Betrothed: To the People's Prince. Marion Lennox

      CHAPTER TWO

      CARRIE was watching TV when she let herself into her apartment. Lovely, comforting Carrie, middle-aged and buxom, knitting endless squares to turn into endless blankets for the homeless. She closed the door, leant on it as if to lock the world out and let herself be comforted by the domesticity in front of her.

      Oscar was lying draped over Carrie’s feet. The big basset hound looked up at her with soulful reproach, as if to say, You expect me to get up at this time of night? You need to be kidding.

      She smiled. Oscar helped as well.

      ‘Hey, great jacket,’ Carrie said equably from the couch. ‘You swap jackets with a boy?’

      Whoops. She’d forgotten she was wearing it. Or maybe subconsciously she’d known, and she liked it. She fingered the soft, worn leather and found comfort there as well.

      ‘Yep,’ she said.

      ‘A good-looking one?’

      ‘Yep to that as well. Really good-looking.’

      ‘Excellent,’ Carrie said and dumped her knitting into her carrier bag. ‘He ask you out?’

      ‘We did already. We ate soufflé and crêpes.’

      ‘And crêpes? Wow. You going to see him again?’

      ‘Once is enough.’ Once in one lifetime.

      Carrie’s face puckered into disappointment. ‘Why the heck?’ she demanded, seriously displeased. ‘You know I can take Nicky whenever you want. You need a love life.’

      ‘I’ve had one.’

      ‘But you’ve kept his jacket,’ Carrie said, thoughtful. ‘Smart girl. A guy’s going to miss a jacket like that. Does he know where you live?’

      ‘No. I’ll post it to him.’

      ‘Don’t post it for a couple of days,’ Carrie said. ‘Give the man a challenge.’ She pushed her more than ample self to her feet, made her way across the room and gave Athena a hug. ‘You deserve some excitement. And Nicky needs a dad.’

      ‘Carrie…’

      ‘Just saying,’ Carrie said placidly. ‘Just going.’

      And she went. Leaving silence.

      She sat, on cushions still warm from Carrie. She stared mindlessly at the soap Carrie had been watching. Oscar sighed, heaved himself sideways and redraped himself over her feet.

      She needed comfort.

      She needed to stop being angry.

      Why the anger? After ten years, surely she had no right to still be angry with Nikos.

      Or maybe she had. Ten years ago she’d ached for him to follow her. Just one word…something…a message to find out if she was okay. Her aunt had known her address. Nikos had known her aunt.

      But it was as if the moment she’d walked off the island she’d walked out of Nikos’s life. And now…here he was, demanding she take a part in the island’s future. Demanding she think about Argyros.

      And all she could think was that she hadn’t told him he had a son.

      He was here. The time to tell him was now.

      The time to tell him was ten years ago. For him to find out now…

      It had to happen. She had to find the courage.

      Maybe he’d leave without trying to see her again. Maybe she’d have to go to Argyros to tell him.

      He was in New York right now. She had to get over her anger and tell him.

      And then say goodbye. For to go back to Argyros…Even if Demos were to destroy the island with his greed for diamonds…

      No. It couldn’t happen. She’d have to do something.

      What?

      Nothing, she told herself, but there was desperation behind the word.

      It had to be nothing. She’d left Argyros behind. That first dreadful year, she’d coped with homesickness, isolation, fear, and the birth of Nicky, and she’d faced it alone. She’d fought to make herself a living, knowing she was all her baby had. That which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. The often used platitude had become her mantra.

      She’d never again let herself need anyone as she’d needed Nikos. She no longer loved Nikos and she no longer called Argyros home.

      Her head hurt. Thinking hurt.

      She needed to sleep, but sleep wasn’t going to come easily tonight. If she filed her story now…That’d mean tomorrow was free. Saturday—Nicky had the day off school. They could go to the park…something, anything, just to get her away from here, buy her a little time.

      She should take off Nikos’s jacket.

      Not yet. For just a little bit longer she’d allow herself that one small comfort.

      Who the hell were Oscar and Nicholas?

      Husband? Son? Sons? He was going nuts not knowing.

      He’d hired someone to find her. The firm he’d hired had given him the magazine she worked for and a brief summary of her career. It was hardly personal.

      Why had he never thought she could be married?

      She wasn’t wearing a ring.

      That could mean anything. Rings weren’t compulsory. Nor was marriage; its lack didn’t necessarily mean you were without a long-term partner.

      Why had she responded to him with anger?

      He’d hardly expected her to fall into his arms as her long lost friend. He’d married someone else.

      Marika…He thought of his ex-wife now and fought back anger that stayed with him still. But you needed to move on. He needed to move on.

      He had.

      Or he thought he had until he’d seen Athena tonight. She was every bit the girl he remem-bered—but now she was a woman. Her eyes had tiny creases—smile lines. Did she smile often? Did the unknown Oscar and Nicholas make her smile?

      He’d forgotten how she’d made him feel—or maybe he’d blocked it out. Looking at her across the restaurant table tonight…it had taken all the power he had to keep his voice neutral, to keep his feelings in check.

      She was still Athena—the girl he’d loved to the point