Lea pleaded with her eyes. “You don’t have to follow your father’s example. Be the understanding, encouraging parent you always wanted him to be.” She glanced over her shoulder at her waiting guests. “I have to go.”
Xander had come here hoping to get through to her, but as she walked away, it was the other way around. Was she right? Could he be the father that he’d always longed for?
* * *
Should she trust him?
Lea’s heart said yes. But her mind said no.
After all, he’d attempted to sabotage the sale with the couple today. She stood off to the side of the dock, watching the continuous arrival of guests for the royal wedding. She spotted the couple as they boarded the ferry and waved to them. As interested as they had been in the island and the wedding business, in the end they’d said that the island was more of a time commitment than they were willing to invest at this point in their lives. And so they’d passed on the chance to own Infinity Island.
They had seemed like the perfect buyers. The husband was all about numbers and spreadsheets and processes while his wife was more focused on the people and the romance and the weddings. Lea couldn’t have asked for a better match for the island. And yet, it hadn’t worked out. And it wasn’t until now that she realized deep down she didn’t want it to work out.
She loved Infinity Island. It was a part of her. And the harder she tried to sell it, the more she realized how much she wanted to keep it.
But she also had the baby to think of. Her hand covered her baby bump. She had to do what was right for her baby, no matter what she had to sacrifice. Even her pride.
And returning to Seattle, the land where she’d been born and raised, the place where she had friends and family, and knew exactly how things worked, might be best. Because as much as she loved this island, it was part of a country that she still had so much to learn about—including the language. There were so many obstacles to overcome if she were to stay here. And staying on in Athens would just be a reminder of how she’d come here and failed to live up to her extended family’s expectations.
So if she were to go home, she should try to reach out to her parents. They had a right to know they were going to be grandparents. Xander’s words of regret over his parents came to her. She didn’t want to live with regrets like him. And if she couldn’t forgive her parents, how was she going to be a good mother?
Lea picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number of her parents’ home. The phone rang and rang. When the answering machine picked up, she hung up. She thought of calling her mother’s cell phone but hesitated. Again, she recalled Xander encouraging her not to give up. She dialed the number. It went to voice mail. She disconnected.
She was not going to have this conversation via a message. To be honest, she wasn’t sure if her mother was truly busy or if she was avoiding her call. Her mother would see the missed phone call and could call back if she wanted. Lea had made the first move, now her mother could make a move...or not.
Lea shut down her computer in order to head home a little early to prepare for the royal wedding. For the past year, she’d been spending all of her time working from first thing in the morning until late at night when she fell into bed utterly exhausted, but then again, until now she hadn’t had anyone waiting at home for her. The thought of Xander had her moving faster.
“Hey, where are you headed so quickly?”
Lea stopped on the walk outside the office and turned to Popi. “I was just going home to get ready.”
“The wedding is going to be the highlight of the year. But aren’t you leaving a little early to get dressed?” Popi made a big show of checking the time on her phone.
“I, um, finished everything early.”
“Uh-huh.” Popi nodded and sent her a knowing smile. “I bet I know what has you rushing home. Or should I say who?”
“It’s not like that.” The response was quick—too quick. They both knew she was lying.
“You keep telling yourself that. It’s kinda like telling myself that I’m not pregnant.” Popi placed a hand on her expanding midsection. “The bigger I get the more I wonder about the delivery and whether this was my wisest decision.”
“It’s a little late for second thoughts, don’t you think?”
Popi gave a nervous laugh. “You would be right. But doesn’t it scare you to think of delivering a baby?”
“I’ll be honest. I try not to think about it.” It probably wasn’t the best approach, but she was not looking forward to the pain. “Why exactly are we talking about this anyway?”
“I think we were originally talking about Xander and your eagerness to see him. I’m glad to see that things are going better for you two.” Popi got a serious look on her face. “This is a good thing, isn’t it?”
Lea smiled and nodded. “It’s good. This baby needs two parents that get along.”
“If it changes, I’m here to talk, eat gelato and watch movies.”
“Thanks. You’re the best.”
As they parted company, Lea realized Popi was as close to her as what she imagined a sister would be. She was going to miss her so much when she left here.
She didn’t have long to think about it before Xander joined her.
He made point of checking the time. “What are you up to? It’s not quitting time.”
“Would you believe me if I said I was looking for you?”
“It’s a little late to ask me to lunch. And it’s too early for dinner.”
“I had something else in mind.” Her stomach felt like a swarm of butterflies had been set loose in it.
He gave her a puzzled look. “You’re in a really good mood.”
“I am.” She didn’t know why she was. It wasn’t exactly a good day. The sale hadn’t gone through. She hadn’t gotten hold of her mother. And her email inbox was overflowing with unread messages. Not to mention all the bills that were beginning to stack up. But she refused to think of all that now.
