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“Does she know about us?”
There’s no us. Not anymore. “No.”
“Who is she?”
Irena deserved that much. “An American who came to my office because of a life and death situation. She had business with me no one else could help her with. I’m still helping her solve a very serious problem before she returns to the States.”
“I see,” she whispered.
Except she didn’t see. How could she? Andreas wanted to tell her everything, but he couldn’t until he knew what Leon was going to do. Irena was best friends with Deline. The whole situation was more complicated than anyone knew.
He clutched the phone tighter. “I know I’ve hurt you, Irena, but to be less than honest with you at this point would be unconscionable.”
“Your father told me your courage is one of your most remarkable traits. After this conversation I have to say I agree with him. I love you, Andreas. I know you did love me in your own way. But you were never in love with me, otherwise—” She broke off talking. He knew what she was going to say, that otherwise they would have married months ago. “I’m going to hang up now.” The line went dead.
Horrible as he felt for hurting her, relief swept through him that from here on out he wouldn’t be lying to her or Gabi.
Before he let any more time pass, he had a second call to make to Leon, who was vacationing for the next two weeks on Milos with Deline and the rest of the family. With Gabi sequestered in Apollonia on the north end of the island nine kilometers from the Simonides villa, the timing and proximity couldn’t be better.
In anticipation of her falling in with his plan, he’d made all the arrangements ahead of time. Now there was nothing left to do but inform his brother, who’d known this call was coming.
As soon as they spoke he’d never heard Leon sound so upset. He hadn’t told Deline the truth yet, but knew he had to.
After encouraging him not to wait any longer, Andreas hung up to wait for Gabi’s phone call. If she chose to fly back to the States in the morning, then he’d take her and the twins home in the company jet.
Gabi’s father patted the side of the bed and stared at her with solemn eyes. “When did Thea tell you about Leon Simonides?”
With that question she realized it was going to be a long night. She sat down next to him. “Right before she died.” After clearing her throat she said, “All along Thea thought the man she’d made love with was Andreas. That’s why I went to his office.”
Her parents listened intently as she explained what had happened to Thea. “When she swore me to secrecy, I intended to honor my promise to her. But after she died, I kept looking at the babies and thinking how terrible it would be if they never knew their father, either. I realized I couldn’t go through life with that kind of a secret.”
“Of course you couldn’t.” Her father pulled her into his arms. “I love you more than ever for what you’ve done.”
“So do I,” her mother cried. “It took tremendous courage, darling.”
“I’m sorry to have lied about my reason for going to Athens on Friday, but I didn’t know if I’d be able to get in to see Andreas.”
“Thank heaven you did. Honestly, when he walked in the salon, it was like looking at the children all grown up.”
Her dad shook his head. “I’m still amazed by what we’ve learned. He’s a very remarkable man. A good one. No wonder he’s at the head of the Simonides empire.”
“You should see him with the boys, Dad. The way he responds, you’d think he was their father.” Her voice shook.
Her mother reached over to press her arm. “What’s Leon like?”
“I can’t tell yet. He was in shock on Saturday and hardly spoke, but the fact that he came at all speaks of his character.” She wiped her eyes.
“Seeing those two brothers together will really be something,” her mom said. “That’s how it’s going to be for Kris and Nikos.”
Gabi nodded. “Thea was so beautiful, and they’re so handsome already. When they’ve become men, they’ll be as spectacular as Andreas—I mean Leon.”
“Does he know Kris will have to undergo a series of surgeries in the future?”
“Not yet, Mom,” she mumbled.
“Why didn’t you tell him?”
“Because I knew Leon was in shock. When I put myself in his place, I realized how hard it would be for him to tell his wife. I suppose I didn’t want to scare him off or have him thinking I was after his money to pay for the medical expenses.”
Gabi’s father patted her arm. “Tell Andreas. He’ll know the best way to broach his brother.”
Her dad was right. “I will.”
“Do his parents know anything yet?”
“No.”
“So where is this safe place he was talking about?”
She slid off the bed, too filled with nervous energy to sit any longer. “On Milos.”
