She closed her eyes tightly. “I love every minute we’re together, too, but while you’re in this visitation battle, we have to be careful. What if something goes wrong and it’s all my fault?”
He pulled up in front of her apartment and turned off the engine. “Look at me, Zoe.” She turned to him. “How could you possibly be to blame for anything? Lia can’t deprive me of being with my son. Her tactics won’t hold up. In another few days it will all be settled.”
“I want to believe that, too, Andreas. That’s why I’m going to say good-night to you now. Please stay in the car. There’s probably some private detective working for her who’s been lurking around here. Let’s not give that person any more incriminating evidence than they already have. I’ll run in my flat alone.” She started to get out.
“Wait—”
“No,” she insisted firmly. “It’s better if I go in alone. I’ll be waiting for your call tomorrow. Go home and get the sleep you need so you can be at your best during the meeting.” She fought not to tear up. “Being with you today was the highlight of my entire life. I’ll never forget it.”
He called her name, but she shut the door and ran to her flat before she broke down and begged him to come in with her. This situation couldn’t go on much longer.
Her body ached for him. She was so in love, she hurt with the pain of it. Zoe knew he loved her and was in pain, too, but it was a different level of love than the one he had for his son. As he’d told Guion, Ari was his life, and that life was more important than what she and Andreas had together.
He’d said it would be a few more days and everything would be settled, implying that they could then be together without worry. But she had deep reservations on that score. Zoe wasn’t blind. Lia hadn’t given up on Andreas and was fighting to regain the love he’d once felt for her.
Zoe took off her clothes to shower and wash her hair. Once she’d gotten ready for bed and dried it, she climbed under the covers, praying sleep would come. For once she didn’t feel like talking to anyone about this. No one could solve this problem.
Andreas’s wife had felt threatened to see Zoe in his hotel room in Athens. If she hadn’t gone with him... But it did no good to go over it in her mind.
Zoe turned over on her stomach, burying her face in the pillow. Tears started to trickle out of her eyes until she began sobbing. Though she’d told Andreas she wouldn’t leave, she’d only meant that she’d be here for him tomorrow.
Zoe’s gut feeling was that in the end, Guion wouldn’t want visitation rights and would put it in writing in order to save his marriage. As for her and Andreas, she intended to tell him goodbye for now. One day he’d obtain his divorce. Then they could be together because he’d be a free man. That’s what she intended to tell Andreas before oblivion took over.
CHAPTER NINE
AS SOON AS the Thursday board of directors meeting had come to an end, Andreas hugged his grandfather, then hurried out to the parking lot and got in his car. It was noon. Zoe had to be wondering what was taking so long.
When he heard his phone ring, he checked the caller ID and was surprised to see that his housekeeper was on the other end. She came to the villa a few hours every day to keep things up.
He clicked on. “Gaia?”
“Please excuse me for disturbing you, Kyrie. I know you’re in a meeting, but I’m sure you’ll want to be told about this.”
“That’s no problem. It’s over. What’s wrong? You sound distressed.”
“Kyria Gavras just arrived at the villa in a taxi with the little one.”
Andreas’s mind reeled. Lia had flown here with Ari? Obviously the news that he’d met with Guion Norville had caused her to do something unprecedented.
“I let her in because I didn’t know what else to do. She went straight to Ari’s bedroom.”
“It’s all right, Gaia. Thank you for telling me. I’ll be home in ten minutes.”
He’d been headed for the apartment, but changed directions. En route to the villa he phoned Zoe.
“Andreas—are you still in the meeting?”
“It’s finally over and I was on my way to the bedsitter, but something else came up. My housekeeper just phoned to tell me Lia has arrived at the villa with Ari.”
“You’re kidding!”
“Our visit to Nice must have shaken her.”
“That’s good news, don’t you think? If she’s here to talk, maybe you can get everything straightened out and not have to go through your attorneys. Don’t worry about me. I’ll grab a bite of lunch in town and wait for your call.”
He loved Zoe so intensely, he was going to lose his mind if they couldn’t be together permanently before long. “I swear I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. I couldn’t live without you.” His voice shook. “Remember that.”
He hung up and broke the fifty-mile-an-hour speed limit to get back to the villa. Once he’d pulled in the circular drive and let himself in the front entrance, he raced through to Ari’s bedroom.