The Greek Bachelors Collection. Rebecca Winters
nodded gravely.
“Oh, no...” She couldn’t hold back the tears. They rolled down her cheeks. He’d mentioned his friend several times while they’d been diving. He’d told her they were closer than he was to his own brother. They’d grown up together and would have done anything for each other.
After such trauma, was it any wonder he’d changed so completely in every way? Other than anger over what life had dealt him, Nikos had to feel dead inside. If their positions were reversed, Stephanie knew her life would look black to her.
“Now that you’ve heard the truth from me, here’s my proposition. I want to marry you as soon as possible, and we’ll live here. It will mean having to give up your job. You can either sell or rent your condo, and put your car and furnishings in storage for the time being.
“It’s the only way I can protect you and the baby. But it wouldn’t have been fair to you if I hadn’t told you I can’t give you more children. Millions of other men can. You need to think about that very carefully before you commit yourself legally to me.”
Stephanie was thinking. It was a shock that she was going to have a baby at all. Right now she couldn’t contemplate having more children. Though she knew Nikos wasn’t in love with her, she had proof he’d been deadly honest with her just now. Knowing the only child he would ever have was on the way might give him a reason to go on living.
But there was a part of him that didn’t know if he was the father or not. And she had concerns, too, if a marriage between them was going to take place. She knew so little about him.
“Nikos?” She wiped the moisture off her face. “What is it you do for a living?”
He put his hands in his back pockets. “I used to work for the family shipping business. Now I’m in the process of starting up something new with Kon’s elder brother. It’s a project we used to talk about a lot.”
“What’s his name?”
“Tassos. He’s a good friend, too, and married, with a child.”
“Does it have to do with shipping?”
“No. We’re planning to drill for natural gas in this part of the Aegean.”
She knew Nikos was extraordinary, but to consider such an undertaking meant he was a man with vision. It took away her fear that he may have lost interest in everything, including life. To know he was working on something so vital for his own well-being, not to mention his country, thrilled her. Suddenly all those maps and charts she’d seen in the desk made sense.
“You don’t need to worry that I can’t take care of you,” he said mockingly.
“Don’t be absurd. The thought never crossed my mind. Nikos? Have you ever been married?”
A caustic laugh escaped. “No, although my family has had a girl picked out for me for years now.”
Someone he loved? “You mean a beautiful, well-heeled Greek woman of a good family from your social class. Until I showed up yesterday, were you planning to marry her?”
“No. Natasa wants children. That’s the one thing I can’t give her.”
But he’s given one to me, his only one. Stephanie’s heart rejoiced, despite the fact she knew he wasn’t in love with her.
“When the news gets out that you and I are married, she’ll have to move on,” he muttered.
Nikos hadn’t answered her question, but it didn’t matter. Having another woman waiting at home, approved of by his family, explained why he’d never made a commitment to Stephanie on the island. She had enough charity in her heart to feel sorry for Natasa. Nikos was a prize who stood out from every male she’d ever met.
“If I were to agree to marry you, I wouldn’t want a big wedding, Nikos.”
“That’s one area we fully agree on. We’ll have it take place in private, with only Yannis and the Gregerov family as witnesses.”
Alarmed, she turned to him. “Not even your parents?”
“Especially not them.” Stephanie cringed, there was so much heat behind his declaration. “My father and I have been at odds for a long time.”
“Your mother, too?”
“Let’s just say she’s loyal to my father and takes his part in most everything, to keep things civil.”
That’s why Nikos had never spoken of them on vacation. What could have happened to cause such a breach? “I’m sorry.”
He eyed her soulfully. “No more sorry than I am for you to have lived with the hurt your mother inflicted, even if she did it for what she believed were the right reasons. My father justifies his decisions in the same way, without considering the damage. You and I share a common bond in that regard.”
A world of hurt laced his words.
“After we’re married, we’ll drop by the house for a visit and tell them. They’ll come around after the baby’s born. My parents want grandchildren.”
Stephanie eyed him carefully. “Do they know that the accident made you s-sterile?” she stammered.
Frown lines marred his face. “No. To them, children are everything. I don’t ever want them to know.”
She could understand that. If his family pitied him, he’d never be able to handle it. Stephanie was coming to find out what a private person he was. “Have you considered how they’ll feel about me when we’re introduced? I’m afraid they’ll never see a pregnant American woman from a single family, with no father in the picture, as worthy to be your wife.”
His features hardened. “You’re carrying a Vassalos inside your body. That makes you the worthiest of all.”
Her baby was a Walsh, too, but Nikos had his pride, and right now she knew he was clinging to that one bright hope. More than ever Stephanie realized he was planning on the baby being his. Otherwise there’d be no visit to his family, and her marriage to Nikos would be dissolved.
In order to put him out of his pain, she could swear on the Bible that he was the father, so he’d be reassured, but it would do no good. He needed proof.
Last night he’d told her to go below. She’d thought he was just being mean-spirited, because he was angry. But hearing about the boating accident that had cost his friend his life made her realize Nikos was being protective.
He’d been that way with her scuba diving, always watching out for her. It was his nature. She’d found that trait in him particularly reassuring and remarkable, but she still had reservations about marrying him.
“Earlier you mentioned divorce.”
“That’s because we don’t know what the future will bring after the baby is born.”
“You mean you might not want to live with me anymore, under the same roof.”
He cocked his head. “As I recall, you were the one who said that what we had on vacation wasn’t love. I’m just trying to cover every contingency so there won’t be any more surprises. I’d say we’ve both had enough of them since we met in the Caribbean, and need to lay the groundwork if this is going to work.”
Pragmatic was the operative word. She could hardly breathe. “Where would we live?”
“Because of my work with Tassos, I prefer the yacht for the time being. We’ll dock at various ports so you can go ashore and explore. A little later on I’ll buy us a villa on Oinoussa Island, near the Gregerov’s, where you can set up a nursery. Tassos’s wife, Elianna, and his younger sister, Ariadne, both had babies recently and speak excellent English. They’re warm and friendly. You’ll like them.”
“I’m sure they’re very nice.”
The problem was, Stephanie didn’t speak any Greek.