’s only an invitation to have a meal with him, love.”

“But it’s not, is it?” Frankie blurted, emotion bubbling up. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Ali the whole story, that he had made the adoption conditional on having dinner. Because shrewd Ali might start asking more questions, and then she’d have to explain about that kiss.

“Aren’t you overreacting a little? He also said he wanted to take you out to thank you for looking after the dog.”

“That’s news to me,” she mumbled, hating Nik’s skillful spinning and knowing she sounded sulky.

Ali let out a long sigh. “I know you’re feeling very raw still. All that’s happened with Andrew and Becky, and then the baby; it’s been awful and horrible. Look, I know you’re going to tell me that I don’t know how much because I’ve been married for nearly thirty years…” She raised a hand off the steering wheel to wave away the protest that was just about to spill out of Frankie’s lips. “But, love, aren’t you making things worse for yourself by turning into a hermit? Ever since you arrived in Agia Kalamaros, you’ve been hiding in the shelter, with a face as miserable as a wet weekend in winter. Wouldn’t it do you good to start getting out again? How about giving it a go with Nik? He’s a good man. He just wants to show his gratitude.”

“Well, that’s me told,” Frankie muttered, stung by the other woman’s blunt assessment of her recent mood, and despairing that somehow Nik had turned the tables on her yet again. “I’m sorry about the self-pity. But I’m not having dinner with a man who’s tried to coerce me.”

Ali reached across to pat Frankie’s leg affectionately, while still keeping her eyes on the road. “When did you start taking life so seriously? Look…your mum’s old friend is not the most tactful person in the world…but I have to tell you that Pav and I have been quite worried about you since you got here, wondering where the lovely, smiling girl has gone who we used to hear about and see in the photos your mother sent us when she wrote. You remind me of a porcupine, quills ready to defend against assumed predators and denying yourself happiness.”

“Porcupine! Oh, Ali, I appreciate your concern, but I can’t see how having dinner with Nik Kontarinis could be a happy experience.”

Ali gave her a wise smile. “You know what? To quote Shakespeare, the lady doth protest too much, methinks. You sound very like a woman who is trying to convince herself that the opposite is true. You really do fancy him, don’t you?”

Frankie didn’t reply as she felt her cheeks flame up. She turned away again to look back out of the car window, feeling even more guilty and cornered. Ali had hit the nail on the head. And Nik had pulled another one over her in his determination to get her to do his bidding. How on earth was she going to let Ali know that the money and publicity she was hoping for wouldn’t be forthcoming because she refused to have anything more to do with him?

Nik stretched back and let the warm, bubbling water in the hot tub in his bathroom ease the tension in his shoulders. He couldn’t lounge for too long; Kostas and Theo would be would be here soon. They were going up to KATS to meet the dog for the first time.

He’d been working with Alison at the shelter this last fortnight to organize the animal’s adoption, and Kostas’s home had now been examined and approved as suitable for the animal, as had the arrangements at the fire station. Frankie remained a thorn in his side, her fierce rejection of him still rankling. He sighed to himself. As Sergei and Dimitri had wasted no time in letting him know when he’d told the tale to them, he’d let his brain migrate to his trousers for a while where she was concerned. But for the time being, reluctantly, he had put thoughts of her to one side. He hadn’t seen anything of her since that night at the bar when he’d offered her his deal.

He wasn’t going to stand in the way of Theo getting his new pet and Kostas his station mascot. And in talking to Alison, he’d picked up that KATS was struggling for money, needing a new boiler, and the donations and the publicity that had been promised would make all the difference. So his brain had returned to where it belonged, and he’d made those things his immediate priority. As for Frankie, she was infuriating, stubborn, and passionate. Which only made him want her more—he would return his attention to her soon…

“Theios Nik! Theios Nik!” He heard Theo’s excited voice echo around the hall downstairs. Aspasia, his housekeeper, must have let the little boy and Kostas in. He hauled himself out of the tub and wrapped a towel around his waist, ready to greet them. He went out onto the landing.

“Hey!” He scooped up Theo as the child launched himself at him. “Are you ready to see the dog?”

Theo’s expression became serious as he gave a big nod.

“Have you thought of a name for her yet?”

Theo shook his head slowly and solemnly.

“Okay. I am sure when you meet her, you will know what you want to call her.” He looked to Kostas over Theo’s head. “Just give me ten minutes to get dressed, and then I will drive us up to the shelter.”

As they turned onto the forecourt of KATS in Nik’s other car, a four-wheel drive, he experienced a rush of anticipation as he wondered if he would see Frankie. He realized that, despite trying not to, he was hoping he would, and also feeling a little edgy at the prospect. He checked himself. They’d arranged this appointment with Alison. Most likely, Frankie would be nowhere to be seen. Even if she was, she wouldn’t want much to do with him.

He wrapped Theo’s small fingers in his and led him to the shelter’s entrance, Kostas walking behind them. He peered into the reception room.

“Ah, kalo apogevma.” Alison came forward to greet them.

Nik shook her proffered hand but couldn’t prevent himself from glancing over her shoulder, just in case Frankie might be around too. But all he saw was a plump elderly lady with permed grey hair, dressed in a neat blouse and slacks. More disappointment washed over him than he cared to acknowledge.

“This is Gladys,” Ali said. “One of our volunteers.”

He politely shook Gladys’s hand too, then introduced Kostas and Theo.

“If you want to follow me, we will go and see the dog. She’s the picture of health now, much more friendly and lively. She recovered nicely after being spayed last week,” Alison explained in fluent Greek, gesturing towards the entrance to the kennels.

