“I promise.” But it didn’t mean she would marry him.
CHAPTER NINE
THE NEXT WEEK passed slowly for Nico and it wasn’t until Thursday night that he finally went over to see Irena and told her his plans.
“I’ve never revealed something to you, but now I feel I must. When I married Raisa, I didn’t love her the way I’d loved Alexa. I—”
“Say no more,” Irena interrupted him with a smile. “I knew that Alexa had broken your heart, and I cheered the fact that you chose to get on with your life and marry Raisa. She knew it too, but she loved you so much, she married you anyway, knowing how you felt. She wanted any love you could give her, and I happen to know you made her very happy. She told me everything.”
Nico shook her head. “I had no idea.”
“I know, and I promised I’d never tell you. But now I can. So marry your Alexa knowing Raisa wanted you or no one else and the years you gave her were the happiest ones of her life. Now it’s time to make Alexa happy again. She never married because you filled her heart so completely. That should tell you everything. I couldn’t be happier for both of you.”
Nico hugged her for a long time.
At nine o’clock Friday morning, he drove over to Alexa’s on a burst of adrenaline. His daughter would already have left for class at the university. Other than a few phone calls discussing arrangements for their daughter’s wedding, he’d given Alexa the space she needed. But today was the day he’d been living for.
The second he rang the bell, Alexa opened the door and came out on the porch looking anxious. She’d dressed in jeans and a sleeveless top, telling him what he’d feared, but it didn’t surprise him.
“What happened to your promise?” he asked without preamble.
She rubbed her hands over womanly hips in a nervous gesture. “We can’t do this, Nico. You know we can’t.”
“Did you tell your grandfather our plans?”
Alexa averted her eyes. “I haven’t said anything yet.”
“Then I will because the priest is expecting us in less than three hours, and I refuse to marry you without receiving Gavril’s blessing.”
“He won’t give it, Nico.”
“I think he will, Alexa. Admit it’s what we both want.”
“You know I do, but I’m nervous.”
Nico waited until she turned and went inside. He followed her into the living room. “I’ll wait here while you find him.”
After one more worried glance at him, she disappeared. Nico walked around looking at framed pictures of her family. He caught sight of one taken of him and his daughter the night of the announcement dinner at his villa. He picked it up to study it. Nico had put his arm around Dimitra while they smiled at each other. His heart melted just looking at it.
“Well, Nico.” Alexa had wheeled her grandfather into the room. He smiled at him. “I didn’t know you were coming over this morning. Phyllis was just fixing me breakfast. You look like you’re going to a wedding.” Nico had come dressed for the occasion in a navy dress suit and tie.
He put the picture back on the table. “I am. Last week I asked Alexa to marry me and planned it for today. We’ll be taking our vows at the church in Sarti at noon with Anna and Thanos for witnesses. But no marriage can take place until we have your blessing. I owe you more than you will ever know.”
The older man looked at his granddaughter in surprise. When she didn’t say anything Nico explained, “We didn’t want to intrude on Dimitra’s big day, so we’ve decided to marry in private. It’s what we want and need. Only you and my friend Irena are privy to our news. I’ll bring Alexa back here by the end of the day. Once our daughter and Kristos return from their honeymoon, we’ll tell them and announce our marriage to the world.”
He didn’t have to wait long for Gavril to grasp Alexa’s hand. The gesture shot relief through Nico. Gavril eyed his granddaughter. “Why aren’t you ready, sweetheart?”
“You mean you’re happy about it?” The fear and disbelief in her voice made Nico want to wrap he
r in his arms and never let her go. She’d suffered guilt for too long. Since Raisa’s death no one understood what guilt could do to you more than Nico did. But now that Alexa had come back into his life, he’d made up his mind they both needed to rid themselves of those chains.
Gavril gave a gruff chuckle. “I’ve only prayed for it for nineteen years.” By the look on her face, his remark had stunned her. “Go on. Wear that pretty dress you wore the night you went to meet Kristos’s mother.”
“You won’t need anything else,” Nico murmured.
“Hurry, sweetheart. You don’t want to be late for your own wedding.”
At her grandfather’s admonition, she left the room.