Second Chance with the Bridesmaid, page 1
Greek Paradise Escape
Travel from the comfort of your armchair with Jennifer Faye’s brand-new trilogy!
Nestled on a private Greek island, the exclusive Ludus Resort is the perfect escape for the rich and famous. But to the staff who work there, it’s home.
Manager Hermione’s job has been a lifeline since losing her home and family, so when new owner Atlas plans to sell, sparks fly between them!
Beach artist Indigo is new to the resort and has already caught the eye of one of its VIP guests, the Prince of Rydiania...
Concierge Adara spends her days fulfilling guests’ wishes. Might it be time her own romantic dreams came true?
Make your escape to beautiful Ludus in
Greek Heir to Claim Her Heart
It Started with a Royal Kiss
Second Chance with the Bridesmaid
All available now!
Dear Reader,
Taking chances can be scary. It’s why people often keep doing the same thing over and over again. This is the case for both Adara and Krystof, and boy, do they have things to work through.
Adara Galanis is comfortable in her position as the concierge at the Ludus Resort. She’s been doing it for years and the guests love her. But when Krystof Mikos enters her life, he offers her adventure and excitement but without the commitment of a serious relationship. Despite not being the casual type, she tells herself that she’s up for it...until she’s confronted with the consequences of her decision.
Krystof Mikos is best man at his friend’s wedding on Ludus Island. He worries his friend is making a mistake because Krystof doesn’t believe in forever. But this wedding is the perfect time for him to fix things with Adara.
Adara doesn’t want anything to do with Krystof, but when their friends’ wedding starts to turn into a disaster, it just might take both of them to piece it back together. In the process, will they find their own happily-ever-after?
Happy reading,
Jennifer
Second Chance with the Bridesmaid
Jennifer Faye
Award-winning author Jennifer Faye pens fun contemporary romances. Internationally published with books translated into more than a dozen languages, she is a two-time winner of the RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award and winner of the CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Award. Now living her dream, she resides with her very patient husband and Writer Kitty. When she’s not plotting out her next romance, you can find her with a mug of tea and a book. Learn more at jenniferfaye.com.
Books by Jennifer Faye
Harlequin Romance
Greek Paradise Escape
Greek Heir to Claim Her Heart
It Started with a Royal Kiss
Wedding Bells at Lake Como
Bound by a Ring and a Secret
Falling for Her Convenient Groom
The Bartolini Legacy
The CEO, the Puppy and Me
The Italian’s Unexpected Heir
Her Christmas Pregnancy Surprise
Fairytale Christmas with the Millionaire
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.
Praise for Jennifer Faye
“A fantastic romantic read that is a joy to read from start to finish, The CEO, the Puppy and Me is another winner by the immensely talented Jennifer Faye.”
—Goodreads
Contents
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
EPILOGUE
EXCERPT FROM FORBIDDEN KISSES WITH HER MILLIONAIRE BOSS BY HANA SHEIK
PROLOGUE
July, Paris, France
PITTER-PATTER. PITTER-PATTER.
Adara Galinis’s heartbeat accelerated as the elevator slowly rose in one of the poshest hotels in Paris. That wasn’t what was making her nervous. As the concierge of an elite island resort that hosted celebrities and millionaires, she was used to the finest surroundings.
Her racing heart had to do with the fact that she had traveled from Greece to Paris on the spur of the moment. She wasn’t normally spontaneous. She liked things neat and orderly. Her job provided all the spontaneity she needed in life.
But she had a long weekend off, and in order to spend time with Krystof, she needed to come to him. Ever since they’d met at Valentine’s on Ludus Island, they’d been casually seeing each other.
Krystof was best friends with the island’s owner, Atlas Othonos. Earlier that year, when Atlas had briefly considered selling the island, he’d contacted Krystof in hopes that he’d want to buy the place. The sale didn’t work out, but Adara had caught Krystof’s attention. He’d pursued her in a charming sort of way—requesting concierge service and explaining that he wanted to dance with the most beautiful woman at the resort that evening. She was all prepared to extend an invitation on his behalf to whichever woman he’d chosen when he’d announced that the woman he was interested in was her.
She’d hesitated at first. After all, she made it a rule not to fraternize with the guests, but his warm smile and his enchanting way with words had won her over. They’d danced the night away at the Valentine’s ball. It had been a magical evening that didn’t end until the sun came up the next morning.
Now whenever Krystof stayed at the Ludus Resort, they made sure to spend as much time together as possible. At the end of each visit, he always asked her to fly away with him to some far-flung country. And though the idea tempted her, she’d always turned him down. She just couldn’t imagine picking up and leaving without any planning. How was her assistant supposed to know what needed to be done? What if one of her regular clients arrived and she wasn’t there? Part of her success was knowing the regulars and anticipating their wants before they had to ask her. She kept extensive files on their regular guests, from their favorite foods and colors to the names of their children and pets.
