“Which one?”
Her heart thudded. “Nico—”
He swam to the side of the pool nearest her. “I’ve been thinking about it since you went to bed last night. When I first saw you at Irena’s, I was incredulous that you’d had a baby with another man. But nothing has blotted out the image I’ve carried in my mind of the two of us all these years. That image intensified when you told me Dimitra was my daughter.”
“I was so unfair to you.” Her voice trembled.
“Then make it fair and marry me next Friday.”
“What?”
He climbed out of the pool and walked over to her, dripping wet, and gave her a long, passionate kiss. “I told you last night I want another baby with you, and the idea hasn’t left me alone. Maybe a son this time. Who knows how long it will take for you to get pregnant? We may not be as lucky as we were that night on my cruiser and can’t afford to waste any more time.”
She shook her head. “You’re not making sense, and certainly not with our daughter’s wedding coming up.”
“You’re wrong. We’ll fly to Sarti Friday morning while Dimitra is at school, and marry in the Church of the Assumption. The priest and I are good friends.”
Her heart was running away with her. “But we can’t do it that fast, not with all the regulations.”
“We can because I have sources in high places who’ll waive the rules for us.”
“You’re serious!”
“How can you doubt it? Except for telling Gavril our plans, our secret wedding will be private to the world. Afterward we’ll spend several hours at the villa before we fly back to Salonica that evening without anyone being the wiser.
“Until Dimitra and Kristos are married, we’ll slip away each evening before you have to get home to help your grandfather to bed. Once they’re back from their honeymoon, we’ll announce our marriage to the whole family. By then we might even be pregnant.”
She got to her feet on unsteady legs. “Please don’t say anything else. Y-You’re not thinking clearly,” she stammered, too alarmed, excited and terrified all at once to think.
“I’ve had five weeks to get my thoughts straight. Last night they became as crystal clear as the water on my private stretch of beach.”
An almost primitive gleam entered his dark eyes. She knew what was going to happen before he swept her in his arms and they landed in the deep end of the pool. “I want another kiss from my mermaid who took a long swim away from me to the other side of the world. But she’s back, and I’ll make sure she never gets away from me again.”
His mouth closed over hers, kissing her with a possessive intensity that overwhelmed her. Alexa could no more deny what she clamored for than she could stop breathing. It took her back to that time of pure rapture. But he hadn’t said he loved her. Maybe she’d never hear those words.
Yet after losing his unborn baby, he wanted a baby so badly he’d asked her to marry him as soon as next Friday. Deep down she had to admit she would love another baby with him. He’d be the greatest father on earth. But nothing was that simple. Even though Dimitra had forgiven her enough to want her parents to get together, there were other obstacles Alexa couldn’t imagine overcoming.
“Let me go, Nico,” she begged, struggling to separate herself from him. “I can hear voices.”
“I’ll let you swim away as long as you promise to fly to Sarti with me on Friday. Otherwise I’ll tell Dimitra and your grandfather our plans right now while we’re still on the yacht. The decision is yours.”
“Nico, you can’t!”
“They’re coming.”
She was desperate. “I’ll think about it.”
“You’ve got to do better than that.” He had a ruthless side she’d never seen before. After what she’d done to him, it shouldn’t surprise her.
“I promise.” But it didn’t mean she would marry him.
CHAPTER NINE
THE NEXT WEEK passed slowly for Nico and it wasn’t until Thursday night that he finally went over to see Irena and told her his plans.
“I’ve never revealed something to you, but now I feel I must. When I married Raisa, I didn’t love her the way I’d loved Alexa. I—”
“Say no more,” Irena interrupted him with a smile. “I knew that Alexa had broken your heart, and I cheered the fact that you chose to get on with your life and marry Raisa. She knew it too, but she loved you so much, she married you anyway, knowing how you felt. She wanted any love you could give her, and I happen to know you made her very happy. She told me everything.”
Nico shook her head. “I had no idea.”
“I know, and I promised I’d never tell you. But now I can. So marry your Alexa knowing Raisa wanted you or no one else and the years you gave her were the happiest ones of her life. Now it’s time to make Alexa happy again. She never married because you filled her heart so completely. That should tell you everything. I couldn’t be happier for both of you.”
Nico hugged her for a long time.
At nine o’clock Friday morning, he drove over to Alexa’s on a burst of adrenaline. His daughter would already have left for class at the university. Other than a few phone calls discussing arrangements for their daughter’s wedding, he’d given Alexa the space she needed. But today was the day he’d been living for.
The second he rang the bell, Alexa opened the door and came out on the porch looking anxious. She’d dressed in jeans and a sleeveless top, telling him what he’d feared, but it didn’t surprise him.
“What happened to your promise?” he asked without preamble.
She rubbed her hands over womanly hips in a nervous gesture. “We can’t do this, Nico. You know we can’t.”
“Did you tell your grandfather our plans?”
Alexa averted her eyes. “I haven’t said anything yet.”
