Page 30 of The Nicolaides Baby

Rowan’s startled gaze whipped to a grinning Charlotte who only shrugged and then let out a little laugh.

“Don’t be so surprised,” she said. “I know how to keep things spicy in the bedroom.”

“Mom,” Libby complained on a deep groan.

“What?” Her sly glance went to her daughter. “Why do you think all of your bedrooms were designed to go in the opposite wing of the villa? Couldn’t have you children hearing our, um,playtime.”

Rowan’s lips twitched as Libby put her hands over her ears. “You can stop now,” she said, her voice a bit panicked. “I don’t need the image of you wearing… Andbampás… Ugh!”

Both she and Charlotte burst out laughing as Libby’s complexion darkened to red and she dropped her hands as she stood from her seat. “Okay. Can we go now that I’m scarred for life?”

Charlotte stood and gathered Libby up in a hug. “I promise not to say another word.” She gave her daughter a swift kiss on the cheek and then motioned for Rowan to join them. She put an arm around her and brought her into a group hug with a few tears shining in her bright eyes. “I so love my girls.”

Rowan held her close and had a few sniffles of her own. She was part of a family again.

* * *

“Mother certainly outdid herself,” Leo whispered close in her ear before placing a lingering kiss on her cheek.

Charlotte truly had. The villa had been filled with flowers, candle stands, draped gauze, twinkling white lights, and round tables decked out with gold and white. Music flowed from the terrace where guests enjoyed dancing under a canopy of more twinkling lights and gauze.

And the food. The massive buffet had offered everything from local cuisine to two of Rowan’s favorite from home—chicken and dumplings and a praline sweet potato casserole. And it was all delicious.

It had also amazed Rowan at the number of people who had shown up at such short notice. The Nicolaides home was full. And although she had been introduced to most all of them, there was no way she would remember each of their names.

One family, though, she recognized and hadn’t been able to hide her surprise when they’d come up to greet her and Leo in the receiving line. Mrs. Petrakis had been somewhat cold, but her husband and Xander had been gracious and offered their hearty congratulations to them. Thankfully Gia had not come with them.

“Your mother is a wonderful woman,” she told Leo as she leaned into his shoulder opposite of where he held a sleepy-eyed Mara. Her daughter had enjoyed herself thoroughly throughout the evening and had kept several of the guests entertained. She had a feeling Mara was a lot more like Sierra than she was her own mother. But that was good. “I still can’t believe she pulled it off.”

“It’s one of my talents,” Charlotte said as she came up to Rowan’s other side and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Are you having a good time?”

“I am,” Rowan said with a smile as she gave the older woman a slight hug. “But it was too much.”

“Nonsense. Nothing is too good for my son and new daughter.” Rowan’s heart pounded at the love and acceptance she spied shining out from the other woman. “I—”

“I hope you would have done the same for me.” Rowan tensed at the sultry tone of Gia from behind them. Her jaw tightened when the other woman came into view from the other side of Leo whose deep, aggravated sigh couldn’t be missed. “I guess we’ll never know.”

“Gia,” Charlotte said, her voice tinged with a hard edge. “What an unexpected surprise.”

Gia raised one perfectly arched dark brow. “Was your invitation not for the Petrakis family?”

“Of course.” Charlotte’s hand squeezed at Rowan’s waist. “I just assumed…”

“Oh, you thought I’d be angry? Perhaps be, oh, I don’t know, vindictive and cause a scene?”

That was exactly what Rowan had in mind she might do.

“You won’t be doing that, though,” Leo said low. “Will you?” His statement was left hanging in the air as Gia gave him an assessing smile. Then she turned her gaze on Mara who had roused and was rubbing her eyes.

“Of course not,erastí.”

Rowan frowned in confusion at Charlotte’s slight gasp and then understood when Leo succinctly told the other woman, “I am not yourlover.”

“Sorry. Just a slip of the tongue.” She grinned again as her gaze went to a now wide-awake Mara who had her curious eyes fixed on Gia. “I must say you look quite natural holding Rowan’s child.” She leaned closer, and it took all Rowan had within her not to grab the other woman’s red-tipped finger as she slid it down the side of Mara’s cheek. “And she looks just like you,” she said throwing a glance at Rowan. “With all that red hair and pale skin. All except for her eyes…” She glanced up at Leo and then back at Mara with a slight tilt of her head. “Hmm…”

That slight hesitation and what could have been glee filling Gia’s expression sent a cold chill racing down Rowan’s spine. “Well, Gia. Thank you for coming,” she said, taking Mara from Leo and holding her child’s head close to her shoulder as she settled her on her hip. “But it’s well past her bedtime.” She reached up and gave a swift kiss to Leo. “I’ll see you later.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Leo’s intense stare was a little more than she could handle at the moment.

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