A boating accident. Who dies while boating?
It seemed unreal. So implausible. And yet the sharp pain of loss was quite real. And to add salt to the wound, it had happened almost two months ago. His brother and sister-in-law had been laid to rest and Apollo hadn’t been there for any of it because no one knew where he was...except his brother.
He’d once again let down Nile. But that wouldn’t happen again. He was on Infinity Island to retrieve his niece or nephew...even if it meant he had to wait for its very precious arrival.
Apollo’s thoughts turned back to Popi. He knew she’d been through a lot—he knew better than anyone. How would she react when she learned he was there for the baby?
Maybe she’d filed for custody of the baby because she didn’t think he’d want to take responsibility for the baby. Maybe once he explained things to her, she’d realize the baby belonged with him, where the child would be groomed to take over the Drakos empire. Could it really be that simple? Would Popi hand the baby over to him like she’d been planning to do with his brother and her sister?
Apollo thought about following her to the back of the bungalow and reasoning with her. But then he recalled that little pink robe. He swallowed hard. Did she realize it barely covered her? It was so tantalizing, hinting at the curvy goodness that lay beneath. But the robe never really revealed anything scandalous. It was more the knowledge that she didn’t have a thing on underneath that turned his blood red-hot.
He tugged on his shirt collar. It was a bit warm out, even with the sea breeze. His mind was still replaying the images of Popi. He’d gotten a good view of her shapely legs. They were long and smooth. His mouth grew dry. Why did this woman have to be so good-looking? It was a distraction that he didn’t need or want.
His back teeth ground together. He had to get past the superficial. His purpose for coming to the island couldn’t be forgotten. If he stayed focused, he would soon forget about Popi’s finer assets. At least he hoped so.
Apollo walked back out the front door. He started down the steps with no particular destination in mind. He didn’t even know anything about this island, except that the woman who was carrying his last living relative lived here.
He came to a stop and turned. Why was he walking away? Maybe because that’s what he’d been doing his whole life. But no more.
Apollo returned to the porch and took a seat in one of the two wicker chairs. They looked stiff and uninviting, but once he was seated, he found them surprisingly comfortable. He lounged back and decided to learn more about Infinity Island. He pulled out his phone and typed the name into the search engine.
He was surprised by the large number of articles written about the island. In his limited experience with women, he knew it may take Popi quite some time to get ready. He settled back in the chair, pulled up the first article about this “wedding” island and started to read.
To his surprise there was a picture of Popi, smiling at the camera. She was arm and arm with another woman. He wondered if this was today’s bride. The caption beneath the photo said that the other woman was the owner, while Popi was the wedding planner.
Apollo inwardly groaned. This woman believed in hearts, flowers and happily-ever-afters. Those were things he’d purposely avoided all his adult life. What exactly had he gotten himself into? Maybe he should have let his army of attorneys handle it. But he didn’t want to put either of them through a long, drawn-out legal battle. They’d already been through so much—especially Popi.
And so he kept reading about the island. The more he knew, the easier it would be to reason with her, should it come to that. After all, the heir to the Drakos fortune couldn’t be raised in a hut on some small, out-of-the-way island...
A movement out of the corner of his eye had him glancing up. In a whirl of coral gauzy material, and with long brown curls bouncing, Popi walked swiftly away from the bungalow. Apparently she hadn’t noticed him sitting off to the side.
He got to his feet and slipped the phone in his pocket, but in just that small amount of time she’d darted down a path. The problem was there were a lot of paths, and he wasn’t sure which one she’d gone down. How could a very pregnant woman move so quickly?
He knew she was busy with the wedding, but after it was over, perhaps at the reception, he could grab a moment of her time. He just wanted her to know he was here now. She didn’t have to go through the remainder of this pregnancy alone.
CHAPTER THREE
SHE DIDN’T NEED any more complications.
Popi made a mental note to let the supervisor in charge of the move know about the man showing up at her bungalow on the wrong day. And on top of it, the man hadn’t done anything she’d instructed him to do. In fact, the man had done absolutely nothing. He better not even try to charge time for today. She wouldn’t stand for it.
Popi headed straight for the Hideaway Café. She refused to let herself get utterly distracted by that man—no matter how sexy he was with those mesmerizing blue eyes and that intriguing tattoo on his bicep. She halted her thoughts. She had a very important wedding today. Everything else would have to wait until another time—including the mystery man.
Popi came to a stop on the patio of the café. This was Lea’s dream wedding spot. It had the most awesome view of the bay, but as beautiful as the view was, it wasn’t Popi’s vision for saying “I do.” Whenever she got married, she loved the idea of a lush garden. Intimate and yet with hundreds of colorful blooms in every shade imaginable.
Popi paused to take in the view. She’d worked closely with Lea to plan this wedding down to the finest detail. Lea had told her not to push so hard, but Popi needed to focus on the wedding. Working was her way of dealing with the loss of her sister. The work kept her grounded when everything around her felt as though it was spinning out of control.
