Love Interrupted

by Eva Andrews

She and I were living together, and best of all, planning a future together. Shayne was the first thing I thought of when I woke up in the morning, and the last thing I thought of before I fell asleep every night. Fuck being a normal couple, I wouldn’t trade this for anything or anyone.

  My ‘normal’ was having her beside me when I slept, when she wasn’t there, I didn’t sleep. She always made sure a part of her body was always touching me, be it a foot or a hand, or straight up sleeping on my chest.

  I loved it, I loved all of it. This is what I wanted for the rest of my days.

  Running my hand through her long hair, I pulled the blanket around us as the wind kicked up. I considered carrying her to our bedroom below, but I couldn’t bring myself to break the spell. Sleeping under the stars with her held a magic I didn’t want to let go of.

  Shutting off the TV, I took the central remote and killed all the unnecessary lights for the night. The weather was nice and warm; the breeze was soft and there wasn’t a hint of rain in the forecast.

  Maybe a night under the stars was exactly what I needed. Shayne was physically tired, and I was mentally tired, we both needed this. Kissing her forehead, I shut my eyes and let the sounds of the ocean lull me to sleep.

  About ten minutes later I realized sleep wasn’t happening anytime soon, my brain had kicked into overdrive. Of course it would, I had a weekend away with the love of my life and all I wanted to do was fall asleep next to her.

  I had tonight all planned out, given this was my third attempt at asking her to marry me. Alas, tonight didn’t work out either. It was hard to get angry with her when she was so fucking adorable, and obviously she wasn’t falling asleep on purpose.

  Thinking of a new game plan, I grinned and silently pondered my options.

  Shayne

  Curling my toes, and stretching out on our large bed, I let out a long yawn and reached over for Cameron.

  How did I make it to our bedroom?

  Lifting the soft comforter off my head, I looked around our bedroom for my boyfriend. Sitting up in bed, the sun blasted through the cracks in the blinds letting me know I slept in far longer than I should have.

  Hello Saturday afternoon.

  By the time I was brushing my teeth, I had woken up enough to notice something felt different- there was odd weight on my finger.

  Standing in our posh bathroom on the yacht in only my black cheekini underwear and Cam’s old Army shirt, I looked at myself in the mirror and dropped my toothbrush.

  Staring at my hand in the mirror, I saw jaw-dropping diamond ring on my finger staring back at me. Looking down at my hand, I tried to remember last night.

  Had I gotten engaged and forgotten all about it?

  Rinsing my mouth out, I was speechless.

  Turning out of the bathroom, I walked out of our room and searched the large living area for Cameron. Coming up empty, I searched the entire main floor before heading up to the top deck. I knew Cam wasn’t captaining us, as we were still moored in one of our favorite spots.

  Twirling the ring on my finger, I heard Max barking upstairs as I jogged up to the top deck to see Old Max leaned over the edge of the ship barking and wagging his tail.

  “Cam?” I called out fairly loudly, not seeing him anywhere. Suddenly worried something happened to him, I ran over to the side of the yacht and looked down at the clear water. Below, Cameron was swimming around the ship.

  I waited until his fifth lap around the 137ft yacht before I finally had to say something. Slowly standing up, I leaned over the edge and called out to him, “Morning handsome.”

  Stopping mid-stroke, my handsome ex-Army Ranger smiled up at me, “Morning sugar, I was wondering when you were going to wake up.”

  Holding up my hand, “What is this?”

  Laughing he shook his head, “You have a Ph.D. Shayne Marie, you know exactly what that is.”

  Smiling down at him I put my hands on my hips, “I don’t have to have a doctorate to know usually a woman gets asked a very important question before a giant diamond is put on her finger.”

  Finding it comical we were having this conversation in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, three stories apart on a boat as I watched him tread water and look up at me.

  “It’s a bookmark Shay.” He called up to me, a wickedly handsome grin lit up his face.

  Thoroughly confused, I leaned over the side of the boat and looked down into the water where he watched her, “Bookmark?”

