The Greek Tycoon (9 page)

“Katie, will you shut up and listen for
ten seconds? I…am…not…dumping…you.”

“Why have you been weird with me
tonight then?”

“Rhiannon said something tonight

which has un-nerved me.”

“What did she say?”

“That you were miserable when you
got back from Greece on Sunday. That one
night she went into your room and you were
crying. I don’t know what the hell I’ve done
Kate! During the meal I was reflecting back
on the holiday and I couldn’t think of one
thing. What did I do Kate? Why was you so
upset after what I thought was a perfect
holiday?”

“She is in big trouble.”

“Why because she loves you?”

“She knows better than to say such
things.”

“Stop blaming an innocent five year old
and tell me what I done to upset you.”

“You didn’t do anything! I hate it when
we part Andreus. I’m sorry if that makes you
uncomfortable when you find it so easy
but…”

“Easy?! You think it’s easy for me to
leave you at your parents every Sunday night?
Or to watch you get on a plane and leave me?
I hate it as much as you do Kate. I spend the
time we are apart holed up in my office or
study. I want a normal relationship as much as
you do, I want to be able to take you out every
night, I want to wake up next to you every

morning, I want to come home from the office
and find you there, but we cant be like that!
You’re life is here, my business is in Greece.
We knew that nine weeks ago when we
started this relationship.”

“Why haven’t you asked us to move to
Greece?”

“Because of Rhiannon.”

“I thought you like my daughter.”

“I do! I adore her you know that.”

“But not enough to live with her full
time.”

“Katie, I don’t want her life turned
upside down. We’ve only been together for
two months I cant expect you to mover over
there after such a short time! I love you but
we need to prove this can work first, if we can
make this arrangement work then we can talk
about you both moving over.”

“Do you see us having a future
Andreus? Can you imagine wanting to marry
me at some point? Having babies together?
Do you want those things?”

“Yes I do, all of the above. But baby it’s
too soon.”

“All I need to know is that you want
this to work, that you do see a future.” The
tears came back. “I need to know you don’t
see this as a short term relationship. Then I
can accept things as they are. I fall in love

with you more every time I see you, and I
know the longer this lasts the more it is going
to hurt when it’s over.”

“Katie I am crazy about you, I want to
be with you for the rest of my life but we need
more time before we uproot Rhiannon. And
please never doubt how much I feel for that
child I adore you both.”

“Ok.”

“So will you please stop this ridiculous
notion that I’m going to run? I am going to do
everything I can to make this work.”

“That’s all I needed to hear.” She
walked over to him and wrapped her arms
around his waist. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“And just for the record. Rhiannon and
I would move to Greece tomorrow if you
asked us.”

Chapter 20

At the beginning of December Andreus
and Katie were still going strong, he was on
the phone to Nikos two weeks before
Christmas. “How are things going with
Kate?” Nikos asked.

“Brilliantly, I’m crazy about her.”

“Yet you are still living in different

countries?”

“Not for much longer. I’m going to
propose.”

“When?”

“At midnight on New Years Eve.” He
had it all planned, he was going to take Katie
out in the garden of the mansion just before
the clocks strike twelve and propose. He had
the ring ordered from the best jewellers in
Athens, it was a unique diamond solitaire, the
cut was a one off.

“That’s great! What are you doing for
Christmas?”

“Heather, Gregory and Ellie are coming
over from the twenty third until the twenty
eighth then Katie and Rhiannon are staying
until the fourth of January. What about you?
Why aren’t you coming home?”

“Because it will be a nightmare with
Sophia, the airports will be jammed it just
seems pointless. We’ll be home in February
hopefully, things seem to be running pretty
smoothly at the moment.”

“That’s good at least. So what will you
be doing Christmas day?”

“We’ve been invited to the Johnson’s.”

“That’s nice.” Melvin Johnson was
Theo’s best friend, they had met at university
in America an both families were still very
close.

“I’d better go Andreus, I’ve got a
meeting in ten minutes.”

“Ok, my flight leaves for London soon
anyway. Take care, give our love to Mel and
Sophia.”

“I will.”

