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“That’s a beautiful name.” He heard her take a deep breath. “There’s no way to express how sorry I am for the loss of your sister and her husband, Mr. Angelis. But I’m thankful you’ve been reunited with their daughter. She’s the most precious child I’ve ever seen,” she said with a quiver in her voice. Nik happened to agree with her. “If you could remove your masks, I’m sure it would make all the difference to her.”
“Demi doesn’t seem to have any problem with you wearing one.”
He saw a distinct flush creep above her mask. “That’s because I’ve been talking to her since we brought her here. I couldn’t stand it that she didn’t have anyone to give her love. Babies want their mothers. Her experience had to have terrified her.”
Not every woman had such a strong maternal instinct as Melina’s, but being a married woman, he had to assume Mrs. Myers had children of her own. “Leandros told me you’re here on vacation. For you to forget everything except taking care of Demi constitutes a generosity and unselfishness we appreciate more than you could ever know. She’ll be the reason our parents can go on living.”
“It’s true,” his brothers concurred before expressing their gratitude.
Nik moved closer. “I hope you realize our family owes you a debt we can never repay.”
She shook her head. “What payment could anyone want except to see that sweet little girl reunited with her family?” Her eyes still possessed a liquid sheen as they played over him. “Anyone can see she’s an Angelis from head to toe. Of course I don’t know about the noses and mouths yet.” Her husky voice disturbed his senses in ways that surprised him.
In spite of the horrendous grief of the past twenty-four hours, her comment made one side of his mouth lift. Until he’d entered the ICU and watched the loving way she was handling Melina’s daughter, he couldn’t imagine ever having a reason to smile again.
She took a step back. “Well—I’ll leave you gentlemen alone to be with your niece. When you speak to her, your voices will be blessedly familiar and will reassure her.”
Nik wasn’t so certain Demi wouldn’t start to cry the second Mrs. Myers left the room. “Where are you going?”
“Downstairs to join Kellie.”
“Don’t leave the hospital yet. We need to talk.”
“Since I’m their guest, I’m not sure what our plans are now.”
Making one of those decisions on sheer instinct in case she got away, he said, “In that case, I’ll go downstairs with you. I need to call our parents and give them the kind of news that will breathe new life into them. Above all, they’ll want to thank you.” He turned to his brothers and told them his plans before he left for the anteroom with her.
Once inside, he removed his mask and gown while she untied hers. Though she was married, he was a man who enjoyed looking at a beautiful woman and was curious to see what she looked like unwrapped.
Once she’d discarded everything, he discovered a slender figure clothed in a stunning green-and-white-print outfit. She had classic bone structure and a face that more than lived up to the beauty of her eyes. In a word, she stole his breath.
“What’s the verdict?” he asked after she’d studied him back.
Again, he saw warmth enter her cheeks, but she didn’t look away. “I happened to see your picture on the cover of a magazine while I was reading on the plane.” Nik’s teeth snapped together at the mention of it. “If you want honesty, then let me say I’m glad your niece received all the feminine features of her parentage.”
He’d been expecting her to say something about his reputation. Instead her thoughts were focused on Demi. Her surprising comment lightened his mood.
“Your sister must have been a real beauty to have produced a daughter like Demi.”
Nik reached for his wallet and showed her a picture. “This was taken on Melina’s thirtieth birthday two months ago. She and Stavros had been trying for four years for a baby before one came.”
Kellie needed to hear that. Not every woman conceived as quickly as one hoped.
Fran studied it for a moment. “What a lovely family.” Her voice shook. “I see a lot of your sister in her.”
His throat swelled with raw emotion. “Yes. She’ll live on through Demi.” He opened the other door. “Shall we go downstairs?”
“I’ll ride down with you,” Dr. Xanthis said. “We’ll need confirmation of your relationship to the baby with a DNA test.”
“Of course. I’ll ask the hospital in Athens to send my information so you can run a test.”
“Excellent. I’ll tell the lab to expedite the process.”
Fran wondered what condition had been serious enough to put Nik in a hospital and to have provided a DNA match, but it was none of her business. She wished she weren’t so aware of him.
Though she’d always thought Leandros was a true hunk, Nikolos Angelis was in a class by himself. Despite the grief lines etched in his striking Greek countenance, he was easily the most attractive male she’d ever met in her life. The photos of him didn’t do him justice.
Besides his masculine appeal, he had the aura of a man in charge of his life—one who could accomplish anything. Kellie’s hope that Fran would meet some gorgeous royal on this trip and fall instantly in love was still laughable, but she had to admit Nik Angelis was a fabulous-looking man.
