Chapter 26

"Be careful, Eva." Gio urged. I pushed him away playfully.

"You're the one who should be taking it easy." I teased.

He helped me out of the car, opting to stay silent on that note.

"Can I take my blindfold off yet?" I waved my arms around and gripped his forearm for support.

"Not yet—guys get over here!" I heard a couple of other people surround me. They were whispering and chuckling like school children.

It smelled so crisp and fresh outside. Gravel crunched under the pressure of my steps as we moved away from the car.

"Okay, seriously, what is going on here?"

"Here, I'll show you." Someone took my hand securely in his. It was warm and gentle.

"Will!" I chuckled. We stopped and I felt the warmth of his body behind me. He reached around and gently lifted the blindfold. We were standing in front of my Aunt's house. I looked behind at Will curiously, trying to ignore how handsome he looked in his white dress-shirt.

"Welcome home!" Gio and Charles surrounded him, grinning like fools.

"Excuse me?" My mouth dropped open.

"Tell her, Gio." Charles urged.

Gio proudly obliged, "It seems those diamonds weren't the only things your Father left you. This house was the first one that he bought with your Mother. You were actually born here."

I couldn't believe my ears. This beautiful place...now belonged to me?

I heard the sound of squealing and laughter coming from the inside as my Aunt popped out of the front door. She ran towards me shouting my real name, Nefeli.

"Oh, thank you so much." I greeted her with the biggest embrace. She was my family, the only family I had left.

"But where will she live?" I asked, surprised.

"She says she's finally going to travel the world, just like she'd always wanted. She was waiting for you to claim the property. Your Father told her you would be coming."

She nodded while he spoke.

"That's so wonderful!" I shook my head, hoping she understood me as I thanked her again profusely.

"Oh, and I do have one more surprise." Gio took my hand and led me around the back of the house, where my Aunt's well-kept gardens were—albeit riddled with a few bullet holes from the attack. I only hoped I could be as good a tenant as she was of this beautiful place. There was a table set up on the patio with drinks and food. It smelled so good, I was tempted to dig right in, before I saw five people standing by the veranda. My mouth dropped open when I realized it was Woody standing by Mr. and Mrs. McDowell as well as Holly and Jay!

Holly squealed when she saw me and we ran to each other. She immediately backed away and crossed her arms.

"Holy shit, Eva, you have some explaining to do!"

I laughed innocently, taking both of her hands in mine. "I know, and I promise I won't hide anything like this from you again."

I spent the next half hour re-telling the McDowells, Holly and Jay everything I had told the FBI and MI6, when they interrogated me. Everything was still being kept from the police because of the claim that it was a "government" matter. All I knew was that I never wanted to face tough questions like those again. Still, no one had mentioned what happened to Plymouth or Loraine, but I already had plans to ask Gio once we were finally alone.

Woody walked up beside me to refill his wine glass. I avoided the alcohol table altogether because of Dr. Jeffrey's orders. His other hard rule was no traveling for at least two weeks. Not that I minded spending time with my friends and family on an island like Santorini. Actually, it was so perfect right then as the sun sank lower, I didn't think I ever wanted to leave.

"Oh, I wanted to let you know, Charles re-scheduled your Father and Pia's funeral for this weekend."

I nodded, the thought putting me in a solemn mood. It brought an idea to mind.

"Woody, do you think he would have wanted to be buried here instead?" He looked over the acres and acres of unfenced, beautiful land.

"You know, Eva, I actually think he would have liked that very much." I smiled.

"Then that's what I'll do." I dished out some more of that delicious looking lasagna made by none other than Woody himself. He winked. "Think you'll still keep me around for a while? Even without a plane to fly?"

I laughed. "I think I would starve if I stopped having your delicious food and don't worry- " I whispered playfully. "There will be another plane soon." Holly snuck up beside me, nudging me.

Woody took that as his que to leave. "I may be only a bachelor, but I know girl talk when I see it."

I complimented her on her beautiful dress. In fact, she looked so stunning, I noticed Jay watching her a few times. I idly wondered if his relationship status had changed yet, and if there was something happening between them that I needed to catch up on.

"I must say, Eva, when you said your William was gorgeous, I had no idea he was—that gorgeous." She practically swooned when she looked over at him leaning against the veranda. He was smiling at both of us, but his eyes were settled hungrily on me. I blushed crimson.

