Coming Home

Part 3

Katie took Titan for a walk after supper. It was a chance to get away from her family and it was an excuse to call Achilles without them listening in. Titan trotted besides her sniffing the ground as they went. The walking park was just down the street from where Katie's parents now lived. She guessed that it was four blocks away, but that was hard to judge since they lived on the side of town that didn't have blocks.

Titan ran after a rabbit as Katie left the street and hit the concrete path that snaked around the small park. The sand parking lot was empty of cars and so was the gazebo, so Katie took a seat underneath the gazebo when she reached it. Titan came up and sat panting at her feet. Katie rubbed his head affectionately as she pulled out her phone and dialed Achilles.

"Hey there gorgeous, how's the family?" Achilles beautifully accented voice answered on the third ring.

Katie couldn't help but smile as she heard her best friend's voice. "The same as always even though my brothers have girlfriends."

Achilles grunted. "I thought your sister was the only one with a significant other."

Katie shrugged even though Achilles couldn't see it. "It sure surprised me. The new house is nice even if I have the smallest bedroom available. I swear it has enough room for a bed and dresser. That's it."

"Good thing you aren't going to stay long."

"I'm not sure about that." Katie sighed and watched as a car drove by on the street.

"Uh Oh. That doesn't sound good."

Katie snorted. "It's not and I managed to drag you into it."

Achilles sexy chuckle echoed across the phone. "How did you manage that?"

"Please don't get mad at me."

"How can I get mad at you if you don't tell me how you dragged me into your family drama?"

Katie chewed nervously on her lip. Achilles sighed over the phone.

"Would you please quit biting your lip?"

Katie stopped. "How do you always know when I'm doing that?"

"That's because I know you, Katie, even better than you know yourself sometimes."

Katie sighed knowing that she couldn't keep putting off the mess that she'd gotten Achilles into. "My family has decided that in order to get me to stay around here a little bit longer, I need a boyfriend. My one brother's girlfriend was all excited and already planning who she could hook me up with. The only avenue of escape I saw was to tell them that I had a boyfriend already and that they didn't need to find me one."

Achilles roared with laughter. Katie held the phone away from her ear as she glared at the phone. She brought it back to her ear with a scowl.

"I'm glad that you think that's funny."

Achilles' laughter reduced in volume to a barely concealed chuckle. "I haven't laughed like that in ages Katie." Katie heard Achilles take a deep breath and let it out slowly as if he was trying to keep himself from laughing again. "I'm guessing that the pickle you are in is that you told them that I am the-afore-mentioned boyfriend."

"Yes." Katie ruffled Titan's ears when he laid his head in her lap. "I didn't mean to Achilles, but I don't want to go on a bunch of blind dates with the men in Chicago. You are my wild card. Will you please help me out?"

"Sure. I owe you one anyways for when you came to Greece with me for my cousin's wedding."

"Thank you Achilles. I will make it up to you. I promise."

"Oh ,I know you will and I can think of a few ways for you to do that."

Katie shivered at the way that Achilles' voice dipped and became ultra sexy. She shook herself and pulled her mind away from the path it was taking. Achilles was nothing more than her friend.

"Thank you so much Achilles. You are a lifesaver."

Achilles chuckled again sending another shiver down Katie's spine. "How soon do you want me out there?"

Katie shrugged. "How soon can you get here?"

The sound of wind could be heard on Achilles' side of the phone. It sounded like he was getting ready to board his family's helicopter.

"I have some family business to settle first, but I believe I can be here in two days. Will that work?"

"It'll have to."

Achilles laughed softly at that. "I'm sure you can handle being with your family for two days by yourself."

"You don't know my family Achilles."

"True, but I'm about to." Katie could hear voices speaking Greek in the background. Achilles spoke in Greek back to them before he spoke to Katie again. "I have to go. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay and thanks Achilles."

"Παρακαλώ. You're welcome."