she had never seen him break rank. She was ready to drop into hysterics.
“Good evening, Mr. Carras. It is so wonderful to have you back to the Pavilion. Your table is ready as you requested.”
Sakis didn’t say a word, only placed his hand in the small of her back to steer Cassie past the many tables. The restaurant was filled to capacity. Cassie felt as if all eyes were on her. Sakis, sensing her unease, leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“They are looking in envy at the most beautiful woman in the room. Walk tall. Be proud of who you are, Cassandra, because that is all you can ever be.” His words and empathy towards her touched her deeply, especially because they were the farthest from what she felt at the moment. But she knew he was right. Straightening her shoulders, she stood as tall as she could and walked with a confidence that she didn’t feel. When they reached the table, Sakis held out her chair and brushed the side of her neck with light fingers as he bent down. “That was excellent. Always walk proudly, whether you feel it or not. Half the battle with people can be won just by how you are perceived, even if it is not reality. I have found if you do it enough, it actually becomes your new reality.”
CHAPTER 14
The lighting was perfect, the food incredible, and the company took her breath away. Sakis was attentive to her every need. She truly felt like Cinderella at the ball, but she hoped that everything wasn’t going to end at midnight.
“What are you thinking of, Cassandra?” Sakis asked during dinner. She had gone incredibly quiet, and he didn’t like it.
“Honestly?”
“Always. With you, I never want it any other way,” Sakis replied.
“I can be no farther from that small farm in Vermont than I am right now. I was just wondering when this was going to end.” She saw the frown form, and she laughed lightly. “We have known each other a week tomorrow, and all of this seems to be moving so fast. Normally I would run the other way, but I find myself in a curious situation of not wanting to run, but to charge full speed ahead to see what is around the next corner.”
Nodding his head in understanding, Sakis’s eyes lit up. “Well, then, you and I seem to be having the same quandary. I am finding myself in territory that I have never really been in before. Normally, I would not have looked twice at you, yet…” As she quickly lowered her eyes, he reached across the table and held out his hand palm up, wanting her to touch him. Cassie slid her hand into his. “Do not misunderstand. You must let me finish…yet…I find a certain young lady taking a piece of my heart, and I am not quite sure how she has done it, as you said, in less than a week. You are like no other, Cassandra, and I am willing to forge ahead to see what is around the corner, just as you are.”
Her head cocked to one side, she smiled. “So why have you allowed yourself to step out of your comfort zone, Sakis?”
As he leaned back in his seat, Sakis took a long sip from his drink before he replied. “It was Tony, actually.”
“Really?” His answer surprised her.
With a laugh, Sakis nodded. “Tony and I are old friends. I went to the pizzeria the night we were introduced to ask him to come and work for me. He declined.”
“Oh, I am sorry.”
Sakis shrugged and waved the comment away. “It was nothing. It was what he said after he declined that made me think heavily on who I am, what I do, and what I want. The next night, you showed up at my nightclub and—” Concerned, he looked at Cassandra as she choked on her drink. “Are you okay?”
Gasping, Cassie pressed the napkin to her mouth. “Yes, I apologize. Did you say your nightclub?”
“Yes. Didn’t you know that?”
As she shook her head, she tried to wrap that thought around her mind, but she really wanted to know what had been said.
“The next night you showed up,” Sakis repeated, “and I thought it was destiny. When I asked
“Good evening, Mr. Carras. It is so wonderful to have you back to the Pavilion. Your table is ready as you requested.”
Sakis didn’t say a word, only placed his hand in the small of her back to steer Cassie past the many tables. The restaurant was filled to capacity. Cassie felt as if all eyes were on her. Sakis, sensing her unease, leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“They are looking in envy at the most beautiful woman in the room. Walk tall. Be proud of who you are, Cassandra, because that is all you can ever be.” His words and empathy towards her touched her deeply, especially because they were the farthest from what she felt at the moment. But she knew he was right. Straightening her shoulders, she stood as tall as she could and walked with a confidence that she didn’t feel. When they reached the table, Sakis held out her chair and brushed the side of her neck with light fingers as he bent down. “That was excellent. Always walk proudly, whether you feel it or not. Half the battle with people can be won just by how you are perceived, even if it is not reality. I have found if you do it enough, it actually becomes your new reality.”
CHAPTER 14
The lighting was perfect, the food incredible, and the company took her breath away. Sakis was attentive to her every need. She truly felt like Cinderella at the ball, but she hoped that everything wasn’t going to end at midnight.
“What are you thinking of, Cassandra?” Sakis asked during dinner. She had gone incredibly quiet, and he didn’t like it.
“Honestly?”
“Always. With you, I never want it any other way,” Sakis replied.
“I can be no farther from that small farm in Vermont than I am right now. I was just wondering when this was going to end.” She saw the frown form, and she laughed lightly. “We have known each other a week tomorrow, and all of this seems to be moving so fast. Normally I would run the other way, but I find myself in a curious situation of not wanting to run, but to charge full speed ahead to see what is around the next corner.”
Nodding his head in understanding, Sakis’s eyes lit up. “Well, then, you and I seem to be having the same quandary. I am finding myself in territory that I have never really been in before. Normally, I would not have looked twice at you, yet…” As she quickly lowered her eyes, he reached across the table and held out his hand palm up, wanting her to touch him. Cassie slid her hand into his. “Do not misunderstand. You must let me finish…yet…I find a certain young lady taking a piece of my heart, and I am not quite sure how she has done it, as you said, in less than a week. You are like no other, Cassandra, and I am willing to forge ahead to see what is around the corner, just as you are.”
Her head cocked to one side, she smiled. “So why have you allowed yourself to step out of your comfort zone, Sakis?”
As he leaned back in his seat, Sakis took a long sip from his drink before he replied. “It was Tony, actually.”
“Really?” His answer surprised her.
With a laugh, Sakis nodded. “Tony and I are old friends. I went to the pizzeria the night we were introduced to ask him to come and work for me. He declined.”
“Oh, I am sorry.”
Sakis shrugged and waved the comment away. “It was nothing. It was what he said after he declined that made me think heavily on who I am, what I do, and what I want. The next night, you showed up at my nightclub and—” Concerned, he looked at Cassandra as she choked on her drink. “Are you okay?”
Gasping, Cassie pressed the napkin to her mouth. “Yes, I apologize. Did you say your nightclub?”
“Yes. Didn’t you know that?”
As she shook her head, she tried to wrap that thought around her mind, but she really wanted to know what had been said.
“The next night you showed up,” Sakis repeated, “and I thought it was destiny. When I asked
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