Four weeks have passed, and I haven't had the pleasure of seeing Dimitri Kouris' handsomeness. Thoughts of him occupy my mind three or four times a day, proving that he has become ingrained in my thoughts. Whether during my lunch break or before drifting off to sleep, my mind inevitably wanders to him. August has arrived in Santorini, bringing with it hot days gradually cooling off. As the holiday season approaches, we anticipate a surge in activity. Apart from Mother's Day and Valentine's Day, the winter months tend to be our busiest.
Elias asks me about my plans for the evening as we sit at our desks. Since there are no trucks scheduled to arrive for unloading in the afternoon, I contemplate leaving early. "I don't have any plans," I respond with a shrug, glancing at him. "What about you?"
"Elias invited both of us to a wine tasting. I think you should come," he suggests. I hum in response, not feeling particularly inclined to dress up and go out this afternoon. "Eh, I don't know. I'm kind of tired."
"Dimitri will be there," he adds, raising an eyebrow at me.
"What makes you think I'd care if Dimitri was there or not?" I smile, feeling a twinge of excitement at the thought of seeing Dimitri again. Elias laughs and reclines in his chair. "Oh, please. I'm not naive. I see you daydreaming about him almost every second of the day."
"I do not!" I laugh, well aware that I'm telling a blatant lie."Sure," he says, rolling his eyes. "Just come. It'll be fun."
"Fine," I smile. "But only because you asked me, not because you mentioned Dimitri." Elias gives me a knowing look, both of us aware that I'm lying once again. "I'll pick you up at five."
Before I know it, five o'clock arrives sooner than expected. I leave work at four and spend the next hour pacing around my apartment, making sure I look presentable, and contemplating what I might say to him if I see him. I hear a knock on my door and grab my purse and phone before opening it. "Hey, Elias," I greet him once the door is open.
"Ready to go?" He smiles at me, appreciating my appearance. "You look lovely."
"Thank you. So do you. Trying to impress Adrian, I see," I wink at him, descending the stairs and stepping out onto the street. "No more than you're trying to impress Dimitri," he says, raising an eyebrow at me as we get into his car.
I bite my lip, knowing his observation holds some truth. I've spent ages making sure my choice of outfit isn't too plain or too extravagant, which led to hours of staring at my closet. Eventually, I settled on a simple yellow sundress paired with wedges. "Okay, you caught me."
During the car ride to the wine tasting, Elias talks about his deepening relationship with Adrian and how he believes Adrian might be the one. The look in his eyes and the ear-to-ear smile indicate his genuine commitment. Unlike our initial meeting, when sadness and heartbreak clouded his eyes, he now exudes happiness and radiates even brighter. Adrian seems to have heightened the level of positivity in Elias' life, a quality I deeply admire as I notice how Elias brings out the best in him. "We're here," Elias smiles, pulling into a sparsely occupied parking lot.
"Why aren't there many people here?" I inquire, stepping out of the car and walking with Elias towards the building. The wine tasting is taking place on the building's rooftop, and I can hear laughter and conversation drifting down to us from above.
"No, it's more of an intimate gathering. The wine producer invited only his closest friends. He did mention that his friends could invite others, so Adrian invited us," he explains. I nod as we enter the elevator, feeling nervous and contemplating what I should say to Dimitri. "Just say hi," Elias whispers in my ear as the elevator doors open, revealing a rooftop bustling with people.
I take a deep breath and follow Alex through the crowd, finding Adrian in the centre. "Calliope! So wonderful to see you again, darling," Adrian beams upon spotting me, greeting me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"I saw you yesterday, Adrian," I chuckle, returning his embrace and planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "Well, with your beautiful face, it's always a pleasure to see you, regardless of the time," he says, giving Elias a quick kiss. "The same goes for this one," he adds, eliciting a smile from Elias.
"Well, I'm going to wander around and try some wine. I'll see you boys in a little bit," I smile before walking over to a table and picking up a glass containing a small amount of wine.
Moving from table to table, I sample various wines until I find one that captivates me. "Be careful not to get too drunk," a familiar voice with a distinct accent says from behind me, causing my heart to race. "Hello, Calliope. It's been four weeks, right?"
"It certainly has," I reply, clearing my throat before turning around to face him. His beauty still takes my breath away as I admire his neatly styled hair and his white suit. "A white suit at a wine tasting. Very clever, Dimitri Kouris, the artist," I tried mimicking. "I must maintain my reputation as the best-dressed," he says back at me. "Although you already outshone me on that front once before, Calliope Bullock, the florist."
I raise my eyebrows, crossing my arms. "Oh really? When?"
"At my art exhibition. You were undoubtedly the best-dressed. I felt intimidated," he chuckles. "I expected more from you today."
I laugh, glancing down at my dress and smoothing it out with my hands. "So you don't think I'm dressed nicely enough?" I tease, feigning hurt. "I never said that. It's a lovely dress. I just thought you could step up your game," he says, flashing a smile that could win any girl's heart. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"
"Hmm, I don't know," I muse, glancing between him and the wine glass in my hand. "Convince me why I should leave this delightful party to go on a walk with you."
He chuckles softly, shaking his head and looking at me with amusement dancing in his eyes. "You should leave this delightful party and go on a walk with me because I want you to," he says, and I can't help but smile, captivated by the way his nose moves when he speaks.
"Okay then, only because you want me to. Not because I enjoy spending time with you or anything." Of course, it's primarily because I enjoy spending time with him, but that's a secret I don't plan on revealing anytime soon.