There was something about this island—something so relaxing. Or perhaps it was the company. His gaze met hers. “I hope that even though we couldn’t do business together we can still be friends.”
Surprise lit up her eyes, but in a blink it was gone. “Um...sure. No hard feelings.”
“Good. Would you care to join me for an early dinner?” When she hesitated, he added, “I’d love to hear more stories of the island and tales of your most outlandish weddings.”
Her beautiful eyes widened. Was sharing a meal really that unusual for her? Or was she surprised by his interest in the goings-on of this eventful island? But with their business concluded, this meal would be...well, it would be between friends. He liked Lea, and the way she told stories was genuinely entertaining.
“Unless, of course, you have other plans.” He hadn’t considered that. “Perhaps with your husband or boyfriend?”
She shook her head. “I’m single.”
“Good.” And then realizing how that might sound, he added, “I mean that you’re available for dinner.”
“You don’t have to pretend that you’re interested in my stories—”
“There’s no pretending. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so amused. And by stories of goats, no less.” He gestured for her to lead the way. “Shall we go?”
“Um...yes. The Hideaway Café is right this way.”
In less than two minutes, they were at the restaurant. There was a thatched roof, ceiling fans and lots of colorful art on the walls. The aroma of coffee wafted through the air.
Xander loosened his tie. Then on second thought, he slipped it off and undid the top buttons on his dress shirt. It’d been a long time since he let himself enjoy a woman’s company.
To his enjoyment, they were escorted to a patio table. It was just too nice a day to be stuck inside. Most of his life was spent in offices. This was different. And when his gaze came to rest on Lea, he decided that it was very nice indeed.
Once they’d ordered the food, he leaned back in his chair to take in the scenery. The very beautiful—very tempting—scenery. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Lea was someone he longed to know so much better.
“I never expected to find someone so—” He stopped himself from saying “beautiful” and instead said, “...so young running the island. By your accent, I’m guessing you’re not from Greece.”
“I’m not. I grew up in Seattle.”
“That’s a long way from here. So why move here? Why give up everything to run a wedding island?”
She fidgeted with a spoon on the table. “Because I wanted to learn more about my heritage. Do you know why they call this Infinity Island?”
He shook his head.
“Because when two hearts are joined here, they are joined for infinity. Not for a year or two or ten. It’s forever. That’s why we’re selective with our clientele. The happy couples that marry here come from all around the world.”
“And if you weren’t so choosy, you might not be in such a dire situation. You could have more than one wedding a week. There wouldn’t be any downtime like now.”
She frowned at him. “We aren’t in it for the money. This island is special and I won’t part with it for you to build some expensive homes for people that don’t understand the significance of the island and its history.”
“You speak like you’ve lived here your entire life.”
“Sometimes it feels that way.” She never made any secret about her past. “My mother left Greece when she fell in love with an American soldier. She followed him to the States, where I came to be.”
“So how did you end up back here?”
“My aunt never had any children of her own. I was her sole heir and she entrusted me with the island.”
“What about your mother?”
“She and my father still live in the States on a little island off the Pacific coast. My mother, well, she had a falling-out with her family.”
“I probably shouldn’t do this since I’d really like it if you would call me in the near future and sell me the island, but I have some advice to keep your business afloat.”