“Theios Nik, what does spayed mean?” Theo piped up as they walked through.

Nik hesitated, not knowing how to reply, and looked at Kostas, who pursed his lips. Luckily, Alison was ready to field the question. “It means that the dog has had a little operation, so that when she’s ready, she can come and live with you.”

When they entered the kennels, Theo pulled his hand away from Nik’s and put both palms over his ears as they were met by a chorus of woofs, gruff barks, and keening.

It was then that Nik espied the tall, blonde-haired figure standing alongside the runs, holding the dog on a lead. She was wearing a fifties-style, cornflower-blue cotton sundress with lace on the edges. Its thin straps revealed her sun-kissed shoulders, and it cinched in over a full skirt to show off her slender waist. His heart squeezed—pure Grace Kelly. But what really struck him was how she was smiling broadly as she fought to restrain the animal, which was lurching forward as though she knew two of the strangers in front of her were her new owners. This was a happy, relaxed Frankie he had never encountered before—and she had him captivated and dying to make love to her all over again.

He stood back and gestured to Kostas to take his son to meet their prospective pet. The dog had flopped onto her backside, her tail sweeping across the floor. Frankie dropped down onto her haunches, showing no sign of that fall she’d had a fortnight ago, and, after gently prying his hands from his ears, put a reassuring arm around Theo. She took the child’s hand. Whispering reassurance to him, she guided it carefully to the dog’s ear so he could stroke her. The animal inclined her head, then started tonguing Theo’s palm. The boy giggled. Forgetting his shyness, he looked up at Frankie and said something in Greek.

She looked around, and Nik realized she was searching for him to interpret, which had something inside of him tightening. “Theo said, ‘the dog is licking me!’” he explained.

“Okay. Can you tell Theo she is showing him she trusts him? Would he like her to live with him and his daddy?”

Nik came forward to the group and duly passed on the message.

“Nai! Yes!” Theo’s face cracked into a huge smile. “Theios Nik, can we take her home today?”

Frankie gave Theo a hug when she heard Nik’s translation. “She has to stay here for a little while longer, sweetie. But you can come and visit her any afternoon you want to get to know her a little better. And then you can take her to your house in a week or two. Does that sound okay?”

Nik knelt down too, his gaze lingering on Frankie. She caught his glance almost shyly from under her lashes. Then she flicked her attention to Theo, who nodded his head enthusiastically when Nik told him the process.

“Why don’t we start getting to know her by taking her for a walk around the front yard? You can help me hold her lead,” Frankie said, straightening up.

Nik watched as she carefully guided the little boy along the run and into the reception room, helping him hold the dog as they walked. She was patient, warm, and tender with the child, great with the animals, and with none of the hostility he’d encountered in her before in evidence. He was heartened; there was more to this woman than the beautiful exterior that met the eye, as he’d suspected.

He rose, turned to Kostas, and gave his friend a pat on the shoulder. “I think your boy has found his friend.”

Both men and Alison went through to the forecourt too, where Frankie was now helping Theo walk the dog around. At intervals, she showed the boy how to instruct the animal to sit and then walk on and feed her treats as rewards. “I’ve been training her for you,” she said in English. That surprised Nik; clearly, she’d taken a lot of time and care. He decided to go over and thank her.

As he approached her, she looked up. That familiar poker face, which she reserved only for him, slipped back into place.

“Hello, Frankie. I want to congratulate you. It is obvious that you have put a lot into getting the animal well and trained for Kostas and Theo to take her. Thank you.”

He could see she appreciated the compliment by the way her expression lightened ever so slightly. “I want everything to go as well as possible.”

He nodded. “I’m sure it will.” He turned to Theo, who had his arms wrapped around the dog’s neck now. “Have you thought of a name for her?”

Theo shook his head, and Nik relayed this to Frankie.

“We named her Até, after the ancient goddess of mischief. She can be quite naughty when she wants to be,” she offered. “She stole another dog’s dinner the other night.”

Nik laughed. “What do you think about that, mikro mou?” he asked Theo in Greek. “Does Até sound like a good name for her?”

“Aah-teh.” Theo sounded it out. He stopped to think for a moment. “Nai.” And then buried his face in her muzzle.

“Then she is Até.” Nik turned to Frankie, who was absorbed by the sweet sight of Theo and the dog together. Without thinking, he touched her on the shoulder to regain her attention, his fingertips making contact with the soft golden skin on her upper shoulder. “Frankie—”

Instantly, the atmosphere changed, and she jumped like he’d given her an electric shock. “Oh!”

His fingers fell away, also feeling like a current had passed through them. He swallowed and took a step back.

“I am sorry. I did not mean to startle you. Can we discuss arrangements for Theo to visit Até? The school holidays are starting, so he won’t be at kindergarten from next week.”

At first, she didn’t reply. He thought he detected uncertainty in her, as though she was wrestling with her response. Then her chin lifted and she folded her arms. “You’ll have to discuss that with Alison,” she said firmly.

Nik searched her face. Her features were set, but her blue eyes were wide…and if he wasn’t mistaken, shiny with moisture. Despite her rebuttal, she was struggling, he could tell, with this barely leashed attraction between them.

“I will do that,” he replied politely. “Thank you again for your help.” He turned on his heel, signaling to Kostas to come and take care of his son as he walked past him. He reached into the breast pocket of his shirt and withdrew his new sunglasses. It could only be a matter of time until she capitulated and he could take her into his bed for as long as it pleased him…he just had to work out how.