AllFreeNovel
Share Us
EPILOGUE
‘IT’SAPLEASURE to meet you.’ Matthaios smiled as he drew Bea into a warm hug, kissing her on both cheeks before releasing her. His exuberance was understandable. After several weeks in the rehab facility he was clean and sober and completely committed to living a sober life. Between them, Danica squawked, lifting her hands towards Matthaios, and at the same time the little girl burst into tears, shaking with the force of her emotions.
‘Aw, she’s so happy to see you.’ Bea’s own eyes sparkled with emotion as Matthaios clutched Danica to his chest.
He spoke in Greek, low and soft, smiling as he hugged Danica as though he’d never let her go. Ares came to stand beside Bea, his arm around her waist drawing her close so that she fitted at his side perfectly. He was warm and he was home. She was home.
‘She can’t stop crying,’ Matthaios said anxiously, without taking his eyes off the baby’s face.
‘She’s just a little overwhelmed,’ Bea reassured him. ‘She has no other way to express how she’s feeling, so she cries. They’re happy tears, I promise.’
He nodded, kissing Danica’s head, brushing their cheeks together. ‘I’ve missed you too, little one.’ He lifted his eyes to Beatrice’s face, then sideways to Ares. ‘Thank you both. I promise I won’t let her down again.’
‘I believe you.’ Ares nodded. ‘But we’re always here for you, any time you need us.’
Bea smiled warmly, underscoring Ares’s sentiments.
Later, when Danica was settled for her afternoon nap, Matthaios held a coffee cup in his hands, staring out at the idyllic ocean view. The day was warm, the water still, so Ares was already planning an evening swim with Bea, who’d gone to get changed.
‘It’s serious between the two of you?’
Ares turned to his brother, nodding. ‘What do you think?’
Matthaios’s grin was knowing. ‘I think you’re besotted and I’m glad. I’ve never seen you like this before.’
‘I’ve never been like this before,’ he said with a lift of his shoulders. ‘I love her.’
‘I can see that.’
Saying it felt right—and having Matthaios’s quick acceptance meant everything to Ares. ‘What I said before, Matt. I’m here for you. Whatever you need.’
‘I appreciate that, but I’ve already needed you more than enough. It’s time for you to live your life without worrying about me.’
‘I’m not worried,’ he said truthfully. ‘I’m proud. Facing your demons is hard, and you’ve done it twice. I think you’re a superhero. But even superheroes come unstuck sometimes, and if that ever happens you know I’ve got your back.’
Matthaios nodded, sipping his coffee. ‘I know, but this time is different. I feel different. And I’m not going to risk hurting Danica ever again. I’m not going to be like Mamá.’
Ares thought about that—their mother’s repeated benders, her hangovers, her disappearance.
‘I’m keen to get on with my life. Get back to work. I have to be someone Ingrid would have been proud of—I owe that to her.’
‘Yes,’ Ares agreed, because he finally understood what it meant to love someone with all your heart, and how that love changed you. ‘You do, Matt.’
‘Excuse me.’ Ares turned at Ellen’s interruption. Matt’s eyes glanced over at the young woman. ‘Bea said you wanted to be told when Danica was awake. It’s her bath time.’
‘And you are?’ Matt prompted, standing, his manner assessing.
‘This is Ellen,’ Ares explained, getting to his feet. ‘I told you about her.’
‘I remember.’ Matt extended a hand. ‘Thanks for everything you’ve done. I appreciate it.’
‘It’s been my pleasure. Danica’s adorable. I will be very, very sorry to see her go.’
As the two of them disappeared into the house, Ares stayed on the balcony, staring out to sea. Life was full of unexpected twists, and he could never have foreseen this. A chance meeting, an inconvenient scheduling mishap in the midst of one of the most stressful weeks of his life, had led to him finding the woman of his dreams. It was a piece of good fortune he feared he didn’t deserve, but one that he knew he’d live the rest of his life being grateful for.
The sun was low in the sky but the water was still warm, lapping against Bea’s sides. She clung to Ares, her legs around his waist, her arms at his neck, and she smiled because she was happy, as she’d been more often than not since coming to live with him.
Her parents had shown more than a passing interest in them as a couple, though Bea suspected that was because there was something newsworthy in her relationship with a man like Ares Lykaios, rather than being genuinely happy for her. She made a mental note to be on the lookout for pesky paparazzi, who would, no doubt, be sent by her mother, hoping for pictures to grace the pages of the tabloids. Even the thought of that couldn’t dull Bea’s happiness.
