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He’d come to pay his respects, he’d said, but Alia had a feeling he’d come to inspect his inheritance and list it with a property agent.

“Alia, you know you’re not alone, don’t you?” Khristos said gently. “You have me and Julian. Spiro. All these people here who care a great deal about you.”

She appreciated that he wanted to comfort her, but that wasn’t what was putting this spike of despair in her chest.

“Do you think he loves me, Khristos?” she asked in a whisper.

He drew a sharp breath. His gaze shifted to scan the bare, lumpy ground while his brow crinkled in reluctance, telling her everything she needed to know.

She closed her eyes against the press of tears.

“He cares for you, Alia. More than I’ve ever seen him care for anyone. In time…”

She found a faint smile, but it quickly turned upside down. They couldn’t ask him for anything else, especially time to fall in love with her.

“Spiro didn’t ask for this marriage, Khristos. I won’t make him stay in it just because I’m afraid to be alone. That’s not fair to either of us.”

“Don’t make any rash decisions,” Khristos urged as they heard voices inside and both looked toward the stoop. “Not when your grief is so fresh.”

That’s not what this was, though. She had always known she would face this day, when Yaya was gone and she had to figure out what was next for herself. Her phobia made it more daunting, but it didn’t change reality. Maybe if Spiro had loved her, she would feel she really did belong with him, but he didn’t.

It was time for her to grow up and strike out on her own.

* * *

Khristos and Julian departed on the heels of Herena’s nephew, leaving Spiro alone with Alia for what felt like the first time since Herena had passed.

He poured two glasses of white wine and took them out to where she was sitting on a stone bench that overlooked the beach.

“Thank you,” she said as she accepted the glass. “I’m sorry you were stuck talking to that man for so long. Was he asking how quickly I could get my things packed up? Aside from a few photos, everything was Yaya’s so it’s all his.”

“No, it’s yours.” He stayed on his feet behind her. “I purchased the house for you.”

She went very still. “Why?”

“It’s your childhood home. I wanted you to have it.”

“And stay here?” She continued looking straight ahead.

“No.” Spiro frowned at the part in her hair, not sure what he thought she would do with the house, but not that. “The staff can stay and run it as a pension the way you always did. Or you could leave a caretaker here and we’ll use it as a holiday cottage.” He had only been thinking that he couldn’t bear her sadness. From the moment Herena had passed, she’d withdrawn to a place he couldn’t seem to reach.

“I appreciate the gesture, but this was never my home,” she said sadly. “Yaya made room for me and I love her for that, but this is where I was left. I’ve always known that after she was gone, I would leave here and figure out who I am away from this beach.”

He drew a harsh breath and reached to touch her shoulder.

She flinched as though his fingers scorched her through the silk of her dress.

“Sell it, then.” He dropped his hand to his side. “Do whatever you want with it. Let’s go home.”

She didn’t move, only looked into her wine. “Your villa isn’t my home, either.”

It was a kick in the stomach, but not a surprise. Not really. At a subconscious level, he had known this would happen. Because her withdrawal hadn’t started in those moments after he got the call about Herena. It had begun before that. Before the silent drive to the dinner party.

I didn’t mean to say that.

He had known his response wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but he wouldn’t lie to her. At the same time, he had wanted to give her something. Everything. That’s why he’d called Julian to come be with her, and arranged staff to repair and prepare the pension. That’s why he’d bought the damned house for her—which she didn’t even want.

For a long few minutes, there was only the rushing sound of waves breaking on the shore as the tide came in. The wind rippled his shirt and the sun scorched the side of his face as he squinted against the silver glint on the water.