The Greek Bachelors Collection. Rebecca Winters
man or woman who serves in the military is a hero, Nikos. I’ll make two albums to preserve our wedding day. One for our child and one for your parents. Maybe Yannis will take pictures for us.” After a pause, she added, “And perhaps the day will come when you’ll tell me what they did to you that was so terrible you don’t want them at the wedding.”
Without looking at her he said, “My reasons run fathoms deep, but they have nothing to do with you.” He doubted he could ever talk about it.
“Still, they are your parents and our baby’s grandparents. I know an album of our wedding day will mean everything to them, too. Please tell me you’ll wear the uniform.”
“I’ll think about it,” he muttered. “I have to go ashore again. When I leave, I’ll set the security system. If it goes off, the harbor police will be alerted and a signal will be sent to my cell phone. You’ll be perfectly safe while I’m gone.”
“Where are you going?”
“If you must know, to visit a friend.”
“Tassos? Have you told him about the baby?”
“No one knows except Yannis. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He left the boat and took off for the cemetery. It would be his first visit to Kon’s grave. Nikos had been in the hospital when his buddy had been buried in the Gregerov family plot. They’d always talked over everything important....
* * *
At three-thirty the next afternoon, Nikos waited at the car, ready to take pictures that he knew were so essential to Stephanie’s happiness. After breakfast he’d gone into town to purchase her ring. When he returned, he’d discussed the details of the wedding ritual with her. Now it was time to go.
In a moment she stepped off the yacht. With Yannis’s help she started walking along the dock in her wedding dress. He doubted there’d ever been a sight like her before, and he started clicking frame after frame.
The few people around the port watching her would think they were seeing a heavenly vision of femininity in flowing white silk. Angel hair glinted silver and gold through the lace in the late afternoon sun. His throat swelled with emotion to realize this bride was going to be his.
In his gut he wanted the child she was carrying to be his. If it wasn’t...
After seeing those jeans lying on the floor at the side of her bed last evening, he was convinced she was pregnant. He couldn’t let any more doubts ruin today, which would never come again.
Stephanie’s urgent plea had gotten to him and he’d put on his dress blue uniform. With nothing more than a few clues, she’d come all the way from Florida to find him, so he would know he was going to be a father. The least he could do was accede to her desires on this issue. He’d told Kon as much.
Nikos had been thinking a lot about Stephanie’s father. Maybe he could be found through the help of a good private investigator. It was worth looking into, but that would have to wait until another day.
Yannis, acting in the place of her father, who would probably have given her away if he’d known of her existence, had worn his best white suit for the occasion. Nikos suspected the older seaman was enjoying this. He and Stephanie seemed to be getting along well already. Yannis was an old softie beneath his gruff looking exterior. It was clear she had already charmed him.
Nikos kept taking pictures until they reached the car. Her eyes, so solemn, met his for an instant before Yannis took over, asking them to pose together before they got inside. After some careful maneuvering to protect her dress, they helped her into the backseat, and Nikos sat in front while Yannis drove.
“Oh, Nikos!” she cried softly when they’d traveled a distance up the hillside. The small domed gray-and-white church of Agios Dionysios stood overlooking the sea. “How beautiful! I can’t believe we’re going to be married here.”
“My wife and I were married in that same church forty years ago,” Yannis said over his shoulder.
“Were you childhood sweethearts?”
“How did you know?”
Her gentle chuckle found new areas inside Nikos’s body to warm. “Do you have children?”
“Two married sons and six grandchildren. They’re fishermen and live here.”
“You’re a very lucky man.”
“It was a lucky day when Nikos met you.”
Well, well. Stephanie’s takeover of Yannis was now complete.
“Thank you, Yannis.”
The next few minutes were a blur as they pulled up to the church’s parking area, where the Gregerov family was waiting en masse to greet them. Nikos introduced her to Tassos’s parents, Castor and Tiana Gregerov, and his pretty wife, Elianna, who had dark blond hair. The other women were various shades of brunette. More pictures were taken. Nikos had hired a professional photographer to film everything.
In the rush he noticed Tassos reach for Stephanie and press something in her hand. Nikos was curious to know what it was, but he would have to wait. He saw her eyes glisten with tears before she kissed him on the cheek.
After embracing Tassos’s mother, Nikos reached for Stephanie and they proceeded inside the church. He cupped her elbow, taking care with her veil, and walked to the front, where a dozen sprays of flowers filled the nave with perfume. He’d made certain there were some gardenias among the arrangements.
He had the distinct impression Stephanie was pacing herself carefully in deference to him not being able to move quite so fast. Small courtesies seemed to come naturally to her, another trait he couldn’t help but admire.
Father Kerykes chatted with them before asking Tassos and Yannis to take their places on either side of the couple. The others sat in a group. For Stephanie’s sake he presided in English, promising to keep it as short as possible. But as Nikos had explained to Stephanie earlier, there was no such thing as a short Greek wedding.
First came the service of the betrothal with the rings. Nikos had bought her a diamond ring, and a gold band for her to give to him, but she produced a ring he immediately recognized as Kon’s. Nikos was so moved by Tassos’s gesture, he choked up during the marriage sacrament.
It was followed by the crowning and ceremonial walk. Three times around the priest, who at the end removed their flowers. After they kissed the Bible, he pronounced his blessing on them.
“For better or worse, you’re Mrs. Vassalos now,” Nikos whispered as they walked down the aisle holding hands. “Are you feeling all right?”
“I—I’m fine.” Her voice faltered. “Just thirsty.”
“There’s water in the vestibule, where we’ll sign the documents. Then we’ll go outside for more pictures.”
By the time she emerged from the church with her bouquet, her cheeks looked flushed. Nikos urged everyone to hurry with the well-wishing and the pictures, but all of them were pressing for the bridal kiss. He did it swiftly, noticing Stephanie was fading fast. No wonder there was little response.
“Are you going to be sick?” he asked as he helped her into the car.
“No,” she replied, but her voice trembled. “I’m just feeling weak and overheated. I’ll be all right in a minute.”
“In this weather a wedding like ours is brutal, but it’s over now. The taverna will be cool. It’s only a mile away. Drive fast, Yannis.”
“I feel a fraud, Nikos. I’m a hot weather girl and don’t know what happened to me in there.”
“You’re pregnant and have been through an arduous marriage ritual.”
She lay back in the corner with her eyes closed. “Once was enough. I fought so hard not to faint in front of you.”
“You