The sound of knocking woke Isabel with a start, and she jolted to a sitting position, looking at the neon clock on the side of the bed. Ten? “Ahh!” She shoved the covers off and stood on her good ankle then maneuvered with more care on her hurt one, finding that it was feeling better.

“Isabel!” She heard Cam through the door.

Jerking the door back, she saw he was dressed in casual dress—swim shorts, a Storm t-shirt, and flip-flops.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?”

Surprising her, he pulled a present from around his back and held it out to her. “Because it’s Christmas, and I thought you might have had some healing yesterday, so I thought you might be okay with skipping the Incas.”

For a moment she wanted to protest, No, I have to do “the list!” But, his words sank into her heart, and she sucked in a breath. He was right. Yesterday had been amazing. She smiled and thought of everything. “Okay, we stay, but we need to go check on mama and baby.”

His smile widened, and it didn’t hurt that the shirt he was wearing was one of those stretch shirts that showed off his muscles. She couldn’t help but think of that kiss last night. She was sure she was turning red.

His smile went to his eyes like he could read her thoughts. “It was a good kiss.”

Embarrassed, she laughed. “I wasn’t thinking about that.”

He laughed too, then his lips turned down. “The timing in life, right?”

She wasn’t sure how to respond.

Not giving her a chance, he shook his head and gestured to the present. “Are you going to open it?”

The present was in an island style wrap, and it made her smile. She turned back. “Come in.”

He followed her into the room.

“I don’t have anything for you.” She felt bad.

He shrugged and leaned against the wall by the bed, watching her. “Billionaire, remember? What could you possibly get me?”

She laughed. “True. What do you get the guy who could literally buy anything? Hmm, a small island?”

He shrugged. “I already have one.”

She grunted. “I hate you.”

He laughed. “Open it.”

A thought occurred to her. “I’ve seen you ride into Storm Stadium on your helicopter too, haven’t I?” She was a bit jealous, thinking she’d always wanted to do that. “Man, I would love to go for a ride in a helicopter.”

He grinned. “I’ll take you up when we get back. Open the present, woman.”

It could not be possible that she had a friend who could promise her that like it was nothing more than taking a ride to the gas station.

Carefully, she undid the wrapping paper. When she opened it, she didn’t find anything she ever would have expected. It was a t-shirt, clearly from the gift shop. It read, “Honduras gave me back my life.”

She blinked back tears. “I love it.” She pulled it to her and met his eyes. “It’s true.”

He nodded and smiled at her. “There’s a Storm t-shirt in there too. I always travel with garb.”

She laughed and tugged it out of the box. “Thank you.” Her heart raced. “You’ve given me so much on this trip.” How could she ever thank him?

He shook his head. “I haven’t done much.”

“Cam, the whole ‘leave me there and make me talk it out thing,’ that was impressive.”

He withered beneath the compliment and looked away. “No.”

She didn’t know why, but she felt tentative around him all of a sudden. But she couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Can I hug you?”

He didn’t say anything, and they both stood there for a moment before he moved towards her and held out his arms.

She fell into him, and all kinds of feelings went through her. She didn’t know what they had started between them, but she definitely knew it was more than friendship. At least on her part.

He held her longer than normal, and she let him.

“I’m a mess right now,” she said in his arms.

Pulling back, he gently wiped the hair off her forehead. “No, you deserved a rest after what you did last night.”

For a second, she didn’t know if he would kiss her or not, but she knew she wanted him to.

He pulled back. “Why don’t you get changed, and we can go check on the baby.”

“Little Isabel is so cute.” Isabel exclaimed.

Karen had the glow of a new mom. She was in a wheelchair, the one Isabel no longer needed, and her husband was behind her beaming.

“We owe you so much,” her husband said, pulling Isabel into a hug. He tugged out his phone. “What’s your address, and we’ll send some money.”

“Please no.” Isabel insisted, meaning it. “It was such a pleasure.” Gently, she put her hand on baby Isabel’s head. “You have no idea how much this meant to me.”

Karen’s eyes misted with tears, and she waved her closer. “Let me hug you. We’re getting off here and flying home.”

Peter waited and then hugged her, too. “I’m so sorry, I should have listened to you that first night.”

She shook her head. “I’m so glad it all worked out.”

Cameron shook hands with both of them, and they walked them to the place to ramp, where they disembarked. Both of them watched the little family go, waving each time they turned back.

“You’re crying,” Cam whispered, gently putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into him.

It startled her to realize she was. “I just feel. I …” How did she describe it? “For so long I’ve thought about how I couldn’t save them. Couldn’t save anyone anymore. But every time I deliver a baby I feel … I just feel …”

“Forgiven?” Cam offered.

The word surprised her. Then warm chills washed over her. “I think so.” She nodded. “And hopeful.”

Cam fully embraced her, letting her feel his strong arms around her. “Hope is a good thing.”

Standing there in his arms, she realized that there was so much to this man. Such a depth that she didn’t know if she would have ever have recognized if they hadn’t been on this crazy cruise ship together. She let herself be held and held him too. “Thank you.” Pulling back, she saw there was moisture pooling in his eyes.

“No, thank you.” He gestured to the other passengers. “It’s Christmas. Should we go meet my family at the waterslide pool? My sister is pretty insistent we meet them at some point.”