His expression was neutral but his gaze never left her. “So your business deal, it went well?”
“Actually, it fell through.”
“If I had anything to do with it—”
She shook her head. “You didn’t. The island was too much of a time commitment for them.”
“And still you’re in a good mood, why?”
She shrugged. She refused to delve too deeply into the reason for her happiness. “It’s a beautiful day. It’s the end of the week. And there’s about to be a royal wedding. Isn’t that a good enough reason?”
He shrugged. “Works for me.” They walked for a few minutes in silence. “What do you say about having dinner together? But this evening there will be no mention of marriage. Just two friends having a good time together.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Are you trying to change the subject?”
“No. I just want to know something before I give you my answer.”
“Should I be worried?”
She shrugged. “Depends on how you look at it.”
“What’s your question?”
“Why are you still here? Why are you fixing up the island? Why do you want to have dinner with me?”
He stopped walking and turned to her. “Why do you think?”
“I think it’s all about the baby.” Inside she was begging him to prove her wrong.
“Is that what you want?”
No. No. No. He wasn’t supposed to turn her question around on her. “That’s not an answer.”
He sighed and pressed his hands to his waist. “Is it so hard to believe that I want to spend time with you, not because I want to buy the island and not because you’re having my baby, but because I like you? I like your company.”
She couldn’t hold back the smile that lifted her lips. “You do?”
“I
do. I... I like you a lot and I would like to see where this thing between us is leading. So how about that dinner?”
“I’d love to, but I’m afraid there’s a wedding and reception shortly. In fact, I was just heading home to change and head over to the festivities.”
“Do you attend each and every wedding?”
“I must admit that I don’t. My schedule doesn’t always allow me. But I make a point to attend as many as I can. And this royal wedding is an all-hands-on-deck affair. Besides, there’s something so rewarding about seeing two hearts joined together for infinity.” She smiled. “It’s something very special and lets me know that what I do here plays some small part in two people becoming one.”
“That does sound very fulfilling. It isn’t something I’ve ever experienced with my work. Deals are usually made in boardrooms and it’s a matter of business. At most, there’s a handshake and a smile, but there’s no joy. From the sound of it, I’ve been missing out on some things.”
What was he trying to tell her? Was he saying he wanted to change his life? Impossible. He was one of the world’s most successful people. When they made those lists of the richest people, he was at the top of it, year after year. And she knew he enjoyed his work. So what was he trying to say?
“Any chance I can convince you to skip it?”
She sent him a look that said “Are you serious?”. “No.”
“I didn’t think so.” There was a noticeable pause before he asked, “How about I tag along with you?”
“You want to crash a wedding?” She didn’t think it could be possible but things were getting even stranger.
He smiled. “I confess—it’s something I’ve never done.”
“And you plan to get all dressed up?”
“My suit from when I first arrived was sent to the dry cleaners and is now hanging in my closet, all set to go.”
She was running out of ideas to reject this as a bad idea. And it would be fun to show Xander why she cared so much about the island. The happiness, the joy and the hope found at these celebrations was inspiring. It kept her wanting to do better and help more people have a smooth trip down the aisle.
“Let’s do it.” She smiled before setting off side by side with him on their wedding date.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
WHAT IN THE world had come over him?
Xander couldn’t believe he was willingly attending a wedding and reception—and it wasn’t even for anyone he knew. These days he made a point of not attending weddings. In his experience, women had a way of turning the occasion into much more than a nice evening out. He’d always told himself that romantic commitments weren’t for him.
But to have a date with Lea, to hold her in his arms—he would agree to most anything just to spend time with her, even walking over hot coals. Thankfully that was not a part of the evening’s festivities. And it wasn’t like Lea expected anything from him. She’d made that perfectly clear the other night.
And boy, was she a knockout tonight with that little black dress on. A silver satin sash around her waist accentuated her curves, including her baby bump. The black lace bodice teased him with glimpses of her cleavage. He definitely had the most beautiful woman at the wedding on his arm—too bad for the prince.
Not having to worry about meeting any romantic expectations, Xander found himself relaxing and enjoying Lea’s company. And when she’d finally coerced him onto the dance floor, he was envisioning a slow dance where he could pull her into his arms nice and close.
Instead, after they were already on the dance floor, an upbeat song started to play. It was something he’d never heard before, but seeing as the bride was American, it didn’t surprise him. Lea’s face beamed with happiness. She was most definitely in her element here. And then people formed a big circle. The next thing he knew, they were all flapping their arms and wiggling their backsides.
He stood perfectly still, having no clue what was going on. Lea had nudged him and told him it was called the Chicken Dance. Whatever that is. Lea encouraged him to join in. He did so reluctantly.