"Maybe you could get him to introduce you to some of his secret agent friends."

"You think so?" She was almost leaping at the idea.

I laughed. "Oh, Holly, what am I going to do with you."

"You're going to find me a boyfriend." She winked. Her face turned serious as she touched my shoulder.

"I missed you so much, Eva."

I smiled. "Actually, it's Nefeli now. I think I might use it, since it is my legal name."

"I think I might get me one of those exotic names too."

We both laughed.

"I missed you too, Holly."

Gio stood by himself at the end of the patio, facing the sun. He looked so handsome in his European tailored suit. Everyone else was finally engaged in talking with each other, so I swooped in.

"It's amazing what we take for granted." His eyes never left the horizon. I smiled, nodding in agreement. He arched his eyebrow down at me, holding out his arm to me like a true Scottish gentleman.

"Care to join me for a walk, Ms. Westfield?"

"I'd be delighted, sir."

He wisely avoided the Grove, choosing the stone path into the lush garden instead. We were quiet for the longest time, soaking in the sights and smells. Finely, he looked down.

"You've grown so much, Eva. I have no doubt you're ready to take on the world."

I smiled, knowing how untrue that statement was. I thought I was ready to take life by the handful after I graduated college. I'm not one to harp much on weakness, but I was so naïve.

"I felt like I was in limbo at the hospital." Then I dared ask the question that now plagued me with nightmares—drowning nightmares.

"Did they catch him?"

Gio looked very grave. "Sadly, no; that man is too smart, Eva. The result of years of those performance drugs, he's more animal than anything else- "

"But?" I said, knowing he had more to offer.

"But- " He continued. "We managed to intercept the attack on the KGB headquarters, even though the leaders of the operation that harmed Plymouth in the first place will be properly reprimanded. And, we managed to clear your name from having anything to do with the transport of your Father's weapons to Russia." I closed my eyes, sighing with relief. It wasn't exactly what I hoped for, but it was good enough for now.

"How did they manage to do that? It sounded like Plymouth had me in this thing knee-deep." Gio began laughing, and I wondered what could possibly be so funny.

"It's really ironic, actually."

"How so?"

"Well, Plymouth made one teeny tiny mistake in his calculation—He didn't know you had an alibi in LA."

"An alibi?" I cried. "what alibi?" As if a loud click went off in my head, I had an idea.

"That's right." Gio said. "There was one person who you talked to who had no government ties whatsoever."

"Holly." I said, a slow smile spreading across my face.

"Yep. One of the calls you two made was apparently at 3 am." He looked at me knowingly. "Right as one of Plymouth's transactions (supposedly to be your transaction) was made at WWM and the shipping process begun. It was really lucky, honestly."

I crossed my arms, still thinking.

"What about the diamonds?" I said, feeling hopeful they had at least retrieved them, even though I knew Plymouth now held one very important, expensive piece.

"That's another odd story, actually. Apparently, Loraine's group gave them up and fled, leaving Charles with them tied up at the airport. They probably knew they couldn't get away with it. They're more mobsters than anything else, no match for us." He winked.

I was a little on edge. That meant they were still out there, no doubt waiting for a good moment to collect what's owed to them from Will. The thought made me think about him and how much I didn't want to see him hurt like that again.

"What do you think you'll do with the diamonds?" I looked at him, puzzled.

"They legally belong to Plymouth- "

"When he was alive, yes." I realized what he meant.

"You mean because he faked his death- " He nodded, finishing my sentence.

"He is legally "dead", therefore, since his Mother officially gave your Father the diamonds, they belong to him."

"Interesting." I said. I thought hard. When he glanced at me looking confused I shrugged.

"Well I certainly won't keep them!" I gasped. "I would donate them to a museum."

Gio shrugged.

"You know- " I continued. "I think she just may have given them to my Father because she was too afraid of what her own son might do to them. She trusted Father more."

"Perhaps." Gio responded. "Then again, perhaps it doesn't even matter. You're already rich."