Part of her wanted to immediately refuse human interaction, but the other part, the part that had delivered a baby last night and had hugged Karen and put her hand on baby Isabel nodded. “I’d like that.

After changing into their swimsuits and locating the boys, she found herself pushing Cameron into the pool, much to the delight of his nephews, who whooped and hollered and went for the jugular, trying to hold Uncle Cam under the water.

Of course, they couldn’t, and he attacked with a vengeance. “Ahh!” he growled like a grizzly bear unleashed after being stuck in confinement.

The boys shrieked, and she found Alicia standing next to her with a huge grin on her face. “I haven’t seen him this relaxed since … everything that happened.”

Turning to meet Alicia’s eyes, she felt another jolt of hope, and yet, it still felt stupid and early and not really possible.

Just at that moment, Cameron looked at them, smiling. Then he shouted at them. “Get in here, women. You guys are next.”

Craig sailed past them, cannonballing into the pool.

Both she and Alicia laughed, and Alicia said, “Put your stuff down because that’s our cue.”

She found herself doing just that. Putting down her stuff and rushing after Alicia. Both of them jumped in and yelled, “Cannonball!”

The rest of the day was just as much fun. After the pool, they all showered and ate lunch from the sandwich shop on the deck, listening to Christmas carols and commenting on how unlike Christmas it was to be on a cruise ship, but they all loved it.

When she found herself gathered with the family in Alicia and Craig’s room, reading the story of the Savior’s birth together and participating in the gift exchange, she was overwhelmed with how it felt to be part of a family. And even more overwhelmed when Alicia handed her a little box.

Guilt filled her again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t get you anything.”

Alicia waved a hand. “Please, I wanted to.”

She opened it and found a copy of Persuasion. She was touched, and moisture pooled in her eyes “I don’t know what to say.”

Alicia hugged her. “You know it’s a famous love story about good timing.” She leaned in and whispered, “At some point … you’ll both be ready.”

She knew she was blushing, and she glanced at Cam. He was busy talking about some video game he’d gotten the boys. It was a tad overwhelming for her to realize that she wanted so much and she wasn’t sure if she would get it.

Isabel hugged Alicia, overwhelmed by the love this woman had, not only for her brother, but for everyone around her. “Thank you.”

It was almost dinnertime, so they all agreed to change and meet in the dining room. She was ready when the knock came. It felt strangely natural that Cam would show up, looking so dang sexy. He’d trimmed his beard, and he wore brown slacks a red shirt and a black jacket.

“Festive,” she commented, feeling nervous about wearing the red “Christmas dress” her sister had insisted she pack.

Cam’s eyes went from top to bottom, and he let out a low whistle, a smile playing at his lips. “The dress matches the hair.”

Warmth filled her, and she knew she was blushing. “My sister made me pack it.”

“Of course she did.” Cam winked at her. “I like it.”

At that moment, she wished that things were different. That … this could be more than it was. To distract herself, she pointed to her flip-flops. “Still can’t manage the high heels, but it works.”

Cam looked down and then hurried back to his place to change his shoes. “We gotta match. We don’t want Hawaiian shirt to think he’s got a chance.”

This made her smile. Did he care if Dave thought he had a chance with her? She wanted to know so bad, but having been in his spot for five years, it wasn’t fair to rush him. Even with the clock ticking away on their chances together, the decision to move on had to come from him.

When they got down to the dining room, the whole thing was decked out for Christmas. There was a Christmas band, Christmas decorations, and the staff was dressed up in red shirts and black pants. It was amazing. They got seated, and everyone wanted the lobster tips. They laughed as they cracked and ate them.

They all fell into easy conversation, talking excitedly about Karen and Peter and baby Isabel.

The boys were already texting their friends and trying to find excuses to leave.

“Mom, Dad, we only have two more nights. Can we please go hang out?” Jon begged after eating only one dessert.

Alicia sighed. “Fine. Go! Don’t hang out with your family. Hang out with girls for Christmas.”

The boys bolted.

The adults laughed, and Isabel loved how easy it was. How everything felt so easy between all of them. Part of her realized that she’d wanted this for so long. She needed normalcy.

There was more easy conversation between them, and then Craig asked Alicia to dance. She was out of her chair before he finished asking.

Cam grinned. “I don’t suppose the ankle feels good enough for that?”

She shook her head. “Naw.”

“Glad that ankle is doing better though.”

The truth was, with all the hubbub of the birth the night before and then today, she’d limped on it, but it was still a big improvement. “I don’t think it had anything to do with an ex-football player hauling my butt around the past couple of days.”

The side of his lip turned up, and he waved a hand in the air. “Ah, it was all about the work out. I told you that.”

It almost felt like he was flirting, but he wasn’t. No, maybe because it was just that he wasn’t as broody as he used to be.

They stared at each other, sharing a moment.

He shrugged. “Would you want to come to my room and watch one of those Christmas flicks you’ve been talking about?”

Her heart skipped a beat and she thought about how he was acting nervous. It was cute. She hesitated.

Surrendering, he put up his hands. “We’ll just get in cozy clothes and watch the movie.”

It sounded heavenly. She smiled at him. “I thought you weren’t a Hallmark movie kind of guy.”

He shrugged. “Maybe I’m changing.”

Nervous butterflies pulsed through her, and she thought of how it would feel to kiss him with his facial hair this way. The way it would tickle to brush against him. “I’d love to watch a movie.”