A Forever Family: Reunited By Their Baby. Rebecca Winters

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      “Kellie? You understand Greek. What are they saying?”

      “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”

      Fran followed her friend over to the counter where Kellie got a waiter’s attention. He rattled off an answer to her question. She turned to Fran. “Someone in the back was listening to the radio and heard that tornado-like winds have swept through the area. There’s no television reception right now. The police have issued a warning that everyone should stay indoors until the danger has passed. It’s a good thing you wanted to stop here.”

      Considering the violence of the elements, it was providential they’d been passing by this village. “Let’s get a drink and find a place to sit down while we wait this out.”

      After being served, they carried their sodas to an unoccupied bistro table. By now the hail had stopped and a heavy downpour had descended.

      Kellie frowned. “I can’t believe this weather.”

      “Since it made the six o’clock news, maybe you ought to call and let Leandros know you’re all right.”

      Her jaw hardened. “He knows. Whenever I leave our apartment, my bodyguard Yannis follows me. If my husband is interested, he’ll phone me.” She pulled out her cell and checked everything. “Nope. No calls yet. See?” She showed her the screen. “No messages.”

      “Kellie—” Fran put a hand on her friend’s arm. “Tell me what’s going on. I’d planned to wait until morning to ask you that question, but since we won’t be leaving here any time soon, I’m asking it now. I want to know what’s happened to the happiest wife I’ve ever known. Where did she go?” The reason Kellie had wanted Fran to come to Greece was no longer a mystery.

      Kellie averted her soulful brown eyes. “Maybe you should be asking Leandros that question.”

      “He’s not here. You are. What’s wrong?”

      Kellie’s face was a study in pain. “I’m losing him, Fran. In fact, I’ve discovered I never really had him and I can’t stand it.”

      Her friend’s emotions were so brittle they’d crack if Fran pushed too hard. Instead of arguing with her that it couldn’t possibly be true, she took a deep breath before saying, “Does this have anything to do with the fact that you haven’t gotten pregnant yet? You’re probably putting too much pressure on yourself to give Leandros a child. These things take time.”

      “Since I’ve been diagnosed with seminal plasma hypersensitivity, that’s the understatement of the year. I’ve never wanted to talk about it, but you deserve an explanation.

      “Our marriage took a crushing blow when I discovered that the painful itching and hives I experienced after intercourse was because my body is allergic to Leandros’s sperm. When the doctor told me twenty thousand-plus women suffer from it in the U.S. alone, I couldn’t believe it.”

      Fran shook her head. “I had no idea.”

      “I know. Growing up, I never knew such a problem existed. Leandros had to have been devastated, but he was wonderful about it. He’s worn a condom every time, but I know deep down he must hate it.

      “The doctor knew we wanted a baby and said we could try artificial insemination with a good hope of success. They have to wash his sperm of the proteins first before the procedure is done. We’ve been trying that method since last year, but unfortunately it hasn’t worked for us. He said he’s willing to adopt. How’s that for irony after what you’ve lived through? At this point I’m thinking it’s just as well,” came the bleak admission.

      Fran couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “What do you mean?”

      “I’m talking about Karmela Paulos. She came to work for Leandros a month ago as part of the typing pool.”

      Ah. Karmela. The woman couldn’t get to him by other means, so she’d insinuated herself into the office. Now things were starting to make sense.

      Karmela Paulos was the gorgeous, raven-haired younger sister of Leandros’s first wife, Petra. Petra had been pregnant when she’d died in a helicopter crash over the Ionian Sea.

      Two years later Leandros had met Kellie by accident at the Cassandra in Athens, one of the famous Petralia five-star hotels. It hadn’t taken long before he’d married her, but it seemed that since his late wife’s funeral, Leandros had acquired a constant companion in Karmela who was always around.

      Fran had met her at the wedding and hadn’t liked her proprietorial behavior with Leandros either. Though he was now a husband for the second time, it seemed Karmela had won herself a position that placed her closer to Leandros than before. This was foul play at its best. Being her brother-in-law, he could hardly turn her down.

      “It was clear to me at the wedding that your marriage had thwarted her dreams to become the next Mrs. Leandros Petralia.” Whatever subterfuge was going on here, Fran was positive Karmela was behind it in order to break them apart. She clearly still wanted Leandros for herself.

      Too bad. Fran intended to make sure this was resolved before she went back to Pennsylvania in two weeks.

      “Tell you what, Kellie. You heard the warning from the police, so I have an idea. Since we’re not supposed to be out on the street, how about we get a room for tonight right here?”

      “That sounds good.”

      “I think so, too. It’ll be fun. How long has it been since we hung out in some cozy little hotel like this?”

      “I don’t remember.”

      “We’ll watch the news on TV when it comes back on, and we’ll get some food. Then we can talk all night if we want. I’ve got an idea about how to thwart Karmela without your husband realizing what’s happening.”

      “I don’t know if that’s possible.”

      Fran smiled. “You haven’t heard my plan yet.” She got up from the table. “I’ll talk to the proprietor and arrange a room for us. When the rain stops, we’ll go out to the car for our luggage.”

      By now Fran figured Kellie’s bodyguard would have contacted Leandros wherever he was and told him his wife was safe and sound. She hoped Leandros would call her soon. The problems in their marriage were tearing her best friend apart. No one knew what that felt like better than Fran.

      Nik Angelis had just entered his Athens penthouse when one of his brothers phoned him. He clicked on. “Sandro? What’s up?” They’d already spent part of the day in a board meeting at the Angelis Corporation. Nik had recently taken over for his father who’d retired.

      “Turn on your television. The news about the tornado is on every station.”

      “I was in it, remember?” It was the only talk at Angelis headquarters. After he’d seen his sister and her family off to Thessalonika early that morning on the company jet, Nik had headed over to the international air cargo station to check on some shipments. While he was talking business with one of the staff, a funnel had dropped down from clouds descending on Athens. It had swept through in a northwest direction and headed straight for the air cargo station.

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