I was definitely tired of hearing that. I looked back at our gleeful party. Music was playing and I could see from here that Jay had taken the first dance with Holly. Then I noticed Will walking over to the end of the patio from the veranda, his white dress-shirt sleeves rolled up above his strong forearms. He was looking at us the entire time, sitting on an old wooden bench. I looked back at Gio who watched me carefully.

"You haven't been to the hospital to see Austin." He said pointedly. I turned my head back to the sunset. I knew that.

At this point, I didn't think I could face him, not after how we parted. His intentions were nothing but purely innocent, and, I think out of genuine love for me.

I was so furious at him in the cave, I called him a traitor and worse, said that he was just like his uncle! Every part of me knew that wasn't true. He was a caring, loving, handsome man who was caught between a rock and a hard place. I couldn't dare face him, not now, and somewhere deep inside of me ached like it never had before.

And then there was Will! My feelings for him were instantaneous, bursting out of me like fireworks. Certainly not the butterflies and roses I had with Austin when we dated. They were two different people pulling two different sides of me out into the open.

"Eva?" Gio looked at me expectantly. "I know what's going on."

"You do?" I gasped.

"I've known for some time." Feeling the sudden need to breathe, I spotted an antique iron chair beside us, and sat. Realizing the lovely view the position gave me of the hydrangea weaving through an arbor.

"Do... you think it's possible to love two people?" I grabbed at my chest, feeling the worst guilt for even admitting it. To my surprise, Gio smiled.

"Your Father certainly did—with you and your Mother."

I had forgotten about the photo! I fumbled with my pants pocket, the only pair of pants I had while I was on the island. There she was, more beautiful than I ever had imagined. The water had lightly damaged the picture's delicate structure. I ran my thumb along her smiling face.

"Let me ask you something." Gio sat in the nearby identical chair.

"You think you love two men?"

"I think I'm definitely attracted to two men." I couldn't say I loved both of them, when I hadn't even been on a date with one of them.

"Okay, attracted." Gio rolled his eyes. "Well, let me ask you this: Which one makes you laugh the most?" I thought his question was beyond strange, but I answered truthfully.

"Austin. He's very spontaneous." I thought of the time he took me for a ride on his motorcycle and surprised me by showing up at the hotel in Santorini.

"Okay, who makes you so mad, you want to throw things at him?" I laughed at his over-dramatized pretending to throw things.

"Will. Definitely Will." I said. He was so...aggravating at times and sometimes over-confident. Like when I had first met him or that time he shoved me into a closet at WWM. I grumbled thinking about it.

"Okay." Gio considered my words carefully. "Well, who makes you the better person?"

"Excuse me?" I asked, slightly flustered by the question. My mouth dropped open. I had never considered such a question before, yet it's importance made me feel like I had just missed a huge chunk out of my life for not considering it. I stood up, watching the yellow sun turn orange and sink where I knew the rocks met the ocean. What a question to ask: Who made me the better person? Will or Austin? Did I even have anything left with Austin? Did he ever want to speak to me again? He did, after all, risk his life to save mine.

I stared down at my scared wrists. This adventure had left it's mark on my body, but more than anything, on my heart.

"So, what's next for Eva Westfield?" Gio asked.

I continued to face forward, closing my eyes, relishing a feeling I didn't want to end. I opened them long moments later while a slow smile spread across my face. I didn't have to look behind me to know that Will was there. Even after all these months his presence still took my breath away.

"I think I know what needs to happen next." I remarked, turning to face the man I trusted. His dark brown eyes greeted mine and held them.

"I did, after all, make a promise."

"That you did, Ms. Westfield." His smile was undeniable. That same mischievously boyish grin that I had witnessed when I first met him. He continued to hold my gaze, as if he too never wanted this moment to end.

"You know what?" I said playfully, then reached out to take Will's hand, cherishing the warmth I felt there.

"What's that?" Gio replied. His voice held anticipation, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. "Surely not off to track Loraine or Plymouth down."

"Absolutely not." I admonished, wrapping my arms around Will's torso. I looked up at him wanting nothing more than to kiss his waiting lips. "I think I'm well overdue for a visit to Morocco."

The End

--K. McKee

Author's Note

It's finished!! Words cannot express how happy I am. This is my first completed novel and I am beyond grateful that you followed along on this journey. :) I hope you enjoyed this story and will explore some of my other work as well!

Thank you and much love to all of you <3