Читать книгу Wedding Party Collection: Here Comes The Groom - Rebecca Winters - Страница 9

ALEX’S family always complained that she didn’t stay long enough when she came to Paterson for visits. Her parents had never approved of her intentionally making herself look older in order to get hired by the Pandakis company. It was a sore point Alex argued with her mother every time they got together.

“Surely after four years you could start easing back to your normal self by lightening your hair in increments, wearing clothes that suit your age. I haven’t seen my own daughter for so long, I don’t remember what you look like.”

“Mom…” Alex took a deep breath. “I wanted to be hired so badly, I would have done anything to gain Mrs. Landau’s approval. I thought if I looked like a solid, more mature, dependable type, I’d have a better chance with her. Mr. Pandakis may have the reputation of being a womanizer, but he’s totally professional with the staff at the office.

“But Mrs. Landau’s not there anymore, darling. Now that you’ve taken over her duties, it seems to me you can start being our daughter again.”

“You don’t understand, Mom.”

“Oh, but I do. You’re not willing to risk anything that would prevent you from being around him. He’s a man to turn any woman’s head, and he has, especially yours.”

“Yes,” she admitted. “He’s—”

“Bigger than life?” her mother preempted her. “I know. He’s the reason you’ve stopped dating and no longer have a social life.”

“I can’t right now. But when the trade fair is over, he’s taking a three week vacation. I’ve been ordered to do the same.”

“Which means all you’ll do is mope around here waiting until you can be back with him.”

Her mother knew her too well.

“Alexandra? I’ve tried not to interfere in your life too much. But it’s obvious to me you’re in love with the man. Because of that you’re blind to certain truths.”

Alex didn’t want to hear them.

“Darling— Can’t you see he’s not normal?”

“You mean because he’s not married with three or four children by now?” she cried.

“Yes. He’s a person who’s been blessed with so many gifts, I think he got lost somewhere along the way.”

Alex shook her head emphatically. “If you knew him, you’d never say such a thing.”

“I’m not talking about his business prowess. There’s something in his makeup that isn’t right. My guess is he was marred in childhood and it stunted his emotional growth.

“How else do you explain his inability to settle down with one woman? Or for that matter, why Mrs. Landau seemed to choose only plain women to work for him. He’s simply not an ordinary sort. Don’t you agree? Honestly?”

Tears prickled Alex’s eyes. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Darling.” Her mother put an arm around her. “All I want is your happiness, but I’m afraid if you continue to work for him, he’ll go on taking advantage of your generous nature and you’ll never find joy in being a wife, or a mother.”

Alex broke down for a minute, then wiped her eyes. “Mom? There’s something I have to tell you. Maybe then you’ll understand why I can’t seem to let him go. I—I didn’t apply for a job at the Pandakis Corporation by chance,” she stammered.

“I suspected as much. When their people came to Paterson for the international silk seminar your grandfather hosted ten years ago, I remember the huge impact so many wealthy, dark-haired men made on everyone. Not a bad place to start a career for a girl right out of college.”

“Actually it was nine years ago.”

Her mother sent her a shrewd regard. “What went on that night? Did Dimitrios Pandakis’s wandering eye light on you? Did he tell you to come and see him when you were all grown up?”

“No!” Alex cried out. “If only it had happened like that, I wouldn’t have been forced to resort to subterfuge. It was Giorgio Pandakis—”

In a torrent of words she explained what had gone on nine years earlier when Dimitrios had saved her from his cousin. After confiding everything she said, “He was willing to stand by me, Mom. He offered to help me because that’s the kind of man he is.”

“No wonder you fell in love with him,” her mother murmured in a saddened voice. “I’ve tried to imagine what hold he’s had over you all this time. Everything you’d done since than has been with him in mind.”

“I’ve never been able to look at another man. I couldn’t!”

“But what has it really gotten you except heartache? This has to stop, darling. A teenage fantasy is one thing. But he’s become your obsession. Surely if it was meant to be, he would have returned your feelings by now.”

She knew her mother was right. Everyone was right. Michael. Her friend Yanni.

But the pain was killing her.

“I’m afraid for you to go to Greece with him. It can only put you on a more intimate footing with him without getting anything back in return.”

“I know, but I have to go. I’m in charge of the trade fair.”

