It was then that she realized by his waiting for her to come home from the reception, where she’d stayed late to oversee the cleanup, that he’d missed the last ferry to the mainland. And since the island was shut down for the pending renovations, there was nowhere for him to stay but with her. She sighed.
She should just turn away and let him be. After all, it was his choice to stay here. Just then the baby gave a hard kick that nearly doubled her over.
Rubbing her now sore side, Popi whispered, “Okay, little one. I hear you. He is your flesh and blood. As much as I want to pretend he doesn’t exist, I won’t kick him out of your life. He’s the only one who can tell you about your father and his side of the family.”
As an orphan who never knew her blood relatives, Popi knew the importance of family roots. She wouldn’t deprive her child of that link—no matter how aggravating the uncle may be.
Popi grabbed a throw from the back of her couch that she hadn’t had time to pack and moved to the door. Ever so quietly, she let herself out on the porch. She expected him to wake up at any moment, but he didn’t stir. His breath was deep and even.
She tiptoed toward him and ever so gently draped the blanket over him. As soon as she had it over him, his breathing halted. He shifted positions as though getting more comfortable. Popi froze, knowing if she moved he’d wake up for sure. But then as quickly as his deep breathing had halted, it resumed, and so did Popi’s.
She quietly tiptoed back inside the house. Tomorrow was going to be a very interesting day. Very interesting indeed.
* * *
Apollo jerked.
His eyes fluttered open just as his feet hit the floor. His heart pounded in his chest as he gulped down one breath of air after the other.
He glanced around, not knowing where he was. In the distance was the view of the sea. Slowly it all started to come back to him. The island. The baby. And the surrogate.
He was safe. He was on solid ground. And everything else had been a nightmare. Or more like a vivid memory. One that played over and over in his mind. It was one reason he’d considered giving up his nomad existence, but one tragedy had only led him to another much worse tragedy.
Apollo rubbed his thigh. The wound, though mostly healed, still bothered him at times, especially when he’d been on his feet a lot. And he was certain the dancing last night hadn’t helped things. But he was a determined man. He had a lot to make up for and nothing was going to stop him.
It was only then that he noticed the blanket pooled around his waist. It took him a second to realize that Popi must have brought this out to him. So she knew he was still here and yet she hadn’t woken him up to kick him off her property. Off the island. Interesting.
He would take that as a good sign—maybe she was starting to come to terms with the situation. With the sun barely above the horizon, he got to his feet and stretched. His stomach rumbled a complaint. He hadn’t eaten since he was on the mainland yesterday.
The creak of the door announced Popi’s presence. “You’re still here?”
“Good morning,” he said, hoping to get the day off to a good start.
He smiled at her as she stood there with no makeup on and her long hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. She looked so down-to-earth and approachable. He resisted the urge to move. As he continued to look at her, he noticed a glow about her. He’d heard it said that pregnant women get a glow about them, but he’d never known what that exactly meant, until now.
She didn’t smile, but she didn’t frown at him either. He’d take that as another good sign—something he could build on. Because the only way he was going to keep the unborn baby close was to keep Popi close.
“I started a pot of coffee. You might as well come inside. You can clean up and then have a cup.”
She didn’t have to invite him twice. He grabbed his backpack. After all these years, he didn’t go anywhere without it. He followed her in the doorway. “Thank you.”
After she handed him a towel, he grabbed a quick shower. The hot water beat on his sore neck, easing the painful kinks in his muscles. All too soon, he turned off the water. He didn’t want to dally, as Popi seemed as though she might be in the mood to talk.
As he dried off and dressed in some fresh clothes, he hoped now that her shock over his sudden appearance on the island had subsided that she’d see him as something other than the enemy. He wanted to convince Popi to accompany him back to the Drakos estate, which was situated so much closer to a hospital.
Apollo entered the kitchen and inhaled the most delightful aroma. “The coffee smells wonderful.”
“Help yourself. The cups are in the cabinet right above the coffeemaker.”
He liked that she didn’t stand on formalities and instead believed in a feel-at-home approach. He grabbed a cup and then glanced over his shoulder. “Can I get you a cup?”
She shook her head. “I can’t have any. You know, being pregnant and all.”
She’d made this pot of coffee just for him? It was just a simple act, but it got to him. It’d been quite a while since someone went out of their way for him. Usually when people figured out that he was “that Drakos,” they wanted something from him—access to his brother, money to invest in some get-rich scheme and the list went on. But Popi didn’t seem to want anything from him.
His gaze dipped to her baby bump. “I didn’t know you couldn’t drink coffee.” And then he felt guilty. “I can dump it out.”
Again, she shook her head. “Why should you go without? I’m the one that’s pregnant. Pour yourself a cup and enjoy it for the both of us.”
He arched a brow. She gestured for him to get on with it. And so he poured himself a cup. He’d learned a long time ago that milk was hard to come by out on the trail and sugar attracted all sorts of insects, so he’d learned to drink his coffee black.
