Chapter 409 - Sarah's birthday (9)

Aiden didn't respond. He stood up and started the powerboat with a mysterious smile lingering on his face.

Sarah watched without a word as they slowly moved around the large island. Behind the lighthouse was a row of trees and bushes which hid three buildings nestled just beyond the cove.

Aiden tied up the boat, and stepped on a berth, extending his arm, palm up toward Sarah.

Sarah was not sure what to think. 'Did he really buy an island? He just rented this, right? Or maybe we are here only to see the lighthouse...' As they walked on the berth, she looked at him apprehensively.

He smiled and started explaining. "Lighthouse keeper lives in the lighthouse with his family. They maintain other buildings. That smaller, house closest to the lighthouse is home to lighthouse keeper's brother, Toma."

"Toma from earlier?" Sarah remembered Toma, crew member with knowledge of history and ancient Greece.

"Yes." He confirmed. "Main castle has six bedrooms, and it was refurbished last year. The building on the right has four bedrooms, and a sizeable flex space."

He stopped and faced her. "What do you want to see first?"

She looked at him, her eyes open wide in disbelief. "You really bought an island?"

Aiden smiled. "Happy birthday!" He saw that Sarah is frozen and pinched her nose. "You need to work on your gift-receiving skills."

"What?" Sarah frowned.

He rolled his eyes. "It's not 'what', you should say 'thank you'. Come on, let's go to the lighthouse first and meet the people who will take care of the place when you are not here." Aiden pulled her hand.

"When WE are not here." Sarah corrected him.

Aiden paused and smiled. "Yes. When we are not here." He pulled her close to him and they walked to the lighthouse.

At the lighthouse, they met the keeper, Matija (Toma's older brother), Matija's wife Lidija and their two teenage daughters. They were all very friendly and Sarah liked them, especially when she realized that they didn't follow them to show other buildings. They were courteous and gave them privacy.

When Sarah and Aiden entered main building, or castle how Aiden called it, Sarah realized what he meant when he said that it's refurbished. When looking at the building from outside, you see the old architecture, white stone, typical for coastal towns of Adriatic Sea. However, inside is total opposite. Everything is modern and spotless. High-end kitchen, open living area, spacious bedrooms with attached bathrooms. There was water, electricity, internet, and temperature is regulated with air conditioner. "This does not feel like a remote island at all." Sarah voiced her thoughts.

"There are two great beaches, the ones that you like, with round pebbles." Aiden pointed to the back of the house from the balcony on the second floor. "Beyond this garden and lawn area, is a forest which extends all the way to the opposite shore of the island. It's all yours to use however you want."

Sarah was overwhelmed. She was not sure how to respond. She faintly smiled and checked time. "Why is Mishi not texting me the address of the party?"

Aiden was not happy. "With all this happening, you are thinking about a party?"

"Don't think that I'm not liking this... it's just that I see them few days a year. And I promised that we will be there at six."

"AFTER six." Aiden corrected her.

"Well, yeah..." Sarah knows that he is right, but it's already after five. They should go back and get ready. That is more than one hour, easily.

It seemed that Aiden does not care about the party. "Come, let's see the last building."

Sarah would rather head back to be at the party on time, but she told Aiden that he can organize this day. At least until six in the afternoon.

When they stepped out from the last building, they saw a large sailing boat approach berth. It took Sarah only few seconds to recognize that person waving at them is Mishi as the helmsman. Emir and Petar leaped onto the berth and helped to tie up the boat.

"Are we late?" Emir asked.

"Right on time." Aiden responded.

Sarah looked at Aiden, waiting for explanation of what is going on.

"Party got moved here." He didn't use many words.

Lucija, Petar, Marija, Emir and Tereza came to Sarah and Aiden and greeted them warmly.

Mishi came off the ship last with a lady in her late twenties, who he introduced as Eliza, his girlfriend. As Eliza walked toward them, her long white summer dress fluttered in the light breeze and contrasted her long red hair. With her slim figure, Sarah thought that Eliza looks like a fairy. Sarah was disappointed that Eliza speaks only Hungarian, and they had to rely on Mishi to translate for them, or to use online machine translators which did the work, but it was still much slower than when people speak the same language.

"Where is Nick?" Sarah asked reluctantly after confirming that he is not coming out of the sailboat.

Emir shrugged indicating that he does not know, while others lowered their heads or pretended not to hear Sarah's question.

Sarah was disappointed, but it was not outside her expectations that Nick won't be able to get over heartbreak so quickly.

Sarah went to freshen up quickly and was surprised to see that there are clothes in the closet, and they fit her! She remembered that JoAnna told her about the time when Jeff took her to an island, and everything was there, including clothes. "Brothers..." Sarah mumbled to herself and smiled as she looked at herself in a mirror, wearing a light yellow knee length summer dress.

"What about brothers?" Aiden was right behind her.

Sarah wrapped her hands around his neck and smiled. "You are amazing. Thank you." She kissed him on the lips. "How did they end up coming here?" Sarah tilted her head toward outside.

Aiden kissed tip of her nose. "You wanted a party with them..." He kissed her chin. "And I wanted to be here with you. So, we combined."

"As I said... you are amazing." Sarah kissed him on the lips.

By the time Sarah got downstairs, music was blasting, and they fired up the barbeque.

Kitchen fridge and pantry were stocked, and soldiers of Sigma's army helped themselves with chilled drinks, meat and vegetables for grilling.

When Matija the lighthouse keeper and his wife Lidija, saw the party being set up, they brought foldable tables and chairs to add to the existing setup. Sarah asked them to stay, and they agreed to join with their daughters. Matija added to the grilling meat queue, one large tuna fish and two other slightly smaller fish that he caught earlier that day. They also added some beverages. Lidija cleaned the fish and spiced it up.

Just as the appetizing scents started spreading, Toma returned, and he was more than happy to join.

It was very lively, and laughter was echoing mixed with sound of music.

Not long after, Matija excused himself for the evening, taking his wife and two daughters back to the lighthouse. His two daughters wanted to stay, but he didn't allow them.

Toma also left as soon as he filled his stomach. He told them that he has work tomorrow morning and can't stay late.

For the rest of the people present, the party just started.