He turned and saw Jodie in high heels and an aquamarine sheath dress. She was the epitome of cool elegance. Her beauty captured his imagination and yet it was too careful. Too perfect. He yearned to see the spark in her blue eyes. It had often given him a kick of anticipation because he’d known she was about to do something daring.
“We have a problem,” he said and watched her shoulders tense as if she was ready to argue. “The weather is too severe for travel.”
Jodie’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe you.”
Stergios clenched his jaw. He was unaccustomed to anyone questioning his word. He gestured at the window. “Look outside.”
She glanced out the window. “It’s not that bad. You’re making this up. You will stop at nothing to keep me away from your family.”
“I want nothing more than to get you out of my home, pethi mou.” He rubbed his hands over his eyes. “I would swim to the Volakis Island if it meant getting you out of here, but we are just going to have to suffer each other’s company.”
She crossed her arms and looked away. “For how long?”
“Possibly until tonight.” If they were fortunate. “I promised I will get you to the wedding and I will.”
“I’ve decided not to go to the wedding,” she said quietly. “I want to return to Athens and then go back to New York.”
“Why?” She had been insistent that she needed to attend the wedding. She had been in a panic when he had delayed her. “What has changed?”
“Nothing.” Jodie walked over to the fireplace and perched on the sofa’s armrest.
“I was right,” he said as he followed her. “You had been out for revenge. But this detour ruined your plans.”
Jodie rolled her eyes. “You are obsessed with this idea of revenge. Why do you think I want revenge on your family? Because of how I have been treated?”
There was some truth to that. He was not proud of how his family behaved. Jodie had been young and vulnerable and they made her feel unwanted. If he had been in the same position, he would have wanted some payback. “Your father didn’t shield you. Instead of revenge you want to repair your relationship with him. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
“I was never close to my parents and I’ve been estranged from my father for four years. My mother wasn’t able to bond with me from the beginning.” Jodie looked at the floor, her cheeks turning bright red as she revealed the truth. “I thought I had come to accept that this is the way our family interacted. But then Mom died unexpectedly of a heart attack.”
“And you felt the loss of what could have been,” he murmured. He had those unguarded moments after his father died in prison.
She gave a sharp nod. “I’m twenty-two and I know it’s too late to get the parents I needed when I was a child. But I wanted some family connection before it was too late.”
“Gregory Little doesn’t know how to be a father,” Stergios decided.
“I know,” Jodie said as she idly swung her foot. “But it would mean a lot to me if my father was interested in what was happening in my life. If he called or visited me. Included me in a family celebration.” Her foot stopped as she exhaled sharply. “Anything that would make me feel like I’m not alone and forgotten.”
Stergios frowned. “That’s all you want?”
“You wouldn’t understand.” She blinked rapidly and dabbed her fingertips against the corner of her eye. “You are surrounded by family. They are involved in every part of your life, whether you want it or not. They care about you and, in return, you protect them. That’s what I want.”
“You want my family to take care of you? Protect you?” Had his mother been right? Did Jodie secretly want to be an Antoniou?
“No, no, no,” Jodie said with a small smile. “I don’t want to be part of your family. I want to be part of mine.”
“Going to New York won’t make that happen.”
“It’s not going to happen wherever I am. I ambushed my father and he’s on guard.” She tilted her head back and gave a groan of regret. “I approached the so-called reunion the wrong way and I can’t repair it.”
“Your plan is to walk away and act as if Gregory doesn’t exist?” That didn’t sound like something Jodie would do. She was the most tenacious person he knew.
“Yes, it’s finally time to admit defeat.” She dropped her hands and slowly stood up. She took a deep breath and set her mouth in a determined smile. “Look on the bright side, Stergios. After tonight, we will never cross paths again.”