“Then I will because the priest is expecting us in less than three hours, and I refuse to marry you without receiving Gavril’s blessing.”
“He won’t give it, Nico.”
“I think he will, Alexa. Admit it’s what we both want.”
“You know I do, but I’m nervous.”
Nico waited until she turned and went inside. He followed her into the living room. “I’ll wait here while you find him.”
After one more worried glance at him, she disappeared. Nico walked around looking at framed pictures of her family. He caught sight of one taken of him and his daughter the night of the announcement dinner at his villa. He picked it up to study it. Nico had put his arm around Dimitra while they smiled at each other. His heart melted just looking at it.
“Well, Nico.” Alexa had wheeled her grandfather into the room. He smiled at him. “I didn’t know you were coming over this morning. Phyllis was just fixing me breakfast. You look like you’re going to a wedding.” Nico had come dressed for the occasion in a navy dress suit and tie.
He put the picture back on the table. “I am. Last week I asked Alexa to marry me and planned it for today. We’ll be taking our vows at the church in Sarti at noon with Anna and Thanos for witnesses. But no marriage can take place until we have your blessing. I owe you more than you will ever know.”
The older man looked at his granddaughter in surprise. When she didn’t say anything Nico explained, “We didn’t want to intrude on Dimitra’s big day, so we’ve decided to marry in private. It’s what we want and need. Only you and my friend Irena are privy to our news. I’ll bring Alexa back here by the end of the day. Once our daughter and Kristos return from their honeymoon, we’ll tell them and announce our marriage to the world.”
He didn’t have to wait long for Gavril to grasp Alexa’s hand. The gesture shot relief through Nico. Gavril eyed his granddaughter. “Why aren’t you ready, sweetheart?”
“You mean you’re happy about it?” The fear and disbelief in her voice made Nico want to wrap he
r in his arms and never let her go. She’d suffered guilt for too long. Since Raisa’s death no one understood what guilt could do to you more than Nico did. But now that Alexa had come back into his life, he’d made up his mind they both needed to rid themselves of those chains.
Gavril gave a gruff chuckle. “I’ve only prayed for it for nineteen years.” By the look on her face, his remark had stunned her. “Go on. Wear that pretty dress you wore the night you went to meet Kristos’s mother.”
“You won’t need anything else,” Nico murmured.
“Hurry, sweetheart. You don’t want to be late for your own wedding.”
At her grandfather’s admonition, she left the room.
Nico walked over to Gavril and clasped his hand. “I swear I’ll love your granddaughter forever. I’m also making another promise to take care of you for the rest of your life.”
The older man’s eyes filled. He wiped away the moisture as Alexa came back in the living room and kissed her grandfather. She wore the blue-on-white-print dress and carried a handbag. “You’re right. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of.”
Nico helped her out to the car and drove them to headquarters. En route he turned to her. “You look heavenly.”
“Thank you. You look wonderful too. But Nico...there’s something I haven’t told you.” Her voice shook.
“What? That you can’t have any more children? Because if you can’t, we’ll adopt.”
“No. I’m talking about my grandfather.”
“While you were getting dressed, I told him I’d take care of him to the end of his days.”
“But you don’t understand. He needs me. Once Dimitra is married, he’ll be too lonely. I could never leave him.”
“You won’t have to. I’ll be your husband and plan to move in with you.”
She stared at him in utter astonishment. “You have your own home.”
“We’ll have the villa in Sarti for a getaway and to entertain. You can be sure that Kristos and Dimitra will use it a lot. But now that we’re getting married, my permanent home will be with you. I’ll move in while the lovebirds are on their honeymoon. Gavril has taken care of you all these years. Now it’s my turn to help him.”
“I would never expect that of you, Nico.”
“But I want to. Think what he did for me while I wasn’t there. Naturally your grandfather is the most comfortable in his own home with Phyllis taking care of him. It’s centrally located for friends who want to come by and visit. It’s close to my work and the university where you teach. That’s the way our life will be while I do all I can for you and your family.”
Alexa broke down sobbing, the last reaction he’d expected.
“What have I said that has upset you so much?” By now they’d reached headquarters.
She wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands. “I’m not upset. I’m just overawed by your kindness to my grandfather.”
“He’s a remarkable man, and we’re going to do everything right this time. A new chapter of life is starting, and we’re not in our dotage yet. First we’ll become man and wife as we’d planned ages ago.”
“But I might not conceive.” In desperation she cried, “If we do go through with this wedding, then I want you to give me your solemn promise about something.”
“What’s that?”
“If I haven’t become pregnant within four months, then you’ll move back to your villa. We’ll get a quiet divorce so you can find a woman to marry who can give you a child. It’s what you want and I refuse to stand in your way.”
He turned off the engine and turned to her, giving her a penetrating glance. “Since I got you pregnant the first time we made love, I’m willing to bet the same thing will happen again, so I’ll make you that promise.”
Alexa couldn’t believe it. “Y-you mean it?” she asked in a shaky voice.
