‘Amalia.’
Leah offered her a smile and saw the way she was looking at the ribbed pattern on her cardigan. ‘Do you knit?’
Amalia glanced, her expression softening. ‘I make lace.’
‘Oh.’ Leah stepped closer, her interest flaring. ‘I’d love to watch you some time...’ She trailed off awkwardly. Perhaps it wasn’t the done thing to chat?
But then Amalia smiled and gestured at the cardigan. ‘Did you make this?’
‘I did, yes.’ Leah smiled. ‘I knit a lot—it relaxes me. Though I probably won’t need to as much. It’s very warm here...’
She trailed off again. She was babbling—nervous and awkward and too eager to engage in desperately needed social contact.
But Amalia finally smiled. ‘It can get cold here in winter.’
‘Does it?’
‘It even snows in Athens—’
‘No.’ She’d had no idea.
Amalia laughed and nodded.
Encouraged, Leah nibbled her lip but then smiled. ‘Actually, I need to buy some clothes,’ she said. She needed to look the part as best she could. She needed to make an effort to embrace the country and culture her child was going to be born into. ‘Would you be able to help me? Come with me?’
‘Shopping?’ Amalia looked startled.
‘Yes.’ Leah nodded hopefully. ‘I have no idea where to go.’ Or what to get.
Amalia looked pleased. ‘Of course—’
‘Oh, thank you,’ she breathed out with a rush of relief. ‘And I need a wedding dress...’
‘You wouldn’t make one?’ Amalia gestured at Leah’s bag. ‘You could knit with silk.’
Leah’s smile blossomed. ‘I’ve love to.’ She’d been working on a pattern for a while—a dress of her own design she would wear. ‘But I don’t have enough time before the wedding.’
‘What if I helped you? I have lace...’
‘You’d do that?’ Leah was stunned.
Amalia straightened. ‘You’re marrying Theodoros.’
Of course, this was about Theo. Did Amalia care for him? Theo worked so hard, he was a dutiful grandson and a good boss...maybe Amalia and the other staff weren’t only wary while they decided whether she was good enough for him? Were they protective of him? Why? Because they loved him? She had the feeling he was very easy to love.
‘You know him well?’ she asked gently, hoping she was hiding how curious she was about him. Why did he have this huge sense of duty but total denial of love? Why did he think he was incapable of it? She didn’t believe him. She couldn’t when his actions said so much otherwise. She was sure he always tried to do what was best for those he was close to. He’d do that for their baby too, wouldn’t he? She had to believe that.
‘I’ve worked for Dimitri for years,’ Amalia said. ‘My husband too.’
‘Really?’
Amalia smiled. ‘And my sons did too, before they went away to study.’
‘So you were here when Theo arrived?’ Leah asked cautiously.
‘Yes.’ Amalia glanced at her, as if she knew there were a million more questions on Leah’s tongue. ‘He was very quiet when he first arrived.’
Leah held her breath, not wanting to interrupt Amalia and stop her, wondering why Theo had been so quiet. Had he been afraid?
‘He had little Greek, of course,’ Amalia said. ‘But he studied very hard. He has always worked very hard.’
Always? Hadn’t he got up to mischief like most teenagers? Hadn’t he ever rebelled?
I owe my grandfather.
Perhaps not. Had he always been so determined to pay him back? Why? Wasn’t it natural for a grandfather to take in a grandson when his parents had gone? But where had his mother gone?
‘I’ll arrange the driver if you would like to go shopping now,’ Amalia said, interrupting Leah’s thoughts. ‘Ten minutes, okay?’
‘Perfect. Thank you.’
The plan put a lift in Leah’s step, but when she came downstairs a few minutes later to find Amalia, Dimitri was sitting in the living room.
‘Amalia is taking you shopping,’ he said without preamble.
‘Yes.’ She automatically moved to adjust the cushion that was awkwardly positioned behind him.
