Page 106 of The Island Villa

“Good. And there is no love quite like the love a father has for his little girl.”

There was no love to match the love a little girl felt for her daddy either, providing she had a daddy like hers. She thought about Cassie, and realized how lucky she was.

“Now you’re getting soppy.”

“I know, but sometimes these things need to be said.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “Don’t go back to London, honey. There. That’s another thing that needs to be said.”

Her heart beat a little faster. “My apartment is in London. My job is in London. My life is in London.” But already she was thinking about how it would feel to go back to her carefully structured routine and predictable life. Even Mark had been predictable. That was why she’d been with him.

“I’m hearing excuses, not good reasons,” her father said. “So often in life we find ourselves anchored by things that aren’t important. Your apartment can be rented. Your job is mostly remote. Your life is where you choose it to be. Why not spend the rest of the summer in Corfu and see where it leads?”

She thought about the way it felt to swim in the ocean. She thought about Stefanos, and the way he listened and never criticized her choices. The way he’d come home to support his family.

She thought about his house above the bay, and the life he’d chosen.

“Spending the summer here would be reckless and irresponsible.”

“Which is why I think it’s exactly what you need.”

“You just want me to have sex with Stefanos, and a father shouldn’t be encouraging his daughter to have sex.”

“I think we’ve established that when it comes to being a father, I don’t hit all the top notes.”

“Maybe I don’t find Stefanos attractive. Did that thought occur to you?”

And then she glanced up and there he was, striding down the corridor toward them, and she felt a rush of relief and gratitude that he was here and something else. Something more powerful that left her heart racing and the breath trapped in her throat.

She stood up without even realizing she’d done so until she heard her father’s quiet chuckle.

“Not attractive at all,” he said. “Let him into your life, Addy. Go for it.”

She hoped Stefanos hadn’t heard that last remark, but didn’t have much opportunity to worry about it because he swept her into a hug and it felt so good that she allowed herself to lean against him for a moment, anchoring herself against hard muscle and strong arms.

“You didn’t have to come.” She curled her fingers into the front of his shirt.

“I wanted to.” He pulled her closer. “How is she? Is there any news?”

Cassie emerged at that moment, her eyes red-rimmed and watery.

“She wants to talk to you, Adeline.”

Adeline eased away from Stefanos. She almost wished he’d come in with her, and the thought shook her. She was used to doing things by herself. She wasn’t used to leaning on anyone. And this particular conversation had to be had alone.

She looked up at him. “Will you wait?”

He didn’t miss a beat. “I’ll be here.”

22

Catherine

Catherine lay in the hard hospital bed, feeling foolish and relieved at the same time.

When the pain had exploded in her chest, her only thought had been how cruel it was that she was going to die before making peace with her daughters, and before she’d married Andrew for a second time.

For her, it had always been Andrew, even though she’d lost her way.

While the staff were busying themselves around her, drawing blood and monitoring her heart, she’d been making promises. She’d promised herself that if she got through this, she’d be a better person. She’d spend time rebuilding her relationship with Adeline. She’d answer all of Cassie’s questions. She’d put real people in front of fictional ones.

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