“Sorry to call this late. Is Kristos home by any chance?”
“No. He’s still out with Dimitra. I thought I’d better let you know her mother called to ask me for your phone number. I admit I was surprised.”
Nico sucked in his breath. “I’ll tell you why after I speak with him tomorrow.” He couldn’t go into it now.
“You don’t sound yourself.”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “I’m not. I’ll explain later. Kalinikta, Irena.”
After hanging up, he left for headquarters and sent Kristos a text.
Call me before you go to bed. I don’t care how late.
He’d barely entered his office when his phone rang and he answered immediately. It was Kristos. “Thanks for calling me.”
“I would have phoned you without your text, Uncle Nico. Dimitra is still with me and wants to talk to you, but she doesn’t know how you feel now that you’ve been told the truth.”
His throat swelled with emotion. “I’m overjoyed to learn I have a daughter.” As he’d told Alexa, Dimitra was a miracle.
“I knew it! And that’s exactly how she feels about you. Where are you?”
“At my office.”
“Can we come over? She doesn’t want to wait any longer to talk to you.”
Neither did Nico, who was only now beginning to unthaw and realize he had a daughter. “I’ll tell Gus to let you in.”
“We’ll be there in five minutes.”
It was the longest five minutes Nico had ever lived through and he stood by the elevator, waiting anxiously. When the doors opened, Dimitra emerged. She’d come up alone with a tearstained face.
“All my life I’ve wished I could meet my father. To think we’ve already had dinner together and you’ve always been here. I just didn’t know it.” Her voice trembled. “Do you mind if I call you Baba?”
“I’d be crushed if you didn’t.” Nico held out his arms and she ran into them. I kóri mou. My daughter. He was holding the child he and Alexa had created. It didn’t seem possible. He rocked her for a long time, overwhelmed that this blessing had come into his life...a life he’d thought had lost its flavor forever.
This loving young woman had been the product of a great love. Raw anger rose inside him for the years he’d missed being a father to her.
He knew and understood why Alexa had done this to them, but it still hurt to the core of his being.
* * *
The next Friday night after dinner with Michalis Androu—whom she’d politely told she wasn’t ready to explore a relationship—Alexa went in the house, torn apart by all that was happening. The last time she’d been with Nico, the solemn side of him was so different from the man Alexa had fallen in love with, she found herself mourning for the old dynamic Nico. He’d been a man full of life and had made her thankful to be alive.
She kissed her grandfather good-night and went to bed. Since the night her daughter had gone off with Kristos, Dimitra had treated her like a stranger. For the last five days Kristos had picked her up and brought her home from the university before he went to work but Alexa hadn’t seen or talked to either of them.
On Saturday morning Alexa awakened early, put on her headphones and left to go for a run around the neighborhood while Dimitra was still asleep. The only thing that helped relieve stress for Alexa was to get out of the house and run for a half hour every morning. She’d been doing it for years.
It wasn’t until she got home and removed the headphones that she saw she’d received a text.
Nico.
Would the day ever come when her heart didn’t jump at the sight or sound of him?
She sank down on the bed to read it.
Can you come to my office ASAP? I’ll inform the front desk to send you up in the private elevator. This is important.
Alexa put a hand to her throat. Naturally it was important where their daughter was concerned. In a week his whole life had been turned upside down. So had hers. She answered him.