  “Every plan I’ve made to ask you to marry me, has been foiled by you falling asleep. I figured I’d do it backwards, put the ring on your finger and then when you woke up, I’d finally ask you.”

  My heart lurched.

  Shit, had he said every plan? How many plans had I ruined by falling asleep like I was an old hag? My heart pounded with excitement as I climbed the edge of the boat.

  “Shayne! Don’t you dare jump!” He warned, clearly seeing I wasn’t fazed, he added in a commanding, “I’ll never ask you if you jump off that ship!”

  Grinning down at him, I gracefully dove into the crystal-clear water by him and popped out of the water next to him, “Liar.” I goaded as he swam over to me.

  Kissing my nose, “What am I going to do with you?” Grabbing onto the ship with one arm, he held me easily as I wound my arms around his strong neck.

  “I didn’t just jump off your ship, in your favorite Army shirt to answer that question.” You couldn’t peel the grin off my face if you tried. This was really happening. Right here, in the Gulf of Mexico- away from everyone, private and personal.

  Cupping my jaw with his free hand, “That is our ship little lady, and I’m pretty sure you haven’t let me wear my favorite shirt in months, you always have it on. You’ve turned all my favorite things into that, just things, you are my favorite everything now. Marry me Shay, be my wife, my partner in everything life has to offer us. I want the forever we started eleven years ago at Cornell…”

  Shutting him up with my lips, whispering against his mouth, “Yes, holy shit, yes.”

  Laughing, he nuzzled me, “Do you like your ring?”

  Remembering the giant ring I found on my finger this morning, I looked at it as we shifted with the water, “I about passed out when I first saw it, you are a tricky devil Mr. Carmichael. Have I really fallen asleep every time you ask me to marry you?”

  Grinning, “Yes, but to be fair, you are always so fucking adorable it is hard to get upset when my plans were foiled by your sleep patterns. You’ve been working so hard, and I’ve been overthinking this entire proposal.”

  “Overthinking it?”

  “I wanted it to be perfect for you, I ran through all sorts of options. Big screen announcements, a surprise engagement around our family like Jud and Addie had. But none of it fit, I was overthinking it.”

  “What made you do this?”

  “Jud told me to follow my heart. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked down at this finger,” pulling it to his lips, and kissed it, “and wished my ring was already on there. I knew months ago, shit, years ago that I wanted to marry you baby. I just wanted it to be perfect and special for you.”

  “It was perfect, this is perfect Cameron. You are perfect for me, and yes, I absolutely love this ring. You have amazing taste, it is a beautiful mix of vintage and modern and good God man, the rock is probably way too big.”

  “Oh shut up, don’t tell me it is too big. I would have bought a bigger one for you if I didn’t think it’d weigh down your hand. Can’t have my wife sink to the bottom of the ocean because her wedding ring weighs her down.”

  “Your wife, I like that.”

  “Good, because I refuse to have some long drawn out engagement. You and I have waited long enough.”

  Seeing me wince at the mention of a short engagement, he looked at me with suspicion, “What?”

  “Your mother will not like the idea of anything other than a full blown out Carmichael affair.” I offered honestly, and without attitude. I loved Lil
lian Carmichael, she was such a loving and kind woman. She adored her children, and me, I couldn’t imagine hurting her feelings with a rushed wedding.

  Kissing my nose, “She will understand.”

  “Cameron,” I said in a warning tone, “we can’t steal anyone’s thunder and get married before the others, it wouldn’t be right.”

  Shaking his head, with a grin, “Whatever, we’ll figure it out. Right now, I just want to enjoy the weekend with my beautiful fiancée, and maybe get her out of this wet shirt.” Running his hand under the edge of the shirt that was suction cupped to my wet body, my nipples reacted immediately.

  “Oh my God, fiancée, that word is absolutely insane. Are we really doing this? Are you sure Cam?” I asked, that familiar worry crept back inside my heart.

  “Fuck yes we’re doing this Shay, you and me baby, Team Carmichael from here on out.”

