“I was terrified!” Then a smile lit her face. “The pains started early on a Thursday morning and were unreal. After they’d grown five minutes apart, my grandmother drove me to the hospital. Dimitra was born at eight thirty-two in the evening. My grandfather came to the hospital two hours before the delivery.”
Nico groaned. He reached for her hand as they walked. “You were in labor twelve hours?”
She nodded. “The doctor told me that was pretty normal. I could hear Dimitra cry while she was being delivered. It was like a gurgle at first. They put her across my chest and I’ll never forget that feeling of holding her for the first time. She was beautiful, with olive skin and dark hair like yours. I wanted you there more than anything.”
Nico could hardly breathe thinking about it. “How much did she weigh?”
“Seven pounds, two ounces and she was twenty inches long. Perfect. I stayed in the hospital two days so I could learn how to nurse her. She took to it fast. I have so many pictures and home movies. Dimitra will show all of them to you. The grandparents doted on her as much as I did.”
“I can’t wait to see everything.” Hearing about the delivery made Nico hunger for every detail of her life from the time they’d been apart.
“What did you want to talk to me about?”
He stopped walking and let go of her hand. “I wondered what you would think about a weekend cruise on the yacht, just you, Dimitra, Gavril and me. We could leave on a Friday afternoon and come back Sunday. I thought we could visit the island of Samos.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “You used to tell me how much you loved going there with your friends.”
Nico had the satisfaction of knowing she hadn’t forgotten all the things they’d talked about. “Dimitra will love it too. At night you could get out all those pictures and home movies to entertain us. I only have one question. Do you think our daughter could stand to be away from Kristos for two nights?”
She darted him one of those impish smiles he remembered, almost giving him a heart attack. “I’m the wrong person to ask. During those three weeks years ago, I resented every second we weren’t together. But Dimitra’s case is different. She’ll have the incentive of spending hours with her newly discovered baba. I can’t imagine anything being more wonderful for her. You wouldn’t need me with you.”
He’d been afraid she’d say that, and he refused to let the fact that he hadn’t loved Raisa as he should have get in the way now. He wanted to be with Alexa and needed to convince her. “You’re wrong. This is still new to both of us and I want her to be comfortable. That can only happen if you and Gavril are there too. One of the stewards will be happy to help him with whatever he might need so please don’t worry. If you’re in agreement, would you broach the subject with her and let me know how she feels? I can arrange for any weekend.”
“Spoken like the CEO who makes the rules,” she teased.
“My only perk.”
“Be honest. The best one.” Talking with her like this made the lost years fade for a little while.
A smile lifted at the corner of her luscious mouth. “Do you know while we were together, I never realized what kind of life was waiting for you in your father’s company. I’m embarrassed to think I didn’t have a clue what responsibilities you would inherit one day.”
Nico chuckled. “My problem was, I did know what was waiting for me, and it got in the way of my wanting to spend every second of my life with you.”
She blushed. “I’m afraid I was oblivious to everything except just being with you. Monika’s mother teased me mercilessly about being good for nothing while I waited for you to get off work. I helped clean and cook when Monika and I didn’t go out, but my mind was constantly on you. Dimitra is just as bad when she’s waiting for Kristos to come.”
Her smile swept him away. “Do you think she’d like to be with the two of us for a few days?”
“I’ll talk to her, Nico, and let you know.”
“Do you think she might be home now?”
“I’m not sure. Let’s find out and go back. My grandfather will be happy if I can watch the last of the match with him.”
* * *
After Nico saw her to the door, Alexa watched him drive off. Once again, he took her heart with him. Nothing had changed. She would always hunger for him, but that hunger could never be assuaged if he didn’t want her just as badly.
I should have been there when you had our baby. Those words Nico had said earlier reminded her how she’d kept him and their daughter apart. But as he’d said, it was over and there was no point in dwelling on it.
She closed the door and walked through to the study. If Dimitra showed excitement over the idea of an outing on the yacht with her parents, Alexa would go as a favor to Nico. But that would have to be the end of family trips. After all, the three of them weren’t a family in the proverbial sense.
When broached the next morning, Dimitra acted overjoyed at the prospect. She phoned her father immediately. Alexa heard laughter from their daughter who said, “I can live without Kristos that long, Baba.” The rapport between the two of them thrilled Alexa. Dimitra had been missing this all her life, but no longer.
By now it was July and the weather had grown hotter. The following Friday Nico came by for them and loaded his car with their bags. Before long they boarded the yacht and were shown to their staterooms. Even though Dimitra had already been on the yacht to meet his family, she walked around in a dazed condition. And she wasn’t the only one—the opulence exceeded Alexa’s expectations. Again she marveled that this had been Nico’s life, but at seventeen she hadn’t understood.
But Monika had known. Only too well.
Alexa needed to put all that away. In the car last week Nico had told her to stop ruminating. The past was over. So be it!
