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“No,” she snapped. Her words and emotions were all over the map. She drew in a deep breath, hoping she could draw in rational thought with it. “Sorry. Whatever arrangements you and Leo make for getting me home will be just fine with me.”
“Of course.”
“The children,” she prompted.
“This way.” He led her back through previous rooms and then turned into another section.
The children played a board game on the floor with their grandparents. Catching sight of her, they launched themselves at her.
“Rose!” they shouted, wrapping their arms around her body, nearly toppling her.
Stavros steadied her by grabbing her elbow.
She bent to kiss their heads and raised her eyes enough to see Nessa and Theo exchange a pointed look. They were definitely up to something, and that meant she was in trouble.
“Rose.” Nessa greeted her with a kiss on both cheeks above the children’s heads.
Theo smiled at her by way of welcome.
“Rose, where did you go?” Adonis tugged her toward the game.
Nefeli held her other hand.
“I went home to see my sister. I’m sorry I left in a rush. Next time, I’ll say goodbye.” She gulped down the lump in her throat at the prospect of parting with these darlings forever.
“Why do you have to say goodbye?” Nefeli pulled Rose down onto the floor with her, examining her cards.
Rose looked at the other three grown-ups in the room. Hadn’t anyone explained to the children that the new nanny would arrive in two days? From the looks on their faces, apparently not. They expected her to break the news to the children. Well, that was just great.
She gathered the children against her. “Your new nanny will be here soon, and then I’ll go home.”
“Don’t you want to stay?” Nefeli turned her brown eyes up at Rose.
“We love you. Don’t you love us?” Adonis asked. His eyebrows puckered together.
Rose’s heart fractured all over again. She pulled them tight, fighting the tears gathering in her eyes. “Of course I love you, and I will always look on our time together with fondness.”
“What’s fondness?” Adonis rubbed his head against her side.
“Happiness,” Rose said. She needed to end this sad moment before she fell apart. “But until then, we’ll have fun. For starters, let’s finish your game.” She scooted behind the children while Nessa and Theo resumed their positions on the floor.
Stavros left, punching away on his tablet.
Rose pinned on a smile as the game continued and tried to stay in the moment, aware of the looks Leo’s parents shot her. Inevitably her mind wandered to Leo and what he was doing and where might he be in the house. She could run into him at any time. She twisted her ring, her nerves on edge. She didn’t want to be caught by him unawares. She didn’t want to be caught by him at all. Her heart called her a liar. Above all, she must not be alone with him.
♥ ♥ ♥
Leo hadn’t made any headway with Rose and her forty-eight hours were almost up. He ran harder across the sand than ever before. Not even after Nia’s death had he punished his body this way.
Stavros matched him step for step.
Leo came to the cove and stopped. He bent over, his breath coming in short bursts.
“I don’t think running yourself to death will win her back,” Stavros said. “That’s a terrible plan.”
Leo shot him a dark look. “Don’t think I haven’t been trying.”
“Oh, you’ve been trying. You haven’t been succeeding.”