The Greek's Secret Heir

She smiled. “No, but there are copies in the Aristotle University library in Salonica.”

“How soon will your new collection be published?”

“I should have it finished by the end of this summer. Before the fall semester starts at the university, I plan to fly to Ottawa and work for a few days with the artists again. Then we’ll see.”

Nico ate the last two delicious shrimps she’d left on the platter. “Speaking of that timetable, Kristos called me at work yesterday. He and Dimitra want to get married before the end of the summer.”

“I know, but that’s only seven weeks from now.”

He nodded. “Irena still wants them to wait a year.”

“Oh, dear.” She half moaned the words. “Another battle.”

“Has Dimitra mentioned it to you?”

“Yes. Now that they’re engaged, they don’t want to wait and at this point I understand. Frankly I don’t want to fight with her, not after this upheaval in our lives. I’m afraid to do anything to ruin the bit of peace I’ve achieved with her.”

“I’ll tell Irena what you said.”

“How do you feel about it, Nico?” She looked into his dark eyes, worrying about him. “You’ve just discovered you have a daughter. Now she wants to get married. There’s so little time for the two of you to enjoy each other.”

He sat back in the chair. “I’m so overjoyed to have a daughter, I’m planning to take each day as it comes to the very end of my life. I hope you’ll allow me to pay for their wedding whenever it occurs. I’m her father and it’s time I did my part.”

They’d been so engrossed in their conversation, Alexa hadn’t noticed their daughter who’d approached carrying a bag of things she’d bought. Dimitra stood staring at the two of them with an expectant look on her face.

CHAPTER EIGHT

“I HEARD YOU talking about my wedding, Mama. Is it all right with you if Kristos and I get married at the end of the summer term at the university? It’ll be the perfect time before classes start again. We’ve been talking about it on the phone.”

“Honey, I’m fine with the idea, but you need to discuss it with his mother. She’d rather you waited a year.”

“But we don’t want to wait that long.” Dimitra sat in a chair. “You talk to her, Baba. Kristos says she listens to you about everything.”

Alexa exchanged a private glance with Nico before she said, “Do you know why she’s asking you to wait?”

“Kristos just told me. His grandfather wants us to put off marriage until he turns twenty-five and knows what he’s doing. That’s why he didn’t come to our engagement party.”

“I see.”

“His mother is worried he’ll hold Kristos back in the company if he doesn’t conform. But Kristos says he’ll resign if necessary and find another job in order to marry me now.”

Alexa and Nico exchanged a glance. Suddenly her conversation with Irena in the bedroom about her elopement with Tio made perfect sense.

Nico covered his daughter’s hand. “I’ll talk to Irena and assure her that if Kristos needs another job, he can co

me to me.”

“You mean it?” She jumped up and threw her arms around him. “I have to call him right now and tell him.”

“Don’t you want to eat first?”

“I couldn’t. Excuse me. I’ll be back in a minute.”

The second she’d gone, Alexa looked at Nico. “Was Tio’s father as controlling of him as he is of Kristos?”

His brows furrowed. “Worse. He’s the antithesis of my father. If Irena hadn’t been waiting for Tio when he returned from military service, he would have left Greece to find his own way.”

“She told me they eloped. Nico, if you end up helping Kristos, won’t you be making an enemy?”