The Getaway Prince

Chapter 8: Sights Unseen

The next morning started with the sunshine breaking through the cracks of the hotel curtains, casting shadows onto the carpets. I zipped up my suitcase and readied myself for the day in ten minutes, versus Aubery's fourty-five.

We spent the entirety of the morning visiting popular locations including The Palace of Knossos, one of the most important archeological sites in Crete, and Rethymno prior to spending the earlier half of the afternoon shopping in the streets of Heraklion. Multiple old stone buildings mixed in with the newer models, creating a dialogue between modern and ancient times, and not far from these wonderous monuments was the Central Market.

Aubrey's eyes were distracted at almost every vendor that we passed, admiring the jewelry, clothing, and souvenirs that were on display. Pedestrians filled the streets, walking through the maze that was the Old Town of Heraklion, passing us by, each caught up in their own lives and stories. Aubrey stopped at a nearby booth; her fingers dancing around a necklace that hung on a holder independently from the others which were on sale.

“So, you got in pretty late last night," she said, turning her gaze to me. A smirk formed on her lips, prompting me to roll my eyes. I refocused my attention to the other side of the booth to examine the bracelets, hoping to avert her glance.

“And your point is…?"

“That this is supposed to be 'our' trip, Livvy," Aubrey taunted, knowing how much I hated that nickname. She let go of the necklace and moved onto the rings, trying on various styles. “What was he like?"

I tried to explain Tyler in a manner that was cool and collected. Anyone who has recently been seeing someone new will understand how important it is to not come off as eager or too 'in love' after only the first date, despite how much you liked them. But when I went to answer her question, I noticed my temperature beginning to rise (and it wasn't due to the heat).

“Honestly? He's…fantastic. We ended up talking so much that we didn't realize how late it had actually gotten."

“Wow, you? In a long conversation without freaking out?"

I gave her a gentle shove and we both chuckled. “I mean it, Bree. I really like this guy. So much so in fact that I have another dinner lined up with him."

Aubrey placed the ring she had on back in the holder and looked at me in surprise. “Already? Sheesh, it must've gone well. When is it? Hopefully not the night we go to Malia!"

I shook my head. “I don't know. We didn't pick a day."

“So…you don't have a dinner lined up yet," she said in a slight judgemental tone.

“No," I replied. “Not exactly. But you'll never guess who one of his favourite musicians is."

Aubrey threw her head backwards and groaned. “It isn't."

“It is," I stated with a smile.

She looked at me and pinched the bridge of her nose, moving on from the jewelry vendor to another selling clothing. “Leave it to you to find the only guy on the planet who loves Beethoven."

“Don't knock Beethoven till you try him," I replied, feeling a random silk shirt between my fingers.

Aubrey looked to me with a glance of annoyance. “Oh, trust me, I've heard more than enough to last me at least six lives."

Now, normally I would have a snarky comeback to Aubrey's clear disdain for Beethoven, but over time, I've come to learn that sometimes, it's best to just shake my head and move on. As Aubrey examined the clothes in the booth and asked the vendor questions, I walked around, playing with the ring on my thumb.

Over the years, it had become habit to turn to it when I was bored or nervous, similar to the way people c***k their knuckles or pick at their fingernails. But as the sun grew increasingly warmer as it hit its peak, my fingers began to swell and I realized, I couldn't turn it. I sighed and took it off, placing it in a pocket in my bag, clasping the top shut.

Aubrey's voice cut into my thoughts: she was holding two shirts that looked similar but were different colours. Except, while listening to her explain the very subtle difference between the two, my attention was claimed by a familiar individual standing at a booth two over from us just behind her shoulder.

“Tyler?" I interrupted in complete shock.

Aubrey put down the items she was holding and turned to see who I was talking to.

Tyler's eyes squinted as he tried to see beyond the blaring sun. As his gaze found me, his face lit up, as bright as the day. “Olivia?" he asked, providing shade with his hands like a baseball cap.

He thanked the vendor of the booth he was at and walked over to Aubrey and me. Pieces of his jet-black hair bounced as he moved, and I couldn't subdue the growing queasiness in my stomach the closer he got.

“W-what're you doing here?" I asked, finally catching my breath.

“Well, I don't have meetings until tomorrow, and usually when I'm in Greece, I never get the chance to do normal tourist things, like check out one of the best shopping districts in Crete," he stated, extending his arms, and spinning in a quarter circle.

He looked to me and then Aubrey and in my eagerness, I realized I had completely forgotten to introduce them. “Oh! Aubrey, this is Tyler. Tyler, this is Aubrey, my best friend."

Tyler reached out a hand and shook Aubrey's. I never envisioned this moment—you know, when Tyler, or any man at that, would meet the only breathing person in the world who cared for me as much as I cared for them—and it surprised me how much happiness I felt. Like somehow, this was right.

“It's great to meet you," Tyler said with a grin that displayed a dimple I had never noticed before.

“You too…" Aubrey replied, looking from Tyler to me with a dumbfounded expression.

I smirked, knowing that she was baffled by the fact that the guy standing in front of her—carved to utter imperfect perfection—liked Beethoven. It was something she'd never thought she'd see in her entire life and proving her wrong made it even more satisfying.

“So, what do you two have planned for the rest of the day?" Tyler asked as he let go of Aubrey's hand.

Aubrey and I glanced at one another and shrugged. “I think we were just going to go back to our hotel and have a later lunch, then most likely spend the rest of the night at the resort," I shared, hoping secretly that this wasn't only a conversation starter.

“I see," Tyler began, making a clicking noise with his tongue. “Well, my business partner, who also so happens to be my closest friend, is coming to my place for an early dinner—hence, the bag of food." He lifted the white bag that hung off his masculine hands, and my head quickly began thinking of what other things they could do.

“I was wondering," he continued, pulling me out of a haze. “Would you two like to join us? I'm just heading there now."

I couldn't believe it. He wanted to spend the rest of the day…with us? Was this going to be our second date?

And before I could even process my own thoughts or Aubrey's own wide-eyed stare, I found myself answering for us both.

“We'd love to!"

Tyler gleamed and clapped his hands together. “Great!" he replied. “Shall we then?"