However, this weekend Hermione, her boss and best friend, had insisted she use some of her accumulated vacation time. Adara had been so focused on her job recently that she’d let her social life slide, and as for hobbies, well, she didn’t have any unless you counted shopping.
So when she heard Krystof would be visiting Paris, the shopping mecca of the world, she took it as a sign. She couldn’t wait to see him again. Their visits were so infrequent that it was always a rush to be with him. At least that’s what she told herself was the reason for her heart racing every time she laid eyes on him.
She ran her hand down over the short, snug black dress. Her effort was a waste, because there was nowhere for the dress to go. It clung to her body like a second skin. It was a far more daring dress than she was accustomed to wearing. She’d bought it specifically for Krystof. She hoped he’d like her surprise.
As the elevator rose, her gaze focused on the increasing numbers. With each floor she passed, her heart beat faster. All too quickly, the elevator quietly came to a stop on the ninth floor. The door whooshed open.
Adara drew in a deep breath and then exhaled. With her fingers wrapped around the handle of her weekender bag, she stepped out. The door closed behind her.
This plush hotel felt so far away from the privately owned island of Ludus. Of course, it wasn’t a fair comparison, as the Ludus Resort had been founded by a former king—King Georgios, an amazing man who’d abdicated the throne of Rydiania. She didn’t know all the details of why he’d stepped away from the crown, but once he had, his family had promptly disowned him. He’d moved to Greece and bought Ludus Island, where he would live out his days. It was both a sad and an amazing tale.
As she looked around the spacious foyer, she realized her initial assessment had been misguided. Though the wine-colored carpet was plush, and the fixtures were brass on cream-colored walls, that was where it ended. There was no precious artwork on the walls or greenery throughout the hallway. Whereas the Ludus was always looking to make the resort stand out in both big and small ways, it appeared this hotel excelled at a minimalist approach. Interesting.
There was no one about in the foyer. The only sound as she walked was the soft rumble from the wheels of her case. She couldn’t wait to see Krystof. She was so excited. She hoped he’d be just as thrilled to see her.
The gold plaque on the wall showed that his room was to the right. She turned that way. Her footsteps were muffled by the thick carpeting. What would he think about her spontaneity? This presumed he was even in his hotel room. What if he was out at a card game or some other such thing?
She would have to phone him, then, to tell him she was here, and the surprise would be ruined, but she was jumping too far ahead. She lifted her head and noticed a stylishly dressed woman at the end of the hallway. The woman knocked on a door. Was the young woman doin
g the same as her and being spontaneous? She hoped the woman had as good a weekend as she was about to have with Krystof.
Just then, the door in front of the woman swung open. The woman stood off to the side, giving Adara full view of the person inside the hotel room. She stopped walking. The breath caught in Adara’s lungs. Krystof stood there. Oh, my! Her heart lodged in her throat at the sight of him.
His dark hair was spiky and going every which way, as though he’d just stepped out of the shower. His broad shoulders led to his bare chest. She was too far away to see if there were beads of water on his tanned skin. As her gaze lowered, her mouth grew dry. No man had a right to look as good as him.
He wore nothing more than a white towel draped around his trim waist. She swallowed hard. The only thing wrong with this picture was that she was supposed to be the one standing at his doorway.
His gaze lingered on the other woman. A smile lit up his face. The woman practically threw herself at him. They hugged as though they knew each other very well.
Adara blinked, willing away the image. But when she focused again, he was still holding the woman. So this was what he did when they were apart. Her heart plummeted down to her new black heels.
She turned away before she was spotted. The only thing that could have made this moment worse was if Krystof were to spot her. Her utter humiliation would then be complete.
Her steps were rapid as she retreated to the elevator. She wanted to disappear as quickly as possible. And lucky for her, one of the two sets of elevator doors swung open immediately. An older couple stepped off.
“Could you hold that for me?” Adara asked.
The gentleman held the door for her until she stepped inside. She thanked him. As the door closed, she recalled the image of a smiling, practically naked Krystof drawing that woman into his arms. Tears stung the backs of her eyes. She blinked them away. She wasn’t going to fall apart in the elevator. All the while fury churned within her. Why had she let herself believe they shared something special?
It was quite obvious she was just someone to warm his bed whenever one of his other girlfriends wasn’t available. How could she have been so blind? Sure, they had said this arrangement was casual, but that was in the beginning—months ago, on Valentine’s. She’d thought they were getting closer—starting something more serious. Obviously she was the only one to think this.
She had been so wrong—about him, about herself, about them. She was done with him. Because his idea of casual and hers were two different things. In the end, she wasn’t cut out to do casual—not if it meant him seeing other women while he was still involved with her. But it didn’t matter now, because they were over.
