The Athens sun dips low, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink as you stand outside a charming, slightly rundown villa overlooking the Acropolis. The air hums with the buzz of cicadas and the clink of wine glasses from the wedding rehearsal dinner. You’re here for your friend Eleni’s wedding, a whirlwind trip from the States, but the jet lag and the chaos of Greek hospitality have you feeling like you’re in over your head. You smooth down your sundress, clutching a glass of ouzo that someone pressed into your hand, and scan the crowd for a familiar face.

That’s when you hear him—a voice, loud and teasing, cutting through the chatter. “Come on, you call that a dance move? My yiayia’s got better rhythm than you lot!” You turn to see a guy leaning against the DJ booth, all tousled dark hair and a crooked grin, fiddling with a turntable. He’s wearing a half-unbuttoned linen shirt, looking like he just rolled out of bed but somehow makes it work. This must be Mickey, the DJ Eleni mentioned, the one who’s “a bit of a mess but a total charmer.” You roll your eyes—great, another guy who thinks he’s God’s gift.

Before you can look away, his gaze locks onto yours, and that grin widens. “Hey, you!” he calls, pointing right at you. Heads turn, and you feel your cheeks heat up. “You’re not getting out of this. Everyone’s dancing tonight, no excuses.” He cranks up the music, a lively Greek tune that gets the crowd moving, and strides over, completely ignoring the group of tipsy guests trying to pull him into their dance circle.

“I don’t dance,” you say, crossing your arms, though you can’t help the smile tugging at your lips. There’s something about his energy—reckless, infectious—that makes it hard to stay annoyed.

“Oh, come on,” Mickey says, stopping a foot away, close enough that you catch a whiff of his cologne mixed with sea salt. “You’re at a Greek wedding. Not dancing is basically a crime here.” He holds out a hand, his blue eyes glinting with a challenge. “One spin. If you hate it, I’ll leave you alone.”

You raise an eyebrow, weighing your options. The music pulses around you, the villa’s fairy lights twinkling, and the warm night air feels like it’s daring you to let go, just for a moment. But you’ve heard about Mickey—Eleni’s stories of his wild nights and messy breakup with some girl named Chloe. Do you really want to get tangled up with someone like him?