“I know that, and I appreciate everything you’ve done.”
“I’ll contact you the second I hear anything.”
After the line went dead, Andreas took a shower and climbed in bed. Sleep came in snatches. At five in the morning, he dressed in a crew neck shirt and jeans. With a check on his son to make sure he was all right, he left the villa and drove downtown to the apartment.
Maybe Zoe was still there, but not answering her phone. He waited out in front until seven, watching to see if she was leaving. When nothing happened, he went to her door and knocked. No answer.
In desperation he walked around to the manager’s office. It didn’t open until seven thirty. He waited outside where he could keep an eye on Zoe if she came out. Eventually a fiftyish-looking man came to the door and unlocked it.
Andreas went inside. “My name is Andreas Gavras. Here’s my business card.” He pulled it out of his wallet. “I’ve been trying to reach the American woman Zoe Perkins in flat seven. She’s not answering. Would you ring her room?”
The man shook his head. “She checked out last night and paid her bill.”
Though instinct had already told Andreas she’d gone, his heart still fell to his feet like a stone at the confirmation of his worst fear. “Did she leave a forwarding address?”
“I’m afraid not, but I could tell she was upset.”
“Did you see her leave?”
“Sorry, Kyrie Gavras. Someone else came by here last night asking about her and woke up my wife, but she’d already gone.”
That would have been one of Gus’s people. “Thank you for your help. If she comes back or gets in touch with you for any reason, will you call me at that number, please?”
The manager nodded before Andreas went back out to his car and drove to his office. Work was the only panacea while he waited to hear from Gus and Yorgos, but it was almost impossible to concentrate.
Zoe had probably taken a taxi to the airport and could be in the air right now headed for her apartment in Los Angeles. He didn’t know her address there. In order to find her, he’d have to contact the English department at the university. But he wanted to catch her before she left Greece.
If he didn’t hear from Gus soon, he’d phone the Decorvet estate in Burgundy and ask her friend Abby if she knew Zoe’s plans.
She clearly thought that by sacrificing herself, it would appease Lia, but nothing could be further from the truth. The law would take care of that situation. Zoe was his life!
Come on, Gus. Find her for me...
* * *
Zoe spent a wretched night at the Adonis hotel while she sobbed for most of it. When she finally got up, she carried through on her plans to book a night flight to New York, and from there to Los Angeles.
Once that was done, she showered and left the hotel to get breakfast at a sidewalk café down the street. She took some hotel stationery with her to write a long letter in the sunshine to Andreas and tell him everything that was in her heart. It went on for pages because they’d done so much together and the memories kept pouring out of her.
At the end she wrote that she loved him, but knew it was best for him and his son that she leave Greece for good.
Around eleven she walked back to the hotel and posted it to his office address. She gathered up her bags and went down to the lobby to pay her bill. She asked if she could wait in the lounge and make a call before taking a taxi to the airport.
By now Andreas would have been up taking care of Ari for hours. This time with him was so precious. On Sunday he had to fly him back to Athens. Every parting had to be gut-wrenching for him.
It was gut-wrenching for Zoe. Just the thought of their having fun together without her started the tears again. She ached for him so terribly, she felt ill.
Andreas—how am I ever going to survive without you in my life? Everything is over.
“Kyria Perkins?” She lifted her tear-drenched face. It was the man from the counter. “Your taxi is waiting out in front.”
She wiped the tears with the back of her hand before standing up. “Thank you for telling me. I can’t believe it came this fast.”
The man picked up her suitcases and followed her out of the hotel. Zoe looked for the taxi, but all she saw was a familiar silver Mercedes parked in front with the trunk raised.
Lounging against the side was the Greek god of her dreams come to life dressed in a crew neck shirt and jeans. Between the black fire in his eyes and a self-satisfied smile that said she could never get away from him, she almost fainted.
“Andreas—h-how did you know where to find me?” Shock and joy caused her voice to falter. She couldn’t believe he was here, bigger than life.