“I realize that. Oh, Alexandra, you’ve gotten yourself in way too deep. I particularly don’t like the idea of your being anywhere near his cousin. Obviously he’d caused trouble in their family long before he set eyes on you, otherwise your boss wouldn’t have been so straightforward in dealing with the situation.”

It had taken Alex a few years before she’d figured that out.

“Don’t worry, Mom. Giorgio’s been married a long time and has a family. Besides, I’m not a teenager anymore, and he wouldn’t give me a second glance now.”

Her mother stared at her with anxious eyes. “I’m not so sure of that. You may look older now, but you’ll always be a beautiful girl. Even so, lies have a way of surfacing. How do you think Mr. Pandakis will react if he finds out you intentionally disguised yourself to get hired?”

“Literally speaking it was Mrs. Landau who gave me the job.”

“You know what I mean.”

Alex sucked in her breath. “I have no idea how he’d feel.”

“Yes, you do. You’ve just told me he’s an honorable man when it comes to business. Men like that expect honor in return. Mark my words, Alexandra. Every minute you’re in his employ, you’re playing with fire.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” she blurted in agony. “I—I’ve been giving it a lot of thought. Between you and Michael, I’m convinced that the only thing to do is resign.”

“If you really mean that, then go to Greece. Do your job. Don’t go near his family, then come straight home on the first available commercial flight and hand in your resignation. He’ll have three weeks to find another secretary within the company to replace you.”

“You’re right,” she whispered brokenly. “My assistant Charlene would give anything to have my job. As soon as I get back, I’ll look for something around here.”

“Promise?”

“Yes.” She gave her mother another hug. “Kiss Daddy for me. I have to run.”

“Call me as often as you can.”

“Okay. I love you, Mom. Thanks for the advice.”

“It’s more than advice, darling. It’s a warning.”

Tears swamped Alex’s cheeks as she left the house and drove off with those words ringing in her ears. All the way to New York she relived the conversation with her mother. The fissure had cracked open wide, wide, wide.

What a fool Alex had been. Four years had come and gone. She was still forgettable to Dimitrios.

But if he never gave her another thought after she left his employ, she was determined he’d remember the fruit of her labors.

For the last eight months she’d given the international textile fair her all. She hoped it would make Greece the forerunner in establishing business relations on a global scale.

Before Mrs. Landau had passed away, she’d told Alex that Dimitrios had been asked to host the trade fair at the behest of the Greek government. They needed a name guaranteed to bring success.

It was a project dear to Alex’s heart in more ways than one. She immediately went to work on it and received glowing praise from Mrs. Landau. But before the older woman could present the complete project to Dimitrios for his approval, she suffered a fatal heart attack at her home.

Her death affected everyone in the company, especially Dimitrios, who’d considered her his right hand away from Greece. Suddenly he was trying to do Mrs. Landau’s work plus his own.

When he’d asked Alex to take over as best she could, she’d sensed he felt she was a lightweight who couldn’t handle the enormous trade fair project along with her normal duties.

Fearing she’d miss the one big opportunity to make her mark, Alex rushed to assure him that she’d already worked out most of the details with Mrs. Landau. Whenever he gave the word, she would start implementing the plans.

She remembered that evening so clearly. Her mind’s eye could see the way he lounged back in his swivel chair and unfastened his tie. Fatigue lines had darkened his attractive face whose shadowed jaw gave evidence that he’d been going too hard, traveling too much without proper rest.

He stared at her with incurious eyes, causing her heart to plummet. Although he hadn’t told her no, she realized he had little faith in her abilities to take on something of such vital importance.

“Have you ever been to Greece, Ms. Hamilton?”

“No, but I have a history degree.”

In the uneasy silence that followed her response, she watched him rub his forehead as if he had a headache. No doubt he did and was barely holding on to his patience.

“Do you have something written up you can show me now, or do you need more time?”

She took a deep breath. “I’ll get the portfolio out of my office and be right back.”

Upon her return she asked if she could spread the materials out on his desk. He nodded.

The second she positioned the first twenty-by-twenty-four inch drawing in front of him, the complacency left his face. As he sat forward, his well-shaped black brows drew together.

“This isn’t Athens.” His voice trailed off.

“Was your heart set on it for the trade fair?”

Instead of answering her, he continued his perusal.