He might be on a vacation of sorts, but he was still a businessman. He inwardly cringed, thinking of a video of this going viral. He had to watch out for his reputation and this...this dance was not the least bit sensical. But it did cause Lea to smile and laugh. That was worth his bit of discomfort.
But his efforts to make Lea happy were soon rewarded with a slow song. At last, he’d wrapped his arms around her. The soft hint of floral perfume teased his senses. As they moved around the floor, it was as if no one else existed. All he had eyes for was her. And then somewhere along the way, their gazes had locked. His heart pounded against his ribs.
There was something special about Lea. It went deeper than her carrying his baby. He’d dated many women in his life—beautiful, famous, rich women. None of them had made him reconsider the set of rules by which he lived his life. None made him want to open up and share not only his accomplishments but also his hopes, failures and deepest regrets.
But did Lea feel the same way toward him?
The memory of his rejected marriage proposal lingered in the back of his mouth with a sour taste. Maybe he’d had too much wine that evening. That had to be why he was rehashing the failed proposal. Otherwise he wouldn’t even be considering further pursuit of this woman, who’d snuck past his elaborate walls, who filled his thoughts both day and night.
It was then that he had to confront the truth—he wanted more from Lea than an amicable friendship—more than a convenient marriage. He was still struggling for the words to describe his vision for their future, but in this moment, none were needed. He’d swooped in for a kiss. It was short and sweet. He didn’t want to push his luck as the evening was going perfectly.
But now, as they walked home, he couldn’t help recalling the softness of her lips against his. Even though the kiss had been brief, it had sparked a fire within him that continued to smolder. He ached for more of her. So much more.
Xander continued to hold Lea’s hand. “Thank you for this evening. The wedding wasn’t bad after all.”
“Wasn’t bad? As I seem to recall, you had a rather good time. You were even laughing during the Chicken Dance.”
“Such a ridiculous name for something that in no way resembles a dance.”
“It’s a lot of fun and helps loosen up the crowd. Seemed to work just fine to get you to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening.”
“I don’t know if flapping my arms relaxed me, but I did enjoy the rest of the evening. We’ll have to crash another wedding sometime.”
He didn’t say it but it wasn’t the dance that had him enjoying this evening, it was her. Lea was the most amazing woman in the world. Beneath the moonlight, he stumbled upon another moment of clarity. If he let Lea get away, there would never be anyone nearly as special—as perfect—for him.
Lea’s sigh drew his attention.
“What’s on your mind?” He wanted to know anything and everything about her.
“I was just thinking that there won’t be another time. At least not here on the island.” She sounded saddened by the thought. “Not if I sell it.”
It saddened him, too. But he didn’t want to rehash the subject of the island. He knew it would lead to nothing but trouble for them. And he wasn’t about to ruin this evening.
He needed to change the subject. “Have you talked with your parents?”
They continued to stroll along at a leisurely pace. “Actually, I took your advice and tried.”
“Tried?”
She nodded. “No one answered. And no one has called back, so I don’t know what to make of it.”
“Did you leave a message?”
“Um, no.” She avoided his searching gaze.
“How are they supposed to know to call, if you didn’t leave a message?”
“They�
�ll see a missed call and my number.”
He didn’t say a word. Instead he shook his head.
“Why are you shaking your head? At least I tried. It’s more than they’ve done.”
She did have a point. “That’s true. Maybe they’re traveling. Or out of cell reception.”
“My parents don’t travel. They love their little corner of the world.”
“When did you call?”
“This afternoon, before I left the office.”
That would explain why she’d repeatedly checked her phone during the evening. He had started to think that he had been boring her.
Xander squeezed her hand. “Give it time. They’ll call.”
“Maybe.” But she didn’t sound convinced.
He knew what it was like to have your family let you down—except his sister. Stasia had always been there for him, even when he didn’t want her to be. These days she seemed to think he needed to settle down and start a family of his own. He wondered what she’d think of him making a family with Lea.
“You have to understand,” Lea said, drawing his full attention, “my relationship with them is quite strained. My mother thinks she always knows best. She’s been making decisions for me my whole life. Like my college, I didn’t even know about all the schools that had accepted me until it was too late. But the final straw was when she kept my extended family from me. Do you even know what that felt like?”
“I have some idea.” His adoptive parents had never kept it a secret that he was adopted. When he was young, his mother would say he was the child they chose—the child of their hearts. That reassurance had faded away after his little sister came along.
Lea’s eyes widened. “Of course you do. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t make a big deal of this.”
“Don’t diminish your feelings just because of me. You have a right to those feelings.”
“I just don’t know how my parents could look me in the face after what they’d done. And instead of apologizing, they said they’d done the right thing and that they would do it again. That wasn’t their decision to make. They acted like my relatives were a bunch of criminals. And nothing could be further from the truth.”
Carrying the Greek Tycoon's Baby Page 14
