Page 53 of Tristan’s Temptation

“I don’t know. I’ve never been on a cruise before.”

“But you’ve been on a boat.”

She tipped her head to think about it. “Yes. But I don’t remember feeling like this.”

“Maybe it was the shrimp. We ate a lot of shrimp last night. I’ve read about cruise-ship food.” He fell silent, brooding. “What a stupid idea. We should never have come.”

Her heart dropped. Her stomach began to churn again. “What?”

“No. No. I didn’t mean that. I just…we should have gone to a bed-and-breakfast. They don’t move.”

She patted his hand. “It was probably the shrimp.”

“I’ll take you to the doctor.”

“I’m feeling much better.” She took a sip of coffee to prove the point. When she was able to force it down, she took another.

“If it’s food poisoning—”

“I don’t think it’s food poisoning.”

“Still. We should get you to the doctor. Just in case.”

“Tristan! There are so many other things we could do.”

He frowned. “No arguments. I won’t relax until I know it’s not something serious.”

She sighed. “All right.”

She let him take her to the doctor’s office but she didn’t let him come in with her. There were some things a woman just had to do on her own. But instead of going off and exploring the ship or visiting the colorful stalls on the pier, he sat outside the medical offices with his elbows on his knees and his fingers laced tightly together like a man expecting the worst.

The doctor was an older Dutch gentleman with a charming accent. He was very kind and talked Shannon through all her symptoms. He did a few tests, a urine sample, a vial of blood, which he handed off to a tech, and then he ordered coffee as they waited for the results. In the meantime they chatted about their home countries.

When the tech returned, he flashed Shannon a smile but he said nothing. He simply gave the paper to the doctor, who studied it with a serious mien. “Huh,” he grunted, grooming his bushy eyebrows.

“What is it?”

“Young lady, I think we’ve found the reason for your illness.”

“What is it?” Shannon leaned forward.

“Your hCG is high.”

“What is that?” Shannon asked in a panicked voice. Things with letters were bad.

He patted her on the knee. “No need to worry, my dear. You’re pregnant. Congratulations.”

Shannon’s jaw dropped. Her heart thudded once and then stopped, right there in her chest. It seemed to take an eternity to start back up again. Pregnant! A thousand thoughts crowded into her mind, a jumble of emotions battered her. Elation, fear, astonishment, disbelief, excitement. Fear again.

“Would you like me to tell your husband?”

Her heart now set up a rapid tattoo. Oh God. Tristan. How would he react? “No. Please. He’s…not my husband. Please don’t tell him.”

The doctor nodded and patted her hand. “I suppose you would like a moment then.”

Shannon nodded. “Yes. Please.”

He left her alone with her conundrum. Which was really the kindest thing he could have done. Shannon remained in the little plastic chair for a long time after the doctor left. Thinking. This was so much to process, too much to think about. She would have some very big decisions to make in the coming days but she made one decision right away.