“So, my timing was off?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“It’s the argon laser, right? The moment I bring it up, the women run,” Sam said, a forced smile on his face and sadness in his eyes.
“No, no, I wish you good luck with that.” She blinked back her tears. “I’m sorry we didn’t find that treasure. You could have invested in yourself.”
“You never know. Maybe I’ll win the lotto. Which reminds me. When I do, I owe you a new wardrobe.”
“Don’t you have to buy a ticket?”
“I knew there was a catch. Buy me one when you get back to the States?”
She laughed, then stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Goodbye, Sam Fargo.”
He placed his finger beneath her chin, lifted it slightly, and kissed her on the lips. “Goodbye, Remi Longstreet.” Then, kissing her once more, he let her go, his brown eyes somber. “Safe travels.”
Remi, feeling as if there was so much more she should’ve said, watched him walk off. When he looked back, she tried to wave, but a crowd of tourists rushed into line behind her, blocking her view. With a sigh, she entered the line for security.
A white-haired woman in front of her turned a knowing gaze in her direction. “So hard saying goodbye to someone you love.”
It took a moment for Remi to realize she was talking to her. “Oh, we’re just friends.”
“Are you?” The woman’s eyes held a hint of disbelief. “I’m not sure he knows that.”
A much younger woman glanced back, and in Greek, said, “Mána, mind your own business.” Then, in English, to Remi, said, “If you haven’t guessed by now, my mother likes to insert herself into everyone’s lives.”
Recognition hit as Remi looked from the younger woman to her mother. “You were both at Tassos’s funeral. Helena?”
The older woman smiled. “That’s the beauty of these smaller islands. We’re always running into someone we know.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I should probably catch up with my daughter.”
The younger woman had already turned away, putting her carry-on and her mother’s onto the conveyor. Remi did the same, then passed through the metal detector, collecting her bag and purse on the other side. Items in hand, she looked for a quiet spot to call her own mother.
“You’re actually at the airport?”
“I’m heading to the gate now.”
“It’s probably a good thing. I’m not sure this young man you’ve met is someone you should be spending so much time with.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Sam Fargo. Olivia told me he followed you to Greece.”
Remi wasn’t sure who she was more upset with. Olivia for telling her mother, or her mother for inserting her opinion into Remi’s relationships. “Well, then. You should be happy. We broke up.”
“Oh . . . Remi. I’m sorry. Let me know if you want to talk about it. In the meantime, your father and I were thinking, why don’t you just come back to Boston? We’ll have your car shipped, your furniture put in storage, and you won’t have to worry about anything but flying home. I probably should have asked, but I changed out the colors in your room. It’s so much brighter.”
It was moments like this that reminded her why it was she’d moved all the way out to California in the first place. Their idea of how her life should run differed vastly from hers. “Mom. I’m not moving home.”
“Yes, yes. You say that now. Don’t worry, dear, we’ll talk about it when you’re back in the States.”
Trying to discuss anything with her mother once she’d set her mind on something was futile. “Boarding the plane now. Love you, bye.”
She disconnected before her mother had a chance to interject anything else.
At the gate, Helena saw Remi, and walked up. “I recognize that look,” she said.
“What look?”