The Greek Billionair's Marriage Matchmaker(17)

"I want to thank you for what you did today," Stelios told Zoey just  before he hung up. "I really appreciate how much you're doing to help  me."



"As long as we're together," Zoey told him, "your problems are my problems. Always remember that."



***





Nearly six months had passed since the debacle surrounding Melinda's  billboard campaign. Zoey was working with Stelios on stress management  techniques almost every day now. A slim window of opportunity had  opened, and Stelios was keen to take advantage of it.



The following week, he would have a block of free time where no meetings  had been arranged, and he wanted to use it to take Zoey to Greece and  introduce her to his family-the people who had helped him from afar in  his darkest hours. He was focused on his goal in a way that Zoey had to  admit was highly impressive. He had yet to step foot on an actual plane,  but had gotten through several simulations with flying colors.



"You've come such a long way from when we started," Zoey exclaimed  proudly as Stelios stepped out of a large machine. It looked like a  cross section of a passenger jet, and moved in ways that showed  passengers what to expect from turbulence.



"I couldn't have done it without you, Zo'. You've been a huge inspiration to me these past few months."



"I said I didn't think there was anything we couldn't get through  together, and I'm glad to know that I was right," she replied with a  laugh.



Stelios kissed her on the cheek and the pair crossed the airfield,  eventually reaching Stelios' black town car. Fulton was leaning against  it, patiently awaiting their return.



When they were within earshot, the driver spoke up. "I hope I'm not  being too personal when I say this, Mr. Zakiridis, but I'm very proud of  what you've accomplished, sir."



"Thank you, Fulton," the billionaire replied, helping Zoey into the back of the car.



The driver nodded and a few moments later the three of them were on their way back to the city.



On the way, Zoey was struck by the fact that she knew so little about  the man who had been driving her around for months. He very rarely  spoke, and his proclamation at the airfield had started her thinking.  Who was he? How long had he worked for Stelios?         

     



 



When they reached Manhattan, Zoey told Fulton that she hoped it wasn't  too personal for her to inquire after his first name, if nothing else.



"It's Herbert, miss," he replied, turning a tight corner with the ease  of a seasoned pro. "Herbert Earnest Fulton is my name. It's been a  pleasure serving you."





FIFTEEN





On the home front, in a small café near the offices of Melinda Forde  Singles, Zoey's mother was accomplishing a monumental task of her own:  sharing a cup of coffee with a client.



Over the past few months, Branden Kingston had been as good as his word,  appearing in her office with increased frequency. Several more picnics  had followed the first, until it became perfectly impossible for Melinda  to deny her heart what it wanted any longer. Finally, she had broached  the subject of a date, and Mr. Kingston had proven to be perfectly  willing.



"It's kind of funny," Branden was saying, as he added creamer to  Melinda's coffee. "When you think about it, places like this offer  privacy, despite being chock-full of people. The dim lighting makes it  hard to see, and everyone talking at once creates a wall of white  noise."



"Yeah, but every single person has a camera and a video recorder," she  reminded him. "And they pull them out like Clint Eastwood the moment  anything remotely interesting happens."



"Well, private or not, I'm glad we're here together," Branden returned.  "I've wanted to see you like this for a long time. I feel like you can  say things on an official date that you can't really say in someone's  office."



"We talked about everything in my office, didn't we? Claire, William, Zoey, greeting cards … "



"Everything but how beautiful I think you are, Melinda. There's an  intensity in your eyes that really demands attention. Has anyone ever  told you that?"



"Not for a long time," Melinda admitted; the last person to say that had  been a contest judge. "Thank you," she added warmly. "Well, while we're  sharing, I might as well tell you that I've always liked the sound of  your voice."



"My voice?" Branden replied, a little surprised.



"Yes, your voice. It's a wonderful baritone. Every time you say  something, the words feel like they roll over me. I think you'd be a  wonderful singer."



"Tolerable," he corrected.



"You're just being modest. Why don't you sing something now?"



"Because of the dozens of smartphones you mentioned earlier," Branden answered, laughing a little.



"Oh, don't mind them," she replied. "Let me tell you something. I'm  forty-something and you're in your fifties. Neither of us watch YouTube,  so there's really no reason to be afraid."



Branden had to chuckle at that. "All right, Melinda" he smiled. "You  win." And clearing his throat, he began singing ‘I Can't Help Myself'.



As he'd said, his voice was tolerable, but after the first few moments  of nervousness wore off, it began to improve by degrees. Soon, two or  three people near their table were clapping along in time, and Melinda  smiled and followed suit. When his rendition came to an end, several  people even applauded.



"Now that wasn't so bad was it?" Melinda said with a grin.



Branden had to admit that it had gone better than he thought. He got a  kiss for his trouble, and by the time the pair of them headed back to  Melinda's office, they were surer than ever that they were meant to be  together. They set up a second date for the following Saturday.



"I'm so glad I decided to come and see you all those months ago,"  Branden said, holding Melinda's hand at the door to her office. "I doubt  there's a person within a hundred miles of here that's happier than I  am."



"Zoey might just give you a run for your money," Melinda replied softly.  "She'll be overjoyed when she finds out about today. She's been trying  to push the two of us together for months now."         

     



 



"And bless her heart for doing it. As long as I live, I'll always be  grateful to that girl for sticking her nose in other people's business."



"As will I," Melinda agreed with a grin. "Zoey's a treasure. She's done  so much to make me feel human again. Thank you for singing today, by the  way," she said, giving Branden another kiss. "Believe it or not, it  really made my day."



"I'm glad it did," he replied, smiling broadly. "I admit, it went better  than I thought it would. I don't care who you are, it feels good to  have an audience clapping for you. But let's not get used to it." He  shook his head good-naturedly and gave Melinda a peck on the cheek. "I  can only sing about two other songs without sounding like a drunken  alley cat."



"I can't wait to hear them," returned Melinda. "And remember, I'm always  available to sing backup. Sugar pie, honey bunch … " she began to sing.



A moment later, the pair of them were singing together. Branden kept  making up silly lyrics to fit the music, causing Melinda to erupt in  fits of laughter, her singing veering off-key.



They were at it for a good ten minutes before Branden remembered he had  to be on his way. He often told people that, even when one is retired,  life refuses to take care of itself. As the echoes of the racket they  had been making died away, he fervently wished that it would, just this  once.



"I'll be back tomorrow," he promised Melinda as he walked out of her office, nodding cheerily at Maria as he did.



"You'd better be!" came the jaunty reply.





SIXTEEN





When she came in to work next morning, it didn't take Zoey long to find  out what had happened with her mother. She heard the entire thing from  Annie within ten minutes of arriving in the office. Maria, had  apparently been exceedingly vocal about her boss' antics with her new  love interest, reminding anyone who would listen that she had been at  the agency the longest, that she had seen Melinda in the months after  William left her, when she had been a broken woman.



In her office, Zoey inwardly prayed that Maria didn't start any drama,  but as the day wore on, it became quite evident that everyone was  worrying for no reason. Zoey kept finding excuses to go upstairs and  visit her mother, and each time she found Maria at her desk, wearing her  familiar unreadable expression.



The third time Zoey went up it was just after lunch, and when she  arrived, it was to find Branden on his way out, carrying a picnic  basket. His face lit up when he saw her, and he hurried eagerly to her  side.