“What did you think he was?”
“Some kind of demigod,” she said, only half in jest.
“He just thinks he is.”
“It’s about time you got here.” The husky voice had them turning back toward Ari and Theo.
“Patera, it’s good to see you, too,” Christos said, dropping his arm and walking over to his father. Theo stepped back from Ari and came to her side. She glanced at the three males, unable to miss the striking resemblance between them.
“Mr. Theakis, it’s good to see you again.”
“Ms. Monroe, I see you are back.”
She tried to smile, but that wasn’t exactly aWelcome to Mykonos.“Yes I am. Theo and I are very excited to be here.”
“It is good that you brought the boy. He needs to learn to be a proper Theakis.”
He turned his wheelchair around before she could respond and headed toward the limo, attendant hurrying in his wake. Clearly he wasn’t interested in developing any kind of friendship with her. In the past he’d treated her as a servant…which, as the nanny for Althea and Venni, she had been. But she’d hoped…ah, who cared what a cantankerous old man thought.
“Mama, Grandfather said he’s prepared a special room just for me to play in.”
“That will be nice, won’t it?” Ava asked her son, wondering if she was going to find herself, like Nikki Theakis, relegated to the status of an observer in her own child’s life. She shook her head, vowing not to let that happen.
“Yes.” Theo curled his hand around hers, holding it tightly in his grip.
As Christos and his father talked next to the waiting limo, she stooped so she was on Theo’s level. “What’s up?”
“He held me really tight, Mama.”
“He’s just happy to see you.”
“That’s what he said. I’m glad he likes me.”
“Of course he likes you. Everyone likes you.”
“Is everything okay?” Christos asked, striding back from Ari.
“Yes,” she said, standing up.
“Please, come. I have a meeting at the office in a little over an hour. You can ride back to the house with my father.”
“You’re not coming with us?”
“Not right now. I’ll see you both later.”
Ava tried not to feel that she was being abandoned, which was a silly feeling anyway. But she didn’t really know Ari and he didn’t seem to be looking forward to getting to know her better.
Christos lifted Theo in his arms, said something that only the two of them could hear and gave him a hug and kiss. When he set Theo on his feet her son ran over to the limo and climbed into the long black car.
“I’ll see you at dinner.”
She nodded.
He turned to walk away then paused. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I will be. It’s just…”
“What?”
