Parker's Island (37 page)

“Yes, I do. 
But I can’t stay married to you
for another two years
. 
I’m sorry
.
  You’re going to have to find someone else to provide
you
with citizenship.
”

“You really think
this is
still
about
citizenship?”
s
he
asked
, a bit softer now.

“What else
,
then?
  What do you want?
”
h
e
asked
, rubbing his temples.

She closed her eyes
and sighed
,
“I want what she has.”

I took a deep breath, knowing then that she never
really
cared about keeping her green card
.  S
he
only wanted
him.

“Martina, you kn
e
w this was a business proposition, nothing more.  I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you in any way. 
But
I don’t love you.  I
have been
completely faithful to
the vow we took
un
til yesterday
,
when I filed for divorce.  I’m sorry if you thought that holding me to our agreement would someday change my mind and we’d
b
e
come
a happy couple.  I love Delaney, please understand that.  You are a smart, beautiful woman
.  Y
ou can have any man you want.”

“Evidently not
,
”
s
he said quietly.

“Do you really want a man who doesn’t love you?  You deserve better than that.  We both do.”

She thought about what he said for a few minutes
.  “I
guess I just couldn’t accept the fact that you didn’t want me. 
No man has ever refused…
f
ine, t
he merger stands
.  I
’ll give you what you want
.
I’ll sign the papers.”

She started to walk away,
and
Logan reached down and grabbed his pants, pulling them on under the sheet.  He stood up and said, “Martina, thank you.  I’m really sorry
this didn’t work out like you wanted.
”

She turned and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll surv
ive.  You’re not the only man…
”  S
uddenly
,
she turned pale.  Logan followed her eyes, they were on me.  Martina was focused on my very pregnant shape
,
no longer concealed by Logan and
now
very
evident under the
form-fitting sheet.

Her beautiful face turned from pale to bright red in a matter of seconds.  I found myself pulling the blankets up to protect my unborn child from the mere look of her anger.
  I had never seen such hatred in someone’s eyes.

“I’m such a fool!  You almost made me believe you!
  You’re
going to pay dearly for this!” s
he roared with such anger
,
that
I was
actually
frightened for him.

“Martina…
i
t’s not his
baby
!” I
yelle
d.  But it was too late, she was already gone.

Logan ran after her, but he came back a few minutes later and said, “She won’t listen to reason.”

“I’m so sorry,”
I cried, running into his arms.

“For what?  I told you, she can’t hurt me. 
Delaney, stop worrying
.
I swear to you it’s
alright
.  She’s not going to be able to do anything.  All she can do is take the company
,
and I don’t care about it anymore.  It’s not the same company since the merger.  It’s not what
my grandfather and mother built.  T
hey killed that long ago. 
I have everything I
want.  Please believe me, you are the only thing I care about.”

“She was
just…
so hurt
,
”
I said sadly.

“I know. 
I had hoped it would end on a more positive note, but honestly, I know Martina and I knew that
was very unlikely.  Delaney, she
will
get over this. 
Don’t you think that if she
truly loved me
s
he would have honored our marriage vow
, or at least made an attempt
?
  Delaney, she doesn’t really love me
.  S
he doesn’t know how.  She
’s
just
angry that I didn’t fall all over her like every other man she’s
ever
wanted.
”

What he said made perfect sense and once again I was starting to feel better about
things
.  I took a deep breath
.
“I’m sorry, but she can’t have you anyway!  You’re mine
now
and I think we should get back to
..
.
jogging
,
” I said, needing to feel the comfort of his arm
s
around me.  We fell back into bed and picked up where we left off before Martina walked into the room
. 

A while later
,
Logan
quietly
asked, “So, did I make you forget?”

“Hmmm?” I
asked
, blissfully content.

“Did I make you forget about…Chad?”
h
e asked
,
softly
.

“
W
ho?” I
asked
,
pulling him back down to me for another wonderful kiss.

And although I was blissfully happy in Logan’s arms and in his bed, I couldn’t escape the nagging feeling that
Martina
had meant what she said.

Chapter
Ten:
Making Plans

We spent the rest of the morning in bed, until Logan said, “I think
I
need IV fluids now.”

