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‘Apology accepted.’
Was it that easy? They’d said their apologies, they could draw a line across the past, and start afresh? Did she even want that? Confused by her own muddled feelings, Iolanthe took another sip of wine, gazing out at the horizon to keep from looking at Alekos with what she feared might be hunger in her eyes.
Being here with him like this, when he seemed warm and approachable and sexy, brought back too many memories. Wonderful memories, and other, awful ones corroded by confusion and hurt. Tangled together, they made her more uncertain than ever, not knowing how to feel.
‘You mentioned that you lost your mother soon after...?’
Alekos shifted in his seat. ‘My mother did the best she could, but she couldn’t manage all of us.’
‘All of you?’
‘I had—have—three siblings. We were separated when I was six, to various distant relatives or foster families.’
Iolanthe stared at him, appalled. ‘They couldn’t keep you together?’
‘No one had the money or resources to care for four children.’
‘But that’s terrible.’ Iolanthe shook her head slowly. ‘Where did you go?’
‘A foster family. They were nice enough, kept me clothed and fed, made sure I got to school.’ But loveless, Iolanthe surmised. Alekos had grown up without love or affection.
‘And your siblings?’
‘We lost touch over the years. The social workers tried at first, but it’s all too easy for kids to slip through the cracks, and my mother died when I was ten, which made us even more lost in the system.’ He sighed, rotating his glass between his fingers. ‘One of my sisters was adopted, and my brother got into trouble with the law. Beyond that...’ He shrugged, letting the words trickle away.
‘You mean you don’t know what happened to them? You never found out?’
‘No.’ Alekos’s voice was hard. ‘I never tried too hard because I suspected they didn’t want to be found. They could have found me just as easily.’
‘But that’s so sad.’ A lump formed in her throat. No wonder Alekos was so determined to be a good father to Niko. ‘I’m sorry.’
He shrugged. ‘I’ve moved on.’
But did anyone move on from that kind of sadness? Iolanthe decided they needed to lighten the mood. She cleared her throat and took another sip of wine. ‘When are we going to get to this private island of yours?’
‘We’re almost there.’ Alekos rose from his chair in one fluid movement. Iolanthe had the sense that he was as discomfited by their conversation as she was. ‘Look.’ He reached for her hand and Iolanthe enjoyed the sensation of his fingers sliding along hers as he drew her up to join Niko at the bow of the yacht. ‘Do you see that blur of green on the horizon?’ he asked them both.
Iolanthe squinted as she gazed out at the sea. ‘Yes...is that your island? It looks rather big.’
‘A few square miles.’
‘Wow.’ Impressed, she watched as the strip of green came closer, and soon she and Niko could make out rocky outcroppings, the twisted trunks of olive trees, and a lovely white strip of sandy beach.
Alekos Demetriou was a successful man, Iolanthe acknowledged afresh, as the yacht was guided towards the dock. A rich man. Above them a sprawling villa of white stone, its many windows possessing wrought-iron balconies that overflowed with pots of trailing bougainvillea, perched with views of the sea in every direction.
Now that they were about to get off the yacht, Niko had started acting nervous of the next step. Iolanthe could hardly blame him; she was as well. She touched his shoulder lightly, a second’s reassurance, and he shrugged away and jammed his hands into the pockets of his shorts, hunching his shoulders.
Alekos noticed the change in his son and thankfully took it in his stride. ‘Why don’t you and your mother have a look round the villa?’ he suggested. ‘You can choose what bedrooms you like. My staff will deal with the luggage.’
Grateful for his understanding that their son might need a bit of space, Iolanthe stepped off the yacht and started up the steps that had been carved into the rock face. Niko followed her, gazing around with wide, wary eyes.
A housekeeper was waiting at the front door as they approached; she must have been prepped by Alekos because besides offering them a welcome and inviting them in, she left them to it. The villa’s foyer was huge and airy, with skylights that let in the bright sunshine and a double staircase that led to the first floor.
Iolanthe glanced at Niko. ‘What do you want to look at first?’
Niko nodded towards the stairs and, feeling a mixture of trepidation and excitement for this new adventure, Iolanthe started up them with her son.
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