“You know usually…I mean every other time. When I come to you upset, you notice. Then—well, then…you ask me what is wrong and what you can do to fix it. I mean, that’s just what you do. Every time. But you’re not doing it now. And I need you to do that now, more than ever.” The last came out as an agonized whisper.
Again he had to force himself to refrain from going to her. It was not easy. In fact it was almost impossible. Which further underlined the unacceptable intensity of their friendship.
Looking back over the history of that friendship, he realized she spoke the truth. But only now did he see how dangerous that kind of behavior was. It had led to expectations she should have of Dimitri, not Spiros.
“I hope that I am always here for you, Phoebe, but you are an adult. You must handle your own prolems.” The words were harsh, and it hurt to say them, but they had to be spoken for both their sakes. He did not bring up Dimitri because for some reason he could not make himself do so.
“I am an adult?”
“I just said that.”
“You think there is something wrong with me coming to you for help?” she asked, sounding and looking hurt.
He manfully ignored the pain in her voice and her gaze and gave a small sigh. “Not wrong, precisely, simply not appropriate.”
“Why would it be inappropriate for me to come to the man I—to my best friend for help?”
“As I said, you are an—”
“Adult,” she said, interrupting. “Yes, I heard that part. But even adults sometimes need help.”
“So what exactly do you need help with?”
“I wish I knew why you are acting so weird,” she said, instead of answering, her eyes suspiciously moist.
Do not cry, he silently begged her. This was difficult enough.
“I’m sorry you think my behavior is abnormal, but I assure you everything is fine.” Or as fine as it could be with him lusting after his brother’s intended fiancée.
“Okay. If you say so. I guess that’s good. I…um…”
Again he waited without comment.
Finally she continued. “My father. He invited me to his office to talk. I thought he was going to offer me a job.”
“He did not?” Spiros asked, genuinely surprised and more than a little relieved that she had come about something so mundane.
Not about the kiss. Not about emotions and desires that had no place in their lives.
He could fix this easily. He would talk to Dimitri about offering her a job.
“No,” Phoebe replied. “He said he had something more important to discuss.” Phoebe’s eyes glistened with unmistakable tears now. “He’s broke, Spiros…on the verge of losing the company.”
He had not realized things had got so bad. His grandfather had said nothing. But then since the night his grandfather had extracted that promise from Dimitri to set a wedding date, Spiros had been avoiding them both. “Your father is a strong businessman. I am sure something can be done.”
“He won’t take the company public.”
“Naturally not.”
Phoebe made a rude sound that implied she did not agree with his or her father’s views on that particular topic. “There is only one other way to raise the sort of funds he needs to save it.”
“As I said, he is a smart man. I am not surprised he has already discovered a way out.”
Phoebe shook her head, her obvious distress once again nearly breaking his determination not to touch her.
“What has you so upset?” he asked instead, unable to help himself.
“It’s the way he’s seen fit to fix the problem.” She took a deep breath that came back out in a short sob. “He wants to sell me.”