1. Harmony

CHAPTER 1

Harmony

T he boat rocks and I wince as my stomach turns over yet again. When my daughters bought me this trip, they all promised that I wouldn't even feel the boat move under me.

They lied.

Ugh! I feel every single little wave the further out we go. We've only been sailing for about six hours and the sun is starting to slip down below the horizon.

I struggle to sit up and my head swims, my body so heavy that I really don't want to get the hell up.

But I need to take some more of the seasickness meds and head out to try and find something to eat. Hopefully, it will stay on my stomach because I haven't been able to eat for at least three days for worrying about this nonsense and my girls.

I roll up and pull my body all the way out of the bed. I know my girls were so excited to save up from their jobs for this special trip for me and their father.

Little did we all know that good old Jeff had been sleeping around with his twenty-five year old personal assistant and would get her pregnant, just like any other fifty year old man who's suddenly decided that he's too young to be this old and tied down.

So now his new girlfriend is even younger than our triplets and it's causing quite the family issue. The girls are mad as hell and I don't blame them. I'm pissed as well.

I'm more pissed that I didn't even realize that the love of my life was cheating on me for an extended period of time and my life was about to be overturned by a surprise that I could have never seen coming.

I stand in front of the full-length mirror that's on the closet door and study myself. Yeah, I'm pale as hell. I look beat down. Forty years I put into that man and his career. As a high-profile doctor, I spent my whole life taking care of him and his career. I picked up his suits from the cleaners, I planned a work dinner when he was up for a promotion. I made sure that I knew all of our guests personal information so that nobody had any issues with the food we served. I did all that I could to make sure that my husband's chosen path was smooth and well-taken care of.

And in return, he cheated on me with his personal assistant who is half his age and got her pregnant, busting me out of my little bubble of happiness and destroying my girls in the process.

My long, wavy brown hair is frizzy in the salty air around us and my gray eyes are tired as hell. The shadows under them are almost the same shade as my eyes. I've lost at least ten pounds from lack of appetite. My dress is hanging on my lush curves and I know that I'm looking every one of my forty years. Forty years as of yesterday.

And it's all been a waste according to Jeff. Our marriage was a sham. Our family life wasn't enough for him.

My heart sinks in my chest and I'm so fucking sick of feeling so damn tired.

Forty shouldn't feel this damn old! I'm still a relatively young woman, dammit!

But that's not what Jeff thought. And that's the part that hurts. He thought I was old and traded me in for a newer model.

He thinks I didn't notice the way his jowls were sagging a little. The gray hairs scattered in his blond curls that he couldn't just cover up unless he dyed his hair. The wrinkles alongside his eyes. He was looking every one of his fifty years.

And yet that asshole got a pretty girl half his age to look at him because he's a man and they just don't look as old as women!

Please! Give birth to triplets and see what that does to your body, Jeff!

I groan and grit my teeth, feeling another heave of my belly. But as fast as it comes, it disappears and I close my eyes in relief.

The medication must be kicking in. Thank heaven for small mercies!

I stand up and grab my suitcase, unpacking the small amount of dresses and other tropical wear.

I hear the dinner bell and realize that it's time for me to get something on my belly. It's been hours and the sickness kept me from touching anything but now I'm starving and I'm looking forward to getting out of this claustrophobic cabin and into some fresh air. Even if it is sea salted.

I pull out my favorite dress that I haven't worn in ages. Jeff didn't like it when I wore anything other than simple, classic lines and colors so most of my wardrobe anymore is beige or gray.

But this is a royal blue dress in a silk-linen blend that caresses my body's curves like a lover. I add a silky teal shawl to the tank top and then strap on a pair of high heels in platinum. Then I add on a pair of platinum and diamond teardrop earrings that dance along my jawline. I add in a diamond necklace in a platinum setting and I think I look pretty damn good. Even if I hate that all of this was an anniversary gift from my stupid ex many years ago when I foolishly thought we would always be together. Now I just want to get away from all the stupid ideas and emotions that I have left over from the last few months.

Until I step out of the cabin and smack right into the broad back of the man next door.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper under my breath.

"That is alright, Cara. No harm done."

But as soon as I turn around, there's a lot of harm done to my equilibrium. Because this guy is hella hot!

Dark hair, tall, lean, jaw like a statue of Michelangelo. Muscles upon lean muscles.

I've never seen a man like this in person. Jeff didn't even look like this guy when he played football in college. I mean…this guy is just like a greek god!

"Cat got your tongue?" He grins.

I clear my throat and peel my tongue off the roof of my mouth where it got stuck.

"Ummm. No. I'm sorry. Let me just get out of your way."

And I hit that floor running like a virgin running from a devilishly handsome demon that she knows is about to deflower her.

A guy who looks that good and smells that good? He has to be a devil come straight from hell and up to no good!

And I want nothing to do with another one of those. Been there, done that. And I've got the scars to prove it.