What The Greek's Wife Needs - Dani Collins Page 0,61

him. She had never been able to make a right step around his father and neither had he. It was a reminder of exactly what he was trying to avoid.

“It’s fine, Mother.” He had to fight to keep the anger with himself out of his voice so she wouldn’t think it was directed at her. “I’m glad that you’re staying in touch. How is she?” His ears were reaching for her words before she spoke.

“They seem well, but Tanja doesn’t seem very happy.”

I’m doing this for you.

Then why did it feel like she was doing it to him?

He hung his head. Some twisted voice inside him was convinced she was hurting him on purpose because that’s what married people did to one another, didn’t they? Tanja wouldn’t, though. He knew that. In his heart of hearts, he knew she wasn’t like that.

“I’m glad you’re not angry.” His mother’s voice wasn’t quite steady. “Because...” She sounded so fearful. “Well, I quite like her, Leon. It’s nice to see the baby, too. I’m genuinely sorry things didn’t work out.” After another pause, she said quietly, “I blame myself.”

“Don’t.” He didn’t even know what he was trying to forestall with that blunt word. An apology? Being forced to acknowledge his own culpability in how they’d let his father damage them? He didn’t want to examine their baggage. He never, ever wanted to have uncomfortable conversations about feelings, especially with her. There were too many. It would take too long and hurt too much.

“I thought I was standing up for myself with your father,” she said, voice almost a plea.

She lightly touched his arm, but he didn’t look at her. Couldn’t. His heart was being crushed and squeezed and liable to burst under the pressure.

“I was young and felt responsible for keeping all of this for you. I didn’t care that I was unhappy, but I see now that I caused you to think we’re not the type of people who are allowed to be happy. That we’re not lovable. We are, Leon.” Her touch squeezed his forearm. “It’s taken a lot of convincing, but Cornelius has made me believe that I’m worthy of being loved, and so are you.”

“You are,” he agreed stiffly. “But I was careless with her. I was filled with a sense of entitlement and threw her away like she didn’t matter. I’m no better than he was—”

“You are a million times better than he was,” his mother broke in vehemently. “I stand in awe of the man you’ve become in spite of the example that was set for you. My greatest regret is that I let him come between you and I, leaving you thinking a woman’s love isn’t steadfast. It is, Leon. I have always loved you. And so does Tanja.”

But she divorced me.

I’m doing this for you.

His heart lurched. He couldn’t bear this. Could she be right, though? Was there hope?

His mother’s hand was clutched so tightly to his arm he was compelled to set his arm around her and draw her into his side. He held her as she began to weep into his shoulder.

“It’s okay,” he murmured, exactly as he would comfort Illi or Tanja or anyone else he loved. After a moment, he set his cheek on her hair. His misted gaze fell on the heavyset man propping up tomatoes in the garden.

Cornelius nodded approval.

Believing his ex-wife might still love him was one thing. Going to Canada to talk her into coming back into his life was quite another. Tanja was completely within her right to invite him to go to hell. He had pushed her out of his life twice. Why would she trust him a third time?

Nevertheless, Leon flew into Vancouver and chartered a seaplane from there. It landed at the marina he would have partially owned had his father not died when he had.

As he stepped onto the wharf and saw the fresh signage going up that read Melha Marina he stood there for a full minute, hands on his hips. The widest, most foolish grin split his face and refused to stop.

That’s why she’d taken the settlement. Of course, she hadn’t kept it. He couldn’t be happier that she had divorced him if that was why she’d done it.

He walked up to a building that was in the process of being returned to its original blue and white. Inside, a man about his age stood with a baby strapped to his chest like the kid was a smoke jumper and