Epilogue
Eighteen months later…
GETTING TO HER FEET, Willa shielded her eyes from the sun beating overhead, her green gaze scanning the sky.
Of course, there was no sign yet of the quivering outline of an incoming helicopter.
The guests were not arriving for another two hours for the surprise birthday party she had arranged for Ares.
It was just family and Thea, who was as good as family.
But there was still a schedule of sorts, which meant that she had to persuade her husband to come out of the sea.
Her stomach flipped over as Ares glanced back towards the beach.
Because it was still there, that invisible thread pulsing between them.
Of course, he had noticed her getting up.
He noticed everything.
Not quite everything, she thought, her hand moving lightly over her stomach.
She watched, heart swelling as his lean, muscular body cut through the waves like some mythical sea god, their son clutched firmly against his chest,
Alexander Robert Konstantinou.
Named for both his grandfathers, dark curls framing his face and dark blue eyes that changed almost overnight to match his father’s and great-grandfather’s. Her love for Alex, for Ares was immeasurable and absolute. And it was reciprocated. Of that, she had no doubt.
‘Hey, there, little man,’ she crooned, cocooning him in a towel as he reached out for her, and buried his petal-soft face against her throat, babbling excitedly.
‘We saw some fish.’ Ares leaned in to kiss her. ‘Did you see? He got so excited. I think he knew what they were.’
She nodded, smiling at the pride on his face.
They had been reading to Alex for months now.
At first it was more about creating a routine and the baby had simply tried to eat the books, but recently he had started to show a preference for certain stories and Ten Little Fish was by far his favourite.
‘He’s smart. Like his daddy.’ She kissed her son’s head.
‘Like his mummy, too. He’s a lucky boy. Luckiest little boy in the world to have you as his mother. And I’m the luckiest man in the world to have you as my wife.’
‘So it was luck that brought us together?’ she teased him. ‘I thought it was my poor understanding of British traffic rules.’
His grey eyes rested on her face, soft but serious now. ‘Luck had nothing to do with it. If you hadn’t stepped out in front of my car that day, we would have met anyway. I would have found you because we were—we are—meant to be together.’
She knew that he wanted to reassure her, that once she had needed that reassurance. But she didn’t need it now, because she knew that he meant each word with every beat of his heart. She knew because she felt the same way.
And she still hadn’t quite gotten used to these feelings.
Maybe she never would. Maybe they were just so fathomless and overwhelming and all-consuming that it wasn’t possible to get used to them.
Maybe the preciousness of it would always remain because that was what real love was supposed to feel like.
Reaching out, she pressed her hand against the contoured muscles of his stomach and his pupils snapped outwards to swallow the grey of his irises as he pulled her closer, nuzzling her throat, and it felt like flying, knowing how much he wanted her, needed her.
She felt him tense. ‘Is that the helicopter?’
‘It is.’ She took a breath. ‘We’ve got some guests for lunch.
Your family and mine. Oh, and Thea’s coming too.
I know it’s not a big birthday, but I wanted to get everyone together.
Ariana told me about your family celebrating things.
Celebrating life, and I thought that sounded so lovely. It’s my birthday present to you.’
There was a short silence, and then he nodded slowly, and he cleared his throat. ‘It’s a beautiful idea. I love it.’ He kissed her gently. ‘I love you.’
‘And I love you, so very much.’
Her gaze rested on the platinum band on her ring finger. They had married fifteen months ago in a tiny white-painted chapel, with just their close family in attendance and no media. Ariana had been her maid of honour, and the triplets had been her bridesmaids. Robert had walked her down the aisle.
Thanks to her hormones, she had been close to tears all day, but it was only when she saw Ares waiting for her, his grey eyes soft with tears of his own, that she had cried. But they were tears of happiness and gratitude.
She was still grateful now. How could she not be?
She had everything she’d ever wanted. The love of her family.
All her family, because her sisters knew the truth now, and instead of weakening their bonds, it had strengthened them.
She and Amber had forged a new alliance too, based on truth and acceptance.
And then ten months ago, she had given birth to Alex, bringing chaos and an even sweeter contentment.
They made it back up to the villa in time to greet the three blonde teenage girls as they burst onto the terrace, shouting excitedly at the top of their voices.
The rest of the day was spent eating, drinking and talking.
* * *
It was the perfect birthday, Ares thought, his gaze travelling over his expanded family, resting momentarily on David Arteta.
He felt a sudden urge to cross the terrace and shake David’s hand to thank him, because David was the reason he and Willa had met now rather than later.
His early antagonism towards the younger man had faded, partly because David had agreed to a two-year engagement.
But mostly because David was clearly smitten with Ariana.
‘Admit it. You like him, don’t you?’
His sister poked him in the ribs, one eyebrow raised in challenge.
‘More than I thought I would,’ he admitted, smiling.
‘Good. Because I have good taste in more than just shoes,’ Ariana said, glancing down to admire her embellished leather sandals. Her face softened a little, and she leaned in to press her cheek against her brother’s shoulder. ‘You have good taste too.’
‘You mean that?’
‘I do. I think she’s cool and funny and smart. But what matters is that she loves you.’ Ariana bit her lip. ‘She properly loves you. And that’s good enough for me.’
He had told Ariana and his grandfather the truth about Zoe, and although they were both angry with her, their anger was tempered by his deep and grounded happiness.
And he was happy. He still loved his work, but the lure of the big deal had faded.
His eyes flickered across the noise-filled terrace to where Willa was laughing.
She was doing some complicated dance routine with her sisters, and she was concentrating on her feet.
Then, as if she could feel his gaze, she looked over at him, her mouth curving into a smile that knocked the air out of his lungs.
As he watched her peel away from the dancing girls and walk towards him, he took a moment to marvel at the woman who was his wife and the love of his life, feeling his body tense as it always did, feeling the air change.
‘Having fun?’ She kissed him softly on the mouth.
‘I am, yes. Thank you for arranging it all. I’ve never had a surprise party before.’ He pulled her closer.
‘I was a bit worried about not telling you.’ She was biting her lip, and he knew why, and that she cared so much made his heart hammer against his ribs. ‘I know you don’t like surprises.’
‘I do now. What the—?’ Ares glanced down, frowning as Toula nosed her way between them.
His heart jerked as the dog pressed her muzzle against Willa’s thigh, looking up at her adoringly, and he felt Willa’s hand curl softly around his forearm.
‘Why is she doing that?’ His body was vibrating because he knew the answer to the question even before Willa said quietly, ‘The party was one of my presents. I have another, but I think Toula just spoiled the surprise.’
‘Are you…?’
‘Yes. I did a test. Well, six actually. This morning before you woke up. I was waiting for the perfect moment to tell you.’
‘This is perfect. You’re perfect.’ His voice was husky with a love that he had no choice but to feel. A love that would be complicated and sometimes hard. A love that would bind them tight and keep them strong.
He moved his hand to caress the curve of Willa’s belly, and then she was kissing him, and his heart was a tangle of love and wonder and happiness. Perfect happiness.