He winked at her, "Don't do that, sweetheart, or you'll get me excited again."
A quiver erupted in her at the thought. She pressed her head on his shoulder. "I like you out of control."
He massaged her shoulders. "Likewise."
Neither of them spoke or moved for a while. They stared out at the ocean. No land was anywhere in sight. They were completely alone, except for his staff. She covered her lips. She had never been so free with herself before. She began to laugh.
He asked, "What's so funny?"
She tried to contain her giggling, but it grew worse. Her belly hurt from laughing so hard. Finally she managed, "Everyone always says I'm so wound up with a million things to do that I never let myself go. Clearly I was just waiting for you."
He hugged her. "Belle, you're the best Christmas present."
The telephone in the corner of the room rang. Peter petted her hair and seemed to ignore the phone.
She sighed and sat. "Your phone is ringing."
His hand returned to her knee. Her heart was light, as he said, "Let it."
The world was shiny and bright right now, but she shrugged, "No, if someone called the ship, it must be super important, or else the captain wouldn't have let it through."
He stiffened. "I guess, but other than you, today has been a day I needed to avoid people."
She rubbed his back as he answered, "Hello?"
His face fell as he said, "She's where?" She hugged his shoulders as he continued, "Have all the bills forwarded to me. Give her the best possible care." Her heart hammered in her chest as he then said, "I don't know when I will arrive." She felt how he stiffened under her touch and stood taller as he finished, "Bye."
He walked away from her, tugged on his boxers, and slumped on the couch. She followed and scooted next to him.
"Peter, what happened?"
He stared at the ocean like he could set it on fire from whatever had just happened. Her heart ached for him, and she placed her hand on his stomach.
He let out a deep breath and said, "My mother is in the hospital."
She swallowed. "What?"
He didn't blink. His shoulders were tense. "She was taken in with pneumonia, but no one is sure. John and Vicki are en route."
She scooted closer to him and smoothed his hair. "Who called you then?"
He turned to face her, and she could see how his entire face went dark. She hugged his shoulder as he said, "My staff."
There was an ache in her throat, but she stayed quiet. "Peter, call the captain. We should go home at once."
His jaw tightened like he was trying to hold himself together, as he shook his head. "I don't know."
Her eyes misted to cry for him, but she tried to give him an understanding nod. "What don't you know?"
He jerked to his feet to isolate himself. "If she lives through this, then she'll want to speak to me. I don't want to cause her more pain."
She fumbled for her words as she stayed in her seat to let him pace. When he stopped, she stroked her own throat as she asked, "Peter, what are you saying?"
His hands clenched as his body tightened. "I don't know if I can forgive her."
She didn't say anything for a few minutes. He paced, but then he sunk back onto the couch beside her with his shoulders pushed into the cushion. She curled her legs beside him, but didn't say anything.
His hands eventually patted her leg. "Do you think I'm horrible?"
She wished she could alleviate this for him. He was so used to total control but had no idea how to open up to his family.
She petted his leg. "No. You're in pain."
He sat and stared into her eyes like she was a mythical priestess with all the answers. "How do I stop feeling like I let everyone down?"
She never had answers when it came to emotional stuff. She worried if she didn't help him, though, he'd be in an endless cycle of pain. He deserved better.
She licked her lips as her heart led her words. "Sometimes we all have to move on."
He narrowed his gaze. "What does that mean?"
She met his stare and realized she had to speak up. This was what she'd do. This was how she had accepted her stepmother into her life after years of being the only girl in the house.
She tilted her head and said, "She's in your life again. You don't have to be close. It might be easier for you if you go and say 'hello, how are you doing?' Let her see that you're there and be polite. That was what worked for me, and eventually I liked my stepmother well enough. She makes my dad happy."
His shoulders slumped and he averted his gaze. "I don't know if I can do that."
She handed him his shirt, which had still been on the floor with his pants. Then she straightened out his pants. "Why not? You have everything you need."
He took the pants from her and laid them beside him with his shirt. He then stared at the ocean again as he said, "I was on the stairs as she stormed out of the house. Earlier, before the fight, she had laid Vicki down in the crib and kissed her forehead. I followed her that night. As she fought with Dad, I sat there waiting for her. She flew past me with her arms clenched at her sides and threw open the door. I spent years wishing she had taken me with her."
With a heavy nod, her chest ached for him. She wasn't sure how she'd be any different if the roles were reversed. She sighed. "You did?"
He shook his head and didn't look away from the waves the ship made in the water. "Then I spent my entire adult life hating her."
She had to phrase this right so she did not upset him, and hoped he'd see the situation in a better light. "What about your father, Peter? I've heard unkind things from all of you, but I don't know what he did to you."
His shoulders were still tight, but he turned to her. His face was etched in a heavy load he had borne all his life. "I was to take the reins of Morgan Enterprises after he left, and rule the House of Morgan as he saw fit."
The House of Morgan seemed a horrible way to phrase family. She narrowed her gaze. "What does that mean?"
He blinked and then stared at the floor and counted on his fingers. "To quote a few things from my dad said, let's see...to not think with my heart about anything other than work. To ensure the success of Morgan Enterprises above even my own health. To not let family ever get in the way of what's best for myself. And you don't want to get me started on how I'm to view women. Mitch Morgan was a spoiled, bitter man who always got whatever he wanted."
She held her breath. She now believed his mother. No father should talk like that to his own son. Her hands clenched like she might fight his father too.
"So you believe he could have kidnapped your mother that night?"
For a long while he didn't say anything. The ship continued to sail away from Miami. Then he slumped his shoulders. "I absolutely believe that. As I said, I hated her for leaving me there."
She licked her lips. It was time for him to go. She rubbed her arms and then stared at the phone. "Peter, turn the ship around."