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No wonder Costas had been so adamant that she come to Greece. Life was too precious to waste. And, looking down into that pinched little face, Sophie had an inkling of the protective love he must feel for his daughter. The desperation to find a way to save her.
‘Ela,’ said Eleni insistently, pulling her hand. Come.
Out in the garden, he’d been told. But where? Costas scanned the pool, the lawn and all the areas closest to the house. As long as Sophie hadn’t decided to go for a long walk along the shore. The doctor was waiting inside, ready to take her blood sample for the initial compatibility test.
Costas strode past the formal gardens and headed for the path that led through fruit trees to the olive grove and then to the beach.
The doctor would wait, that wasn’t a problem. But he, Costas, wanted it done now. He had to know what chance there was for this to work.
He had to—
His head shot up as he heard laughter, lilting and evocative, ahead. His steps slowed as he rounded a hedge. And then he stopped.
Bright sunlight illuminated two heads, one bare and pale, the other dark, with a thick mane of hair that gleamed with the tiniest, seductive hint of auburn.
Eleni and Sophie. Cross-legged in the grass of the old orchard, bending over something in the meadow grass.
‘Beetle,’ said Eleni in Greek.
‘Beetle,’ said Sophie.
‘Green beetle.’
‘Green beetle,’ mimicked Sophie.
His daughter was teaching Sophie Greek. Behind them, on the stone wall, sat her nanny, making a daisy chain.
‘Nose.’ Eleni placed her finger on Sophie’s nose.
‘Nose.’ Sophie copied the gesture and then gave Eleni’s button nose a tiny tweak, making Eleni giggle.
Costas swallowed down hard on the lump that rose in his throat. He’d heard his little girl laugh so rarely in recent months. It was the best sound he’d heard in ages.
He must have moved then. Something made the pair of them look up. Immediately Eleni clambered to her feet and raced across to wrap her arms around his legs. ‘Papa!’
He’d never grow tired of her embraces. Even if, the good lord willing, she grew to be a mother herself.
He bent down and swung her up high in his arms and around till she squealed with delight. Then he tucked her close against his torso, inhaling her sweet, fresh soap scent. Felt her tiny, warm body wriggling against his.
And over her shoulder his eyes locked with Sophie’s. The laughter had faded from hers and now he saw there the welling emotion he battled so often himself.
A shaft of heat pierced his chest, warming places that had been frozen against the pain. The knowledge of her understanding did that to him. It promised so much.
But it also threatened his control.
‘Come,’ he said, turning abruptly away. ‘There’s someone to see you.’
Costas stood on the front steps, watching the doctor’s car disappear down the driveway. The warmth of the sun was on his face, the light sea breeze tickled his collar. He registered the physical sensations but that was all.
He didn’t feel anything else. Not excitement, not the fervent hope of yesterday. Not even the impatient anticipation he’d expected.
His emotions had shut down.
Or was he lying to himself? Pretending he didn’t feel anything so he wouldn’t have to face the yawning chasm of fear that might suck him down if he let it? Fear that the test result would be negative.
‘Costas?’ The voice was soft, tentative.
He’d never heard his name on her lips, he realised. And he liked it. Liked it too much for a man whose emotions were supposed to have shut down.
