This chapter is dedicated to Orchissa and MinHuHuo for your comments!!! Thanks so much.

Pic of Gared Thompson played by Brandon Routh.

June was speechless as she was enveloped into Gared's arms.

"I missed you June, I'm so glad to be back." He released her. "The business trip was long and tedious."

June finally regained her speech a she got out of Gared's embrace.

"Um Gared, it's great to see you but I have a previous appointment." She needed to get Gared away before Dmitri saw him.

"What? You forgot our date to go to the new art museum in Chelsea?" Gared looked crushed.

June had totally forgotten about him much less their date. She was becoming a horrible person; she had been dealing with too many things this past week. Her oh so boring life had become complicated.

"Well something came up, I'm headed to my family, we have this...um...meeting." June hated to lie to him but she did not know what to say at that point. They were in the lift heading downstairs.

"Okay, I guess family supersedes everything." He agreed readily. June breathed a sigh of relief.

"So can we reschedule for tomorrow." June was stuck. The lift opened and she was hoping Dmitri was in the car hidden away and not waiting outside on the pavement.

She tried to stall Gared as they exited the lift. June tried to walk ahead to ensure that the coast was clear. She noticed a black SUV parked at the entrance and no Dmitri in sight. She smiled and turned to Gared in relief.

"Sure I'll meet you tomorrow at 11 am. I have something to help my sister with so it's best I meet you at the museum since I will be in that part of the city." June was becoming the seasoned liar. She hated herself for it but she needed to buy herself a day at least.

"Sure, 11 am it is." He pulled her into another embrace; she made sure they were not visible from outside.

"Thanks for understanding, see you tomorrow."

Gared grabbed her hand, "Until tomorrow," he was going in for a kiss when her mobile rang. It must be Dmitri wondering where she was.

"Later." She said digging for her phone from her purse. She waved him good bye as she answered quickly.

"Yes, I'm almost there stop rushing me!" she shouted at Dmitri who had not said anything.

She ended the call and left the building. One of Dmitri's guards opened the back door for her as she entered the SUV.

"See right here!" she said arranging her seatbelt next to a very angry looking Dmitri who was waving his phone in his hand.

"June." He said in a controlled voice. She had to defuse the situation swiftly so she used her best weapon. She leaned over and kissed him and put on her most adorable face.

"Sorry?" she said softly. "You suit up well Kanaredes." She touched his jacket lapel and kissed him again.

Dmitri smiled at her and pulled her into a deeper kiss as they drove to her Aunt's home.

Dmitri appeared to have not seen Gared to which she was grateful but her nerves were in bundles. She needed to end it fully with Gared tomorrow and ensure Dmitri did not find out.

The place was buzzing with family and guests. She was a bit nervous for her family to meet Dmitri but he put a hand around her waist and gave her a light kiss.

"You look gorgeous in this dress June." He whispered in her ear.

Strangely, he appeared a bit nervous as well. Hmmm she thought.

He was casually dressed in dark blue jeans paired with a brown tweed blazer and waist coast and matching brown shoes. Was there an outfit he could not wear? The man was a model's envy.

"J over here!" May was already there with a drink in hand. She was nicely dressed in white Capri shorts and a batwing floral blouse. June went to her with Dmitri following closely behind.

She gave her sister a hug, "Hey M, you look great!"

"Me? You are glowing!" she gave May a stern look which was quickly shot down.

"Hi Dmitri, welcome!" Dmitri came to June's side as May greeted him.

"Thanks, great to be here." Dmitri stated looking around the place full of June's family.

"Come on let's circulate." May dragged June's hand into the crowd with Dmitri holding her other hand.

"Hey guess who arrived with company!" May announced to everyone.

Dmitri was greeted by her parents, and introduced to her Aunt Celia and Uncle Wyatt as well as other relatives. The men had dragged him away as June went to get a drink and a breather.

"It's okay sis, he will be fine!" May reassured her.

"I'm more worried about me surviving this day." She said as she recounted the Gared encounter earlier.

"Oh my sis is living the fast life." May laughed smiling wickedly. "They call me the wild one!"

"May, I do not appreciate the jibes, I just need some clarity." She was getting distraught.

"It is simple, you meet him tell him that you met someone else and move on. Simple." May said waving her hands like a conductor.

"Indeed but if Dmitri wants to see me then what do I say?" she asked worriedly.

"We'll figure it out but my sis is moving from no social life to too much?" May was enjoying this, she was the one who usually juggled two or three guys at once. She called them her fish pool.

"Okay what did I miss?" April joined their conversation.

"A lot!" May punctuated while filling in their other sister on the Gared development.

June had little time to even think of this some more as family ushered her from one place to another. Dmitri had been employed to be one of the grill masters. He appeared relaxed and to be enjoying himself. He had taken off his jacket and waistcoat and rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt. His jeans rode low on his hips. Oh the man was too fine for her beating heart. She looked at him and he winked at her. He tried to flip a burger over in style and he succeeded. His little fan club which were her teenage cousins all cheered. His ego swelled 100 notches as he repeated his feat. She shook her head as she approached him.

"So Mr show off does it taste good?" she teased as she grabbed a kebab skewer. She had just bit a morsel of red pepper off the skewer when Dmitri bit into it as well. She paused as he pulled off the meat chunk and snuck in a kiss before pulling the strip totally off the strip. The man was too much temptation.

She chewed slowly as Dmitri bit off another strip from her skewer.

"Hey get your own!" she chided and his female fan club cooed in amazement. June stared at them sternly and they scattered away.

