Chapter 17

17

W ith Raegan settled at Paige's parents' house, Nora back in Phoenix and a wedding three weeks away, Paige gave her notice at work. They were sad to see her go but Paige was moving on and had a million things to do to get ready to leave the country. Although she'd given two weeks' notice, her boss told her not to come back and gave her two weeks' pay anyway—he said he felt bad about all the vacation she hadn't been able to take, as well as the incident with Tom. She was a little sad about leaving so abruptly, but it was exciting too .

Now that they had some free time, she and Apollo spent a few days exploring the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and Antelope Canyon. They'd decided they would spend their honeymoon driving from San Diego to San Francisco, taking the scenic route along the coast and stopping for a couple of days in different places along the way. From there, they would go back to Las Vegas and say goodbye to Paige's family and friends before permanently leaving for Greece .

They'd done a lot, throwing out everything in the refrigerator, packing for the trip to Greece, packing for the honeymoon and even packing for the future. Since she wasn't bringing anything large, they'd decided to split up her things so that they could be sent home with Apollo's family. Everyone was coming for the wedding except Giorgios, so they would all have a little room for her clothes, shoes and other necessary items. She'd already arranged for a local charity to come pick up all the things Raegan didn't want, and she, Apollo, her mother and Nicky packed up the rest of Raegan's things. Raegan didn't know what she was going to do but the Carters had told her she could stay until she was on her feet again. Paige would always worry about her, but she knew it was time for Raegan to figure out what she was going to do with her life; she couldn't be the one to rescue her anymore .

"I'm getting kind of tired of never being alone with you," Apollo was saying, forcing her back to the present as they put the last of Raegan's things in her parents' garage .

"I'm sorry?" Her eyes crinkled as she laughed .

"You're not sorry!" he laughed too. "But we pick up my family in about an hour and then I won't be alone with you again until after the wedding ."

She laughed. "Adds a little romance and excitement, no ?"

"Do you know how horny I am ?"

She just grinned. "No hornier than I am !"

They left for the airport an hour later and the days leading up to the wedding were both chaotic and exciting. Even Raegan, who'd been moping about her dire situation, had perked up, and when Mick returned after going to see his family in California for a few days, he took over carting her around so she could participate in all the events .

"This isn't what I pictured for a wedding dress," Paige sighed, staring in the mirror. She'd bought three dresses that would do the trick, but they were all basically glorified cocktail dresses and none of them made her feel bride- like .

"I think we have a solution," Melina said, peeking in. She slipped into Nicky's room, where Paige had been trying on the dresses, and pulled Thespina in behind her. The older woman had a package in her hands and she handed it to Paige .

"For you. Is not—" She said something in Greek and turned to Melina in frustration .

Melina smiled. " Modern ."

"Is not…mod-ern…but we fix ."

"We took it to a seamstress to clean it, along with one of your regular dresses so that it could be altered, and added a few contemporary touches." Melina handed it to Paige, who was gaping .

"Is this…your wedding dress?" Paige gasped out .

"Yes, yes, you try !"

"Oh my gosh…" Raegan breathed as Paige pulled out the lacy bundle of material .

"Wow." Paige's eyes were round with wonder as she stared at Thespina .

"It was a little small— Yaya was tiny when she got married—but the seamstress was able to take out all the seams, design a simple off-white silk sheath to wear underneath and then make the original dress a sort of overlay. You should put it on ."

"Yes." Paige nodded as tears puddled in her eyes. "Where's Mom?" she asked Nicky .

"I'll get her!" Nicky bounced off the bed and out of the room as Paige pulled on the sheath and then the soft, lacy cover that retained its original design but no longer contained a modest turtleneck-type top and had been cut at the bottom so that it fell to mid- calf .

"Here." Melina grabbed a clip from the counter and loosely pulled Paige's hair up so that it was off her shoulders, revealing her slender neck and tanned skin .

" Koukla !" Thespina said with a smile .

"It's so beautiful," Paige breathed. "Thank you!" She hugged the old woman tightly, trying not to cry .

"Let me see!" her mother said softly, as she joined them. "Oh, it's perfect. Absolutely perfect, Paige ."

"I think so too." Paige swiped at her eyes. "I don't want Apollo to see it until the ceremony ."

"I'll take care of it," her mother said, as Paige took it off again .

"Do you have a ring yet?" Nicky asked .

Paige shook her head. "He wants to surprise me, but I'm wearing this one—" she held out the ring finger where Thespina's wedding band twinkled now that it had been cleaned and polished, "—until the wedding. Then I'm going to switch it over to my right hand, which is where the Greeks wear wedding rings, and put the new one on my left ."

"That's so sweet," Nicky sighed .

"He's so romantic," Raegan agreed .

"And hot!" Nicky added .