Swallowing hard she said, “That’s a rendition of medieval Thessalonica during the great Byzantine fair held in the twelfth century. Everyone came—from Constantinople, Egypt, Phoenicia, the Peloponnese.”

His head finally lifted. This time his eyes reminded her of twin black fires. “You drew this?”

“It’s only a sketch. I thought because Thessalonica is your home, it would be exciting and fitting to recreate that same fair with colorful merchant booths and flags from every country participating. The whole city can get involved by providing local foods and drinks, everyone in native costume. Troubadours, music, dancing.

“Since it was the great cultural center then and still is today, I can’t think of another place in Greece more appropriate to host a trade fair, certainly not one of this magnitude.”

She placed a sketch of a closeup of the bay in front of him. “We could invite the countries around the Mediterranean and as far away as Scandinavia to bring their restored ships and anchor them here like they once did. Everyone can go aboard to see their wares.

“It will be like stepping back in time, but the products will be the latest in materials and textiles from around the world.

“We’ll launch a massive ad campaign on the Internet with each country having its own Web page to list their products. I’ve already procured Web addresses. People who aren’t able to attend can place orders.

“Think what it would mean economically to the Greek Island cottage industries for example, not to mention new world markets. Of course the pièce de résistance will be this.” He hadn’t interrupted her yet, so she whipped out her next drawing.

“Follow the silk road from Thessalonica to Soufli. At various points along the route, the delegations will set up their silk exhibits. Visits to the mulberry tree farm and the silk mansion in Soufli will be the highlight of the tour.

“The weather will be warm and perfect in September. Imagine the streets of Soufli lined with booths showing every stage from the secretions of the silkworm, to the silk thread ending up as a cravate or a gown.

“We’ll woo the media ahead of time so there’ll be a blitz that hits airwaves around the wor—”

“Ms. Hamilton.” He cut in on her.

Her body broke out in a cold sweat. He didn’t like it. Afraid to look at him, she said, “Yes?”

“What you’ve put together here is nothing short of sheer genius. In fact I’m having difficulty assimilating everything all at once.”

Alex had been ready to pass out from disappointment. She still felt light-headed, except that now it was for an entirely different reason.

“Unfortunately none of this can happen without hotel space,” he muttered. “Every place of lodging in Macedonia and Thrace should have been notified months ago in order to carry out such a fantastic plan.”

“They were.”

His dark head reared back in stunned surprise.

“In Athens and the surrounding regions, too. I also notified the head of all the businesses involved, the restaurants, the universities, the musicians’ network, the transport services, port authorities, police, so they would set aside the time and plan ahead how to accommodate the huge crowds.

“I assume this is what it’s like mobilizing for war, except that in this case everyone will enjoy the spoils of victory.”

“Lord,” she heard him whisper.

“It’s a good thing we’re talking about this tonight,” she informed him. “The day after tomorrow is the final date for me to confirm or cancel everything without penalty.

“I’ve been waiting to discuss the fair with you until you’d recovered from Mrs. Landau’s passing. She was extremely fond of you, too. It should please you to know that every contact person has assured me they wouldn’t have held on this long for anyone but Dimitrios Pandakis. It’s an honor to work for you.” She had a struggle at the last to keep the emotion out of her voice.

In an unconscious gesture he raked his hands through the luxuriant black hair she longed to touch. “Here I was beginning to think you were perfect, Ms. Hamilton. Now I can see you’re not above bribery to get what you want. For that flaw, you’ve won yourself a full evening of work that could take us well into the night.”

With those words he’d just given her the first taste of her heart’s desire.

“While you arrange to have our dinner sent up, I’ll cancel my plans to attend the symphony and we’ll start again. I want to hear this from the beginning.

“Slowly this time. Detail by detail until I’ve picked that brilliant brain of yours. I can see I’ve also underestimated the value of your American university education. Did you study any languages?”

“My degree specialized in classical European history, so there were several classes I had to take in Latin and Greek.”

“You speak and understand Greek?” He sounded incredulous.

“No. But since I came to work for your company I’ve been trying to do both with the help of a tutor.”

“Who?”

“A graduate student from Athens who lives in my apartment building. He trades me lessons for meals.”

“You cook, too?”

“Yanni’s not particular.”

Alex couldn’t remember Dimitrios ever smiling at her before now. What a gorgeous man he was.