Friday night the four of them ate dinner and watched the home movies. Tears washed Gavril’s face to see his beloved Iris holding the new baby. Before long Alexa and her daughter were also in tears. Nico watched the scenes at the hospital. At one point he turned to her. His dark eyes shone. “How incredible all this was filmed.”
“Thank my grandfather. He insisted.”
Gavril smiled. “There’s much more to see.”
They stayed up late watching movies of their home in Ottawa, Dimitra’s different birthday parties. There were even films showing Alexa’s parents when she’d been a little girl, and Gavril’s investiture as ambassador in Ottawa, which Iris had taken.
No one wanted to stop, but Alexa eventually called a halt. Not only because her grandfather was tired and needed to go to bed, but because her heart couldn’t handle any more memories that didn’t include Nico. He’d missed out on his daughter’s entire life until now.
By morning, the yacht had reached Samos in the Eastern Aegean. Nico told them it was the birthplace of the famous mathematician Pythagoras. Gavril insisted on staying next to the yacht swimming pool to read while the three of them went ashore. A small motorboat dropped them off and left them to explore the mountainous island.
They were a real family. All three of them wore shorts and T-shirts. Nico took them to his favorite places to see waterfalls, fields of wildflowers, a church on a summit and fantastic views. After a long hike, they reached the main village. Dimitra wanted to stop at an embroidery shop to buy a small gift for Irena and Nico’s mother.
“While you do that, your mother and I will walk to that alfresco café jutting out in the water and order us an early dinner.”
“I might be a while since I promised to phone Kristos.”
Nico’s smile took Alexa back nineteen years. “Understood.” Dimitra took off, eager to talk to her beloved.
To Alexa’s surprise, Nico took her arm as they walked along the beachfront. The action had been so natural, she realized he’d forgotten for a moment that they weren’t a couple. But she’d forgott
en nothing. His touch shot darts of desire through her body. The sensation caused her breath to catch. She wondered if he had any idea what the contact was doing to her.
Nico said, “Is there any doubt our daughter is wildly in love?”
“None at all. Did you notice she ambles over rocks and boulders exactly the way you do, Nico? Like father, like daughter.”
When he chuckled, it reminded her of what Irena had told her at the engagement party about Nico. I can tell you that your presence has brought about a miraculous healing. Alexa wouldn’t have known what he was like before he’d learned he had a daughter, but today even his eyes wore a smile.
He was so striking, every woman in sight, young or old, stared at him. What special female had caught his attention these days? Alexa shouldn’t care or even want to know. But the possibility that he spent some of his nights with another woman who had to be crazy about him was consuming her.
They found a table overlooking the water and a waiter came right over. Nico eyed her. “The sautéed shrimp here is a specialty of the house. Would you like to try it?”
“I’d love it.”
“I promise you will.”
He ordered them wine. She felt like they’d gone back to the past. But you’re in the present now, Alexa. Remember that. “How are your friends adjusting to the fact that you have a daughter who now claims some of your time?”
“Tio’s gone, and I’ve never socialized much with my business associates. As for women, there’s been no one recently.” That particular piece of news shouldn’t have pleased her. “Any rare free time has been spent with family and Irena. I enjoy scuba diving with Yanni and Kristos.”
Alexa sipped her wine. “I never did learn.”
“You’re welcome to join us if you ever want to try it. If you remember, I promised to teach you one day.”
As if she could forget anything he’d said or done. “Thank you, Nico. Maybe I’ll take you up on it.”
“When?”
She laughed out loud. “That sounds just like you. I’d say whenever we both have time.”
“I’ll make time.”
“So will I. These days I’m working on a project that will keep me busy for another couple of months.” Alexa wanted to do anything with him, but didn’t want to sound too eager. All she could do was wait for more signs.
“That sounds intriguing,” he murmured. “Tell me about it.”
Their food came and they started to eat.
“After I got my BEd to teach, I went on to obtain a master’s degree in classical mythology. Later on I compiled a series of myths I could water down for grade-school children. It took several years to find an agent. In time a publisher got interested. I worked with their art staff and eventually my collection came out in both English and Greek.”
He stared as if he’d never seen her before. “Congratulations.” His deep voice curled through her. “I remember how much you loved them.”
“They fascinated me. The collection had enough success that I was encouraged to compile another series of myths for young adults.”
“You amaze me you could do it at all.”
“I believe the experience has been cathartic for me. I’ve worked on this collection with a different concept in mind by exploring a basic emotion and making it the title of each story.”
“I’m impressed by your brilliance.”
She smiled. “I didn’t write those myths, Nico. All I’ve done is try to present them in an interesting way for teenagers.”
His eyes narrowed. “Have you included Hera’s myth?”
“No. I—I couldn’t.” Her voice faltered.
“I’m glad. That myth needs to be buried forever.”
Oh, Nico...
Alexa took a deep breath. “If you want to read something creative and historic right out of my grandfather’s incredible mind, you should sink your teeth into his first drafts of his ambassador memoirs on Cyprus. Then he’ll start on his book about his experiences in Canada.”