"Ew, you're talking about my brother!" Melina laughed .

They all giggled .

E verything was set for the wedding, so they took the time to do some sightseeing and made a point to allow the families to get to know each other. Sophia had been surly and withdrawn, as usual, and Melina fought a wave of guilt. She hadn't meant to say what she'd said to her the day Paige had first come to dinner—it had been unfair—but she'd been angry. It had been three years; it was time for Sophia to move on. She didn't love Giorgios, there was no doubt about that, and Melina was tired of watching her suffer .

Since she was sharing a hotel room with Sophia and three-year-old Mihalis, she decided to stay behind with her tonight instead of going out with the others. Besides, too many nights watching Mick and Raegan laugh and flirt was making her skin crawl. She'd tried desperately to forget about her brother's blue-eyed best friend, but it wasn't easy .

Sophia came out of the bathroom carrying a wet and sleepy Mihalis in her arms. She'd just bathed him and he was wrapped in a towel, his eyes half-closed as he nestled against his mother .

" Thea Lena !" Aunt Lena ! He squirmed when he saw Melina, reaching out his arms to her .

Sophia sighed, and put the child in Melina's arms. "What are you doing here? I thought you left with the others ."

Melina stroked the toddler's silky hair as she absently dried him off. "No. I felt bad that you've been staying in every night so I thought I'd stay too. We can put him to bed, order room service and talk ."

"About what?" Sophia fixed her sister with an icy stare .

"Come on, don't do that ."

"Look, if you're going to stay in, I can go out." Sophia folded her arms across her chest .

Melina scowled. "Really? You hate me so much that you won't even spend an evening with me ?"

"The only reason you spend any time with me is so that you can spend time with him." She motioned to Mihalis with her chin .

"I just said we'd put him to bed so you and I can spend time together!" Melina protested, her chest tightening angrily. "Dammit, Sophia, you've got to stop it !"

"You ruined my life!" Sophia hissed .

"It's not my fault he didn't love you !"

"Shut up!" Sophia balled up her hands into fists. "Don't make this about me! I gave up everything that meant anything to me for you! And now I'm stuck with — "

"Divorce him!" Melina cried .

" Thea ?" Mihalis' eyes filled with tears as the adults' raised voices scared him .

"I'm sorry, baby." Melina kissed his forehead. "Let's get you dressed, okay ?"

He nodded sleepily .

"Just give him to me and go out." Sophia all but snatched the boy out of Melina's arms .

"Sophia, please! We can find a way to — "

"No. Just go have fun with everyone, like you always do. As you like to remind me, I made my choice and now I have to live with it. So go on ."

"Is this how it's always going to be? You angry and bitter, blaming me for everything ?"

"Yes." Sophia turned her back and walked into the other room .

M elina was furious. Grabbing her purse, she stalked out of their suite and took the elevator down to the lobby. Yes, Sophia had made a sacrifice for her, but it wasn't Melina's fault that Sophia's American college boyfriend hadn't been on board. It had been a terrible time for both of them, but no matter how hard Melina tried to make things right between them, Sophia was bitter. Melina would never understand why she'd married Giorgios—it hadn't been necessary—but Sophia had played the martyr and done it anyway. Now she was miserable and took it out on everyone .

Walking outside where a group of men were smoking, she approached one of them with a wan smile. "I don't suppose I could steal one of those ?"

"Sure." An older gentleman with a bright smile pulled out a pack of Marlboro Lights and handed her one .

"Thank you!" Melina smiled and put it between her lips, expecting him to light it for her. Instead, a lighter came from her right and a familiar voice said, "Thought you'd quit ."

Mick's blue eyes met hers and even after four years, Melina felt her heart skip a beat. "What are you doing here?" she asked, frowning .

"Same as you—sneaking a smoke ."

"I haven't had one in over a year," she sighed. "But I just argued with Sophia… She makes me crazy !"

" Why ?"

She shrugged. "Sister things. Her husband is an asshole and she can't take it out on anyone else, I suppose ."

He nodded, taking a deep drag from his cigarette. "I quit too," he said after a moment. "But that job in Japan sucked the life out of me and they all smoke, so somehow I fell into it again ."

"It's bad for us," she acknowledged .

"I know." He paused, meeting her gaze. "We haven't talked in a long time, Lena. How are you? How are you really ?"

"Don't pretend you give a shit," she muttered, blowing a ring of smoke in the air .

"Come on, don't be that way. We had an argument and the next thing I knew you wouldn't take my calls !"

"You made it clear you were only interested in one thing," she shrugged. "And that wasn't going to cut it for me ."

"I was in college!" he protested. "And you were my best friend's sister—his older sister, no less! I was crazy about you but you were going back to Greece and I still had another year of college! Not to mention, you had a guy back home. You're still with him, aren't you ?"

