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Often over the years she had followed the meteoric career of the man who would have been her husband, most of which was gleaned from the gossip and social columns. Over the years he had grown even more handsome, Grace giving a half-smile not having realised that it was possible, the memory of the night they had so nearly made love haunting her still.
While many had tried to turn her head, having a wedding ring had been the ultimate deterrent for most and the perfect excuse for the rest. She had kept her divorce quiet, still wearing her gold band and keeping Daryle’s name. With a small content smile she had known that all in all at 25 years old she was content.
Her first solo project had been unexpected and shocking to Grace, her eyes reading the document with horror. Looking warily at her manager she had cleared her throat nervously.
“Damian…is there possibly another project that I could be involved with?”
The man across from her had frowned in surprise
“Sorry Grace…no…I thought that you would be over the moon” as his voice had become more wary and concerned
“This project had funding already…and to be honest it was based on your being the lead given your background and specialty”
Feeling the unease deep within her stomach her eyebrows had been drawn together in concentration.
“I … I see” Grace knowing how vital research money was for the continued work they did.
“Is there a problem?” the kindly man had asked gently, Grace giving him a small smile which had not reached her eyes, shaking her head softly.
“No…no it’s fine” before she had risen and left the room.
With only four hundred breeding pairs of monk seals in existence the sizable grant had been to find out what environmental factors made for a more secure habitat for the endangered species. Grace had known that she and her team would be required to visit all the known spots, her heart sinking with the knowledge of exactly where one of those areas was, her mind once more returning to a cliff-side and the feel of strong arms holding her. Muttering softly under her breath she had wondered why once more these thoughts seemed to be coming to her more often these days.
Over the next couple of months she had spent a considerable time gaining approval for the research team’s visit. Thankful that the areas involved were mostly stable, the only exception being Libya where with some real negotiations she had finally been able to obtain permission to visit the breeding ground. The only privately owned island with the animals had been that of Alexos Manetas and she had sent him a letter requesting permission, signing it Dr G Dionis. When a letter of acceptance welcoming the team had been received she had been filled with both relief and anxiety, not sure if he had realised who she was.
So it was eight months after her initial contact with Alexos, she had once more found herself on the island she had so briefly visited so many years ago. The team of four had rented a boat to live on, the two women and men having to share the basic two bedrooms, all used to ‘roughing it’ as part of the job. The boat also doubled as a base for dives, Grace happy not to have to be on the actual island itself for too long.
The team had already completed all but one area of the project, that being Libya after communications and negotiations had once more broken down, Grace still working on re-establishing the agreement she had been given at the start. The decision had been taken that the team would have a month’s holiday after finishing on the island, Grace relieved to find with a few simple Google searches that the owner of the island was not in residence. For over a week they had taken measurements and tagged the animals, Grace never tiring of the water or the bulky creatures which would become so graceful in the water.
After one such dive she had pulled off her fins, moving back up the beach, surprised to see Carol, her research assistant talking to a tall man. With the sun behind him Grace had been unable to make out the figure as slowly she had moved towards the pair. Pulling her face mask and snorkel from herself she had smiled welcomingly as she had heard Carol’s voice.
“Oh Mr Manetas…here comes Dr Dionis now”, Grace coming to an abrupt stop as realisation had hit her as to who exactly the man was, panic and fear thudding through every part of her as the smile had dropped from her lips. She had heard the expletive from him as he too had turned and come face to face with the woman who had so callously and publically abandoned him so many years ago.
“Grace!” her name bitten out with contempt and anger. Groaning softly she had watched as with his stance becoming rigid, he had turned and began to walk quickly away from the beach. Dropping her snorkelling equipment she had thrown Carol a panicked look before running after him leaving the bemused woman wondering what had just happened.
Reaching him, she had tentatively grabbed his arm, Alexos coming to an immediate halt as he had spun around his face black with barely contained rage.
“You have one hell of a cheek Grace”
She had looked up helplessly at the man she had once been expected to marry, her fingers pulling nervously at each other.
“I know this might be a shock” she had stuttered softly seeing as his eyes had narrowed dangerously.
“A shock? No…the shock was receiving a phone call six years ago from the lying bitch that had used me to get one past her family”
She had flinched at this her eyes dropping from his with shame “I had no choice Alexos…please”
Gritting his teeth he had glared down at her, a small sneer on his voice. “We all have choices Grace”
Before looking over at the rest of the group who were all now gathering to watch the scene unfold before them
“I came here to invite your team to dinner…right now I am trying hard not to throw the whole damn lot of you off my island”
With eyes suddenly so full of fear she had once more grabbed his arm, his cold black eyes drilling into hers as he had snarled for her not to touch him, Grace stepping back instantly, her eyes pleading.
“Please Alexos…this is a vital project. I swear that we will only be here till the end of the week. My team have done you no wrong nor have these animals” She had watched the indecision in him before he had given a quick nod.
“Fine. The end of the week and then you are out of here” His eyes once more scathing as they had racked over her before he had turned on his heels moving back to the small road on which his car was parked.
Turning herself Grace had felt her whole body shaking, the queasy nausea in the pit of her stomach making her suddenly so pale as the others had moved forward, real concern written all over their faces.
“You know each other?” Carol had asked in surprise her eyes wide “He is gorgeous” the others glaring back at her inappropriate comment as she had clamped her mouth closed. Moving towards the computer she had held her lips tightly shut, starting to enter data, the others looking at each other, silent signals passing between them as they also had returned to the jobs they were doing.
Grace had tried to concentrate on the screen before her, the words swimming as tears had welled up in her eyes. He had every right to be mad at her, every right in the world, yet his contempt had stung more than she would have ever thought possible.
It also did not help that he had over the past six years matured into a stunning man, his look more sure than it had been six years previous. Where there had been fun on his features, now his look was cold and sombre he now carried himself with the air of someone used to being very much in control, Grace aware of the many stories of his ruthless business dealings.
Realising that she was no longer typing she had stamped her foot holding back the desire to scream that had filled her. She was so tired of feeling guilty. She was doing work that was valuable, work that would benefit an entire species. So what if she had not become yet another convenient wife producing heirs for their rich husbands, it was not as if he could not have found another woman to fill that role. Stopping with her internal angry tirade she had gasped. He never had. This simple truth stilled her instantly. He had never gotten married. Groaning with the realisation that what she had done must have soured him on marriage forever. No wonder he hated her, and he did hate her, the venom in both his words and eyes proving that.
Feeling the need for calm she had moved over closer to where one of the monk seals had lain basking so contentedly on a rock. Grace pulled out her sketch book as she had started to draw the gentle creature, feeling as the tension had slowly left her body.
Gunning his car back to the villa, Alexos Manetas had felt the sickening feeling of hatred at the woman on the beach. For years he had fought to put the whole incident behind him, her public rejection of him the most humiliating thing that had happened to him his whole life. His father had been so supportive, not demanding that he continue with the parties each month as he had laid more and more responsibility for the company on his son’s shoulders, quickly the two finding how skilled Alexos was when it came to business.
Slamming the front door he had moved to his office barking to the housekeeper that the guests he had planned on inviting that evening would not be joining them. Sitting at his desk, his eyes had closed once more seeing Grace.
