Page 36 of Pregnancy Clause in Their Paper Marriage

‘Christos?’ Kristina’s voice was gentle as she came out onto the deck, closing the sliding glass door behind her. ‘Why did you never bring her home before?’

He shrugged, not looking at her, as usual. ‘I don’t come home very often, Kristina. You know that.’

‘Yes.’ She sighed heavily. ‘I know.’

‘It’s better if I’m not here. I set Thalia off. I make Dad remember.’

‘We want you here, Christos,’ Kristina said quietly, although he noticed she didn’t deny what he’d said. How could she? They both knew it was true. Ever since their mother had died, he’d failed his family. He hadn’t been there when they’d needed him, when Thalia hadbeggedhim, and had ended up in a psychiatric ward for three months on suicide watch. That washisfault, nobody else’s.

Yes, it was better for everyone if he stayed away.

‘Tell me about Lana,’ Kristina said, and Christos shrugged, unable to keep himself from sounding and feeling defensive. He’d never told his family about Lana; they’d found out from the ridiculous society pages. When Thalia had sent him a text, a few months after he and Lana had embarked on their paper marriage, asking him if he was really married, he’d said yes, because he’d had to, but he’d tried to frame it as more of a business merger than a meeting of minds or hearts, because that was what it had been.

As for what it was now...

‘She seems softer than I expected,’ Kristian ventured when he hadn’t said anything. ‘From what little you told us, I thought perhaps she was one of those hard-as-nails businesswomen.’

‘She is,’ Christos replied, ‘in the office. She built up her own business from nothing and is one of the most successful PR people in the whole city.’ He realised he sounded proud; hewasproud. Lana’s determination and drive were incredible, just one of the many things he—helikedabout her. Yes.

‘Well, she doesn’t look hard as nails to me now,’ Kristina said with a hint of a smile in her voice. ‘She looks like she absolutely adores you.’

What?Christos turned to face his sister, who was smiling affectionately at him, clearly so pleased by this development...except of course it couldn’t be true.

‘Why do you say that?’ he asked, his voice roughening.

‘Because it’s obvious. The look in her eyes...it’s so tender. Besides, a woman knows, Christos.’ She shook her head, still smiling. ‘I wish I had a man to look at that way. And I wish a man would look atmethat way.’

‘What are you saying?’ He realised he sounded almost panicked, and his sister noticed.

‘Usually, a man doesn’t mind knowing his wife is in love with him,’ she remarked. ‘Or that he is in love with her. Unless I’m missing something?’

‘It’s just...’ Christos blew out a breath. ‘Lana and I are more friends than...’ How to finish that sentence?

‘Husband and wife?’ Kristina guessed. ‘Because you looked like husband and wife to me.’

And they hadn’t yet told his family about the baby. That was certainly very husband and wife territory.

‘It’s complicated,’ he told his sister.

‘Maybe,’ she allowed, ‘but maybe it doesn’t need to be.’ He had no idea how to answer that, so he didn’t say anything, and his sister continued gently, ‘Can’t you leave the past where it belongs, Christos, instead of raking it up every time you go home? I know you do—I see it in your eyes, the torment that doesn’t need to be there. It happened. It’s over. We all want to move on. We’re all trying to, except you.’

Christos found he couldn’t speak now; his throat was too tight. He just shook his head, averting his face, and Kristina sighed.

‘Come inside at least,’ she said. ‘For supper.’

Christos waited until she’d gone inside, needing a moment alone to compose himself. He took a few deep breaths as he gazed out at the lawn, twilit shadows now lengthening along it. Kristina had to be wrong, he thought. Lana didn’tadorehim. If anything, she’d been more insistent about the no-love clause of their paper marriage, right from the beginning. He was the one who’d fooled himself into thinking he was more open about it all, when he now knew he wasn’t. He couldn’t be.

And yet...what did he actuallywant? If he put aside his fear of hurting Lana, disappointing her and their child, having to live with that disappointment day after day...did he want to love her? Could he? Could she love him, if she knew the truth about what he’d done, and, more importantly, what hehadn’tdone?

A heaviness settled inside him, because he knew the answer. He couldn’t. She couldn’t. He would disappoint her, eventually, and she would never love him if she knew how badly he’d let people down. People who had counted on him, and needed him, and loved him.

So, what on earth were they doing, having a baby together, especially if what Kristina had said was true, and Lana had somehow fallen in love with him?

What could that possibly mean for their future?

‘Christos,’ Sophia called, ‘come inside before it gets cold!’

Slowly, his heart leaden inside him, Christos walked inside. Everyone was gathered around the dining-room table, which was laden with food, because, he knew, food was love, especially to a Greek woman.