CHAPTER ONE
September, Ludus Island, Greece
SHE WAS LATE. Very late...
Adara checked the calendar on her phone again. Her gaze scanned back through the days, one by one. She searched for the X that usually marked the first day of her period.
Day by day her gaze scanned down over her digital tablet. This wasn’t the first time she’d been through this exercise, but it didn’t keep her from wishing that she’d missed the little mark. Please be there. And once again, it was nowhere to be found.
Maybe she’d accidentally deleted it. Yes, that sounded like a legitimate explanation. Right now, she’d agree to any logical explanation—any reason except for her being late. Maybe she should have a backup plan. She would think that over for the future, but it wouldn’t help her right now.
How was any of this possible? She hadn’t been in Krystof’s bed in months. After the episode in Paris, he’d messaged her to arrange for them to spend more time together, and she’d replied, telling him point-blank that it was over. They were finished. And then she’d promptly blocked his number.
Since her fling with Krystof, there had been no one else. Like it or not, she wasn’t ready to move on. And she was certain she’d had her monthly since she’d been with Krystof. So what was going on?
She didn’t feel any different. Just a little tired, but she credited her busy work schedule for her lack of energy. Not only was the resort hopping, but she had been training a new assistant for the past six months—an assistant who was now almost as good as her.
One pregnancy test later, and it was negative. Just as she’d suspected.
Two and three negative pregnancy tests later, and she was certain something was wrong. Hopefully it was just too little sleep or too much stress—something simple and easily remedied. Yes, that must be it. Ever since she’d seen Krystof with another woman, she’d thrown herself into her work even more so than she normally did.
She had known from the first time she’d met him that he wasn’t traditional by any stretch. She was so drawn in by his outgoing personality and the way he could make her laugh that she’d talked herself into stepping outside her norm and taking a risk on him. Maybe deep inside she’d thought she could change him.
In the end, she’d been so wrong about herself. She was a one-man woman not suited to casual dating. She’d also been wrong about trying to change him. Krystof had no intention of changing his ways for anyone. Looking back, she realized that she’d let infatuation sway her decision as she’d agreed to his terms.
And now she was the one paying the price. She’d let herself get too caught up in what might have been. The reality of him with another woman in his arms flashed in her mind. It was immediately followed by the ache in her chest. She refused to acknowledge just how much he’d come to mean to her.
Her missing monthly was the wake-up call she needed. She was in her thirties now. If she wanted a husband and a couple of kids, she couldn’t waste her time on guys who didn’t share her life goals. And Krystof definitely didn’t want the same things that she did. He couldn’t even commit to having an apartment. He lived out of his jet and a suitcase as he globetrotted around the world. Who did such a thing?
Her head started to throb. She shoved aside the troubling thoughts. It was so much easier to be distracted by her work than to deal with the gaping crack in her heart and now her missing period. Could things get any worse?
But first she had to get settled into her room at the resort. She was going to be the maid-of-honor for her best friend, Hermione. The wedding was going to be here at the resort in ten days’ time. Both Hermione, the resort’s manager, and Atlas had offered her accommodations until the wedding to make it more convenient for her. She had the bachelorette party to host and the final details to oversee for the big wedding on top of her usual duties. She planned to make Hermione and Atlas’s wedding the most amazing event the island had ever seen.
This was the first time since she’d been hired straight out of the university that she was a guest here. Adara wheeled her suitcase into her temporary room. She couldn’t believe she was going to be staying at one of the world’s most prestigious resorts! As the lights came on, she stood in place, taking it all in. She wasn’t used to living in such extravagance.
She’d grown up in a modest home in a small village north of Athens with her loving parents. They’d raised her to be responsible and sensible. They’d also encouraged her to take the position at the Ludus, even if it meant moving away from home. That’s why when they’d suddenly died in a car accident while on a long-awaited vacation in Ireland, it had turned Adara’s life upside down.
For the past two years, she’d struggled to come to terms with a life without her parents in it. Their deaths had left a gigantic void in her heart. She’d clung to her familiar life at the Ludus. Her good friends at the resort had filled her days with their warmth and companionship. She didn’t know what she’d do without Hermione and Indigo, as well as the other employees at the resort.
As her gaze took in her room, she couldn’t help but notice it was so unlike her modest little apartment on the outskirts of Athens. This living room contained two white couches that faced each other with a long glass coffee table in the center. Decorations consisting of a crystal X and a matching ball sat on either side of an arrangement of fresh-cut blush peonies. The room’s outer wall consisted of floor-to-ceiling windows with sheers that could be opened or closed remotely. At the moment, they were open, letting in the sunshine from the skylights overlooking the indoor pool area.
