Where else would he take her? It was his favorite place on earth. Hers, too, except... “You mean where Karmela and her family drop in on a regular basis to visit your family whenever you’re in residence there?”
His eyes narrowed to slits. “They come to visit my parents in their villa. As for my family, they’ve already left for the yearly reunion in Stenies village and will be gone overnight, so no one will be around. In any case, we’ll be staying in my villa. Shall we go?”
So much had happened in the last month, Kellie’s mind was spinning. Since he’d dictated the location for the conversation they needed to have, she was left with no choice but to go along with him.
After grabbing his briefcase, he opened the door that led to the elevator, and stepped in behind her. Their bodies brushed, sending darts of awareness through her as they rode to the roof, where the helicopter blades were already rotating.
She smiled at his pilot, Stefon, before climbing in the back to join Christos. Kellie had done this so often in the past, she strapped herself in before Leandros could do it. She watched him take the copilot’s seat and put on the earphones. Soon they were airborne for the short flight to Andros, an hour and a half from Athens by car and ferry. There was no airport, but with a helicopter, Leandros could be where he wanted in no time at all.
That pang of familiarity attacked her in waves as they left Athens and headed for the fertile green island in the Cyclades that Leandros called home. It was a contrast of craggy mountains, woods, valleys and streams rising out of the blue Aegean.
The Petralia estate was located on the eastern slope of a hillside with its share of vineyards, lemon and walnut groves near Gialia beach. To Kellie, the island was glorious beyond description.
Close by was the picturesque stone village of Stenies, with its paved streets. The cluster of villas on the estate had been built in the same traditional stone architecture of the region. Parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins...all lived in the vicinity.
Leandros loved it because tourism hadn’t been developed in this quieter area, thus preserving the whole place’s authentic character. After their wedding, at the church in Chora, Kellie had thought she’d found paradise on her honeymoon here, until she learned the Paulos family, among other wealthy families, lived on the same part of the island. The two families had enjoyed a warm relationship over the last fifty years.
Once she’d realized this was where Leandros had fallen in love with Petra, Kellie never felt as excited when they flew over on the weekends he didn’t have a business commitment elsewhere. To her growing discomfort, she’d often discovered Karmela and her parents were there visiting Leandros’s family at his parents’ villa. They would always call Leandros and ask him to join them. Their presence had to be a reminder of what he’d lost.
Since his feelings for home were intertwined with his memories of Petra, Kellie imagined he was a prisoner of both. To fight her pain, she’d preferred they stay at the apartment in Athens when she wasn’t traveling with him on business.
Now there was no apartment, but none of that mattered at this point. Wherever Leandros took her so they could talk, nothing would change the fact that they were getting a divorce, children or no children. There were some things they just couldn’t overcome, no matter how much her heart broke at the thought.
She’d done the right thing by coming to him with the news of his impending fatherhood. It was his God-given right. If he found a way to prevent the divorce from happening as soon as she’d anticipated, she would still go back to Pennsylvania day after tomorrow, and let her attorney deal with it.
While she was deep in thought, Stefon flew them over the capital town of Chora, where the tourists came in throngs to see its charming Venetian architecture. Farther on she spotted the seventeenth century tower of Bisti-Mouvela and the nearby church of Agios Georgios. Soon they were passing over the Petralia estate. It was a wonderful place with an old olive press building, all part of Leandros’s idyllic childhood and an intrinsic part of who he was.
The first time Kellie ever saw his romantic stone farmhouse with its flat roof, she’d fallen instantly in love with it. When she stayed there with him, she enjoyed the many terraces planted with fruit and nut trees that flourished in the climate, as well as shrubs, flowers and kitchen gardens. Hidden in the foliage was a small swimming pool.
One of her favorite features was the kitchen with its open fireplace. They could eat on two of the terraces, one alcoved between the kitchen and living room, the other above the master bedroom with its own garden and a view of the beach just steps away. Farther along the beach was the private boat dock housing various watercraft, including the sailboat he’d given her. One thing she’d learned early: Leandros loved the water and swam like a fish.
She thought about the babies growing inside her. After they were born, they’d enjoy this legacy from their father. When they came on visitation, they’d become water babies, too. But their roots would be firmly planted in Philadelphia.
There couldn’t be two places on earth more unalike. Almost as unalike as the way she and Leandros viewed their marriage and what was wrong with it. Kellie couldn’t bear to look back at what had happened to destroy their happiness, and fought tears as Stefon set them down on the east side of his parents’ villa.
Leandros was already removing his headset. Now that she was pregnant, she had to expect that he would watch over her with meticulous care for the short time she was back in Greece. He didn’t know any other way. That was one of the reasons she loved him so much.
Too much.
* * *
As he helped her down from the helicopter, his pulse raced to see moisture glazing those velvety brown eyes that used to beg him to make love to her. Until this minute, Leandros hadn’t seen a sign of emotion from his normally loving, vivacious wife.
Since Kellie had first told him she wanted a separation, she’d turned into an ice princess, erecting walls he couldn’t penetrate. For the last month they were together, he hadn’t been able to get through to her on any level. The hurt he’d felt had turned to anger.