“When you call downstairs, tell the kitchen to send a gallon of coffee with the food.”

“Which brand of decaffeinated do you prefer?”

He lifted a sardonic brow. “Forget everything you learned from Mrs. Landau.”

“You don’t really mean that. I happen to know she had your very best interest at heart.”

Once more his black eyes flashed fire. “You happen to know a lot more than I thought possible.”

I sincerely hope so. Otherwise how will I ever become unforgettable to you?

More tears dripped down Alex’s face as she remembered that evening with him. He’d loved her idea and had let her run with it. But nothing else had changed in the intervening months. Nothing personal.

Her mother was right about him not being normal. Even Alex knew it was time to give up. The trade fair would have to be her swan song.

Unless she died of pain first…

Dimitrios left his New York office with the morning newspaper under his arm and rode the elevator to the parking garage level of the building.

“Ms. Hamilton hasn’t arrived yet?” he asked his driver who was waiting for them with the limo.

“I haven’t seen her, Mr. Pandakis.”

He checked his watch. No crime had been committed because it was a only few minutes past eight. It surprised him because she was the most punctual person he’d ever met.

At the end of work yesterday he’d told her he would drop by her apartment on the way to the airport to pick her up. To his surprise she’d said it wouldn’t be necessary because she’d be coming by the office early to take care of some last-minute business.

“Mr. Pandakis?”

Dimitrios turned in time to see one of the parking attendants approach him.

“Your secretary just called. She said she was running late and her friend would drive her straight to the airport.”

He blinked. No doubt Ms. Hamilton had many friends, but the only one he’d ever heard about was Yanni. A compatriot.

Besides cooking him meals in exchange for language lessons, was she his pillow friend? It might explain why she’d chosen not to call Dimitrios on her cell phone to tell him about the change in plans. Particularly not if her tutor were lying next to her having a hard time saying goodbye.

The idea that Ms. Hamilton might have a love life made her more of an enigma than ever because she’d never let it interfere with her work. For quite some time he’d been aware that she wasn’t like most women. That’s why she’d become so valuable to him.

He climbed in the back of the limo. “Let’s go to the airport.”

“Yes, sir.”

Dimitrios unfolded the paper. The first thing he noticed on the front page of the Times was a fantastic shot of three ships. At closer inspection they turned out to be a Viking longboat plus a Greek and a Roman galley moored in the bay of Thessalonica awaiting the fair. A nice-size article accompanied the photo.

He saw Ms. Hamilton’s hand in the write-up. Except to give her the okay on the project, Dimitrios really hadn’t been—

His thoughts were interrupted by the ring of his cell phone. He pulled it from his pocket and checked the caller ID. It was someone from the villa.

“Yassou?”

“Kalimera, Uncle. You are coming home today aren’t you?”

His nephew sounded anxious. “I’m on my way to the airport now.”

“Good. There’s a lot I have to talk to you about.”

“I take it things are still at an impasse with your mother.”

“Yes. She refuses to discuss anything with me when she doesn’t even know what I’m going to say.”

“You and I have been over this before. She’s afraid of losing you, Leon.”

“How do I convince her that couldn’t possibly happen?”

I’m not sure you can. He rubbed his eyes. “Tell you what. Tomorrow morning the three of us will sit down together and talk this out.”

“Thank you. Mother’s much better with you there. Can I pick you up at the airport?”

Dimitrios wasn’t immune to the pleading in his nephew’s voice. “It will be late. I’ll have my secretary with me.”

“Where’s she staying?”

“I’ve booked her at the Mediterranean Palace.”

“No problem. We’ll run her by there on our way home, but it may take us a while. The traffic’s horrendous. You’re going to be surprised at what you see when you get here. The city’s been transformed while you’ve been in New York.”

“I’m looking forward to viewing the finished product.”

“Besides all the booths that have gone up, the buildings and churches, even the White Tower is festooned with pennants and medieval banners. The city’s been invaded with people, and there are six ships in port now.

“Wait till you get a look at the Egyptian barge from Cleopatra’s time on loan for the event! Five days aren’t going to be enough for people to see everything.”

“I think five days is about all our fair city will be able to handle.”