‘You want to spend money?’ he asked warily when she’d fixed it and stepped back.
‘Yes.’ She smiled, battling hard not to be afraid of him. It was their first proper conversation and he was openly questioning her motives.
But she didn’t blame him for not trusting her yet.
‘I need something suitable when I meet Theo’s business colleagues. I don’t want to let him down.’ And that was the truth. She wanted to please both Theo and his grandfather.
But Dimitri’s demeanour didn’t thaw.
Leah worried her lip and made herself ask the honest question. ‘Do you think I’m after his money?’
‘Aren’t you?’
She paused. So much for Theo convincing him that their engagement was a love match.
‘No,’ she said firmly. ‘I’m here because he insisted on it.’ She swallowed and sat in the chair opposite his. ‘I don’t know Athens at all, in fact this is my first time to Greece. And I’m sorry if my arrival is a surprise to you. But I think we both want the best for Theo. I’m having his baby and I most definitely want the best for my child. But to be honest, I need some help.’
His expression finally softened.
‘I don’t speak any Greek,’ she confessed in a relieved rush. ‘Do you think Amalia can help me find a tutor?’
‘You want to learn Greek?’
‘Of course.’ She was going to be living here for the foreseeable future, she didn’t want to feel isolated from everyone for ever and she wanted her baby to enjoy its dual heritage. ‘It might take me a while though,’ she admitted with a sudden laugh. ‘I’m not very academic.’
‘I will help you.’ He nodded slowly.
‘You will?’ She beamed at him. ‘Thank you.’
He shot her a look. ‘Thank you. Efharisto.’ He then waited, looking at her expectantly.
‘You mean you’ll help me?’ she asked. Dimitri himself?
‘Thank you. Efharisto,’ he repeated.
‘Efharisto?’
‘Yes. Ne.’ He suddenly clapped his hands and called to Amalia. ‘Come, you will speak to her only in Greek. Greek all the time.’
‘Ne, Dimitri.’ Amalia smiled and gestured for Leah to follow her.
Fortunately, Amalia disregarded Dimitri’s order while they shopped. But unfortunately Amalia simply smiled and said yes to everything Leah tried on in the high-end boutiques of Athens. It was sweet and supportive, but truly not that helpful.
Theo had said she’d hidden behind her black clothing and perhaps he was right. She’d tried to avoid that backlash because of her height and slenderness. But maybe she should enjoy all the colours she loved and had always turned away from? Not just scarlet panties...
Not for him. For herself, right?
Except really, she realised it was because of him. He’d seen her that night and he’d liked what he’d seen. And she’d liked the person he’d made her feel free to be. The person confident enough to speak up for what she wanted with him. Confident to speak up to her parents for once. The person confident to call him to account too... She glanced again at the racks of clothing and turned her back on the black.
Three hours into the reinvigorated shopping marathon, her phone rang.
‘Will you accompany me to an exhibition tonight?’ Theo said.
‘Pardon?’
‘A driver will collect you at seven.’ He paused. ‘If you would like, that is.’ She heard his smile. ‘I am trying to ask, not dictate.’
‘Okay,’ she agreed cautiously, yet her heart raced because he’d listened and he was tryi
ng to include her. A fragile bubble bloomed—if he could try like this, maybe he could open up even more? Maybe he might even develop deeper feelings? She shivered, pushing away that wisp of a wish—one day at a time.
‘I’m busy with meetings until late and I’ll get changed at the office,’ he said.
She glanced at the silky fabric hanging in front of her. ‘I don’t wear dresses, Theo.’
‘Nor do I.’ He laughed. ‘Will you be ready?’
‘Yes.’
Hours later she avidly stared out of the window, drinking in the sights as she was driven into the centre of Athens. Theo was waiting outside the gallery. Bowled over by the sight of him in that black tuxedo, she braced, slamming back her nerves. She was not concerned by his silent scrutiny.
‘We need to—’ He broke off and cleared his throat.