The timer went off and Popi moved past him. She added eggs to the tomatoes simmering on the stove. As she continued to work in the kitchen, he moved to a stool at the small kitchen island, where he was out of her way.
“Whatever you’re making, it smells good. Real good.” His stomach rumbled in agreement.
“It’s Peloponnesian scrambled eggs with fresh tomatoes and herbs. And it’s almost done, if you’d like some.”
“I’d love some.”
Popi used a spatula to stir the contents of the pan. “My mother used to make them for me. But it’s been a while. I don’t get home to visit my parents as much as I’d like.”
“Our housekeeper used to have these prepared for me on special mornings.” He sent Popi a smile, hoping today would be a new start for them. “Looks like you’re serving up a bit of nostalgia for both of us.”
“I must admit that nothing I try makes the eggs as good as the ones from my childhood.”
“I think sometimes our memories deceive us—makes the good things so much better than they truly were.”
Popi lowered her gaze to the counter. “And the bad things?”
“I don’t know.” Because he tried to keep his bad memories locked up in the back of his mind. He didn’t like to share them with anyone—including his late brother.
After adding some freshly chopped herbs and feta to the dish, she served it up. “Let’s see how I did.”
They ate quietly for a bit. He noticed that Popi was doing a good job at clearing her plate. He glanced down at his almost-full plate. The food was good but he was distracted by the change in Popi’s mood. First the blanket and then being nice to him this morning. What was up with that?
He knew not to let his guard down because that’s when people took advantage of you. It’d happened to him in the past—once by a vivacious blonde and another time by a fellow hiker that Apollo had come to think of as a close friend. Both turned out to be more interested in what he could do for them than being friends.
Is that what
prompted Popi’s change of mood toward him? Was she worried he’d take the heir to the Drakos fortune away from her? Because honestly, in the beginning, that had been his plan. He already had his team of attorneys working to quash her application for adoption. But now he wasn’t sure that was the right approach. If they could handle this outside the courts, it’d be best for everyone.
Unable to take the curiosity any longer, Apollo asked, “Popi, why—”
Ring-ring. Ring-ring.
Popi held up a finger. “Hang on. I have to get this.”
As she talked on the phone with more yeses and nos than anything else, he cleared the empty breakfast dishes. He stacked them in the sink as he would do if he were at home and there was a staff to finish cleaning up. But this wasn’t his home. This was Popi’s place. And this place didn’t have a staff. There was just a very pregnant woman that for some reason was giving him a second chance.
Apollo picked up the first dish and started washing it. And the funny thing was he didn’t mind. When he’d been off on his adventures, he’d learned to clean his own dishes, and in definitely more harsh terrain.
See, big brother, my travels weren’t all a waste of time. I’ve learned to be a real human being and not just a spoiled brat.
The pain of loss engulfed him. It was so hard to believe that Nile was gone. He kept expecting him to walk through the door, slap him on the back and give him some verbal jab about his latest expedition. And then he’d tell Apollo all about his upcoming baby and how he was anxious to know him or her. Sadly, that was never to be—
“Sorry about that,” Popi said, cutting through his painful and sorrowful thoughts. “That was the moving crew.”
He placed the last of the dishes in the cupboard and turned to her. “That must be who you mistook me for yesterday.”
She nodded. “Sorry about that.” She got to her feet. “The ferry to the mainland will be here shortly. You can head down to the dock to wait for it.” Popi started for the bedroom.
“Thank you for breakfast,” he called out. “It was delicious and a nice reminder of the past.”
Did she really think things were settled between them? Was that why she’d been so nice to him with the blanket and feeding him? Did she think he’d just quietly disappear?
He’d wait until she changed out of that flirty little pink robe and then they’d talk. He would tell her that there was no way he was giving away his own flesh and blood. And it doesn’t matter how nice she is to him or how her smile lights up her eyes and causes a warm feeling within his chest. He was immune to her charms—if he wanted to be.
CHAPTER SEVEN
TOOT-TOOT.
The ferry was pulling into the dock. The work crew had arrived. It was time to get to work.
Popi tried to put socks on her feet, but her feet now seemed so far away. After a couple attempts, she tossed aside the socks. Flip-flops would have to suffice. Besides, with the swelling in her feet, she wasn’t even sure she could get shoes on her feet.
She definitely didn’t know about all of these discomforts when she’d signed on to be a surrogate. Not that it would have changed her mind. She would have done anything for her sister.
Like the time when they were young and her sister had strep throat. They were supposed to go with friends on a trip to the beach. They’d been waiting months to go and then Andrina had gotten sick. Popi could have gone without her big sister, but she knew how disappointed Andrina was about missing the trip. So Popi stayed home and they had a movie marathon instead. Their parents had promised them a trip to the beach when Andrina was better.
The memory brought a smile to her face, but it was fleeting, as the guilt over Andrina’s death came back to her. Unlike when they were kids, Popi had let her sister down in the worst way. Popi never understood the true power of words until that moment.
And sometimes the lack of words was just as important.