Standing next to him, Fran thought he must be at least six feet three of solid lean muscle. She wasn’t surprised he was still wearing soiled suit trousers and a creased blue shirt with the sleeves shoved up to the elbows. All three brothers had arrived in clothes they’d worn to work when they’d heard about the tornado. Naturally they’d dropped everything to fly to Thessalonika to search for their family. None of them had slept.
He needed a shave, but if anything, his male virility was even more potent. She noticed he wore his black wavy hair medium length. It had such a healthy gloss that it made you want to run your hands through it. Before the door opened, Fran gave him another covert glance.
Brows of the same blackness framed midnight-brown eyes with indecently long black lashes like Demi’s. Between his hard-boned features and compelling mouth, she had to force herself to stop staring. Until now, no men she’d worked around for the last year had made any kind of an impact.
To be singling him out when he’d just been hit with the loss of his sister and brother-in-law made her ashamed. She rushed from the elevator ahead of him. But just as she was about to turn toward the lounge, he grasped her elbow. A warm current passed through her body without her volition.
“Come outside with me where my cell phone will work better. My parents will want to ask you some questions.”
“All right.”
They walked through the sliding doors into the late-afternoon sun. It was quarter to five already. She watched and listened as he communicated in unintelligible Greek with his parents. During the silences, she read between the lines. Her heart went out to all of them.
After a few minutes his penetrating gaze landed on her. He handed her the phone. “They speak English and are anxious to hear anything you can tell them.”
Fran took the cell phone from him and said hello.
“We are overjoyed you found our Demitra,” his mother spoke first in a heavy Greek accent. In a voice full of tears she said, “Our son tells us you’ve been at the hospital with her the whole time.”
“Yes. She’s the sweetest little thing I ever saw. A cherub. And now that she’s awake, she seems fine.”
“Ah…That’s the news we’ve been waiting to hear,” Nik’s father broke in. “We want to meet you. I told him to bring you and the Petralias to Mykonos when Demitra is released. After the funeral, you will stay on as our guests for as long as you wish. He tells me you’ve just started your vacation. We’d like you to spend it with us. Because of you, a miracle has happened.”
“Someone else would have found her if I hadn’t, Mr. Angelis, but thank you very much for your kind words. Here’s Nik.” She handed him the phone. “I’m going to the lounge,” she whispered.
“I’ll be right there.” His deep voice curled through her as she walked back inside the building.
Once again she found Kellie and Leandros seated on one of the couches. You didn’t have to be a mind reader to guess they were having an intense conversation that wasn’t going well. Judging by Kellie’s taut body and his grim countenance, they were both in agony. But when they saw Fran, they stopped talking and stood up.
Kellie rushed over to her, as if she were glad for the interruption. “Dr. Xanthis came to talk to us a minute ago and said he’ll release the baby tomorrow once the DNA testing is done. I was just telling Leandros that since she’s been reunited with her family, you and I can continue on with our vacation while he flies back to Rhodes.”
Obviously Kellie wanted Fran to fall in with her wishes despite anything Leandros had to say. But her comment caused his firm jaw to tighten, making Fran uncomfortable. “My project supervisor can finish up the work there. I have a helicopter waiting to fly the three of us back to Athens. One of my employees will drive the car home.”
Kellie tossed her blond head. “Don’t be silly, Leandros. I don’t want to interfere with your work. Besides, Fran and I want to sightsee in places where we’ve never been before.”
“Where exactly?” he demanded quietly. Fran had never heard him so terse.
“We’re going to do some hiking, but haven’t decided all the details yet. After dinner, we’ll get out the map to plan our next destination.”
Just when Fran didn’t think she could stand the tension any longer, Nik entered the lounge and walked up to them. He darted her a searching glance. “Did you tell them about my father’s invitation?”
The girls exchanged a private look before Fran said, “I haven’t had time yet.” Kellie’s troubles with Leandros had weighted them down.
In the next breath Nik extended them all a personal invitation to fly to Mykonos in the morning and spend a few days with his family. “My parents insist.”
“I was planning to pay them a personal visit anyway, Nik. We’d be honored to come,” Leandros spoke up before Kellie could say anything. “Under the circumstances, I’ll drive us back to Athens in Kellie’s car. Tomorrow we’ll fly to your villa.”
Uh-oh. That meant a lot of hours for them to talk, but Fran decided that was a good thing. Kellie could approach him with the plan they’d talked about last night.
“Excellent.” Nik shot Fran a level glance. “I realize you came here on vacation, but if it wouldn’t inconvenience you too much, would you mind staying with me at the hospital overnight?