  Because I was a giant shithead, I kissed his lips and squeezed my legs around his trim waist, “You mean Team Montgomery-Carmichael?”

  “Call our team whatever you want baby, as long as it’s you and I.”

  Laughing, I had to give it to him. Cameron Carmichael always knew what to say.

  “Team Carmichael it is.” I whispered against his lips.

  Chapter 16

  Shayne

  “Shayne, are you okay?”

  Looking up from my ice water, I saw Greyson’s eyes widen with concern as he held onto his wine glass.

  Sitting across from him at our table at Antione’s, “Of course I’m okay, why?”

  “Because you and I have been having dinner at least once a month for a long time, and this is the first time you haven’t ordered a glass of wine. I find that suspicious.”

  Waving him off, “I had a long week, I’m afraid a glass will make me pass out before I get home. I assumed you’d rather me talk during dinner, instead of snore?” Although it was true, it wasn’t the entire truth. I was about as sure as a girl could get that I was pregnant, well, without the doctor confirming it. I had been pregnant once, I knew the signs, yet I was too chicken shit to take an actual test. I just knew, I didn’t need to pee on a fucking stick to know I was pregnant with Cameron’s child.

  “Shayne, come on. I’ve known you for years. Something is wrong, it is very unlike you to pass on a drink, even if you are dead tired.”

  Grabbing my glass of water, my hand shook as I raised it to my lips.

  “For real Shayne, what the hell is going on?” He asked as he scowled at me.

  “I’m fine Greyson, honestly, I promise.” I offered with a cheeky smile, for a moment I wanted to blame it on PMS, but I couldn’t muster the lie.

  He and I usually had lunch or dinner whenever he was in town, depending on my schedule. Although he was a dear friend, he was also an ex-boyfriend, and Cameron happened to be a bit bristly when it came to Greyson. For that reason, I had avoided telling my fiancé whenever I met up with Greyson.

  I had been having causal meals with Grey for years, so it wasn’t as if this was something new.

  I still felt guilty, I wasn’t necessarily lying to Cameron but I also wasn’t being truthful, or rather upfront. I just knew he’d have an attitude about Greyson, and I didn’t want to lose of the few people in this world I trusted.

  Greyson might be an ex-boyfriend, but he served in the military with my brother and Cam, and he was one of the most genuine people I had ever met. Plus, our catch-ups were always innocent. There was no way I’d ever cheat on Cameron, nor did I feel anything that could be considered romantic for Greyson. Sure, he was a tall Texas cowboy who wore a business suit like a second skin, but he wasn’t the one for me.

  Cameron and I had been engaged for two weeks now, and in that time Greyson had been nothing but supportive and offered his sincere congratulations. It wasn’t as if the man was pining for me, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think he’d jump at a second chance with me.

  Greyson was in a long term relationship with a lovely girl, and best friends with Addie’s fiancé, Ashton. He would always be around. What he and I had years ago was dead and over, and I had no intention of changing that.

  “Your pregnant, aren’t you?”

  Shocked at how blunt his question was, my jaw dropped, “Greyson!” In the busy historic restaurant, the world buzzed around us as he waited for a real answer.

  I absolutely refused to admit, or tell anyone before I told Cameron. I deserved to tell my fiancée before anyone else found out.

  “Shayne, but I thought…”

  Oh fuck. Here we go. Didn’t see that one coming.

  “You told me you didn’t want children, you told me the idea was off the table forever.”

  His words stung, because I could remember the exact moment I said those words to him. We had been dating about six months when we had the first fight about children. When I told him I didn’t want children, I saw his heart break.

  I had never been fully honest with him, I had never told him the truth about why I had decided I couldn’t bear the idea of starting a family. So, I had told him I didn’t like children, which was complete and utter bullshit, and Greyson knew it.

  “So you’ll marry him, and have his babies? But I wasn’t good enough?” He asked quietly. There wasn’t anger in his tone, just hurt.

  “What? Good enough? Greyson, it was never about being good enough. You are a good man; I was just broken.”

