“Maybe you ought to sit down.”
Was it that bad? He remained standing. “Just tell me.”
“You won’t believe this. Deline called me this afternoon. She’s pregnant.”
The news rocked Andreas back on his heels. In fact it was incredible. He stared at his twin. Leon was now the father of a third child yet to be born.
“The doctor confirmed she’s six weeks along. It was the shortest phone call on record. Before she hung up, she said she was still divorcing me, but wanted me to know the baby was due next spring.”
“No matter what, congratulations are in order.” Andreas gave him a brotherly hug.
Leon looked shell-shocked. “Ironic, isn’t it? I’ve got Thea’s children, Deline’s carrying mine, yet none of us will be getting together.”
He’d left out a heartbroken Gabi who would have had every right to hold on to the twins without telling anyone, but she didn’t have a selfish bone in her beautiful body. One thing was evident. Through this experience Leon had learned how much he loved Deline. Andreas could only commiserate with him.
“Don’t despair. With time it could all work out the way you want it. As long as I’m here, why don’t you fly to Athens and talk to her tonight? I’ll do the babysitting duties here until you get back. If you need a couple of days, take it!”
Leon’s eyes ignited. “You’d do that?”
His brother was in pain and needed help.
“What do you think?” After today’s meeting he didn’t have anything of vital importance on for tomorrow. If he went to Gabi’s door, she wouldn’t let him in. “I’m crazy about my nephews and want to spend some quality time with them.”
His brother had difficulty swallowing. “Thanks. It seems like that’s all I ever say to you. I haven’t been to work in weeks. You’ve had a double load.”
“Don’t you remember you’ve been given maternity leave? As Gabi once said to me, what’s sauce for the goose…”
While Leon changed clothes, he shot Andreas a curious glance. “How’s she doing as Anna’s replacement?”
“Better than even I had imagined.”
“Under the circumstances you were wise to break it off with Irena as soon as you did. Everyone in the family knows it now, but I have to tell you it came as a shock to Deline.”
Andreas nodded. “Those two managed to grow even closer during the time I was seeing her.”
“Deline says Irena is leaving for Italy for a long holiday. Before she does, she wants to take a look at the twins, so don’t be surprised if she shows up. Sorry about that if it happens.”
“I’m not concerned. If there’s any problem with the boys that I don’t anticipate, I’ll call you.”
As soon as Leon left the villa Andreas stretched out on top of his brother’s bed and drew the phone from his pocket. He frowned when all he got was Gabi’s voice mail. The beep eventually sounded.
“Gabi? Something has come up and Leon needs my help. First thing in the morning I’d like you to reschedule any appointments for the next two days, then I want you to fly to Milos. The helicopter will be standing by. I’ll expect you in time to have a late breakfast with the boys.”
She would never come for him, but an opportunity to see the twins was something else again.
The apartment in the Simonides office building was more fabulous than any five-star hotel. Every time Gabi stepped out of the shower of the guest suite, she felt as if she were a princess whose days were enchanted because she was allowed to be with Andreas while he worked.
If there was a downside, it came at the end of the day. When Andreas left his office and said he’d see her in the morning, the enchantment left with him. Except for the evening she’d talked to him about not crossing the line, she hadn’t been with him in another setting away from the office.
Since she’d come to work for him, the nights had turned out to be the loneliest Gabi had ever known. To stave off the worst of it, she spent time after hours acquainting herself with the files stored on the computer and memorizing the names of his most important clients.
One night last week she’d come across the merger with Paulos Metal Experts. To her astonishment she read that Dimitri had brought several unscrupulous lawsuits against the Simonides Corporation in order to get the judge to intervene.
Andreas had represented his father in court. Every attempt by the opposition was defeated. Photocopies of all the court documents were there. It had been a heated case. She didn’t say anything to Andreas, but reading the material gave her a much fuller understanding of the disgusting man Thea had married.
This evening when Andreas had left the office, she could tell he was in a hurry. Naturally she imagined he was planning to spend the night with his girlfriend, a possibility too devastating to contemplate.
With an aching heart she reached for her cell phone to see if there’d been any calls from her parents or Jasmin while she’d been in the shower. To her shock, the only message she’d missed had come from Andreas.
She always loved the opportunity to fly out to Milos so she could hold her precious babies. This time she’d make it a short, drop-in visit and take some pictures of the twins with her cell phone to show her parents. After that she would ask the pilot to fly her to Heraklion for a surprise visit. They’d love to see how much their grandsons had grown.
Since Gabi needed a break to separate herself from Andreas, it was a good plan. In a few more days Kris would be having his surgery. After he’d recovered, she would resign her job with Andreas and go back to Virginia.
That would leave him free to do whatever. Everything would be wrapping up soon and she’d be gone for good.
Twelve hours later Gabi climbed aboard the helicopter atop the office building with her overnight bag. En route to Milos she informed the pilot she would only be there for a brief time. Afterward she wished to be flown to Heraklion.
Armed with her plans, she arrived at the Simonides villa where Andreas stood at the helipad, disturbingly handsome in an unfastened white linen shirt and bathing trunks. She’d been so used to seeing him in a business suit at the office, her heart skipped around, throwing her completely off-kilter.
As he stepped forward to help her out, his penetrating eyes seemed to be all over her, turning her insides to mush. She’d worn a summery print skirt and sleeveless blouse in earth tones on white with white straw sandals. It was an outfit he wouldn’t have seen before.
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