“Between the two of us taking turns, we ought to be able to comfort Demi while my brothers arrange for Melina’s and Stavros’s bodies to be flown home on our company plane. I’d very much like your help when we take Demi in the helicopter to Thessalonika airport in the morning. From there we’ll fly on the plane to Mykonos.”
Her heart thudded. Nik honestly wanted her help with his niece? He couldn’t know she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the adorable child. Another night to hold her thrilled Fran to pieces.
Trying to sound in control she said, “If you feel it’s necessary, I’d be glad to help.” She looked at Kellie, knowing her friend didn’t want to be left alone with her husband right now. The situation was precarious. “What do you think, Kellie? Would it be all right with you?”
Fran knew Kellie was stuck in a hard spot. She couldn’t say no to Nik who’d already lost part of his family, but that meant she’d have to face Leandros sooner than she’d expected. It was providential they’d come up with an idea last night. It had to work!
“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow and we’ll resume our vacation.”
If Kellie worked things out with Leandros, maybe she wouldn’t want to go on a trip after all. Fran was hoping for that outcome. “All right then.”
The news seemed to relax Leandros a little. No doubt he was thankful for this much of a reprieve so he could talk to his wife. “Fran? I’ll bring your bags in from the car.”
Nik shook his head. “Don’t bother, Leandros. I’ll come with you and put them in my rental car.” He turned to Fran. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
After the two men walked out of the lounge, Fran put an arm around Kellie’s shoulders. “I’m sorry about this. I had no idea Nik would ask me to stay on. Frankly, I didn’t know what to say.”
“Neither of us had a choice. It would have been churlish to refuse him.”
“If I stay overnight with the baby, are you going to be okay?”
Her friend took a shuddering breath. “I thought I’d have two weeks to be away from Leandros, but this situation has changed things for the moment and can’t be helped. Wish me luck broaching your suggestion to him,” she whispered in a pain-filled voice.
“Kellie, last night we talked a lot about Karmela, but I sense there’s still something you haven’t told me. What is it?”
Her head was bowed. “I was afraid to tell you. N-night before last, I told him this vacation was more than that. I wanted a separation.”
Fran groaned. “No wonder he looks shattered.” Fran was aghast that their marriage had already broken down to that extent.
Her friend’s lips tightened. “He said I wasn’t thinking clearly before he stormed out of the bedroom angrier than I’ve ever seen him. On our drive back to Athens, I’m going to do what you said. I’ll tell him that since I haven’t gotten pregnant, I need something substantial to do and want to work with him in his private office. I’ll remind him I was once a part of an advertising agency and am perfectly capable.
“But if he turns me down flat, and I’m afraid he will, then he needs to hear what I think about the sacred Karmela. Up until now I’ve been careful about saying anything negative, but no longer. I might as well get everything out in the open right now.”
Fran would have told her not to plunge in with Leandros where Karmela was concerned yet. Let the idea of his wife working with him take hold first. But both men came back in the lounge, preventing further conversation.
Leandros put his arm around his wife. “It’s going to be a long drive. We need to get going.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Fran hugged her. “Tell him you love him so much, you want the opportunity to work with him,” she begged in a quiet whisper. “I don’t see how he can turn you down.”
When Kellie let her go without an answer, Leandros grasped his wife’s hand and they walked out of the lounge.
She felt Nik’s gaze on her. “We need a meal. Let’s drive to the hotel where you stayed last night and get a couple of rooms so we can shower and have dinner. By then we’ll feel much more prepared to spend the night with Demi.”
“That sounds good to me.” She would have said more, such as the fact that he hadn’t had any sleep last night, but she’d bring it up to him later.
He walked her out to the parking lot and helped her into the rental car. His dark eyes noticed every detail, and she was glad she was wearing her linen pants. Once he got in the driver’s side he said, “You’ll have to guide me to the hotel.”
“It’s on the southern end of the village near the main highway.” She gave him a few directions, not quite believing that he was taking her to the place where she’d found his niece. “There on the corner,” she said. He flipped a U-turn and pulled up close to the front entrance where people were dining. “Before we go in, I’ll show you the garden out in back.”
“Good. I want to take pictures while there’s still some light.”
She got out of the car before he could help her and they walked around the side to the rear of the hotel where more customers were enjoying their evening meal. Fran kept going until she came to the garden.
“I found her right there.” She pointed to the bushes in the corner. “There’s no indication she lay there all those hours. It’s still totally unbelievable to me. Finding her alive so far away from the Persephone is one of those inexplicable miracles.”
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