A Bride for the Island Prince / The Last Goodbye. Rebecca Winters

want hugs or kisses from her nannies who tried to mother her, but he knew she was waiting for both from Dottie.

      Zoe wasn’t the only one.

      The second she’d gone to sleep, Dottie tiptoed out of the room. Alex caught up to her in the hall. She couldn’t seem to get back to her suite fast enough. They walked through the corridors in silence. As she reached out to open the door to her apartment, he grasped her upper arms and turned her around.

      They were close enough he could smell her peach fragrance. She was out of breath, but she was in too good a shape for the small exertion of walking to produce that reaction. “Invite me in,” he whispered, sensing how withdrawn she’d become with him. “I want an answer from you and prefer that we don’t talk out here in the hall where we can be observed.”

      “I’m sorry, but we have nothing to talk about. I’m very tired.”

      “Too tired to tell me what has you so frightened, you’re trembling?”

      A pained expression crossed over her face. “I wish I hadn’t come to Hellenica. If I’d known what was awaiting me, I would have refused.”

      “For the love of heaven, why? If I’ve done something unforgivable in your eyes, it’s only fair you tell me.”

      “Of course you haven’t.” She shook her head, but wouldn’t look at him. “This has to do with Zoe.”

      “Because she keeps calling you Mommy?”

      “That and much more.”

      At a total loss, he let go of her with reluctance. “I don’t understand.”

      She eased away from him. “Five years ago my husband and son were killed by a drunk driver in a horrific crash.” Tears glistened on her cheeks. “I lost the great loves of my life. Cory was Zoe’s age when he died.”

      Alex was aghast.

      “He had an articulation problem like hers, only he couldn’t do his vowel sounds. I’d been working with him for a year with the help of a therapist, and he’d just gotten to the point where he could say Daddy plainly when—”

      Obviously she was too choked up to say the rest. His eyes closed tightly for a moment. He remembered the pain in hers the other day.

      “I’ve worked with all kinds of children, but Zoe is the only one who has ever reminded me of him. The other day when she laughed, it sounded like Cory.”

      “You didn’t let on.” His voice grated.

      “I’m thankful for that.” He thought he heard a little sob get trapped in her throat. “It’s getting harder to be around her without breaking down. That’s why I didn’t go with you today. I—I thought I’d gotten past my grief,” she stammered, “but coming here has proven otherwise.”

      He sucked in his breath. “You may wish you hadn’t come to Hellenica, but keep in mind you’re doing something for my daughter only you can do. Watching Zoe respond to your techniques has already caused me to stop grieving over her pain.

      “No matter how much you’re still mourning your loss, doesn’t it make you feel good to be helping her the way you once helped your son? Wouldn’t your husband have done anything for your son if your positions were reversed?”

      She looked away, moved by his logic. “Yes,” came the faint whisper, “but—”

      “But what? Tell me everything.”

      “It’s just that I’ve felt … guilty for not being with them that terrible day.”

      “You’re suffering survivor’s guilt.”

      “Yes.”

      “In my own way I had the same reaction after Teresa passed away. It took me a long time to convince myself everything possible had been done for her and I had to move on for Zoe’s sake.”

      She nodded.

      “Then it’s settled. From now on after her morning lessons, we’ll have another one during the afternoons in the swimming pool. We’ll practice what you’ve taught her while we play. After finding your strength and solace in furthering your career, don’t you see you can make a difference with Zoe and maybe lay those ghosts to rest? It’s time to take a risk. With my schedule changed, I can spend as much time as possible with both of you now.”

      “I’ve noticed.” After a pause, she added, “You’re a remarkable man.”

      “It’s because of you, Dottie. You’re helping me get close to my daughter in a whole new way. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for that.”

      “You don’t need to thank me. I’m just so glad for the two of you.” Dottie wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes. “Tomorrow we’ll work on her W sounds. Good night, Alex.”

      CHAPTER FIVE

      WHAT luxury! Dottie had never known anything like it until she’d come to the palace ten days ago. After a delicious lunch, it was sheer bliss to lie in the sun on the lounger around the palace pool enjoying an icy fruit drink.

      Zoe’s morning lesson with her daddy had gone well. Her B and G sounds were coming along, but she struggled with the W. It might be one of the last sounds she mastered on her long journey to intelligible speech.

      Dottie was glad to have the pool to herself. While they were changing into their swimsuits, she was trying to get a grip on her emotions. She’d been doing a lot of thinking, and Alex had been right about one thing. If she’d been the one killed and Cory had been left with his speech problem, then she would have wanted Neil to stop at nothing to find the right person to help their son. At the moment, Dottie was the right person for Zoe.

      Deep in her own thoughts, she heard a tremendous splash followed by Zoe’s shriek of laughter. Dottie turned her head in time to see Zoe running around the rim of the pool in her red bathing suit, shouting with glee. She was following a giant black whale maybe five feet long skimming the top of the water with a human torpedo propelling it.

      Suddenly Alex’s dark head emerged, splashing more water everywhere. Zoe got soaked and came flying toward Dottie, who grabbed her own towel and wiped off her shoulders. “You need some sunscreen. Stand still and I’ll put it on you.” Zoe did her bidding. “I didn’t know a whale lived in your pool.”

      The child giggled. “Come with me.” She tugged on Dottie’s arm.

      “I think I’d rather stay here and watch.”

      Alex stared at Dottie with a look she couldn’t decipher, but didn’t say anything. By now Zoe had joined him and was riding on top of the whale while he helped her hold on. The darling little girl was so happy, she seemed to burst with it.

      Dottie threw her beach wrap around her to cover her emerald-colored bikini and got up from the lounger. She walked over to the side of the pool and sat down to dangle her legs in the water while she watched their antics.

      All of a sudden it occurred to her she was having real fun for the first time in years. This was different than watching from the sidelines of other people’s lives. Because of Alex she was an actual participant and was feeling a part of life again. The overpowering sense of oneness with him shook her to the core. So did the desire she felt being near him. That’s why she didn’t dare get in the water. Her need to touch him was overcoming her good sense.

      “I think we need to name Zoe’s whale,” he called to her.

      Dottie nodded. “Preferably a two syllable word starting with W.”

      Both she and Alex suggested a lot of names, laughing into each other’s eyes at some of their absurd suggestions. Zoe clapped her hands the minute she heard her daddy say Wally. Though it wasn’t a name that started with Wh like whale, it was the name his daughter wanted. When Zoe pronounced it, the sound came out like Oye-ee.