face when she came back up on deck. You devastated her. You threw it right in her face you’d rather be with Shelly than her.”
Cameron tried to interrupt but Sam wouldn’t let him. He pushed him up against the wall and made him listen.
“Shelly spent the day being rude to Marti, cataloguing the value of everything on her ship, and stumbling around drunk. She ordered around Marti’s crew like they were her own personal slaves. She was supposed to be watching Emma, and instead left her alone on a boat. No one with half a brain would leave a five-year-old alone on the deck of a sailboat with a fishing pole.
“After Marti got Emma back on the ship, Shelly completely dismissed the danger Emma and Marti were in and didn’t offer one bit of help.
“Marti, on the other hand, dove into shark-infested waters and saved your daughter’s life. She didn’t so much as think about her own well-being, but made sure Emma was taken care of at the hospital before she finally collapsed from a concussion and exhaustion.
“Thanks to your fiancé, you almost lost your daughter yesterday. You just might lose Marti today.
“Your daughter is in there with Elizabeth right now and asked her if Marti was going to die, and said if she did, it would be all her fault—again. Like the death of her own mother.
“Now, you’re like a brother to me, so I feel I owe you the same thing I would give Jack. You are fucking up your life, and you’re taking your daughter down with you. Fix this. Fix it fast before you lose everything.”
Cameron was writhing. “Don’t you think I know all of this and have berated myself every second? I saw Marti’s face when I came out of the room after leaving Shelly. I didn’t sleep with her, but I may as well have for all the hurt it caused Marti. I heard her voice when she was in the shower and told me she wants Emma and me. Don’t you think it tore me apart to hear her say those words and know she wants us both? I know no one believes Shelly, but she went to the doctor. She is pregnant. Marrying her is the only option. I have more than just the baby to think about. I’m the president of a company, and I have to uphold a moral standard.”
“Bullshit. Jenna would never have you marry her to make sure Merrick didn’t lose profits. When Jack fills her in on what’s been going on, she’s going to ream your ass, and you know it.”
He did know it. He didn’t need another person telling him he was an idiot. Shelly didn’t stay with them at the hospital. She claimed she was tired from the pregnancy and couldn’t be expected to sleep in a chair when she was pregnant.
Happy to be rid of her, all he’d wanted to do was hold Marti and Emma while they slept.
His mind came up with any excuse it could conjure for Shelly’s behavior. Because things couldn’t be this bad. They just couldn’t. “The rocking ship made her unsteady on her feet. That’s all. I tried to get her to lie down and things got out of hand, but I reined it in. She was not drunk.”
“Sure. She’s pregnant, and she’s not a lush. I must be crazy. We all must be crazy. Except for you.”
Sam walked away and left Cameron to think about what he’d said. Maybe he’d come up with the right answer this time, instead of inventing excuses.
Chapter Twenty-One
* * *
MARTI BARELY GOT her eyes open before the pounding in her head beat twice as fast as her heart. The light struck her in the eyes and straight through to her brain like lightning.
Jack sat in the chair, reading a magazine next to the bed.
“Hi, Jack.” Her voice came out weak and soft.
“Hey, welcome back to the living.”
She held up her hand over her eyes to block out the light. Jack closed the drapes and shut off the overhead light above her head. She cautiously opened her eyes again and winced with pain.
“Do you want me to get the doctor?”
“Is someone sick?”
“You are, sweetheart. You had one hell of a concussion. You scared the hell out of everyone.” He picked up the phone by the bed and made a call. “She’s awake.” He hung up without saying anything else.
She didn’t care who he called, she just wanted the splitting headache to go away.