"I am the cook I get to nibble whenever I want." Somehow his words went beyond barbecuing and the heat rose a notch and not from the fire.

"Do you want me to get you another beer?" she asked trying to leave the heated environment.

Dmitri pulled her to him, "Later." he whispered before saying "Thanks." He said and she knew exactly what he meant. She skirted out so quickly and got one of her male cousins to bring him the beer.

She was coming out of the bathroom when her mother met her and pulled her into the study and shut the door.

"How are you feeling today my dear?" her mother asked. She was beautifully dressed in a blue crochet shift dress.

"I'm getting the hang of it, the queasiness is subsiding and not everything wants to come out any more." She replied giving her mom a hug.

"Have you told him?" was the dreaded question she did not want to hear.

June stepped away from her mum and sat on the nearby leather sofa. She put her head in her hands.

"I can't seem to say it." She looked up at the mother in despair; her mother sat down next to her and held her hands. "I'm usually so strong and independent but with Dmitri I'm like all soppy and weak."

"Oh my dear, this is what happens when you release your heart." Her mother was being supportive.

"But mum, I don't know what to do any more." She moaned as she hugged her mum.

"Honey, I raised three very strong daughters. You found love and it's new but you can do this. You need to make it right. The sooner you tell him the better it will be. Dmitri is a fair man; he feels the same about you too. I can see it every time he looks at you."

"But mum we've barely known each other for a few months. It's too fast." She felt that things had been rushing so quickly.

"Honey, I knew your dad was the one at our first meeting. He took me on a date right after getting his driving licence and smashed into a parked car when he was trying to park at the restaurant." Her mother reminisced. "Your dad was so overwhelmed but he handled the situation brilliantly. He did not run away but dealt with the vehicle owner and the police as well. We ended up eating burgers from a fast food joint down the street all dressed up in our formal clothes."

Her mother patted her hand, "It was his sincerity in dealing with the situation which made me love him. He knew your grand-dad would make him pay for the damaged car but he faced it all."

"Dmitri was not always rich and he doesn't act all snobbery at all even if he is one of the world's richest men." June revealed.

"Exactly my child, once you see his sincerity hat is all that matters." Her mother's story made her think that she needed to give Dmitri a proper chance and face the future. June was also worried about the pregnancy and the responsibility that came with it.

"What kind of mother will I be I'm so afraid. I know nothing about raising a child.

You are a great woman June you have always been determined and you got your MBA and a blossoming career and you own your flat. You just need to find your balance again. You will be a great mother June, you had a good teacher." They smiled at each other and she hugged her mother tightly.

"Thanks Mom you are the best. Thank you."

Her mother left after one final hug. June knew she was being weak she had never been affected by a man the way Dmitri had totally bowled her over. She was going to be a mother and she had to make it work with Dmitri she was strong. June arrived in the kitchen to hear cheers. It seems the men had begun the notorious football match. Her dad versus her uncle. Her aunt lived across the street from an open communal space.

It was just a huge expanse of green grass that the locals used for any sport or pastime. June saw Dmitri in full football kit. Yes the men went all out every year. He was on her dad's team. He wore blue shorts which really showed off his muscular thighs and a blue shirt which said Team Martin on it.

June joined in the cheers. At the interval her dad was giving a firm pep talk since his team was down by one goal to her uncle's team which had two goals in the net. Her dad did not want to lose and by all the gesticulation going on in the team huddle she was sure he was pushing home that fact. Dmitri appeared to be giving pointers as well. Did he know anything about football? It appeared he did by the way the team were nodding.

The break was over and Team Wyatt pushed off with an easy goal to start, to lead by three goals to one.  Team Wyatt had coordination and was passing the ball with ease. Team Martin was finding it hard to keep the ball and their defense were fighting hard to prevent another goal being scored against them. Dmitri called another timeout and he was animatedly showing something in the team huddle.

After the timeout Team Martin were on fire. Dmitri appeared to change his position on the restart and was now playing as a centre forward.Her Dad passed the ball to her cousin Eric who then flipped it over to Dmitri and he kicked it passed Uncle Wyatt who was his team's goalkeeper. Team Martin was still down with two goals to Team Wyatt. June cheered with her family. May had become an impromptu cheerleader along with Dmitri's teenage fan club and their voices were reigning out with encouragement. Before long her cousin Bernard on her Dad's team scored a goal it was a tie... three all.

The match was almost over and at this rate it was destined to be a draw with each team having three goals each.

Uncle Neve who was the referee shouted that there were two minutes left to play. Team Wyatt had possession of the ball. They were passing well and Cousin Luke on Team Wyatt kicked the ball but it deflected off the post. Everyone groaned at the miss. The game was back in play and Dmitri got the ball, he skilfully run with it away from Team Wyatt. He was near the goal but he was being blocked, he passed it to her dad who shuffled it in slowly and it went straight through Uncle Wyatt's hands. Goal! Followed by the final whistle. Team Martin had won!

Her Dad's team were exuberant. Everyone ran onto the field. June rushed to Dmitri who was still panting. She gave him a huge hug and a quick kiss.

"You were so awesome!" June shouted as Dmitri collapsed onto the field.

"That was amazing!" he said breathlessly. She handed him some water as her dad came over. Dmitri stood up and her dad gave him a huge handshake.

"Good team work Kanaredes!"her Dad complimented as he clapped Dmitri on the back.

"Thanks, sir." The two most important men in her life smiled at each other.

"You were magnificent Dad!" June said giving her Dad a hug.

"Thanks my sweet, your man here did good today." Her dad acknowledged before he walked off to cheers and chants. He had earned bragging rights for another year.