“Of course,” her father said. “Their family compound is on that island in a private bay that is better guarded than the White House.”
“Actually, he mentioned I’d be staying at a nearby village called Apollonia, but I don’t know any of the details yet. He said to leave everything to him, but I have to be sure it’s the right thing to do. I told him I would have to think about it. He’s waiting for a phone call from me tonight.”
Her dad cleared his throat. “I guess your mother and I don’t have to tell you how wonderful it would be to know you and the children are close by while Leon is deciding what to do. Naturally I’d prefer that you stayed right here and—”
“No, Dad,” she interrupted him. “I don’t know how you’ve done your work through all this, but it’s time you were able to concentrate on the job you were appointed to. You have too many dignitaries coming and going to put up with so much distraction.”
“You and the children are hardly a distraction, Gabi.”
“You know what I mean. Your life isn’t conventional. You need to get back to it. Andreas told me to think of this as a vacation.”
Her mother flicked her a thoughtful glance. “If Leon realizes he wants his children, then you have to admit Andreas has come up with a temporary solution that suits everyone. A week from now and everything could be settled. But it’s your decision.”
That was what was haunting Gabi. No decision sounded like the right one.
If Leon wanted to claim his children and raise them, then she would be free to get back to her old life in the States. But her world had changed so dramatically since her arrival on Crete four months ago, she didn’t know herself anymore.
The twins had come to mean everything to her. As for Andreas…She kneaded her hands. He was waiting for her to get back to him.
She paused in the doorway fighting conflicting emotions. “Andreas is doing everything in his power to unite his brother with his own babies. I started all this and need to finish it, so I’ll tell him yes. See you in the morning.”
Once out the door she rushed down the hall to her room to make the phone call. He answered on the second ring.
“Gabi?” came the deep voice she could pick out over anyone’s. “Did you discuss this with your family?”
“Yes.” She struggled to sound calm. “The children need their father. If my coming to Milos will hasten the process, then so be it.”
“Good. Now here’s what I want you to do. Follow through exactly with the plans you and your parents have for tomorrow morning. But when you arrive at the airport, tell the driver to take you through to the heliport where my helicopter will be waiting. I’ll be there to help you and the boys aboard.”
“All right.” She gripped the phone tighter. “Andreas—there’s something else you need to know. I should have told you before now, but I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“That you would believe what you first thought about me—that I was out to get money from you.”
“Go on.”
“This concerns Kris.”
“What about him?” Just now she heard a raw edge to his voice.
“He was born with a defective aortic valve in his heart. No one knows why. He didn’t inherit anything genetic from Thea. She didn’t develop heart trouble until she became pregnant. His condition is called stenosis.”
“I noticed he’s a little smaller.”
Most people saw no difference in the twins, but nothing got past Andreas. “According to his pediatrician here in Heraklion, he’ll have to undergo his first operation next month. I’d planned to have the surgery done in Alexandria with a highly recommended pediatric heart specialist.”
“We have one of the best here in Athens,” Andreas murmured, sounding far away. “How many procedures will be required?”
“Maybe only one more after that. The doctor said most valves have to be replaced every two to three years, but with non-embryonic stemcell heart tissue, the replacement valve should grow as Kris grows and no more surgery will be necessary. That’s what we’re hoping and praying for.”
“Amen to that.”
She put a hand to her throat. “When do you think you’ll tell your brother?”
“Tonight. He needs to be apprised of all the facts before you’re settled on Milos. In the next few weeks he and I will start giving blood for Kris’s fund.”
“Our family plans to give some, too. To look at him you wouldn’t know anything’s wrong. He’s so precious.”
“Until now I’ve never coveted anything of my brother’s.”
“I know what you mean. If the gods were giving out perfect children, you wouldn’t have to look any further than Kris and Nikos.”
“No,” came the husky rejoinder. “Get a good sleep for what’s left of the rest of the night, Gabi. Tomorrow’s a new day for all of us.”
“Andreas—”
“Yes?”
“I just wanted to say that I think Leon is very lucky to have a brother like you. Would that the twins develop that kind of love for each other. Goodnight.”