During the months when she’d gone through one procedure after another to get pregnant, and been so brave about it, they’d both felt the strain. Every time her period came, they both suffered depression and had to fight their way out of it.
Sometimes the strain made them short with each other. Other times there were periods of silence over several days. The emotional turmoil took its toll. By the last month, he didn’t feel he knew his wife anymore. His disillusionment was so total, he’d been devastated.
Only the pregnancy could have caused her to venture back here. Though he was euphoric to learn he was going to be a father, his world would never be right again if the divorce went through without one more attempt to try and heal their wounds.
That’s why he’d planned to leave today, with a proposition to save their marriage before it became final. For her to have flown here with news of their babies had saved him from flying to Philadelphia. Leandros couldn’t have asked for a greater gift than her presence right now.
While the men disappeared to the guest cottage, she walked ahead of him, strolling down the flower-lined path to his villa in her pale orange sundress and jacket. His eyes followed the feminine lines of her hips and legs as she moved. In the summery outfit, his wife took his breath away.
Once upon a time they’d paused and kissed as they made their way along the ancient paths. But he had to push those rapturous memories to the background of his mind and start over with her again in a brand-new way.
Kellie waited for him to unlock the door, then stepped past him into the beamed living room with its simple white walls and hand-carved furniture. Her arm brushed against his, triggering a surge of desire for her with an intensity that caught him off guard. They’d been apart too long.
He set down his briefcase. “Why don’t you rest on the couch by the window and I’ll get us something cold to drink.”
“Thank you.”
When he returned a minute later with an icy lemon fruit drink for her, he found her seated on one end of the sofa, staring out at the beach. He handed her the glass. “Wouldn’t you like to put your legs up? Since we’re having twins, I’m sure the doctor told you to stay off your feet after your long flight from Philadelphia.”
“You’re right, but I had a good night’s sleep at the hotel and ate breakfast in bed before I took a taxi to your office.” She sipped her drink. “It’s a hot day and this tastes wonderful. Thank you.” Her controlled civility was anathema to him.
“You’re welcome. When you’re hungry, I’ll fix us some sandwiches.”
“I’m fine for now, but you go ahead.”
He frowned. “I haven’t had an appetite lately, but I can’t claim the excuse of pregnancy.” It wasn’t meant to be a joke and she didn’t take it that way. “How are you feeling physically?”
She avoided looking at him. “Dr. Creer says I’m in great shape. No problems in sight so far, but twins require special monitoring and I intend following his advice.”
“That’s good. Are you taking any other medicine besides your antinausea medication?”
“Just prenatal vitamins.”
He drank part of his drink, then got to his feet, too restless to sit there. “When you walked in my office, I was on the phone with Frato.”
“I know. I recognized his voice.”
Leandros stared at her moodily. “He’s taking over for me while I’m gone.”
That statement caused her to lift startled eyes to him. “Where are you going?”
“I told him I needed a vacation, but no one knows my plans.”
“You’re taking another one?”
It didn’t surprise him she’d ask that question. A month ago he’d taken time off to fly her back to Philadelphia. He was pleased to detect a note of concern in her voice before she smoothed her hands over her knees in what he recognized was a nervous gesture. “That’s right.”
“For how long this time?”
“For as long as it takes.”
She stared at him. “I don’t understand.”
Leandros rubbed the back of his neck. “I was going to take my jet and fly to Philadelphia today to talk to you about giving us another chance. If you hadn’t come to the office this morning, we would have missed each other.”
Her eyes widened, then grew shuttered, and her lovely features hardened. “It’s too late. Our divorce will be final soon. The fact that I’m pregnant changes nothing.”
“I get that, Kellie, but I’d like you to hear me out first.”
“What more is there to say?” The bleakness in her question crushed him. “I only came to discuss future visitation for our children and get it in writing.”
He had to weigh his words carefully. “Our babies haven’t arrived yet. Until they do, we have a lot to talk about that impacts our lives right this minute. What I need you to know is that I did listen to what you said to me before I flew home from Philadelphia a month ago. To my shame, it took me until last week to come to terms with it. I can’t lose you, so I’ve made a decision that will affect both of us.”
A troubled expression entered her eyes. “That sounds ominous.”
He sucked in his breath. “I’m willing to do as you asked and go to marriage counseling with you.”
Looking dumbstruck, she put her glass on the coffee table. “I thought you didn’t believe in it. I brought up the subject a year ago, but you were adamantly against it.”
He scowled in self-deprecation. “It’s my nature to believe only in myself, but after being apart from you this last month, I recognize how arrogant that was of me. Since you suggested counseling as a last resort, I’m willing to try anything to save our marriage.”
Besides her inability to get pregnant, which had tested them to the breaking point, there’d been other side issues throughout their marriage to exacerbate what was already wrong. One of them was Kellie’s insistence that Karmela had a crush on him. Whenever she’d brought it up, he’d dismissed it, telling her Petra’s sister was simply a clingy girl who needed lots of attention. Her behavior didn’t mean anything. In fact, Petra had asked him to be extra kind to her.