All the outdoor white tables with their colorful umbrellas had been removed to make room for rows of white folding chairs. Lea had opted for wildflowers, which included locally grown orchids. Popi hadn’t been sure about the idea, but now seeing them in arrangements throughout the venue, she had to admit it looked stunning.
There was little more than an hour until the wedding—time that would be needed to get the bride ready. Though Lea had moved to the island little more than a year ago, she was embracing the Greek culture, and the older women on the island had filled Lea’s head with all the wedding traditions. Lea was excited to merge some of the old ways with some of her own traditions. It would make for a beautiful wedding.
After inspecting the venue preparations, Popi took off for Lea’s bungalow. Thankfully there was a golf cart at the offices. She planned to acquire it, as her feet were getting tired and the event hadn’t even begun. Carrying around an extra human was taxing.
She placed a hand on her aching lower back. “Not that I’d have it any other way. We’ll make your parents proud.”
She sat in the cart and then set off down the familiar path. One of the first Greek traditions they’d dealt with was setting the wedding date. When the elders on the island had heard the wedding was to be in August, they immediately spoke up. They advised that if the wedding must be in August, then the first two weeks of the month should be avoided at all costs, as they were reserved for religious reasons.
Neither Lea nor Popi were very religious, but, they reasoned, why tempt fate and the ire of the elders? As such, they planned the wedding for the last weekend in the month. Everyone seemed pleased with the decision, as Xander had arranged for a cruise ship to take everyone from the island for a Mediterranean cruise right after the reception.
The plan was, while they were all off on a two-week cruise, followed by temporary lodgings in Athens, the island would undergo extensive renovations. When the citizens were allowed to return to their bungalows, everything would be updated and the crews would be out of their way. It was quite an amazing gift from the bridegroom to his new e
xtended family.
A couple of minutes later, Popi pulled to a stop in front of Lea’s bungalow. The bridegroom wasn’t there. He was bunking with the island’s handyman, Joseph, until the wedding. In the time Xander had been on the island, the older man had taken him under his wing, like a father would do.
When Popi entered the bungalow, she was surprised to find so many women rushing around. But she didn’t see Lea among them. And then her name was called. She glanced around, finding Lea waving her to the guest room.
Popi made her way to Lea. Once inside the room, she closed the door. “What are you doing in here instead of your room?”
Lea rolled her eyes. “The elders are so caught up in the wedding. They think my soon-to-be husband is in line to be a saint for all he’s doing for them that they don’t want to jinx anything.”
“Do I dare ask what that means?”
“They’re preparing the marital bed... Um...what did they call it? Oh, yes, to krevati.”
“What?” She’d heard of the tradition but she’d never heard of anyone actually doing it. “You mean like with the rose petals, ribbons and money?”
“And rice. Don’t forget the rice. They’ve been here cleaning and putting fresh linens on the bed. I had to talk them out of rolling an infant on the bed. I told them we didn’t need any help in the fertility department.” Lea ran a loving hand over her own expanding midsection.
Popi burst out laughing. “Definitely not. But they could have just rolled you around on the bed.”
“Don’t give them any ideas.” Lea shook her head. “So I’ve been hiding in here.”
“You don’t have time to hide. It isn’t long until you say ‘I do.’ I’ll just go get some makeup and I’ll be right back.”
Popi was the maid of honor, or koumbara, and it was her responsibility to see that the bride was ready on time. The rest of the bridal party soon showed up, including Lea’s assistant and her soon to be sister-in-law, Stasia. Because an odd number of attendants was good luck. And three attendants were the best.
Together they worked until Lea was all done up with her long hair pulled up with just a few strategically placed curly wisps of hair softening her face. A wreath of fresh flowers was clipped into place.
Popi stepped back and took in Lea’s dress. It was truly breathtaking. White tiers of Chantilly lace, tulle and ribbons adorned her. There was a V-shaped neckline with delicate straps over her shoulders and satin ribbon wrapped around her waist. She truly looked like a Greek goddess.
“You’re perfect,” Popi announced. And the other young women readily agreed.
“Not quite.” Lea slipped off her white heels.
“What are you doing?” Popi frowned. “Is it your shoes? Is something wrong with them?”
Lea shook her head. “Does someone have a pen?”
“I do.” Stasia pulled a fine black marker from her purse.
Popi watched as Lea wrote the names of her bridal party on the bottom of her shoes. Lea had written her name first, before Popi could tell her not to do it. It was another Greek tradition that the names of the single ladies be written on the bottom of the bride’s shoes. The names that are worn off by the end of the evening will soon be married. Popi was certain that her name would still be there, because there was no chance she was getting married anytime soon. She already had her hands more than full with the little bundle of joy inside her.
As though the baby sensed her thoughts, it kicked. Once. Twice. And the last kick was swifter than the others, sending Popi bending over. She pressed a hand to the area where she’d been kicked.
“Are you okay?” Lea asked, concern written all over her face, as well as the other ladies.
Popi drew in a deep, soothing breath and straightened. “Yeah. I think I have a footballer in there.”
“Oh.” Lea smiled.
