She shook her head, still in disbelief. “He didn’t act like he knew you...”
“No. He saved me the horror of having to confess to something you never knew about in front of everyone. There’s no more honorable man alive than your father and he still has to be told you’re his daughter. I would have told him last night, but he left the restaurant too fast because he was so upset to think I’d lied to him. I plan to tell him today.
“He should be at work. Of course I can’t expect forgiveness from him either. Please don’t tell Kristos any of this until I’ve had a chance to talk to Nico first. He needs to hear this from me.”
The look of desolation in Dimitra’s eyes would haunt her forever.
CHAPTER FOUR
NICO’S CALL TO the port authority in Izmir was the first item on his busy agenda. Once completed, his phone rang. It was his sister at the newspaper.
“I’m so glad you answered.”
“How are things going?”
“They’d be a lot better if Uncle Ari didn’t squelch my ideas and put me down in front of the others. Sometimes he’s actually cruel to me.”
Nico’s brows furrowed. “I knew he wasn’t happy about your promotion over him, but that’s no excuse. Baba felt you deserved to become the managing editor. I’ve never known anyone who worked harder.”
“Thanks for saying that, Nico. I’ll have to find a way to get along with Ari. But on to a happier note, it’s Mama’s birthday on Friday night. Let’s plan a surprise for her and Baba.”
Since last night, Mara had been the only thing on his mind. He couldn’t think of her as Alexa. Giannina’s phone call had caught him off guard. “What sort of plans?”
“How about a small party with friends on the yacht?”
“Sounds good.”
“Nico? You don’t seem like yourself. What’s going on?”
“Do you remember years ago when you told me my girlfriend had probably fallen for some other guy and that’s why she shut me down?”
“That was a ghastly time for you. I didn’t know if you’d ever recover.”
His eyes shut tightly. “Saturday night I met her by accident and you were right. She did meet another guy that summer in Salonica and then she moved to Canada. Now she’s back and she has an eighteen-year-old daughter.”
“Whoa. If I recall, I told you she probably didn’t want to get in too deep.”
“Not with me anyway. The point is, your astute comments at the time gave me another perspective that helped me move on. Eventually I met Raisa.”
“I’m glad if anything I said made a difference.”
&nb
sp; “It did, and I thought you’d like to know. Count me in for Friday and call me when you need help. We’ll talk then about what’s going on at your work and come up with an idea to ease the situation.”
“You’re on. Love you.”
No sooner had he hung up than his phone rang again. Only a few people besides his family had his cell phone number. If it was Kristos or Irena, he might not get any work done.
He checked the caller ID. Alexa Remis.
Nico gripped the phone tighter, not wanting anything to do with her. Why was she calling? Last night he’d walked away for good. That chapter of his life was over. Again. Or so he’d thought. He’d have to speak to her now though, otherwise it would bother him so much he wouldn’t be able to concentrate.
He answered. “Kyría Remis?” Nico still couldn’t call her Alexa.
“Thank you for answering. I know you’re busy and so I’ll make this quick. I have information you need to be told about as soon as possible, but I can’t tell you over the phone. I’ll meet you in the garden at the Vlatadon Monastery any time you say. Come alone.”
What information?