Page 43 of Marriage Masquerade

As Nikos had suspected, his father was upset. He tried to explain the situation, but his father insisted there would have been other ways to comply with the American rules and regulations regarding the visa situation.

He questioned his son’s motive for marrying yet another foreigner.

“Did you not learn your lesson with Katrina?” Stephanos Petropoulos roared.

“Gemma's different,” Nikos defended, keeping his voice low and calm.

His father had a tendency to exaggerate everything, and Nikos knew from years of experience that someone had to keep a cool head.

“I shall be the judge of that. Bring her here so I can meet her.”

“Not yet, Father. If I could take a trip home without jeopardizing the negotiations, I would have returned to get a visa.”

“How are the negotiations proceeding?”

Diverted, he questioned his son on the progress with the union. Only after the negotiations were settled in their favor did he once again insist on his son going home.

Nikos hung up the phone and leaned back in his desk chair. Dealing with his father never got easier. The man was absolute ruler in his household, and getting him to change his mind about anything required a certain finesse Nikos wondered if he’d ever master.

He should take lessons from his mother. She seemed to get whatever she wanted from her husband. Not that she ever asked for much.

Maybe that was the key.

Everything she asked for was important to her, and her husband was pleased to indulge her to bring her happiness.

What would bring Gemma happiness? Nikos wondered.

Separate bedrooms, he suspected, frowning.

A quick end to their mock marriage?

Three days of wedded bliss was not enough time to see how they'd deal together in the future. He thought he knew her from the years she’d worked for him. Tonight, though, she'd totally surprised him. Would there be other surprises?

Delightful ones or distressful ones?

The adventure of marriage was not something he'd considered after divorcing Katrina. He didn’t like the games and the constant need to be on guard.

Yet with Gemma, he felt it would be different. Vastly different. And that held a certain appeal.

Anticipating seeing her in the morning, he rose and headed for their room. He knew she’d be asleep, but just in case she wasn’t…

Gemma looked up from the toast she was buttering when Nikos joined her in the dining room the next morning.

“Good morning,” she said, carefully resuming her task. She’d been disappointed when she awoke to find Nikos had already risen. Not that she expected him to stay in bed until she woke.

“Did you sleep well?” he inquired.

“Yes.”

Nikos sat at the head of the table and poured himself some coffee. As if he’d been listening behind the door, Hal entered with a plate of steaming eggs and sausage.

Gemma helped herself and began to eat.

“Allessandros and his wife have invited us to visit next weekend,” Nikos said when Hal left.

“In Washington?”

“Yes. We can fly down next Saturday morning and return on Sunday evening.”

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