But, he remembered, when Karmela had said last night that Kellie wasn’t good enough for him, something in him had snapped. Mostly because in trying to do as Petra had asked, he hadn’t taken Kellie’s concerns seriously enough, he realized.
She got to her feet, as if on the verge of running away.
“I realize it will have to be someone you trust,” he added, “so I want you to pick the therapist.” Leandros knew this was a drastic departure from his former attitude, but he was desperate. Seeing her again proved to him he couldn’t live without her. “We can do it here in Athens, or we can fly to Philadelphia and find someone there. It’s your choice.”
Without saying anything, she moved over to the French doors and opened them to walk out on the patio. He followed her, inhaling her flowery fragrance and the scent of the lemon trees close by. Incredible to think that inside her beautiful body, their babies were already seven weeks old and growing.
“Are you too embittered at this stage to even consider it, Kellie? I wouldn’t blame you if you were...but I’m begging you.”
She clung to the railing. Still no words came.
“I’ve spent the last week doing research on the best therapists in the city and came up with a list of six names recommended to me. Four men and two women. Let me show you.”
He went back inside and reached for his briefcase. After pulling out his laptop, he set it up on the coffee table and turned it on. Kellie came back in and watched as he clicked to the file so she could see it.
“I was going to give you this list when I flew over to see you, but you can look at it now if you want. All the information I’ve gathered is here. But if this doesn’t interest you, I’ll fly you back to Philadelphia tomorrow and we’ll search for a therapist there.”
She shot him a startled glance. “You can’t just go back and forth from Greece between sessions. Therapy takes time.”
“I can do whatever I want. Frato will be running the company for as long as necessary. He knows the business the same as I do. With both our fathers still alive to advise him, along with other family members on the board, the company will function seamlessly. If you and I decide to do therapy in Philadelphia, then I’ll live there and do business. With your help, of course.”
“My help?”
“Yes. You once asked me if you could work for me. I told you I’d rather you didn’t, but I was wrong about that and a host of other things. We can be a team and scout out a property for the first Petralia resort in Pennsylvania. But since you’re pregnant, we’ll have to proceed as your health dictates.”
“You’re not serious,” she whispered.
“Try me and find out.” He fired back the response. “We’ll buy or build a house in Philadelphia near your aunt and uncle, if that’s what you desire.”
She shook her head. “And take you away from your family and responsibilities?”
“You’re my family. No one else is more important. If we decide to live there, I’ll step down as CEO.”
“I wouldn’t want or expect you to do that. Never!”
He stared into her eyes. “Why not? Don’t you realize no place is home to me without you? I’ll do anything, Kellie,” he vowed. “I know we can make this work. It’s not too late. For the sake of our unborn babies, I’m pleading with you to reconsider. If counseling will help us, then it will be worth it for all our sakes. We’ll postpone our divorce while we’re in therapy.”
* * *
If Leandros had said these things to her a month ago...
But he’s saying them to you now, Kellie.
For a proud man like her husband to be willing to undergo therapy told her how far he’d come. She moved closer to the coffee table, where she could see the list of names on his laptop. He’d done al
l this without prior knowledge that they were expecting twins? She couldn’t believe it.
After supplying her this kind of proof that he was serious, she had to believe he’d planned to fly to Philadelphia today. But for Leandros to submit to marriage counseling... It just wasn’t like him.
He was a dynamic wonder in the business world and a law unto himself. He’d probably last one session and that would be it. She couldn’t imagine therapy working on him. But since she’d been the one to suggest it in the first place, how would it look if she told him no?
Kellie knew exactly what he’d think. During one of their arguments he’d told her she was inflexible, unreasonable and didn’t really mean what she’d said. He would have every right to accuse her now of not putting their children first.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized the wisest thing to do would be to try out one of these therapists in Athens. When the counseling didn’t work, then she’d fly back to Philadelphia and the divorce could go through. She’d have to let her aunt and uncle know. The news would be welcome to them, because they adored Leandros and were crushed by the news that he and Kellie were getting a divorce.
He watched as she sat down and scrolled through the list of names. All seemed to have impressive credentials. She was glad he’d included some women. She preferred their therapist to be a female, who would understand Kellie’s point of view about things. Leandros probably wouldn’t like it, but he’d said this was her choice.
She looked at their ages. The first woman was forty-eight, younger than Kellie’s aunt. The other therapist was seventy-six. That sounded pretty old, but she did have a long record of running a practice. At that age she’d probably seen thousands of couples, with every type of problem, enter her office. To still be in business meant she’d enjoyed a certain amount of success.
“Today is a workday.” Leandros’s deep male voice permeated to Kellie’s insides. “Is there a name on the list you’d like to call now?”
He stood behind the couch, more or less looking over her shoulder. Though he’d sounded in control just now, she sensed his impatience for their therapy to get started. Actually, she was anxious, too. The sooner they met with someone and discovered counseling wouldn’t help, the sooner she could go home and start getting over Leandros once and for all.
Along Came Twins... Page 3