  “Why him? I mean, I know he’ Mr. Fucking Perfect, but I’m right up there too.”

  The man had a point, Greyson O’Malley was one of those rare breeds, a good guy with a bad boy look. He was the entire package, for some other lucky lady.

  “It’s always been him Grey.”

  “What do you mean? Jesus Shay, I don’t care if you have to give me the super short edited version, but help me understand. You blew a fucking lid when we were dating and I mentioned the idea of wanting children…someday. Then, when Derrick pressed you for kids, you shut him down so quick his neck damn near snapped. So, what it is about Cameron that made you change your mind?”

  Looking across the table, I reached over and grabbed his hand. Greyson deserved to know, the fact was I should have told him years ago. I should have explained the why. He was a damn good friend and boyfriend, and he deserved to know. I didn’t want him going through life with a complex simply because I was too cold-hearted to share my past.

  Tears brimmed in my eyes as I took a soothing breath and started, “I met Cam right before he deployed, I was in college still. We had one night together and I accidently got pregnant, he was overseas and I was scared shitless. Cut to two months later, I had won the NASA contest, got my patent and eventually made the final deal with NASA that skyrocketed my bank account.”

  Handing me his glass of white wine, “Here, just drink it. You’ll be fine, both of you.”

  Taking the glass, I took a sip, “My druggie mother paid to have me kidnapped, she wanted my money. When she realized she couldn’t access my money without taking me into the bank, she beat me so badly I lost the baby.”

  “Jesus Christ. Shayne, I’m so sorry.” His voice was low, and full of emotion, he finally understood.

  “My mom killed my dad and three other men in a car accident, then she turned on me for money and I suffered a miscarriage of a baby I never thought I wanted, but loved nonetheless. I suffered too much heartbreak to consider going through that again, it was too much for me to bear. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you Greyson, you deserved to know why.”

  Reaching over, he patted my arm and grinned, “No apologies Darlin’, I can imagine that isn’t an easy story to share. I’m just sorry for all the pressure, had I known, I would have never pushed.”

  Taking another drink of the wine he’d given me, “You deserved to be loved by someone who could offer their entire heart, not just a sliver of it.”

  “Shayne, I’m so proud of you. I don’t know how you did it, but somehow you have learned to shine through all the horrible things that happ
ened to you, and you still smile. You bring out the best in people, you always have. I am so thankful we can still be friends, you mean a lot to me Shannie, and I want you to be happy.”

  “I want the same for you Grey. Please don’t say anything about the baby, I haven’t gotten to tell him yet. If he finds out you found out before him, he’ll fucking blow his lid.” I offered honestly.

  Taking the wine glass out of my hand, he finished the remaining wine and tilted his head, “Of course I won’t say anything, I’ll take it to the grave. Honey, you’ve got to tell him about the baby soon, he’s got to stop going on missions now.”

  It was like the movies. I heard the screech of tires as the world around me stopped with Greyson’s seemingly innocent comment.

  Stop going on missions…now?

  “What the fuck did you say?”

  “Oh shit, Shayne. You didn’t know?”

  It was clear that Greyson knew he was in deep shit, “Just forget that I said anything.” He said, avoiding eye contact.

  “Nope. You don’t get to pretend that didn’t happen. Tell me.”

  “Shay…”

  Balling my fists, “Tell me now Greyson or I’ll never talk to you again. I just shared with you a very painful part of my past, you don’t get to play this one off.” Watching him sift through the options in his head, he rolled his neck and took a deep breath. Rubbing his face with both hands he groaned and crossed his arms.

  “I’ll tell you the basics, you will have to find the rest out from the man who should have told you this shit himself. Also, if you tell him I told you, I’ll never talk to you again, got it?”

  A little taken back by his compromise, I nodded.

  “Cam, like your brother and I, have been on a contract basis with the government on as ‘as-needed’ basis since we technically retired from the Rangers. Sometimes months go by with no work, and other times we are kept very busy. We are a part of the same team, and as a group pick and choose what we sign up for. Cam is our leader, but we all have a say in the missions we choose.”

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.