Katie, Rhiannon, Heather, Gregory and
Ellie arrived in Athens on the twenty third of
December and Andreus was waiting for them
in arrivals. Katie ran over and threw herself in
his arms. “Hi gorgeous.” He smiled.

“Hi.” The others followed slower
smiling. He led them outside to a waiting
limousine.

“Wow! Now this is luxury!” Ellie
smiled as she sank into the back of the car.

“I’m glad you like it.” Andreus
laughed. “Did you all have a good journey?”

“Yes apart from the delay.” Gregory
smiled.

Katie used his tie to pull him close for a
kiss then said. “You are pretty dressed up for
an airport trip.”

“I’ve just come from the office.”

“It’s the holidays!” Gregory said.

“Exactly, I was doing some paperwork
so I could enjoy the holidays.” Andreus
laughed.

They had a lovely lazy Christmas
together, the parents all got on well and
Andreus was getting impatient for New Years
Eve. He had considered proposing earlier but
he wanted the perfect moment and he couldn’t
get the ring until New Years Eve anyway.

Chapter 21

Katie was upstairs in Andreus’ bedroom
checking her reflection in the mirror, it was
like looking at a stranger. Andreus had
arranged for a hairdresser and beautician to
spend the afternoon pampering her. Her hair
was loosely curled and pinned up, her make
up was subtle and stunning and the beautiful
burgundy ball gown he had bought her shaped
her curves an settled on the floor covering the
matching shoes. She checked the time and
went into the adjoining room where Rhiannon
was staying with Olympus.

“Mummy, you look like a princess!”
Rhiannon smiled.

“Thank you sweetheart.”

“I wish I could come to the New Years
party.”
“You know you can’t. Good night baby,
be good for Olympus. I’ll only be downstairs
if you need me.”

“Ok. Have fun.” Rhiannon kissed Katie

then Katie went downstairs to the huge
ballroom where Andreus was talking to his
parents and the first few guests, he looked
over and excused himself from the group
before walking over smiling.

“How do I look?” Katie smiled.

“Stunningly beautiful.” He kissed her.

“Thank you. I’ve missed you today, I
haven’t seen you since breakfast.”

“I had a few errands to run whilst you
were being pampered.”

“Well I hope I will get at least a few
minutes with you tonight.”

“Of course sweetheart. You will be
lucky if I let you out of my sight looking like
that with the amount of men who will be
coming.”
“I only have eyes for one man.”

“Really? Who’s that?”

“Carlos, the stable boy of course.” She
laughed.

“Don’t tease me Katie, or I will drag
you upstairs and show you exactly who you
have eyes for.”

“You are not a Neanderthal.”

“I can be.” Andreus laughed.

“Such promises Andreus.” Katie
winked as the guests started arriving.

As Katie had expected they were
separated quite regularly during the evening
but she was enjoying herself mingling with
the guests, drinking champagne and turning
down offers of dances with countless men.

She was standing alone for the first
time that evening when a tall beautiful redhead
walked towards her, she looked
extremely striking in a full length tight white
gown with a lace over lay. “So you are the
English girlfriend who everyone is talking
about?” She smiled. “I’m Courtney Lennox.”

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Listen.” Courtney whispered coldly. “I
hope you don’t think you are the only
girlfriend Andreus has.” Katie looked taken
aback. “Oh bless you do!” She laughed. “Well
you are not. He has different women in each
city he does business in.”

“That’s rubbish! He spends every
weekend in London with me.”

“What do you think he does the rest of
the week? Remain celibate? Grow up, he’s a
man. He spends the rest of the week with
Leoni, his Greek mistress. Then there is
Giselle in Paris, Keeley in Sidney, Isabella in
Milan and me in New York. Before you he
had Sharron in London.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Has he ever asked you to move to

Greece Katie?”

“We are waiting because…”

“We are all waiting, he’s told us all that
eventually he will move us here and marry us.
What makes you think you are so special?”

“You’re a liar.”

“He will never marry you Katie. Why
would he want to marry a poor little single
mother? If I were you I would leave before he
makes you look an even bigger fool.”