Nico finished the last of his wine. “I hope you mean that and make them available to me. More and more I’m realizing what an exceptional man Gavril is. He’s had the job of being husband, father, grandfather, then starting again being a father to you and to Dimitra, all the while handling the difficult job of two ambassadorships. Since you’ve inherited his genes, it’s no wonder you’re a star in your own right.”
Heat filled her cheeks. “Hardly that.”
“Do you write under your own name?”
“I’ve always gone by Alexa Soriano Remis. Soriano was my grandmother’s maiden name.”
“I noticed that on the birth certificate. Maybe we’ll find a copy of one of your books in the bookstore here on the island.”
She smiled. “No, but there are copies in the Aristotle University library in Salonica.”
“How soon will your new collection be published?”
“I should have it finished by the end of this summer. Before the fall semester starts at the university, I plan to fly to Ottawa and work for a few days with the artists again. Then we’ll see.”
Nico ate the last two delicious shrimps she’d left on the platter. “Speaking of that timetable, Kristos called me at work yesterday. He and Dimitra want to get married before the end of the summer.”
“I know, but that’s only seven weeks from now.”
He nodded. “Irena still wants them to wait a year.”
“Oh, dear.” She half moaned the words. “Another battle.”
“Has Dimitra mentioned it to you?”
“Yes. Now that they’re engaged, they don’t want to wait and at this point I understand. Frankly I don’t want to fight with her, not after this upheaval in our lives. I’m afraid to do anything to ruin the bit of peace I’ve achieved with her.”
“I’ll tell Irena what you said.”
“How do you feel about it, Nico?” She looked into his dark eyes, worrying about him. “You’ve just discovered you have a daughter. Now she wants to get married. There’s so little time for the two of you to enjoy each other.”
He sat back in the chair. “I’m so overjoyed to have a daughter, I’m planning to take each day as it comes to the very end of my life. I hope you’ll allow me to pay for their wedding whenever it occurs. I’m her father and it’s time I did my part.”
They’d been so engrossed in their conversation, Alexa hadn’t noticed their daughter who’d approached carrying a bag of things she’d bought. Dimitra stood staring at the two of them with an expectant look on her face.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“I HEARD YOU talking about my wedding, Mama. Is it all right with you if Kristos and I get married at the end of the summer term at the university? It’ll be the perfect time before classes start again. We’ve been talking about it on the phone.”
“Honey, I’m fine with the idea, but you need to discuss it with his mother. She’d rather you waited a year.”
“But we don’t want to wait that long.” Dimitra sat in a chair. “You talk to her, Baba. Kristos says she listens to you about everything.”
Alexa exchanged a private glance with Nico before she said, “Do you know why she’s asking you to wait?”
“Kristos just told me. His grandfather wants us to put off marriage until he turns twenty-five and knows what he’s doing. That’s why he didn’t come to our engagement party.”
“I see.”
“His mother is worried he’ll hold Kristos back in the company if he doesn’t conform. But Kristos says he’ll resign if necessary and find another job in order to marry me now.”
Alexa and Nico exchanged a glance. Suddenly her conversation with Irena in the bedroom about her elopement with Tio made perfect sense.
Nico covered his daughter’s hand. “I’ll talk to Irena and assure her that if Kristos needs another job, he can co
me to me.”
“You mean it?” She jumped up and threw her arms around him. “I have to call him right now and tell him.”
“Don’t you want to eat first?”
“I couldn’t. Excuse me. I’ll be back in a minute.”
The second she’d gone, Alexa looked at Nico. “Was Tio’s father as controlling of him as he is of Kristos?”
His brows furrowed. “Worse. He’s the antithesis of my father. If Irena hadn’t been waiting for Tio when he returned from military service, he would have left Greece to find his own way.”
“She told me they eloped. Nico, if you end up helping Kristos, won’t you be making an enemy?”
His features tautened. “We became enemies the moment he found out I was Tio’s best man at their secret wedding and helped them pay for their first apartment.”
“You did that?” Nico had always been more generous than anyone she’d ever known. That quality in him had never changed, making her love him all the more.
He nodded. “His father cut off all his funds, but in time he had to make peace with Tio because Tio’s mother threatened to divorce him if he didn’t. It would have caused a scandal. The mansion Irena lives in now came from Kristos’s grandmother on Irena’s side.”
“I can’t believe he would threaten his son like that.”
“It got ugly, but the good news is, Tio married Irena. They took vows at that church we visited earlier today on our hike.”
A gasp escaped her lips. “What a beautiful place for a wedding! Why didn’t you tell Dimitra while we were up there? It would have meant everything to her.”
“That’s Irena’s story to tell. She walks a thin line when it comes to Tio’s father. He wants to turn his grandson into the personification of himself, but it’ll never happen.”
“That’s terribly sad, but how blessed she and her boys are to be able to turn to you. And Dimitra now too.”
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