I laughed and said, “Well, if you weren’t so perfect, I would have gotten up hours ago.”
             
“Perfect
,
huh?”
h
e grinned.  “Far from it, but I am thirsty, and I’ll bet you two are hungry
as well
,
”
h
e said, patting my over-grown belly.

“I have what I’m hungry for
,
”
I said, and
pulled him back
down
to me.

“You’re going to kill me
.  Y
ou know that
,
don’t you?
” h
e said jokingly.

A while later I begrudgingly allowed him to lead me to the kitchen for some much needed food and
drink
.

“You should be starving
,
” he said, after chugging down orange juice from the carton.

“My mother would have a fit if she saw you doing that
,
” I laughed
while
envisioning the rage on her face
.

“Well, if you hadn’t drained me of all my fluids
,
I would have been able to wait until I filled a glass.”

I was standing there looking at him longingly, wanting him yet again and said, “I think you better drink a few more cartons
.
”
  H
e grinned and finished the carton off.

We sat down for a quick breakfast of eggs and toast and I looked up and saw him watching me.  “What are thinking about?”
I asked.

“You, the
baby
, e
verything
; h
ow blissfully happy I am
,
”
h
e said
, smiling at me and reaching out to take my hand
.

“
Me too. 
I guess we still have some things to work out
.  B
ut
for the first time
,
I’m not afraid to face it.  In fact, I’m looking forward to…everything.
”

“Do you want to live here, or would you rather buy a house closer to your parents?”
h
e asked, out of the blue.

“What?  Why would I ever want to leave this
beautiful
island and what would make you think I would want to live by my
parents?”
I was stunned.

“They are your parents.  I know things are strained
between you
right now, but they love you. 
Please d
on’t take that for granted,” he said
;
then added, “I’m
sorry.
I didn’t mean to lecture you.”

“
I f
orget sometimes that you don’t have a relationship with your father.  I do love my parents, but we’re not that far away
from them
.  When things are…
settled, we can visit them and they can come here.  I love it here, and I wouldn’t dream of asking you to move.”

“I would
,
though, without hesitation.  My home is with you and the baby and it doesn’t matter to me where we live.”

“Good, then we’ll
live
here
,
” I said, touching his perfect face.

“You said that your mother would throw a fit if she saw me drinking from a carton?”
he asked, looking pensive.

“Oh
,
definitely.  She would give you a look of extreme disapproval, making you instantly remorseful and apologetic
, whether you were actually sorry or not
.”

“I
’ll
bet they loved Brian
,
”
h
e said
, looking a bit
distant
.

“Yeah, they did.  Why the sudden interest in my parents?”

“No reason.  Well, what would
you
like to do
…
?
”
             
“Oh no
.
I’m not letting you off the hook that easy.  Why the sudden interest in my parents?”
I asked
a
gain.

“I guess I’m just not
so
sure that they’ll think I’m the best choice for you.”

“They
’l
l love you
.  T
hey’ll see how wonderful you are and how happy you make me.  They’ll love you, I know it.”  I had never realized how much Logan longed to be a part of a family.  I had always had a family, and although they may have tried my patience, they were there
for me
and they loved me.

“I’m not so sure.  They may hate me for…”
h
e stopped and looked at my belly.

“But you didn’t..
.”

“I’m the baby’s father
,
Delaney, and that’s what
we’re
going to tell everyone.  No one ever has to know about Chad.  I can promise you that
he
won’t ever
say anything to you or anyone else
about it
. 
B
ut we still have to tell your parents that you’re pregnant, and unfortunately
,
I can’t marry yo
u until Martina
signs the damned papers
, and I know she’s going to drag it out as long as she can
.”

“You
…
you
want to marry me?”  I asked
, stunned.

“What kind of question is that?  Of course I want to marry you.  I’d marry you today
,
if I could.”

The tears started
then and he was on his knees at my side.  “You don’t
have
to marry me…
it was just a thought
.  Y
ou don’t have to do anythi
ng you don’t…
”
h
e said, misunderstanding my tears. 
I kissed him hard, leaving no doubt as to my answer.