pictures.
With pounding heart she jumped up from the chair and walked over to get a closer look. Nassos’s signature was in the bottom right hand corner. He’d personalized it. Bravo, Takis. He signed everything with a flourish.
Seeing him so alive and vital in the picture brought tears to her eyes. He would be thrilled if he knew his autographed photo hung in the office of his unofficial protégé in the most prominent spot. The fact that this man had honored Nassos this way told her a lot about his character and she knew he was deserving of the gift he was about to receive.
Lys heard a little rap on the open door and whirled around.
She hadn’t known what she’d expected to see. Only her imagination could have provided that. But it wasn’t the tall, hard-muscled male so striking in a rugged way who’d just walked in his office...an olive-complexioned man come to life from ancient Crete though he was dressed in a stone-colored business suit and tie.
“Oh—” she cried softly because the sight of him caused her thoughts to reel.
Those penetrating hazel eyes of his put her in mind of one of those heroic dark-blond warriors depicted in frescos on the walls of temples and museums. She studied his arresting features, remembering one prince who could have been his double. The five o’clock shadow on his firm jaw gave him a sensual appeal she hadn’t been prepared for.
While she continued to stare at him, she realized he’d been examining her the way someone did who couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He gave her a slight nod. “The woman at the desk thought you were American, but didn’t quite get your name.” The man spoke English with a heavy accent she found exciting.
“I’m Lys Theron,” she said in Greek.
A look of astonishment crossed over his face. “Wait,” he said, as if sorting out a puzzle. “Theron... Kristos Theron. He was your father?”
“Yes.”
Clearly her answer shocked him.
“He was a wonderful man. It came as a terrible blow when I heard about the plane crash. He’d been very kind to me. I’m so sorry you lost him.”
“So am I.”
The second she’d spoken, silence enveloped the room’s interior. His eyes seemed to go dark from some unnamed emotion. A hand went to the back of his neck, as if he were questioning what he’d just heard. “I saw you at Nassos’s funeral last weekend,” he murmured in Greek.
His admission shook her to the core. “You were there?”
“That’s right. I wouldn’t have missed it. Aside from my father, Nassos Rodino was the finest man I ever knew. His death came as a great shock to me.”
He’d been at the church! No wonder he’d stared so hard at her, but she hadn’t seen him. Her pain had been too great.
She took a deep breath. “To know you flew to Heraklion to honor him, and that you have his photograph hanging in this office, would have meant the world to him.”
A strange sound came out of him. “You’re a relation of his?”
“I was seventeen when my father died. Nassos was his best friend and became my guardian. He took me back to Crete where I lived with him and his wife.”
He shook his head. “I can’t credit it. You and I never met, yet your father and Nassos are the reason I have a life here.”
“I’ve heard about you for years and have been wanting to meet you. You’re the brilliant son of Nikanor Manolis from Tylissos. Nassos’s belief in you was clearly deserved.”
His chest rose and fell visibly. “His support was nothing short of a miracle,” he whispered.
“A miracle couldn’t work if the seeds of greatness weren’t already there.”
Another unearthly quiet emanated from him, prompting her to speak. “I was sixteen when I first learned about you. Nassos came to visit often and asked my father if he’d give you a job at the hotel in New York. I thought it was so wonderful that they wanted to help you so you could go to college. They really believed in you!”
He moved closer. “Your father’s close friendship with Nassos made it possible for me to work and go to school. He was very good to me.”
“To me too.” She smiled. “It was hard to lose him when I did.”
She felt his compassionate gaze. “I can only imagine your feelings right now. I’m sorry you’ve suffered so many losses.”
“Death comes to us all at some point.” She sucked in her breath, still dazed by his striking looks, in fact by the whole situation. “To be honest, I’ve always wanted to meet the famous Takis Manolis. The last time Nassos spoke of you, he said you were already a living legend before you were thirty.”
His dark brows furrowed as if in utter disbelief over those words, revealing a humility she found admirable.
“Please. Sit down.” While she did his bidding, he paced the floor looking shaken, then he stopped. “Can I get you anything? Have you had breakfast?”
“Thank you, but I ate before I left the hotel in Milan several hours ago. I should have contacted you for an appointment ahead of time, but decided to take my chances and fly here first. I haven’t taken a real trip in a long time. I love getting away from everything for a little while.”
“I don’t blame you. I saw what was written about you in the paper while I was in Crete. The press manages to find a way if they’re looking for a story.” By the tone of disgust in his voice, she imagined he’d had to deal with his share of unwanted invasions. She could relate to his feelings, making it easier to confide in him.
“Nassos’s unexplained, unexpected death wasn’t solved until a week ago when the medical examiner said he’d died from a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Over the last month while everything was up in the air, the press labeled me everything from a murderer who’d poisoned him, to an opportunistic floozy. You could add adulteress, narcissistic liar and evil spawn of Satan in some of the more sordid tabloids. The list goes on and on.”
Their eyes met. “Is that all?” he teased unexpectedly, catching her off guard. His bone-melting charm, not to mention his refreshing humor was so welcome, she felt a great release and laughter bubbled out of her.
She could easily understand why Nassos had found him an extraordinary human being in ways other than his business acumen. After reading Nassos’s letter, she knew Nassos hadn’t talked to him about her or Danae. Nassos had always been a very private person.
“I came to see you for a very specific reason, but if this isn’t a good time to talk, please say so. I can return to Milan and wait until I hear from you. Or I’ll fly back to Crete and come another time when it’s more convenient.”
His eyes narrowed on her features. “The daughter whom Nassos helped raise for his best friend has my full, undivided attention. Tell me what’s on your mind. Obviously it’s very important to you, otherwise you wouldn’t have flown all this distance during your bereavement. I’d do anything for him, so that translates I’d do anything for you. Just name it.”
Lys