“Don’t smile,” Popi said. “Your time is coming.”
Lea continued to smile as she pressed a hand to her baby bump. “It’ll all be worth it in the end.”
Popi smiled. “You just keep telling yourself that when the baby starts tap-dancing on your bladder.”
Lea’s smile dimmed. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
Knock-knock.
Popi went to the door and opened it a crack. On the other side was the photographer. After glancing around to make sure the coast was clear of the groom, Popi admitted the photographer. It was almost time to head to the Hideaway.
After today, their lives were going to change dramatically. Her friend would be married, with a baby created from that love already on the way. It didn’t get any better than that. Popi was so happy for her—for all of them.
Sometimes Popi wondered if the baby she was carrying would feel like they’d missed out on something by not having a father. But then again, they most certainly would feel cheated by never knowing either of their biological parents. A sadness filled Popi. If only she could change the past.
She recalled her last conversation with her sister. Neither suspected it would be the last time they spoke. And the conversation had gone totally sideways.
Popi blamed herself for the heated exchange...for Andrina and Nile being on that boat at that particular time...for them needlessly dying. Popi’s throat tightened. Her breath caught in her lungs. If only she’d said something different—if she’d had more patience—then they’d both still be alive. If that conversation had gone differently, her sister and brother-in-law would be here, anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first child. She was positive of it.
The photographer bumped into her, jarring her from the emotional black hole that threatened to swallow her whole. The man turned to her. “Sorry. Would you mind helping the bride with her hair so I can get a few photos?”
Not trusting her voice, Popi nodded.
Today was not the time to contemplate her sister’s death. Today was about smiles, hopes and good tidings. Popi choked down all her worries and smiled. Lea deserved nothing but happiness on her big day.
* * *
He didn’t want to be here.
But on this small island, places to wait for Popi were limited. And the wedding appeared to be taking place in a common area of the village.
Apollo found himself standing off to the side. No one seemed to make a big deal of him being there. They acted as though he was just another wedding guest. Some even shook his hand and greeted him.
Up until now, Apollo had done nothing but make one mistake after the next since the day he was born. He thought he’d have time to fix things—to change his ways. After all, he was young. There was plenty of time to make up for the past, but then suddenly out of nowhere he’d been blindsided when time had run out for Nile and his wife, Andrina. And now he owed it to his brother not to mess things up where the baby was concerned.
As he thought of Nile, the breath hitched in Apollo’s throat. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. He was the adventure seeker—the daredevil. If something bad had to happen, it should have been to him. Not his brother. None of this made any sense.
A flurry of motion drew Apollo from his thoughts. The wedding guests took their seats. Not wanting to stand out any more than he already did with his casual attire, Apollo took a seat in the back. The classical music started. Two pretty women started up the aisle.
And then Popi appeared at the end of the aisle, holding a bouquet of teal blossoms. She looked radiant. Her smile lit up her whole face. All he could do in that minute was stare at the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his life. It was the same sort of stunned reaction he’d experienced at her place, when he’d found her in the very short, very revealing pink robe. He couldn’t decide which look he preferred on her. Both looks had their alluring qualities.
It was in that moment her gaze lifted, meeting his. The breath caught in his chest. Her big brown eyes were mesmerizing. He felt as though he w
ere being drawn into her chocolate-brown depths. His heart beat faster, as time felt as though it had been suspended.
She was looking right at him as she stepped forward. His mouth grew dry. He should turn away, but he couldn’t. She was amazing in every way.
And then she passed by him and kept going to where the priest and groom waited. Apollo didn’t take an easy breath until the bride moved to the end of the aisle.
The wedding proceeded slowly and they had finally come to the blessing of the rings. The wedding bands were exchanged three times. Apollo rolled his shoulders. He willed the wedding to hurry up and end, but they were just now taking three sips of wine as a symbol of sharing for the rest of their marriage. He’d forgotten about three being such a significant number in Greek culture.
When they made it to the traditional readings, he resisted the urge to squirm in his seat. He’d done far too much sitting on planes in order to get to this little, out-of-the-way island as fast as he could. And his injuries were not taking all the sitting in one position well.
When the ceremony finally ended and the guests were directed to the garden area next to the café where the reception was being held, Apollo fell in step with everyone else. He was surprised when he only received a few odd glances at his choice of casual attire. How was he supposed to know when he’d ventured to Infinity Island that his trip would include a wedding?
He kept trying to catch Popi alone, but she was forever talking with this person or that person. He just wanted a brief word with her. He hoped once she knew he wanted custody of the child that she’d withdraw her petition. And in the meantime, he’d pay for her medical expenses and anything else she needed. Could it be that simple?
Apollo didn’t miss how Popi spoke to everyone she passed. There were a lot of hugs and smiles. Everyone was enjoying themselves. He was impressed with how this group of people could act like one big, happy, functional family, whereas his own blood relatives had never experienced anything close to this easiness with each other. Not that he ever needed a close-knit family. He did fine on his own.
Claiming the Drakos Heir Page 2