The breakfast preparation had definitely paid off. There had been no arguing, and now Apollo was on his way to the dock and then on to the mainland. Oh, she had no doubt that their paths would cross again. And she also realized their attorneys would be hashing out the custody arrangement. But that didn’t mean she had to deal with him one-on-one.
She pressed a hand to her lower back. With her stomach pushed so far to the front, it was really putting a strain on her back. And nothing she did would ease the pain. The only thing she could do was try to ignore it—like that was possible.
Popi changed into some work clothes, which was a challenge all its own. She was so far along now that barely any of her clothes fit comfortably.
When she at last slipped on some flip-flops, she headed for the door. Once she coordinated the transfer of everyone’s belongings to the warehouses, she would be on her way to her parents’ house. She was anxious to put her feet up and wait for this little one to make an appearance. In another couple of weeks, it’d be her due date.
Having her parents around would be a comfort. Her parents’ home wasn’t the place she’d originally envisioned waiting for the baby—that had been with her sister and her brother-in-law. It was amazing how fast life could change—with the flip of a coin. Her grieving parents were cheered with the prospect of becoming grandparents for the very first time.
Giving birth to this baby would be such bittersweet joy for all of them—
Someone cleared their throat.
Oh, no. Please say it isn’t so.
Popi turned. There sat Apollo in the same chair that he’d slept in last night. That was it. That chair was going away. All it did was attract the riffraff.
“You better hurry,” she said, trying to keep the agitation from her voice. “You don’t want to miss the ferry...again.”
Apollo got to his feet. “I’m not leaving. This—” he gestured between the two of them “—isn’t finished.”
“It is as far as I’m concerned. Our attorneys can handle it from here. Now I have work to do.”
“Work?” A look of concern flickered over his face. “In your condition?”
“Yes, in my condition. I’m pregnant. Not dying.”
“But still—”
“What did you think? That I’d lie around in bed all day and let the staff wait on me?” With dramatic flair, she pressed her fingertip to her chin. “Oh, wait. I don’t have a staff. There’s just me. And I do just fine on my own.”
Without waiting for him to protest again, she turned and headed down the crushed-seashell walk. There was no way she was letting this man—this pushy guy—tell her what she could and couldn’t do. It wasn’t like she was planning to do any heavy lifting. She doubted she could bend over and right herself again without some help, much less bend down to pick up a piece of furniture. No, she already had a full load on board. She rubbed her belly, feeling a small bulge in the side, wondering if it was an elbow or a knee. Even the agitation of Apollo couldn’t douse the smile the baby brought to her lips.
The crunch of seashells behind her let her know Apollo hadn’t given up on his pursuit of her. Whatever. Let him waste his time. He could leave when the movers did—and that wouldn’t be soon enough.
“Don’t just walk away,” Apollo called out. “I’m not letting this go.”
She kept walking. “And I have work to do.”
“Then I guess I’ll help.”
She sent him a warning glare. She had a lot to coordinate today. She didn’t need him getting in the way—
A sudden pain wrapped around from her back to the front. It knocked the air from her lungs. She stopped. She closed her eyes, for a moment blocking out the world—blocking out Apollo. But she could feel his presence lingering next to her.
“Popi, what’s the matter?” Urgency and concern laced his words. “Is it the baby?”
She opened her eyes to find herself staring straight into his piercing blue gaze. Instead of it
being disturbing or upsetting, she found herself comforted by his genuine concern.
And there was something more, but she couldn’t quite name it. Or rather she didn’t want to admit it, not even to herself. But her heart thump-thumped harder and faster. No man had a right to have such piercing blue eyes. It was as though they could see straight through her—see what she was hiding from the world.
But how could that be? She didn’t even know him. And he certainly didn’t know her. That’s the way it must remain.
Because what she did know of him told her that he was the last person that she should count on. He was here today and gone the next. Never one to linger in any one place very long.
She shook her head. “The baby is fine. And so am I.” Maybe it was a little white lie. She’d been pushing herself with the wedding and now the island renovation. After today, she promised herself that she’d rest until her due date. But for now, she had work to do. “I just need you to back off.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “This is me backing off.”
Without another word, she made her way past him, making sure their bodies didn’t touch. There was just something about him—something that got to her. And she couldn’t afford to let herself get distracted.
Something told her his definition of backing off and her definition of backing off were two different things. After all, this man came from great wealth, so he was used to getting what he wanted. But this time would be different.
* * *
A different approach was needed.
Pushing was not going to do it.
Apollo didn’t know how he was going to get Popi to get off her feet and rest, but he was determined to do everything he could to make that happen as quickly as possible. And so he attempted not to say anything else to upset her.
He soon learned the plan was to clear the resident bungalows of their furnishings and the boxes so that tomorrow work crews could come in and give these older bungalows a makeover. Apollo wasn’t sure exactly why this was being done for the whole island. All he was able to discern was that it had something to do with yesterday’s wedding.
Claiming the Drakos Heir Page 5