Page 19 of Her Greek Inheritance

Chapter 8

The next day…

Gemma smiled down at Damien as she grabbed a sippy cup full of juice and slipped it into the side pocket of the diaper bag. “Ready to go?” She had the weekend off and the National Zoo had baby pandas that she was anxious to see. Damien was still too young to fully appreciate the wonder of a zoo, but she hoped that by taking him there often, he would come to appreciate nature.

Aimee sat in the kitchen, enjoying a cup of coffee. “Have fun, you two.”

Gemma nodded. “We shouldn’t be more than a couple of hours…”She was interrupted by her ringing phone. She pulled it from her pocket. “Hello?”

“Miss Larsen?”

Gemma’s heart dropped upon hearing her supervisor’s voice. “Yes, Sir. How are you?”

“You don’t have to be nice to me. I realize me calling you on your day off isn’t enjoyable, but there is a situation at the museum that requires your immediate attention.”

“What? Sir, I’m off until Monday—”

“I realize that, Miss Larsen. However, the museum director has requested a meeting with you. How long will it take you to get here?”

Gemma wanted to protest, but she’d never been summoned to a meeting with the director of the Smithsonian Museums.Can a person refuse such a meeting and still have a job in the morning?She wasn’t in a hurry to find out. She swallowed back her disappointment. “It will take me approximately twenty minutes to get across town.”

“Very good. Please come directly to the head office.”

“Yes, Sir.” She hung up the phone and looked at Damien and Aimee. “It looks like our trip to the zoo will have to wait. The director wants to see me right away.”

“Really?” Aimee tilted her head. “Is that normal?”

Gemma shook her head. “No. I can’t imagine what he wants to see me for, but I didn’t think I could refuse.”

“Probably best you didn’t. Don’t worry about your little man. We’ll take a walk down to the park and look at the birds. He probably won’t notice the difference.”

“Thanks, Aimee.” Gemma headed for the bedroom to change. She slipped on a pair of dress pants and a button-down shirt and a few minutes later she was headed to the center of the town.

Her supervisor was waiting for her and waved her into the director’s office. She paused. “Do you know what this meeting is about?”

The man nodded his head, a small smile playing around his mouth. “You’ve been requested.”

Requested? What does that mean?Gemma didn’t have time to ponder the answer. She stepped through the doorway and froze. The director stood in the middle of the room talking to none other than Alexi!

What’s he doing here? This can’t be good.She hadn’t seen him since he’d left her apartment the morning before, and had been berating herself ever since for her weakness.Sleeping with him was a mistake I won’t make again.

“Sir, you asked to meet with me?” she addressed the director, ignoring Alexi for the moment.

The director nodded his head. “Miss Larsen. Thank you for coming so quickly.”

“No problem. What can I do for you?”

“Well, it’s not what you can do for me, but what you can do for this young man. He purchased a rather large Monet at the same auction you attended in Paris a few years back. I understand it is in need of some extensive repair work?”

Gemma nodded, unsurprised to find herself in this situation. Alexi had tried to get her to willingly come back to Greece with him, using the Monet as the lure, but she’d refused.He went over my head! God, the man is high-handed in ways I probably can’t even begin to imagine.

The director continued. “Mr. Moustakas has graciously offered to fund the restoration work, and promised to allow us to showcase the restored piece right here. He’s also made a generous five-million-dollar donation—money you know the museum can put to good use.”

Gemma looked at Alexi then, inwardly seething at the position he was putting her in. She turned her back on Alexi, facing the director. “Sir, while I appreciate Mr. Moustakas’ generosity, he and I already spoke about this issue. I offered to restore the painting for him once it arrives in the States.”

The director shook his head. “Mr. Moustakas believes the painting could be irreparably damaged during transport and has graciously offered to provide your lodging while in Greece.” He looked at Alexi and then inquired, “Is that correct?”

Alexi nodded, waiting for Gemma to meet his eyes to speak. “She will be very well cared for.”