Popi’s normally bright and sparkly eyes were dulled and red. Had she been crying? Because her plans were about to go awry? Or was it something more?
He held up the papers. “Was this your idea?”
“Was what my idea?” Confusion reflected in her eyes.
“To sue me for custody of Seb and to ask for large support payments?”
“What?” She paused as though making sense of what he was saying. “Can I see those?”
“You don’t know what they say?”
She frowned at him. “Obviously I don’t or I wouldn’t ask to see them.”
Hope started to swell in his chest, but he tamped it down. It was too soon and he still had questions. “Then why else would your attorney send me these papers?”
Popi sighed and turned to walk farther into her room. “Because I accidentally overheard you on the phone. You were making plans to leave on a safari—another one of your dangerous adventures. And...and I wanted to make sure the baby is with me when you’re out of town.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m not sure what you heard, but my life is here with Seb.” He stopped himself from saying that his life was with her too, because he still had unanswered questions. “I have no intention of leaving Seb. And I told my friend exactly that.”
“Oh, I didn’t know.”
He had one more important question. “And the really large support payments?”
“I don’t know anything about those. I called my attorney and I was a bit worked up at the time. I told her to do what was best. I thought she would send the papers to me first—not you.”
His gaze searched her eyes, finding nothing but honesty reflected in them. He knew that his next move would determine the ultimate fate of their relationship.
“I have to go.”
He turned and exited the room. His mind was already churning through this new information and what it meant.
He didn’t have time to bask in the hope that filled him. Instead he needed to act. His questions had been satisfactorily answered, but he couldn’t just apologize and expect Popi to give up her life on Infinity Island. He had to give her a reason to stay here—with him.
* * *
Goodbyes were so hard.
Popi’s dream of raising Seb alongside Apollo had been dashed. That acknowledgment slashed through her heart. How had she read everything with Apollo so wrong?
As she stood in the dimly lit nursery, Popi blinked repeatedly, stemming the river of tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks. If she gave into her emotions now, she didn’t think she’d be able to stop crying.
It was time for her to head back to the island...back to her job...back to the welcoming embrace of the island’s close-knit community. Seb would be loved and cared for here. Apollo would see that this precious baby had a hands-on, adoring father. Of that she had absolutely no doubts.
Raised as a Drakos, Seb would have every opportunity to live a fantastic life. And once a formal visitation agreement was drawn up, she’d see Seb every single chance she was allowed. She’d be around so much that he’d get tired of seeing her, but she would never get enough of Seb’s smiles and laughter.
She held Seb in her arms until he fell asleep. Tears clouded her vision. She whispered, “You will be safe here. Your uncle will see to it. You will be loved by Apollo and Anna and the rest of the staff that think you hung the stars.” When Shadow meowed from his spot atop the chest of drawers, Popi smiled through her tears. “And Shadow will love...” Her voice cracked. “He’ll love you too.”
She blinked repeatedly as unshed tears clouded her vision. If she didn’t leave now, she was afraid that she wouldn’t have the strength to do the right thing—leave Seb here. This was his home—his destiny. She’d watched Apollo over the past weeks and he was up to being a good father.
“I love you, little guy.” She placed the sleeping baby in the crib. “Your mum and dad are watching over you. Always. And I’ll be back just as soon as I can.” She swiped the tears from her cheeks.
And then she slipped an envelope from her purse and placed it against the lamp on the chest of drawers. With all her things packed and the baby down for the night, there was nothing left to do but leave.