Adonis in Athens - Page 39

Paige merely watched, wondering how she fit in here. She understood why they kept switching back to Greek, but not knowing what they were saying made her uncomfortable. They were undoubtedly talking about her, whether it was intentional or not, and she hated being left out. This was what she was afraid of if she somehow decided to stay with him—her heart had already made a decision but she knew she had to listen to her head as well.

“Paige?”

She started, glancing up guiltily. “Sorry, I let my mind wander.”

“We’re going to dinner with my family at 2:30,” Apollo said. “But I was thinking we’d go to the beach for a couple hours. It will give us a chance to talk.”

She nodded. “Sure. Whatever you want.”

“You okay, honey?” He looked at her closely.

“Just a little nervous. I’ll be fine.”

He made a strange face but nodded and rose to gather coffee cups.

Melina and Dimitri left a few minutes later and Paige went upstairs to slip on her bathing suit and put her hair up. Going to the beach sounded like a great idea; a place she could relax, think, and prepare herself to meet his family. Things had gotten far more complicated than she’d anticipated when she’d agreed to stay, and part of her desperately wanted to go home. If only that didn’t mean leaving Apollo. It was crazy, but loving him felt natural and as she’d sat there listening to him and his father, she’d realized just how connected they were. Marriage, in the legal sense of the word, was nothing more than a piece of paper. One signature on those papers at his office would terminate it and technically it would be like nothing had changed in her life. Except being with Apollo again had essentially changed everything in her life.

Going back to her life in Las Vegas seemed so foreign after just four days in Greece, and she couldn’t explain it. The idea of going out with Tom ever again was laughable. Even though she enjoyed her job, it didn’t tug her to go home. She wanted to give notice and leave in good standing, but if the choice was between her job and Apollo, there was no question which she would pick. Her family and friends were another story, though. She was close to her parents and sister, and she couldn’t even imagine living 7,000 miles away from Raegan. Not to mention learning a new language, new customs, and a whole new city to find her way around. Would she work? Stay home? Would being with him compensate for so many potential problems? She wanted to say yes, but her brain told her to slow down; this was such a big decision to make for a man she’d technically known less than a week.

“What were you thinking with such a serious face?” he asked her when they were finally settled on two chairs on the beach.

“About this. Us.”

“Which part?” he chuckled.

She smiled wanly. “How we can possibly be together.”

“Is it so difficult for you to think about living here? With me?” He didn’t look at her, his heart pounding as he waited for her answer.

“No more difficult than it would be for you to think about living in Las Vegas with me. Remember, I have a family too. Friends. A job. Granted, I don’t make the money you do and I don’t own my own business, but I have a life there.”

“I know.” He squeezed her hand. “But for us to be together, one of us would have to make that sacrifice.”

“And it would most likely have to be me because you make a lot more money.”

“It might be difficult for me to make the kind of living I make here over there.”

“I know.”

“But the other side to this is that my father has hurt me professionally here in Greece. I might actually have to think about working in the U.S.”

“That would work for me, but I don’t think it will for you,” she said slowly. “You have a bigger family and, despite what’s happened with this deal, this is still your family business and your legacy. Your father will eventually pass away and it will be up to you to take over.”

“That might not be for 30 or 40 more years,” he pointed out. “My father is only 48.”

“It’s just so complicated.”

“After what we’ve shared in just a few days, do you believe you’ll be able to simply walk away from what we have?” he asked. “Because I’m having a hard time imagining my life without you in it now that you’re here.”

“Me, too.” She looked up and shook her head. “Is this real, Apollo? Are we really trying to decide if we want to stay together?”

“I don’t know what you’re doing,” he said levelly, still not looking at her for fear she would see the vulnerability in his eyes that he hoped was hidden in his voice. “But I’ve regretted walking away from you for more than three years and I plan to do everything in my power to convince you to stay with me.”

“What happens if things don’t work out?” she asked, realizing she needed to be honest. Their relationship was still new and their time together limited; she couldn’t keep things to herself because the clock was ticking.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, if I uproot my life to stay here with you and you find someone else or a year down the road you figure out that you’re not happy…or something. I’m afraid, Apollo.”