“I can’t leave her yet.”
Nik had been counting on that. “She loves you.”
Again Fran averted her eyes because she knew what he’d just said was true. “You go on and be with your family, Nik. I’m sure you have things to discuss before the funeral tomorrow. Tell Kellie to come and keep me company while Demi falls asleep.”
“I will. Maybe when she sees how much the baby wants you, she’ll tell you the vacation can wait a few more days.”
“I—I don’t think so.” Her little stammer indicated she wasn’t quite as confident as she’d been on the plane.
“We’ll see,” he murmured.
She gripped the bars of the crib. “The baby’s worn-out from all the excitement, but still needs time to settle down and get sleepy. I’ll join you on the patio later.”
This extraordinary woman was right on all counts, but if the truth be told, Nik would rather stay in here with her. “All right, but I’ll be back soon to relieve you if she proves too restless.”
He strode swiftly through the villa to the patio and sought out Kellie. “Fran wants to talk to you. I’ll show you to the nursery.”
She spoke to Leandros who nodded his head, then she followed Nik through the house. Before they entered the apartment he said, “I’m not sure there wouldn’t have been a catastrophe tonight if Fran weren’t here to take charge of Demi.”
Kellie smiled at him. “After college she went into hospital administration, but they soon found out she’s a remarkable people person for the young and the old. That’s why they put her in the position she holds now. I wager she’s sorely missed already. I’m lucky she could take off these two weeks for our vacation.”
Having seen her in action with Demi, Nik agreed. He also got the message from Kellie not to count on Fran’s generosity beyond tonight. In fact, he was sure he’d been warned off, in the nicest way possible. While cogitating on that thought, he was more determined than ever to prevail on Fran to remain longer.
They reached the door to the apartment. “Come find the family after my niece has fallen asleep.”
A half hour later Fran tiptoed out of the nursery with Kellie and they went into the bedroom. “I think she’ll stay asleep now. Tell me what’s happened with Leandros?”
“If anything, things are worse. But before we get into that, tell me what’s going on with Nik.”
“What do you mean?”
Kellie sat down on the side of the king-size bed. “He has you ensconced in this fabulous apartment with the baby in the adjoining room, almost like you’re a permanent fixture.”
“I told him I’d help out until after the funeral tomorrow.”
“But he’d like it to be longer, right?”
Nothing got past Kellie. Fran nodded. “On the flight to Mykonos, Nik asked me if I would stay on to tend Demi until she’s comfortable with the family again. He hopes I’ll remain here until I have to go back to Philadelphia. I told him no because you and I were on vacation.”
“Are you hoping I won’t hold you to it?”
She shook her head. “No, Kellie. I only told him that as an excuse. This has nothing to do with you or our trip. I need to leave tomorrow before I find myself wishing I could take her back home with me. If it were possible, I’d like to adopt her.”
“Adopt an Angelis?”
“I know how outrageous that sounds. That’s why I’m glad we’re leaving tomorrow.”
Looking haunted, Kellie got up from the bed. “I know how attached you are to the baby already and would love to say yes to him.”
“Actually, I wouldn’t.”
“You must think I’m being difficult, but it’s because I’m afraid to see you get hurt again. When I think what you went through with Rob…”
Fran sucked in her breath. “Believe me, I don’t want that kind of pain again either. When I found Demi in that garden, I felt like I’d been handed a gift. I wanted her to be mine. But she isn’t! If I stayed here ten more days, it would kill me to have to walk away from her, traumatizing her once again. I refuse to put myself or her in that position. I’ve had too many losses in my life.”
“Oh, Fran—” Kellie gave her a commiserating hug.
She wiped her eyes. “I’m glad we’re leaving after the funeral. I need to put this experience behind me and forget Demi exists. It has dredged up too many painful memories. I need to move on.”
By now Kellie’s eyes were wet. “That makes two of us. Leandros doesn’t want me working in his office.”
“He wouldn’t even consider it?”
“No. He says he wants to be able to come home to me after a hard day’s work, but the reason is crystalclear. Though he hasn’t come right out and said it, our love life has never been satisfactory to him.
“How could it have been with a bride who was in terrible pain the first time he made love to her? His marriage to Petra was nothing like ours. They were expecting a baby when—when—” She couldn’t go on. “That’s why I have to put some real distance between us. Karmela can supply him what’s missing. Our marriage is over.”
“I can’t bear it, Kellie.”
“It’s for the best. Like you, I refuse to wallow in any more pain. As for the Angelis family, they need to hire a nanny as soon as tomorrow after the funeral and get her installed right away.”
“Agreed. I know Demi will miss me, but she’ll get over it. She’ll have to. I made that clear to Nik.”
“For your sake, I’m glad.” They eyed each other for a long moment. “Even though I’m nursing a horrendous headache, what do you say we put on our best smiles and go out to the patio as if nothing in the world is wrong? After we’ve mingled for a while, I plan to have an early night.”
“So do I. Demi will be needing another bottle before sleeping through the night.”
They reached the door. “Leandros will cover for me until he’s ready for bed. It’s what he’s good at. You might as well know we haven’t slept together for the last month.”
Fran understood her pain. She hadn’t slept with Rob for the three months leading up to their separation. It had been the beginning of the end.
The day was winding down. Nik’s mother and sisters-in-law spoke together while he talked with the men. But they all stopped long enough to admire the two American beauties who’d just stepped out onto the patio.
At the first sight of Fran, Nik felt an unwanted quickening in his body. The same thing had happened at the hospital when they’d been removing their masks and gowns. In a very short time she’d grown on him despite the pain he was in.
Most of the Greek women he’d known and dated were more chatty and conscious of themselves, famous for drama on occasion. His sisters-in-law were like that. Fiery at times—beautiful—and they knew it. Melina hadn’t been quite so theatrical. That’s probably why she’d appealed to the quietly spoken Stavros.
Fran was an entirely different kind of woman. She seemed comfortable in her attractive skin, reminding Nik of still waters that ran deep. Did her calm aura hide unknown fires within? He felt in his gut this woman could become of vital importance to him.
After some soul-searching, he recognized his motivation to keep Fran in Athens wasn’t driven exclusively by Demi’s best interests. Already he was trying to find a way to persuade her to stay on for his own personal reasons. But he feared that if he lowered the bars to let her inside his soul and she couldn’t take what he would be forced to tell her, blackness