“We’re coming up on the little fishing village of Apollonia, named after the god Apollo.” Andreas had been giving Gabi an insider’s tour of the Cyclades from his position in the copilot’s seat.
She’d never been to Milos. As the pilot swung the helicopter toward the beautiful island sparkling like a gem in the blue Aegean Gabi’s breath caught. She’d once visited the islands of Mykonos and Kea on the ferry, not by air. To see all the fantastic volcanic formations and colorful beaches from this height robbed her of words.
During the flight from Heraklion, her awestruck gaze had met his many times. Maybe it was a trick of light from being at this altitude in a cloudless sky, but when he looked at her the gray of his irises seemed to turn crystalline, almost like a glowing silver fire.
The twins were strapped down in their carry-cots opposite her so she could watch them. They’d stayed awake during the flight, good as gold.
“Is that Apollonia down there hugging the bay?” she questioned as they drew closer.
Andreas chuckled. “No. That’s the home of the Simonides clan. Apollonia is just beyond it.”
Gabi was staggered. She stared at the twins. Little did they know the lineage they came from included a kingdom as magical as anything she’d seen in a fairy tale. But instead of towers and turrets and drawbridges, it was a gleaming white cluster of cubical beauty set against an impossibly turquoise-blue sea found only in this part of the world.
Further on lay the picturesque little town where she’d be staying. It was built in the typical royal blue and white motif along a sandy beach, the kind you saw in videos and on postcards advertising the charm of the Greek islands. Before the helicopter landed, she knew she was going to love it here.
She picked out the boats at the village pier. There appeared to be myriad shops and restaurants close by, an idyllic vacation spot if there ever was one. As soon as they landed and the blades stopped rotating, Andreas helped her and the twins into a car waiting by the helipad.
The pilot loaded her luggage and the stroller into the trunk. There was a considerable amount of stuff. She poked her head out the window. “Thank you!” she called to him. “When you travel with babies, there’s no such thing as packing light.”
Both men flashed each other a grin before Andreas took his place behind the wheel and started the motor. Seated across from his hard-muscled body, Gabi felt an excitement out of all proportion to the reason why she and the twins had been whisked to this heavenly place.
He drove them past tavernas and bars, pointing out a supermarket and a bakery where she could buy anything she needed. In a few minutes they turned onto a private road that wound beneath a cluster of trees and ended at a perfectly charming blue and white house with its own shaded garden and stone walkways.
Gabi let out a sound of pleasure. “This is an adorable place, Andreas.”
“I’m glad you like it. From the front door you step right out onto the beach. The house is fully air-conditioned, another reason why I chose it.”
“The babies and I will be happy as clams here.”
He darted her a curious look. “That’s an odd American expression. Do you think clams are happy?”
She burst into laughter. “I have no idea, but I know we will be.”
His low chuckle followed her as she got out of the car to open the back door. By now the twins were so awake they were eager to escape their confinement. While she released Kris’s carry-cot from the strap, Andreas removed Nikos. Together they walked toward the door where a pretty, dark-haired woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties held it open for them.
“Kalimera, Kyrie Simonides.”
“Kalimera, Lena. This is Gabi Turner.” The two women smiled. “Lena and her husband manage this resort. They have a son, Basil, who’s five months old.”
“Oh—I’d love to see him.”
“He’s with my husband right now, but I’ll bring him out to the garden later in the day. How old are your children?”
“Three months.”
“They are very beautiful.” Lena’s glance slid to Andreas, no doubt trying to figure out their relationship when the wiggling babies looked like him, not Gabi. “We have maid service. If you need anything, pick up the phone and the office will answer.”
“Thank you. This is delightful.”
“I think so, too. Enjoy your stay.”
After she walked off, they moved through to the living room whose white interior was accented with dark wood furniture and blue accessories. “What a charming house!” she cried.
“I’m glad you like it.” Andreas sounded pleased as she followed him through to one of the bedrooms down the hall where two cribs and a set of dresser drawers had been set up. Everything was impeccably clean.