“That’s what Vaso said. We had lunch with some government officials from the prime minister’s office who were looking around yesterday. They said they’d never seen anything like this in their lifetime. The praise for you is pouring in already and the fair hasn’t even started yet.”

“My secretary will be gratified to hear it. She’s the mastermind behind the entire concept.”

“You’re just saying that because you never like to take credit for anything.”

“No. If you don’t believe me, I’ll have Ms. Hamilton show you the contents of her portfolio after we get there.”

“I’m glad you’re coming home, Uncle.”

“Me, too. See you soon.”

Dimitrios clicked off.

One look at her artwork and Leon wouldn’t believe his eyes. The drawings were remarkable. When everything was over he intended to have the first sketch framed for his office.

As his private jet came into view, his cell phone went off again. “Leon? Obviously you forgot something important.”

“It’s Ananke.”

Dimitrios should have known better than to answer that way, but his mind had been on Ms. Hamilton.

“Yassou, Ananke.”

“It doesn’t surprise me my son reached you before I did,” she began without preamble. “I have to know—Is he willing to stay in school one more semester? Please tell me yes,” she cried.

Her desperation found a vulnerable spot inside Dimitrios. He wasn’t exactly enchanted by the bombshell his nephew had dropped on them.

“I’m still working on it.”

“How soon are you coming home?”

“Late tonight. I told Leon we’d all sit down and discuss this in the morning.”

“Thank you.” Her voice trembled.

“Ananke? Just remember, there’s only so much I can do.”

“You can stop him!”

Dimitrios heaved a sigh. “If this is his destiny, then no earthly power will make a difference.”

The sobbing on her end meant the conversation was over, for the time being, anyway.

He undid his seat belt. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he murmured before ringing off.

As the vehicle pulled to a stop, Dimitrios levered himself from the back of the limo and hurried up the steps of the plane.

“Kalimera, Kyrie Pandakis.”

Instead of his pilots or his steward speaking to him in Greek, it was Ms. Hamilton who greeted him in his native tongue as he entered the plane. It was a first for her. She never failed to surprise him.

“Kalimera,” he said back to her, relieved she was here.

“Hero poli.”

“It’s nice to see you, too.” He responded in Greek once more, impressed by this latest display of her many talents. She’d spoken with barely a trace of accent. Continuing in the same language he said, “Shall we carry on this fascinating conversation after we’ve fastened ourselves in?”

“I’m sorry.” She reverted to English. “I didn’t understand anything else you said after you told me it was nice to see me, too.”

Her honesty was so refreshing, he burst out laughing. For a moment it dispelled the cloud that had enveloped him since his nephew had confided in him.

The rest of his crew welcomed him aboard, but he was barely aware of them as he gave the nod to prepare for takeoff.

“What I just said to you, Ms. Hamilton, was that I was looking forward to a lengthy discussion in Greek, but thought it would be wise to strap ourselves in first so the pilot can do his job.”

“Oh.” She took the seat opposite him and fastened her seat belt. “I’m afraid you’ve heard my full repertoire until we reach Greece. Then I’ll impress you by asking where the post office is, how much does a stamp cost, that sort of thing.”

His chuckle got lost in the scream of the jet engines.

After a smooth liftoff it didn’t take long until the plane had attained cruising speed and they could unstrap themselves.

Out of the periphery he saw that she already had her nose in the notebook she called her bible. He noticed it went everywhere with her.

“Your friend didn’t mind bringing you to the airport so early?”

She lifted her head. “Yanni’s on his way to Athens, so it worked out fine.”

“To be with family?”

“That, and to attend the fair.”

The steward chose that moment to serve them tea. Dimitrios thanked him, then sat back in his seat, wondering why her answer mattered. It was none of his business if she planned to be with her lover in Thessalonica.

As soon as the brew had cooled, he took a long swallow. It was so delicious he drank the rest without pause, then requested more.

Speaking in Greek, he complimented his steward who murmured in the same language, “She brought it on board. Insisted on steeping it herself.”

Intrigued, Dimitrios flicked his gaze to his secretary. For once she had irritated him by being too absorbed with her work. “My compliments, Ms. Hamilton. This tea tastes like the proverbial nectar of the gods.”

She raised her head in his direction. “According to Yanni who won’t drink anything else, that’s the name of it in Greek. He says it comes from the sage that grows wild on the mountains of the Peloponnese. I told him you have a sweet tooth, so he said to add honey instead of sugar. I’m glad you like it.”

