There was a story here, Nancy thought, but she didn’t want to pry.
“Do you think you can find the time to take George water-skiing?” Zoe asked Theo. “I’ll bet she’s an excellent water-skier.”
George’s eyes lit up with excitement. “I’d love to!”
Theo waved toward the boat and smiled. “Let’s go!”
Nancy thought he seemed relieved to get away from the tense situation with Zoe. A moment later George and Theo were speeding out to sea aboard the Sea Star.
“And now it’s time for me to take a dip before I go back to work,” Zoe said, starting for the water.
Bess decided to join Zoe, but Nancy and Mick stretched out on the beach and continued to read Nancy’s guidebook.
Mick pointed to a small islet just east of Mykonos on the map. “Dragonisi is so close. We’ve got to see it,” he said. “It says here that it’s uninhabited and riddled with caves.”
“Might be fun to explore,” Nancy agreed. “Then there’s Naxos, Delos, Tinos . . .” She shook her head as she leafed through the pages. “It’s a good thing we’ve got a month to explore!”
They were checking the boat schedule to Delos, the holy island of the ancient Greeks, when laughter distracted Nancy. She looked up to see Bess and Zoe posing for a roving photographer.
“Wait!” Zoe laughed, rubbing water out of her eyes.
After arranging her slick, wet hair on one shoulder, Bess moved closer to Zoe and flashed the dark-haired photographer a grin. “Okay, shoot,” Bess told him.
As soon as the photographer handed the instant photo to Bess, she ran over to Nancy and Mick. “You guys have to get your picture taken, too,” Bess insisted, waving the developing photo at them. “My treat.” She knelt down on her beach towel and reached into her tote bag for money.
“Such a beautiful couple,” the photographer said, focusing his camera on Nancy and Mick.
Mick slipped his arm around Nancy and mugged for the camera. “Say feta,” he teased, using the Greek word for goat cheese.
Once the photographer had snapped their picture, Bess paid and thanked him, carefully saying, “Evcharistó.”
“Parakaló . . . you’re welcome,” answered the photographer. Nancy guessed that he was in his early twenties. The warm breeze ruffled his curly black hair and crisp white shirt. There was an appreciative look on his angular face as he gazed at Bess. He definitely seemed interested in her.
“Looks like romance is in the air,” Nancy whispered to Mick.
“That’s no surprise,” he answered with a knowing grin. “Bess has managed to charm half of Europe.”
“It’s a pleasure to photograph such beautiful people, even if it is my job,” the photographer told Bess, lingering by Nancy’s towel. “I’m Dimitri Zorzis, the best photographer on Mykonos. I have a studio in Chora, where I do much better work than this.” He gestured at the photos, which were now becoming clear.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Bess said, studying the picture of Zoe and her. “This is pretty good.”
“Because of the subjects, of course,” Dimitri insisted, flashing Bess a winning smile. “You are models?”
“No,” Bess answered, blushing with pleasure. “Nancy, Mick, and I are just tourists. And Zoe lives here. Her father owns the Hotel Athena.”
Dimitri nodded at Zoe, then gave Bess a friendly wink. “Well, I hope you will let me know if you want to capture more of your vacation on film,” he said. After slinging his camera over his shoulder, he continued on to the next group of sunbathers.
Bess couldn’t take her eyes off Dimitri as he walked along the beach. “Greek guys are so gorgeous,” she insisted. “I could stay on this island forever.”
Nancy raised an eyebrow at Bess. “From the way Dimitri smiled at you, I don’t think he’d mind at all.”
“Well, you’ll have a chance to meet many Greek people tomorrow night at dinner,” Zoe said. “It will be a very special occasion—a celebration of my cousin’s engagement. You are all invited to join the festivities.”
“Terrific!” Bess exclaimed.
Zoe pulled on her sundress, then picked up the plastic thermos and put the glasses in the straw bag. “I have to get back to the inn. If I can get enough done this afternoon, I’ll be free to spend all of tomorrow with you.”