Marooned in Unrequited Love

I came on this cruise to bury Nixon Walsh, not to end up stranded with him.

He's the man who told me I was too young, handed me to his brother, then broke us apart when we got too close. I built my company to prove he was wrong. My facial recognition software is ready to make his look obsolete, and he still doesn't know what's coming.

One missed call at port changes everything. The ship leaves without us, and we have no rooms, no cards, and a storm moving in. The only bed on the island comes with a lie I don't agree to until it's already out of his mouth: we're engaged.

I tell myself I hate him. Then he puts his hands on me, and years of wanting him come back all at once. I give him what I never gave anyone else. He almost says the words I've waited for since college, and then he doesn't.

The boat to the consulate arrives, and he can't wait to get home. I leave the island with my heart in pieces.

Two months later my launch is destroying his company, and a routine test tells me I'm pregnant. Nixon can call what happened between us a mistake on live television, but he can't call our baby one. I won't raise this child alone while he protects his pride.

He had his chance. Now he has to fight for me, or he loses us both.