Dimitrios should have been appreciative of her desire to please him with a special treat. He was pleased. But for some reason it irritated him that Yanni had any part in her thoughtful gesture.

She opened her laptop computer. “Shall we go over the timetable of events now? I’ve made a hard copy for you. If there’s anything you want to change, I’ll enter it and print it out when we reach Greece.”

In an oddly rebellious mood Dimitrios adjusted the seat so he could fully relax and close his eyes.

“Why don’t you read it out loud instead. I’ll interrupt if I think of something you haven’t.”

He sounded tired, bordering grumpy.

Alex had thought the tea might sweeten him up. Normally he was very even-tempered for a man who shouldered so much responsibility.

But she’d worked closely with him over the last six months and had started to notice a pattern to his change in mood. It only came on when he was getting ready to fly home to Greece.

If her mother was right about his past, he probably had hidden demons still to be conquered.

It happened to a lot of people. Alex’s only unmarried sister chose to feel like a victim. Except for the occasional visit, she preferred to remain in California rather than come home and deal with family on a more frequent basis.

Deciding it would be best to humor her boss, Alex began reading the countdown of the first page out loud. Halfway through, she detected a change in his breathing. He was asleep.

Zeus at rest.

That’s how she thought of him.

This was only the second time she’d flown in the Pandakis jet with its eagle emblem. As on her first flight with him to San Francisco, she had the feeling she was being spirited away by the legendary Olympian god to his private kingdom in the sky.

Through her lashes, she studied his long, powerfully built body stretched out in his seat opposite her, his piercing black eyes closed for the time being.

She wished she were a painter so she could capture him on canvas. He had the bold facial structure of his Macedonian ancestors, and that beautiful olive skin born from the kiss of a hot Mediterranean sun. Yet there was something childlike in the quiet way he slept.

More handsome than the young god Adonis. The paparazzi claimed he was the lover of many women, yet faithful to none. Alex could vouch for a goodly number of females who called the office anxious to talk to him.

However, she really had no idea what he did after she left for her apartment at the end of the day. Presumably there was a certain amount of truth to the gossip in the tabloids.

But Alex regarded him in a different light. To her, raven-haired Dimitrios Pandakis could well be the supreme ruler of the gods who shaped the corporate world below. One word of displeasure from his sensuous lips was like the proverbial thunderbolt hurled at those who lied or broke oaths.

The experience nine years ago had already provided her with firsthand knowledge that he was the god of justice and mercy and a protector of the weak.

After saving her from the unwanted attentions of his cousin, he’d shown her kindness before removing the other man from her sight. But he’d taken away a lot more than that. He’d gone off with her young girl’s heart.

Quite simply, his intervention changed the course of her life.

As her eyes took their fill of him, the ache to touch him intensified. More than ever she realized it would never be enough to be just his private secretary. Reason declared that the end of the fair would have to be the end of the road for her. The cessation of all fantasy.

Exhausted from too little sleep and her emotional struggle, she put her things away and lay back, willing oblivion to come if only for a little while.

It was a shock to finally wake up to her surroundings and discover that the interior lights had come on. Outside the plane they were cloaked in darkness.

She checked her watch. Heavens. How could she have been asleep seven hours?

Though alone for the moment, she was conscious of the sound of male voices coming from the cockpit area. Judging by their chuckles, someone was telling an amusing tale.

Probably she’d snored, or her stomach had growled so loudly they’d all heard it. Either possibility was so humiliating, Alex shot out of her seat and used the time to freshen up in the bathroom.

While she was repinning her hair to secure it better after her long sleep, she noted that the plane had started to encounter some turbulence. She didn’t pay much attention to it until the Fasten Seat Belts sign flashed overhead.

Alex put in the last pin, then left the bathroom and hurried to her seat. As she strapped herself in, she saw Dimitrios emerge from the cockpit, his expression sober.

“I was about to do that for—”

But she wasn’t destined to hear him say anything else because the plane hit an air pocket, sending him flying. He crashed against the wall. By the position of his body, he’d been knocked unconscious. She saw blood.

“Dimitrios!”

They were dropping out of the sky as if being pulled toward a giant lodestone.

Please, God. Don’t let anything happen to him.