Wedding Party Collection: Here Comes The Groom: The Bridegroom's Vow / The Billionaire Bridegroom

“What do you want to do with your life, or do you even know yet?”

His nephew heaved a sigh. “It’s just an idea, but it’s grown stronger with every visit to Mount Athos.”

Mount Athos.

“You took me there the first time. Remember? We did a walking tour, and ate and slept at the various monasteries.”

Yes. He remembered. Especially his nephew’s fascination with the monks…

Dimitrios straightened in the seat.

Like a revelation he knew what Leon was going to say before he said it.

“Uncle? Last night I told mother I’m thinking of entering an order. That’s when she ran out of my bedroom in hysterics. I’ve never seen her react like that to anything. Would you talk to her about it? You’re the only person she’ll listen to.”

Lord.

Was it possible that Leon’s hero-worship of him had caused his nephew to dismiss a woman’s love as unimportant?

Ananke’s unprecedented visit to his bedroom this morning was beginning to make sense in a brand-new way.

Since the death of Leonides she’d lived on sufferance under Uncle Spiros’s roof until his passing, then under the protection of Dimitrios.

If her son renounced all his worldly goods and went to live on a mountain, Ananke wouldn’t only have lost a son to the church, she would have no choice but to move into a house Dimitrios would provide for her. A comfortable enough pied-à-terre befitting the widow of Leonides. All her dreams smashed.

“Before I say anything to your mother, I’d like to hear more about how you feel.”

“As I said, I’m only thinking about it.”

“Our trip to Mount Athos took place ten years ago. That’s a long time to give a young man to think.”

Leon blushed. The reaction tugged at Dimitrios’s heart. Perhaps his brother’s son truly did have a vocation for the religious life. If it was the path he was meant to travel, far be it from Dimitrios to try to dissuade him.

Then again, like greener pastures, the monastic life might sound good to him because he was still young and lost.

Dimitrios had never questioned what direction his own life would go. He couldn’t relate to Leon in that regard, but he was his guardian. As such, he felt it incumbent to listen as his nephew poured out his heart.

Afterward he would point out the ramifications of a decision that a twenty-two-year-old mind wasn’t capable of envisioning yet. For one thing, it would break his mother’s heart. Ananke might be many things, but she loved her son.

For another, it would destroy something inside Dimitrios if he thought his own tormented past had anything to do with the drastic step his nephew was contemplating.

Suddenly Dimitrios felt older than Stavros.

CHAPTER TWO (#ua495a853-9402-577c-845c-447c34a388f0)

ALEX’S family always complained that she didn’t stay long enough when she came to Paterson for visits. Her parents had never approved of her intentionally making herself look older in order to get hired by the Pandakis company. It was a sore point Alex argued with her mother every time they got together.

“Surely after four years you could start easing back to your normal self by lightening your hair in increments, wearing clothes that suit your age. I haven’t seen my own daughter for so long, I don’t remember what you look like.”

“Mom…” Alex took a deep breath. “I wanted to be hired so badly, I would have done anything to gain Mrs. Landau’s approval. I thought if I looked like a solid, more mature, dependable type, I’d have a better chance with her. Mr. Pandakis may have the reputation of being a womanizer, but he’s totally professional with the staff at the office.

“But Mrs. Landau’s not there anymore, darling. Now that you’ve taken over her duties, it seems to me you can start being our daughter again.”

“You don’t understand, Mom.”

“Oh, but I do. You’re not willing to risk anything that would prevent you from being around him. He’s a man to turn any woman’s head, and he has, especially yours.”

“Yes,” she admitted. “He’s—”

“Bigger than life?” her mother preempted her. “I know. He’s the reason you’ve stopped dating and no longer have a social life.”

“I can’t right now. But when the trade fair is over, he’s taking a three week vacation. I’ve been ordered to do the same.”

“Which means all you’ll do is mope around here waiting until you can be back with him.”

Her mother knew her too well.

“Alexandra? I’ve tried not to interfere in your life too much. But it’s obvious to me you’re in love with the man. Because of that you’re blind to certain truths.”

Alex didn’t want to hear them.

“Darling— Can’t you see he’s not normal?”

“You mean because he’s not married with three or four children by now?” she cried.

“Yes. He’s a person who’s been blessed with so many gifts, I think he got lost somewhere along the way.”

Alex shook her head emphatically. “If you knew him, you’d never say such a thing.”

“I’m not talking about his business prowess. There’s something in his makeup that isn’t right. My guess is he was marred in childhood and it stunted his emotional growth.

“How else do you explain his inability to settle down with one woman? Or for that matter, why Mrs. Landau seemed to choose only plain women to work for him. He’s simply not an ordinary sort. Don’t you agree? Honestly?”

Tears prickled Alex’s eyes. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Darling.” Her mother put an arm around her. “All I want is your happiness, but I’m afraid if you continue to work for him, he’ll go on taking advantage of your generous nature and you’ll never find joy in being a wife, or a mother.”

Alex broke down for a minute, then wiped her eyes. “Mom? There’s something I have to tell you. Maybe then you’ll understand why I can’t seem to let him go. I—I didn’t apply for a job at the Pandakis Corporation by chance,” she stammered.

“I suspected as much. When their people came to Paterson for the international silk seminar your grandfather hosted ten years ago, I remember the huge impact so many wealthy, dark-haired men made on everyone. Not a bad place to start a career for a girl right out of college.”

“Actually it was nine years ago.”

Her mother sent her a shrewd regard. “What went on that night? Did Dimitrios Pandakis’s wandering eye light on you? Did he tell you to come and see him when you were all grown up?”

“No!” Alex cried out. “If only it had happened like that, I wouldn’t have been forced to resort to subterfuge. It was Giorgio Pandakis—”

In a torrent of words she explained what had gone on nine years earlier when Dimitrios had saved her from his cousin. After confiding everything she said, “He was willing to stand by me, Mom. He offered to help me because that’s the kind of man he is.”