There were two umbrella tables with chairs and lounge chairs in a blue-and-white design that would always remind her she was in Greece. He’d already brought some towels and things out here, including a few water toys for Ari that included a little raft and a ball.
His daddy lowered him to the tiles and he ran to get the ball, which he immediately threw in the pool. They both laughed at his son’s antics.
Zoe removed her white beach jacket. While she’d been in Greece she’d bought a Grecian-designed swimming suit. It was a white one-piece that zipped up the front with some one-inch black stripes around the torso and hips. Being full-figured, she liked it for its modesty, plus the fact that she was crazy about black and white.
Again she felt Andreas’s eyes play over her. This time it made her cheeks go hot. To hide her face, she walked over to the side of the pool and dived in, thinking the cooler water would help. Instead, the temperature rivaled the water in a bathtub. Ari would love it.
Zoe swam around while she watched Andreas carry Ari into the pool and put him facedown on the raft. He spoke to him in Greek. The love of father and son was something special to behold.
“Come and join us.”
She moved to the shallow end and got on the other side of the raft. “How do you say ‘Is it fun?’ in Greek?”
When he told her, she imitated the words a couple of times, then asked Ari, who couldn’t answer, but his smile did. “You do like the water, don’t you?”
Andreas pushed him around and they worked together. “I think he’s ready to try getting wet.” He pulled him off the raft into his arms and started walking with him, splashing him a little bit.
Pretty soon he lay Ari against his chest with his face up so more water crept around his little body. Zoe stayed right with them as his daddy slowly swirled him this way and that. Ari let out a few nervous laughs, then reached for Zoe, who pulled him into her arms. He held her tight.
“Did that make you scared?” She kissed his cheek. “It’s okay, darling. One of these years you’ll swim rings around your father.”
A smile broke on Andreas’s striking face. He put his arms around both of them, taking turns kissing her and Ari. “I could do this all day.”
“So could I,” she said, giving him another peck on his hard jaw.
All three of them moved around the pool with Andreas holding them secure. Ari kissed his daddy several times. His sweetness touched her heart. This was a moment she would treasure her whole life.
After a few minutes, his son started to squirm. “I think maybe my boy has had enough for the time being.”
Zoe handed him over to his father and they all got out of the pool. She reached for a towel to cover Ari, then plucked one for herself to dry her hair. Andreas put him in one of the lounge chairs and handed him a sippy cup filled with juice. He’d also brought out a banana, which Zoe peeled for him. He took a few bites.
“He’s so cute I can hardly stand it, Andreas. I don’t know how you handle the hours and days between visitations.”
“I haven’t done it well, but it’s a fact of life I have to deal with.”
“You do it superbly. He seems so well-adjusted. It shows he gets so much love from you and Lia. He’s a very lucky boy.”
“Do you know how remarkable you are to give her credit?”
She smiled at Andreas. “Why wouldn’t I? Her lack of judgment cost her her marriage, but you can see she takes perfect care of Ari. Besides, how could I forget you fell in love with her, which means she has wonderful qualities? Otherwise you wouldn’t have been attracted enough to marry her.”
Lines darkened his face. “I wish I could be as generous about your ex-husband. I know he hurt you terribly.”
“Some men just aren’t ready for marriage. I’ve been thinking about Guion. Maybe he had to go through this experience to learn how priceless the right kind of love is. For his sake, and the sake of his wife and child, I hope he wins her back.”
“Do you have any instincts over what he’ll do about Ari?”
She shook her head. “Do you?”
“Lia asked me the same thing today. I told her I don’t think he’s going to want visitation rights. She’s praying he doesn’t so her parents will never find out. Which brings me to the one thing I haven’t told you as a result of her coming to Patras.”
Zoe didn’t know why exactly, but she got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. “What is it?”
“To paraphrase Lia, ‘I’ll tell my attorney we’re waiting to hear from Guion. Everything hinges on him should he decide to exercise his rights and turn this into a public scandal. After you bring Ari back on Sunday, don’t plan to come to Athens again until his attorney talks to mine.’”
“Or?” Zoe prompted him. She was waiting to hear the rest.
“I’ll have a restraining order denying you visitation.”