“Excuse me.” Katie calmly walked
away and walked towards Sophia who was
talking to an elderly guest.

“I must say I was rather surprised when
I heard Andreus had started seeing an English
single mother.” She heard the elderly lady say.

“Yes me too. Katie is a lovely girl and
her daughter is adorable but I’m not very
pleased about Andreus and Katie. I don’t want
him marrying a single mother., women should
stay innocent until marriage and she is
certainly not that. And I really hoped Andreus
would marry a Greek girl.” Katie felt the tears
well in her eyes, she rushed out of the room
and upstairs before they could fall.

Once in Andreus’ bedroom she quickly
changed into denim jeans and a roll neck
jumper, called a taxi, wrote Andreus a quick
letter and then went to wake Rhiannon up.

She dressed her quickly and quietly before
going downstairs and outside to wait for the
taxi. When it arrived she told the driver to
take them to the airport.

*

Andreus was looking around the room
for Katie, he hadn’t seen her for over an hour,
it was ten minutes to midnight and he wanted
to take her out to the garden to propose. He
walked over to Sophia. “Mama, have you
seen Katie?”

“Not for a while. Maybe she has gone
upstairs to check on Rhiannon.”

“Ok thanks.” Andreus ran upstairs and
went into their bedroom, her gown was laid
on the bed with a note laying on the top. He
felt his heart racing as he opened it.

DEAR ANDREUS

BY THE TIME YOU GET THIS
NOTE I’M HOPING TO BE ON A FLIGHT
TO LONDON.

I KNOW YOUR DIRTY
LITTLE SECRETS ABOUT HOW YOU
TREAT YOUR DIFFERENT WOMEN IN
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND I DO NOT
WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT. MAYBE
IF YOU HAD TOLD ME AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE RELATIONSHIP

THAT YOU ONLY WANTED A CASUAL
FLING I WOULD HAVE ACCEPTED THAT
BUT YOU HAVE BLATANTLY LIED TO
MY FACE EVERYDAY.

I ALSO KNOW HOW YOUR
PARENTS DISAPPROVE OF ME AND
RHIANNON.

DON’T COME AFTER ME OR
CALL ME, IT’S OVER FOR GOOD THIS
TIME. GOODBYE ANDREUS.

FROM KATIE

“What the hell!” Andreus threw the
note on the bed and ran out of the room he
went straight downstairs and bumped into his
mother.

“Did you find her?”

“No, no thanks to you.”

“Excuse me!” Sophia looked stunned.

“We’ll talk later.” He picked up his car
keys.

“Where are you going?” She called.

“The airport.” He raced to the airport
and looked at the departure board for a flight
to London, there wasn’t a flight so he ran over
to the information desk. “Excuse me, has
there been a flight to London tonight?”

“The last flight left twenty minutes ago

sir.”

“Was there a Katie and Rhiannon
Marsden on the flight?”

“I’m sorry sir, I cant give you that
information.”

“Please! They’re English I just want to
make sure they are safe.”

“Ok, I could lose my job for this.”

“No one else will ever know.” Andreus
smiled. She typed in the flight details.

“Yes, they are both on that flight.”

“Damn it!” Andreus punched the desk.
“Thank you for your help.” He walked away
with a heavy heart.

When he arrived back at the mansion
the guests had left and he found Theo and
Sophia in the study, he walked in and went to
the bar, pouring himself a whiskey. “Where
did you run off to?” Theo asked.

“The airport.”

“Why?”

“Katie and Rhiannon have gone back to
London.”

“Did you have an argument?”

“No, some spiteful son of a bitch has
been telling her a bunch of bullshit about me
and she left without saying a word to me. I
think it was one of you.”

“What?” Theo stood up. “Why would

you think that?”

“She left me a note saying she knew
my dirty ways with women, that you two
disapprove of her and that we’re over. Do you
disapprove of my relationship with Kate?”

“No!” Theo defended himself.

“Mama?”
“Well, I’m not thrilled about you being
with a single mother…”

“I’m thirty one years old! I make my
own decisions. Did you tell her a pack of lies
about me being with other women?”