“I always mean what I say, but four months doesn’t give us much time. Just so you understand. If you are pregnant in four months’ time, we’ll stay together forever. I want your promise you won’t back out.”
“Of course I won’t. You’re teasing me again.”
“You think?”
“I know.”
He laughed before opening the door. “Now that we’ve cleared the air, we need to go. My pilot is waiting to fly us to Sithonia.”
* * *
The flight to Sithonia presented breathtaking images of the mountains and greenery. It gave a different perspective than driving there. Alexa sat behind the pilot while she marveled over the scenery from the helicopter.
“You’ve found paradise here, Nico. I can well understand why you settled here.”
He looked over his shoulder at her. “Would you believe I had you in mind when I bought it? Though I never expected to see you again, the private beach seemed to have a certain mermaid’s name written on it.”
His words melted her heart. “Yet you’re willing to live in my grandfather’s home so we can be together.”
“We’ll get away on weekends. Perhaps the time will come when he’ll want to live in the villa too. You never know what the future will bring.”
Darling Nico. After he’d learned he had a daughter, he wanted another child to replace the one he’d lost when his wife had died. He’d suffered a great loss.
The fact that he was willing to go through all this with Alexa proved that he’d truly loved his wife and had looked forward to the birth of their child. Not knowing of Dimitra’s existence, his need for that unfulfilled dream had gone much deeper than Alexa had realized. It explained why he was anxious to marry Alexa and have a baby.
Alexa couldn’t promise she would be pregnant that soon. But she would try to give him what he wanted because she loved him heart and soul. If it gave Nico any hope, then she was willing because she realized his suffering had been infinite. No one had a stronger will than Nico, yet not even his will could guarantee such an outcome.
Thanos and Anna met them at the villa in an estate car. After she freshened up, they were driven to the charming Church of the Assumption in the village. The tan exterior with painted red facings featured a belfry with a cross. Nico helped her out and cupped her elbow. “Are you ready?”
Alexa didn’t know what she was and couldn’t answer.
“We’re simply going to exchange vows. The ceremony will be short. The priest knows we fell in love as teenagers and he’s happy to be officiating.”
Anxious, she looked up. “Does he—”
“No,” Nico cut her off, reading her mind. “He only knows Dimitra is our daughter, nothing else. Shall we go inside?”
It was too late to back out now, not that she wanted to. They walked up the few steps into the foyer. Beyond the inner doors the narrow nave extended to the icons of saints erected at the front of the chapel. The older priest in his robes stood smiling at them.
Nico led her up the aisle. Anna and Thanos sat on the chairs in front to witness the ceremony.
“Kyría Remis? It is my pleasure to meet the woman Kýrie Angelis has chosen to marry. If you’ll join hands, we’ll begin.”
She glanced at Nico, who’d never looked more gorgeous wearing a navy dress suit to die for. It didn’t seem possible that this was going to happen. Of course this was what she’d always wanted, but not quite in this way. So rushed and secretive.
He took hold of her hand and threaded his fingers through hers, giving them a squeeze as if he could read her mind.
The priest said a prayer, then looked at Nico. “Nicholas Timon Angelis, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love her, provide for her in sickness and in health until death do you part?”
“I do,” he answered in his deep voice.
That was so short, Alexa couldn’t believe it. This ceremony was nothing like a normal Greek one. She swallowed hard as the priest stared at her. “Alexa S
oriano Remis, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love him, support him through sickness and health until death do you part?”
The priest didn’t know about the four-month time limit she’d forced Nico to honor. “I do.”
“Then in as much as the two of you have plighted your troth, I hereby pronounce you man and wife, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. You may exchange rings now.”
Nico reached in his breast pocket and brought out a ring with a dazzling green stone set in gold he slid on to her ring finger. Alexa hadn’t bought him a ring because she’d never thought she’d marry him. But before she’d left the house, she’d grabbed the engaged-to-be-engaged gold ring he’d sent her in his first letter.
She removed it from the finger on her right hand and reached for his left hand. It only slid partway on to his pinky finger. He recognized it at once, flashing her an all-consuming glance she couldn’t decipher.
“Congratulations. You may now kiss your bride, Kýrie Angelis.”
The brief kiss Nico gave her was almost as surprising as the shortest marriage service performed in Greek history. Had this ceremony been such a painful reminder of his first marriage, he couldn’t wait for it to be over?
Alexa didn’t know what to think as he led her to the foyer where Thanos and Anna congratulated them. The priest followed and asked them to sign the marriage document.
With that over, Nico ushered her outside to the car. Thanos drove them back to the villa. When they entered the villa, Nico guided her to the patio.
“Anna is serving us lunch out here.”
They sat beneath the umbrella. There was no sign of an eager young bridegroom so anxious to be with his new bride that food was the last thing on his mind.
He poured them wine while Anna brought the food. “Our ceremony had to be shortened. The priest texted me during the flight that he needed to leave on an emergency, and we arrived there later than planned.”
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