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‘Of course I approve. It just seems that you’re taking on an awful lot...’
‘I can manage.’
Of course he could. He was Alexandros Zacharidis, superman. ‘Fine.’ Her smile was overbright. ‘I’ll set it up.’
It was strange stepping into her parents’ house with Alex by her side, and in some ways it felt completely normal. Elizabeth Anastakos pulled her daughter in for a huge hug while Orion and Alex shook hands, and then the older couple shepherded them onto the terrace, where an enormous lunch spreadhad been laid out.
‘Mum, you’ve gone to so much trouble.’
‘It was nothing,’ Elizabeth said, with her usual humility. Not only did Elizabeth possess a PhD in electrical engineering, but she’d also become her father’s right-hand woman, bouncing ideas off one another, and then Stavros. To top it off, she was an exceptional cook, who could make eight dishes without breaking a sweat.
‘We could have brought something,’ Tessa murmured, old feelings of inadequacy creeping in.
‘Next time, we’ll come to you,’ Orion volleyed back, his skin pale beneath his tan, but his eyes still smiling with pleasure.
We’ll come to you. Such a perfectly banal and domestic phrase that spoke of normality and long-term expectations. And could she blame them? It wasn’t as if Tessa was planning on leaving Alex. They were married, and at some point they might conceive a child. This was for keeps.
Something tightened in the region of her heart, but she refused to let it unsettle her.
Over lunch, Tessa described Epíneio to them, and whenever she missed a detail Alex was right there to fill in the blanks, answering questions regarding the history of the island house, so she listened in rapt fascination as he spoke. But then, whenever her could hand over to Tessa he did so, deferring to her, allowing her to charm her parents with stories of the beautiful sanctuary.
As they sat back and enjoyed coffee, Tessa too full to ever contemplate eating again, Alex broached the subject of the business.
‘I can see a way to alleviate your worries, but, of course, it’s a big decision, and one you should weigh up carefully.’ He proceeded to outline his proposal, how much he’d pay for a controlling stake in the company—an eye-watering figure—and how he’d juggle his duties across three large multinational companies. ‘My father’s company and my own run as well-oiled machines. I can step back from both without too much risk, while I come to terms with Anastakos Industries. Naturally, whether or not you’re ready to cede control is a personal matter, for you to decide.’
‘No, it’s not,’ Elizabeth demurred, her eyes slightly misty. ‘The decision has been made for him.’
Tessa reached over and put a hand on her mother’s, stroking it gently.
‘You can’t keep going on like this, my darling,’ Elizabeth said gently to her husband, who harumphed in response. ‘And if you’re going to see anyone take over, surely it has to be Alex? After Stavros, I wasn’t sure he’d ever...’
They were silent, and beneath the table Alex squeezed Tessa’s knee comfortingly.
Another noise from Orion, this time one of contemplation.
‘Our share values have already gone up at the mere prospect of this,’ Orion pointed out.
‘That’s true. It makes excellent commercial sense.’
‘And my wife is right. I’m tired. I would rather be here, with my family, for whatever time I have left.’
Beneath the table, Alex’s hand curved over Tessa’s knee, as if he understood how desperately she needed that support.
‘I can start immediately.’
Relief whooshed through Tessa, on behalf of her father, as well as a strange, aching sense of grief. Alex was talking about undertaking a huge career shift. Superman he might be, and he’d be able to get to the point where her father’s company was running as smoothly as his own, but there’d be months, at least, while he learned the ropes and came to terms with the existing commercial arrangements. Months in which he wouldn’t be able to fly to Epíneio at the drop of a hat, and she’d be forgotten.
This signalled a shift, surely, in their marriage. After such a short time, the honeymoon was well and truly over.
Lunch stretched into the afternoon, but the sun was still high in the sky as they left, and Tessa, her mind spinning in overtime, couldn’t contemplate returning to Alex’s home just yet. She needed to make sense of things, to adjust to yet another change in the landscape of their lives.
‘Would you mind dropping me at my studio?’ she murmured. ‘I’d like to work on something. And it would be a good chance to gather some paints for the island,’ she added, though who knew when she’d be back?
‘Of course,’ he replied. ‘Address?’
She gave him the street and number, which he keyed into the GPS.
They drove in silence, and the longer it stretched, the more she became aware of a throb of tension between them, until finally, as he pulled up, he turned to face her. ‘If you don’t want me to buy your family business, just say so.’
