Page 15 of Reckless Encore

There was only one more person left to contact, and her stomach roiled as she listened to each ring. When the call connected, everything inside her froze.

“Blake, thank God. You two need to hurry up and get your asses down to the gardens beside—”

“Sorry, Leah, we can’t. Gabi’s sick. I think she might have food poisoning.”

All those frozen organs started to function at rapid speed—the churning belly, the pounding brain. She hung her head and closed her eyes to stop devastation taking hold.

She didn’t believe Blake for a second. He wouldn’t be calm and collected if Gabi had food poisoning while pregnant. But he would be if she’d been suffering from morning sickness and he didn’t want anyone to know.

“Tell Sean we’re sorry we can’t make it.”

“I will,” she whispered.

“What’s he got you all doing, anyway?”

Her chest caved. Her heart, her lungs, her bones all aching. She couldn’t tell him the truth. He wouldn’t leave Gabi’s side, regardless. All it would do is make him feel horrible, and there’d be enough time for that later. “I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know when we’re finished.”

“Okay, Lee. I’ll call you back once Gabi is feeling better. I think she’s over the worst of it already.”

“That’s great. I’ll see you later.”

She turned to the gazebo, sending a silent message to her husband in the form of a wince as she redialed everyone else one final time.

Again, no luck.

Her options narrowed. The ability to resolve this situation became harder to contemplate.

“Where are they?” Sean schooled his expression. Now his lips were a flat line of sterility and his eyes devoid of warmth.

“I could only get a hold of Blake…who isn’t coming.”

“Why the hell not?” Ryan asked.

“Gabi’s sick and he won’t leave her side, so I didn’t tell him.”

“Hungover?” Sean snipped.

“No, she didn’t drink last night. He thinks it might be food poisoning.”

“Then we need to report it to the resort. Right?” Ryan glanced from Sean to the official, then back at her. “It’s not like she can eat anything other than the food they provide. There’s nothing else on this island.”

She held up her hands. “One thing at a time.”

One disaster.

One heartbreak.

“What’s wrong?”

Leah’s stomach fell at the sound of Melody’s voice. She couldn’t turn. The agony on Sean’s face already spoke volumes.

“They’re not coming, are they?”

“No,” Sean growled.

Leah swung around, needing to do something, anything, and found the most devastatingly stunning sight behind her.

Melody stood there, her strawberry-blond hair draped in waves over her shoulders, her tight-fitting cream gown elegantly stitched with beads and purple thread. Light makeup highlighted her natural beauty in the simplest of ways, the main feature her eyes that flashed with long, dark lashes.

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