“Yes. We were both scuba diving and paired up to explore.” She was tempted to tell Elianna she was pregnant, but then thought the better of it, since Nikos hadn’t chosen to tell Tassos yet.
“Ah. Nikos and Kon tried to teach me, but I got too frightened and couldn’t control my breathing. I panicked.”
“With more practice, you can overcome your fear of it, Elianna. I’d be happy to work with you if you’d like.”
“Tassos wants me to dive with him.”
“It’s a beautiful world under the sea. If you can shake your fear, you’ll learn to love it.”
Stephanie felt the last button release and turned around. “What do you say?”
“Maybe I’ll try again with your help.”
“That’s wonderful! I’ll call you in a few days. We’ll have lunch and make plans. Bring your baby. How old is he?”
“Theo is ten months and trying to walk.”
“I can’t wait to see him.”
Elianna’s dark brown eyes widened in surprise. “You won’t be on your honeymoon?”
“We already had ours in the Caribbean. Right now Nikos is anxious to get started on the drilling with your husband. Since the accident that killed Kon, Yannis tells me he’s been morose and unhappy. Now that he can’t be in the navy, he needs to plunge into something else.”
The other woman nodded. “Everyone took Kon’s death hard, especially Tassos. He’s thrilled that Nikos is interested in his ideas to start their own company.”
“Then we need to help them. Right?”
They stared at each other for a moment before she nodded. “Yes. I’m glad he married you.”
“I’m glad, too.” If Elianna only knew the half of it. “Thank you for helping me.” She gave her a hug before they parted.
While Tassos’s wife disappeared up the stairs, Stephanie reached for the veil and walked down the hall to her bedroom to remove her wedding finery. First she stepped out of her dress and underskirt, which she hung in the closet. What a relief, so her stomach could expand! Another week and she wouldn’t have been able to wear a size 4. The shop probably wouldn’t have sold that gown any larger.
After a quick shower, she wrapped herself in her plaid flannel robe, then folded the veil with care and put it on the shelf above. Since she had no idea how long Nikos would be, she decided now would be the perfect time to phone Melinda.
With the room pleasantly cool, she lay down on top of the bed to make the call. So much had happened since her arrival in Greece, it felt like a century instead of a few days since she’d talked to her friend, let alone seen her.
After three rings Melinda picked up. “I’m so glad it’s you, Steph. I’ve been worried.”
“Don’t be. Everything’s fine. I have a lot to tell you, but if this is a bad time—”
“No, no. I’m taking a late lunch. Tell me what’s going on. I’m dying to know how your hunch is panning out. Are you onto anything?”
Stephanie sat up, almost crushing the phone in her hand. “I found him, Melinda.”
“You’re kidding...”
“No. His real name is Nikos Vassalos. I don’t know how much time I have before he comes to find me, so I’ll make this quick.”
For the next few minutes she told her what she could, ending with, “We were married a little while ago and now we’re back on the yacht.”
“Wait, wait, wait. You’re married?”
“Yes, and I won’t be coming back to Florida until after the baby is born and it’s safe to fly.” A noise in the hall attracted her attention, followed by a tap on the door. “Listen, Melinda— I’m not alone. I’ll have to call you tomorrow. Ciao.”
She hung up and tightened the belt on her robe before opening the door. Nikos was still dressed in his uniform. His dark gorgeous looks affected her the same way they’d done on the island when she’d first laid eyes on him. She couldn’t breathe then, either.
“I take it Tassos and Elianna have gone?”
He nodded. “I could hear your voice just now.”
“Yes. I was talking to Melinda.”
His black eyes searched the depths of hers. “Elianna told me you’ve invited her over in a few days.”
Nervous, Stephanie clasped the lapels of her robe. “Yes, if that’s all right. But if you have other plans for us, I’ll phone her and we’ll decide on a later time for a visit. I just assumed you would want to get back to work.” When he didn’t respond, she added, “Ours isn’t a conventional marriage, and my coming to Greece interrupted everything. I don’t want you to think you have to entertain me.”
“Elianna told me you were going to try and help her get over her fear of scuba diving. How did she know you’re an expert?”
At the way his brows furrowed, alarm shot through Stephanie’s body. “While she was helping me out of my dress, I mentioned that we met scuba diving in the Caribbean. Did I say something wrong?”
He undid his tie and removed it in a way that made her pulse pick up speed. “Have you forgotten you’re having a baby? You told me you were giving up diving.”
“Nikos...that doesn’t mean I can’t swim at all. A little exercise for pleasure will be good for me. As for helping her, I won’t be descending with her. I’ll only work with her on the surface and encourage her until she overcomes her fear. Tassos wants her to do it, but she would probably feel better around someone like me who doesn’t intimidate her.”
“You mean Tassos does,” Nikos drawled in a tone with an edge.
“He’s her husband. She wants him to be proud of her, not watch her struggle.”
In a quick move Nikos unbuttoned the jacket of his uniform. “Anytime you go in the water, I intend to be close by.” With that parting remark, he started walking down the corridor.
“Wait...”
He paused midstride and looked back.
“Is Yannis still on board?”
“No. He won’t be coming until morning. Why?”
That meant they weren’t going out to sea. “I just wanted to thank him for everything he did for me today.”
Nikos turned to face her. “It was no penance for him to button you up. He asked my permission, by the way. Yannis was worried you had no one to attend you.”
Silly as it was, she felt heat swarm her cheeks. “He was very sweet.”
“You can tell him that tomorrow.”
She shoved her hands in her robe pockets. “Let me thank you now for making this day perfect. The Gregerov family couldn’t have been kinder. I can see why you feel so close to them. I—I wish I’d been able to meet Kon.” She stuttered over the words. “Your heart must have been touched to receive his ring.”
“You can’t imagine. It belonged to his grandfather, who gave it to him before he died. Kon wore it until he entered the military, then put it away to make sure nothing would happen to it until he retired. He planned to give it to a son if he ever had one.”
Stephanie heard tears in Nikos’s voice. She wasn’t at all surprised at the depth of his grief and understood more than ever why she’d found him so broken when she’d first collided with him on board. “I’m sure Kon would have wanted you to have it.”
She bit her lip, not knowing