“Sorry to interrupt,” I say, tugging at Tristan’s hand. These two need some privacy, and we can go to bed without dinner.
But Tristan ignores my signal and walks closer. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Deshni says, but she breaks out into a fresh sob.
That’s not nothing.
Roger shakes his head. “We’re in trouble.”
Oh, God. My stomach turns.Thattype of trouble?
“What is it? How can we help?” Tristan pulls out a chair for me.
I sink down into it, flabbergasted that he can’t read the room. Imean…it’s so freaking obvious.
Maybe that’s a male thing. It does, after all, not affect them in remotely the same way…and maybe I’ve been a bit reckless tonight too with giving him free rein to my body. Regardless of what my cycle says, just look what it did to my head!
“My love?” Roger asks, then waits for Deshni’s signal. She shrugs, and it’s neither a yes nor a no. Roger’s gaze jogs between me and Tristan where we sit opposite them. “Deshni’s pregnant.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
TRISTAN
It’s a good thing we’re sitting down. I’m not shocked, but I am kind of horrified. Hopefully this wasn’t because of a one-time encounter. It has to be a slip-up. Like me with Lexi tonight. That scares the living daylights out of me.
I swallow at the memory of just a bit ago when—if I’m being honest—I made love to a woman for the first time. I blink.Did I? Jesus Christ. That thought came out of nowhere… I’m going to digest that when I have time, andthisis definitely not the moment.
“How’re you feeling?” Lexi’s voice is filled with concern.
Deshni shrugs again, rolling a shredded paper napkin between her fingers. Roger wraps his arm around her shoulders and kisses her temple. He whispers in Swahili to her, and I don’t understand a word, but I don’t need to. The love Roger has for Deshni is evident in his voice, which is gentle, firm, and reassuring.
It strikes me that I know Roger rather well. That’s what happens in a situation of mutual trust. You open up. Over the weeks we’ve spoken a lot, more and more as we got comfortablewith each other. I remind myself that he cares deeply for Deshni, and he’ll do the right thing, if he’s allowed to.
“What are you going to do?” I ask.
Roger looks up. “I need to take time off. Go see her parents and make my case with her dad—with hermom. I want to marry Deshni, but I don’t want her to be estranged from her family either.”
I nod.Good. Fight for what you want. Deshni looks into Roger’s eyes and although tears are still streaming, she kisses him, and he hugs her close.
“Does Sarika know?” Lexi asks.
“No.” Deshni shakes her head. “It’s early. But she probably won’t be surprised. She’s warned me—” She breaks off on a strained sob.
“You’ll work it out,” I tell her, not knowing what else to say.
“Roger’s had such plans since he’s been working with you.” Deshni shakes her head as our eyes meet across the table, then starts to sob again. “Ihad such plans.”
I exchange glances with Lexi. We both probably think the same thing here. We’ve become instrumental to these plans, but now these two have a new reality they didn’t account for. Hopefully it won’t derail the whole thing. It shouldn’t have to…
“I looked at the spa’s numbers earlier,” Lexi says. “There’s a three hundred percent profit increase since you made the changes. I forwarded it to head office. That’s amazing… A great start.”
Deshni picks another paper napkin from the dispenser on the table. “They won’t want me here.”
“You don’t know that,” Lexi says. “Surely there are provisions for maternity leave and all that?”
“This island is no place for kids,” Roger says.
I find it rather perfect,I want to say, but this isn’t my life. “You just need a few more dive hours to finish your master-diverqualification. Soon you can work anywhere. You won’t need to stay here.”
