Isabel watched Cameron jet out of the water to put their things on a chair and couldn’t believe she was here, with him. And actually having fun. She hadn’t wanted to accept his help, but she had to admit this was way better than sitting in her room alone.

He got back and plunked into the water next to her. She had her hand out and a stingray was passing right by her. “This is insane.”

He smiled and put his hand out for the same stingray. “It is insane.” His eyes scanned the group of people there. There were a lot spread down the beach. “I wonder if we missed my sister. I know she wanted to do this and some other things.”

“Is she going to be upset with you?”

Cam shrugged and kept his focus on the water. “Honestly, I think she’ll be happy I’m helping someone. Although, I have to go to the ballroom for dinner tonight.” He pointed at her. “And you’re coming with me.”

The thought made her sputter. “No. Not with my ankle.”

“Yes, my sister is making me, and if I have to go, you have to go because that’s part of this deal.”

She grunted. “No, the list is part of the deal.”

“I’m adding to it.”

She glared at him but changed the subject. “So that’s why you go to the dining room, for your sister?”

He grinned at her. “This trip is her thing, and honestly, I owed her some good behavior. I told you after this past year, it’s been rough.”

Their eyes met. “I’m sorry.”

He nodded. “Let’s go out further. I’ll help you.”

She took his hand, and after he pulled her up, he bent down. “Hop on.”

“No, I can just lean on you and hop in the water.”

“Hop on, Kind.”

It made her smile the way he talked to her like she was one of his football players. She got on, and he ran out into the water. She laughed, holding on tighter.

He went all the way out to his shoulders, and she found herself dropping into the water with him as it got deeper. He let her go, and she realized she could tread water fairly easily.

He was doing the same, but he frowned, putting his hand out. “This probably hurts your ankle.”

“No.” Of course, it did, but she didn’t want to admit it.

“Come on.” He took her hand and pulled her back to where they could both stand. He was focused on the water. “I had no idea a place like this existed.”

She grinned and put her hand out to feel another stingray brush against her. “It’s crazy.”

They focused on the stingrays, and she lost herself in the moment. The sun felt good, and even though her mind went to what Sam would have thought about this place, it didn’t take her into a deep sadness as it normally would have.

“Do you think they have places like this in heaven?” she asked quietly.

He didn’t answer immediately, a faraway look on his face. “I’ve wondered about heaven a lot lately. I sure hope so.”

They were quiet.

“Kat would have loved this.”

She nodded, feeling his sadness.

After more than an hour of exploring all the different stingray colonies down the side of the beach, she and Cam ended up in the shallow water, butts planted in the sand, just enjoying the beach.

“Man, I love the beach. I think I forgot that this past year.” Cam leaned back.

She was leaning back with her hands buried in the sand and her face pressed to the sky. “This is my first time at the beach.”

“What?” Cam sat up in surprise.

A bit embarrassed, she didn’t look at him. “Sorry to disappoint, Mr. Billionaire. Wait, are you a billionaire?”

He didn’t answer.

She swiped the air. “Never mind. I’m from Fort Collins, and my parents were farmers on the outskirts of town. There was never a ton of money.” She shrugged, not knowing why she was telling him all of this, but he was here with her. “I feel bad because the insurance money is paying for this. The insurance money has paid for everything. My living expenses and school. Well, almost all of my school.”

He looked confused. “Are you going to more school?”

“No,” she said quickly. “Maybe. Never mind.”

“Spill,” he said in a serious tone.

She sighed. “I’d like to be a baby doctor. A real doctor and have like Eastern medicine meets Western medicine, ya know?”

He shook his head. “Actually, no.”

She laughed. It felt good to talk about all of this. “My mom and sister tell me I could do anything, but … I still get hung up on whether I should go to med school or not.”

He hesitated. “If you really want to be a baby doctor, go be a baby doctor.”

She thought of the money it would take. “I …”

His lip turned up. “You’ve already told me this much. May as well finish.”

She sighed. “I could possibly get scholarships, at least partly, and of course loans. I could also sell my house, but it just feels like if I sell it …” She hesitated, not wanting to explain it.

“Then they’re really gone,” he filled in for her.

The moment went quiet.

“Yeah.” She blinked. “I already feel guilty. I was going to divorce Rick. There’s so much, so much guilt I’ve had. I’ve used the insurance money to live and go to school. And come on this cruise. But, to sell the house feels so final.”

His face was still serious. “I’m sorry, that must be hard.”

She nodded.

For a few moments neither of them spoke.

Cam turned to her. “Kat had just found out she was pregnant that day.”

Jerking to face him, she focused on what he’d just said. Had she heard him right?

He wasn’t looking at her, and she noticed he was holding his wedding ring again. “We’d been trying for a long time to get pregnant, had done IVF a couple of times. She’d just been to the clinic. We’d told ourselves to act like it was a regular day so we wouldn’t be disappointed.” He shook his head.

“Cam.” She reached for his hand.

His eyes met hers and he nodded.

“I’m so sorry.”

He sucked in a breath. “Me too.”

Immense compassion filled her, and she thought about how he’d said he’d been looking for the guy. It had been bad before, but it was worse now. She shook her head.

Gently, he pulled his hand back.

For a moment, she felt silly for taking his hand in the first place. It hadn’t been attraction, just … she’d wanted to comfort him, but it would be dumb to try to explain that.

After a moment of silence, he changed the subject back. “So you want to become a doctor.”

“Yes. I really would like to assist people in having babies at home, which is against the law in some states, but there’s a movement.”

He frowned. “That sounds wrong.”

She let out a light laugh. “Believe me, I know how a lot of people feel, but I had Sam at home, and it was just the greatest experience of my entire life. So relaxing, and there were no bright lights shining down and dirty hospital stuff and germs, and my mom and sister were there.”

He gave her a funny look.

“No, I’m not part of a cult. I know people ask that.”

He laughed and rubbed a hand over his face. “You’re … different.”

She didn’t care. “Yeah, I am.”

He smiled. “Don’t worry, Izz. Different is good.”

“Izz?” she questioned.

The side of his lip turned up. “Is that okay?”

Warmth filled her, and she hadn’t realized how much fun it was to do these excursions with someone. “Yes, Izz is okay.”