She snorted. "Not really. We go out on occasion, but he knows I'm not going to marry him ."

"Why not ?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "None of your business ?"

He sighed. "You Lakkas women sure know how to hold a grudge, don't you ?"

"Fuck off, Mick." She stared out at the night sky, wishing his nearness didn't still affect her and that she hadn't had to come on this trip. She'd known she would see him but hadn't expected it to be so hard .

"Why do you hate me?" he asked softly, moving closer to her, the smell of his aftershave wafting over her. "We had a good thing going. It was just an argument—I'll never understand why you got so angry with me. I wish you'd explain it, Lena." One of his massive hands came up to cup her cheek .

She closed her eyes, reveling in his touch, allowing the pleasure only he could bring her to warm her insides. Just one more second, she thought, as her eyes fluttered open. She stepped out of his grasp and put out her cigarette on the trash receptacle. "If you'd loved me, you'd know the answer to that. But since you didn't, it doesn't matter anymore. I'm going for a walk and I don't want you to follow ."

"Lena, wait…" He reached for her hand but she kept it out of his grasp .

"It's better this way, Mick. Really. Let it go ."

T he following morning was Sunday and Paige's parents hosted brunch at the house. The wedding was in five days—on Friday—and Paige and Apollo would leave on their honeymoon the following day so they'd planned a final, informal gathering for both sides of the family this afternoon. Raegan and Mick were there too, of course, and the house bustled with activity. Paige's mother, Angela, Maria and Thespina were in the kitchen making omelets and putting out pastries while Paige made sure everyone had coffee, tea or juice. Raegan and Mick were laughing about something, as usual, while Apollo, Dimitri and Seth talked about the upcoming football season. Sophia had overslept this morning so Nicky had gone to get her and Mihalis, and they arrived just as everyone was sitting down to eat .

Sophia hadn't been very social since she'd been in Las Vegas so it was the first time some of them were able to meet Mihalis, and Angela and Raegan were fawning over him .

"Oh my God, he's gorgeous!" Angela gushed, holding out her hand and leading the little boy into the kitchen .

"He's beautiful," Maria agreed, beaming. "The most beautiful grandchild in the world !"

"And those eyes," Raegan laughed. "He's going to be breaking hearts all over Greece in a few years, Sophia !"

Sophia smiled. "I hope not for a while !"

"Are his father's eyes blue?" Raegan asked, gazing at the dark-eyed woman .

"Er, yes," Sophia nodded. "Not so blue like Mihalis', but still blue." She turned to Paige. "You have milk for him, please ?"

"Yes, of course. Let me get some!" Paige reached into the kitchen as Sophia watched .

Paige pulled a carton of milk out of the refrigerator and put it on the counter as Sophia pulled a plastic sippy cup out of her bag and filled it before handing it to the little boy .

"He's really well-behaved," Paige said with a smile, watching him .

"Thank you. I'm very lucky—he's never a problem ."

"Hey, Paige?" Raegan hobbled up to her on crutches. "Can I talk to you for a minute? Alone ?"

"Sure." Paige turned to her with a smile. "What's up?" She followed Raegan to her room and Raegan shut the door. They sank onto the edge of the bed and Raegan gave her a grin .

"Mick offered me a job ."

"He did?" Paige's eyes rounded. "Doing what ?"

"As his virtual assistant. He desperately needs someone who can be flexible because he'll be working in Santorini the next six months or so and his assistant in San Francisco works nine to five, which is essentially nighttime in Greece with the 10-hour time difference. I mean, he doesn't expect me to work from midnight till dawn or anything, but I'm usually up late anyway so we can talk at different times and I can do things during the day while he's asleep. He'll pay me 20 bucks an hour, Paige, and I don't have to leave the house !"

"That's wonderful!" Paige nodded. "I mean, that's really great! I'm so happy this worked out for you !"

"And he said when I'm better, he might fly me to Santorini for a few weeks to be there for the project unveiling ."

"Yay!" Paige laughed. "That'll be awesome." She paused. "You're not falling for him, are you? You need a job more than you need a man, Raegan !"

"No way!" Raegan shook her head. "He's got it bad for…well, this girl he knows, who doesn't return his feelings, so we're just friends. Besides, you're right—I need a job way more than a new boyfriend !"

They giggled together for a few minutes, excited about the future and all the changes in their lives .

"This is going to be so great," Paige said softly, hugging her .

"I'm so glad you found Apollo," Raegan answered. "You were never the same after you met him. Now you're pretty much the happiest girl in the whole world. It's all over you !"

Paige wrinkled her nose. "It doesn't look bad, does it ?"

Raegan shook her head. "Hell, no—you wear it like a woman in love !"

"I am a woman in love !"