Chapter 6

After sending the message, I turned my phone facedown in my palm. My hand was slick with sweat.

I went downstairs and walked out of the hotel.

The sea breeze hit me full in the face.

Mornings on the island were bright. Sunlight spilled across the beach in a dazzling white glow.

It was beautiful. I stood there alone and stared at the view for a long time.

…

Around noon, Adam sent me a message.

Adam: [Anthony, Summer says she wants a watermelon smoothie. Do you know if there's anywhere around here that sells them?]

I had spent the entire morning on a sofa in the hotel lobby, and my phone was almost dead.

I didn't reply.

Ten minutes later, another message came through.

Adam: [Where are you? Don't wander off by yourself.]

Five minutes later, Joseph called. "Where did you go? The front desk said you haven't been back to your room all morning."

"I'm in the lobby."

"Come upstairs. Summer isn't doing too well. She's been asking to see you."

…

I went upstairs. When I opened the door to the honeymoon suite, I found Summer half-reclining on the rose-petal-covered bed.

No one had cleared the petals away yet. Red and white petals lay scattered across the sheets. Summer rested against the pillows with a pregnancy guidebook open in front of her. I had no idea where she'd found it.

Adam sat in an armchair beside the bed and searched for something on his tablet. Joseph stood by the balcony door with his arms crossed.

The moment I walked in, Summer's eyes lit up. "Anthony! Where did you go? I've been looking for you forever."

She tried to sit up, but Adam immediately reached over to steady her. "Don't move. Let him come to you."

I walked over to the bed but remained standing.

Summer took my hand. Her fingers were cold. "Anthony, are you leaving?"

"What?"

"Are you planning to leave by yourself?" Her eyes reddened, and her chin began to tremble. "You didn't answer my messages or come back to the room all morning. I was scared..."

"No one's leaving," Adam said.

He looked at me. The concern in his voice now carried a distinct note of warning. "Anthony, if you're upset, you can say so. But you can't just run off by yourself. We're worried about you going out alone."

"What are you worried about?" I asked.

"This is an island. You don't know your way around," Adam reasoned.

"If I get lost, I can have Mike come pick me up. Assuming you don't cancel his trip."

He had no answer.

Joseph cut in, "Don't be stubborn. Adam was just worried things would get out of hand. It'd be even more complicated if your parents found out."

"So what?" I looked at all three of them. "What are you planning to do? Pretend none of this happened and keep going on our honeymoon together?"

No one spoke.

Summer's tears fell onto a withered rose petal on the sheets. "Anthony, maybe I should leave. I shouldn't have come. I was the one who insisted on coming. I thought I could pretend none of this had happened, but I can't..."

She threw back the covers and tried to get out of bed.

Adam placed a hand on her shoulder and stopped her. "You're pregnant. Where are you going?"

Joseph quickly stepped toward her. "Summer, don't do anything rash."

Tears streamed down her face as she pushed their hands away. "Just leave me alone. This is all because of me. Anthony's like this because of me..."

Both men looked at me at the same time, their eyes carrying the exact same expression. It wasn't guilt. It was a plea. They wanted me to be more understanding, stop digging into what had happened, and give in because Summer was pregnant.

Adam softened his voice. "Anthony, just calm down for now. Once we get home, I'll take responsibility for the baby, no matter whose it is. You're her husband. That won't change."