“Not the last time I checked.” She chuckled, dabbing a sleeve at her watery eyes as she straightened.
Bran’s hand grasped her wrist. “Please. Don’t go.”
“I’m right here. I’m not leaving.” She sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, hoping no one would read more into their relationship than the dependent boss that he was.
Jarrett collapsed in a nearby chair, wiping the sweat off his forehead. “Thanks for your help, Cole,” he hollered in a sarcastic voice, ripping off his tux coat and loosening his tie. He leaned back and closed his eyes, propping up his feet.
“I couldn’t help,” Cole objected from the outer room. “Branson would’ve killed me.”
“Cole?” Branson’s face hardened as he jerked upward. “Where is that son-of—”
Steph jumped to cover his mouth with her hand. “I’m alive, Branson. Cole didn’t do anything.”
His brows furrowed in confusion as he flopped back against the pillow again.
“Will someone explain to me what’s going on?” Steph demanded. “How did he get like this? I thought you guys were watching after him.”
“Carina can tell you all about it.” Finn kicked Jarrett’s feet aside and dropped onto the footstool. “Go ahead, Carina. Tell Stephanie how you put cannabis in Branson’s drink.”
“Cannabis? You mean marijuana? Isn’t that illegal?” Steph wondered if they had filed a report.
“It’s legal in Nevada.” Carina leaned against the bedroom door, as if she wasn’t sure she was welcome inside the room.
“It’s legal to buy it and consume it in a private residence,” Finn clarified. “It wasn’t legal for her to bring it in the hotel or put it in his drink.”
“Were you trying to kill him?” Stephanie’s muscles trembled from head to toe. How she wanted to spring at Carina and rip out her hair!
“I only put in a couple of dropperfuls. How was I supposed to know he’d have a bad reaction?” She ventured around the perimeter of the room, moving to the other side of the bed to stare down at Bran.
Steph tried to cross her arms, but Branson held fast to her wrist. “Why put anything in his drink at all?”
“To help him relax, so we could have a private conversation.” Carina’s contrite expression vanished in an instant. Her eyes sent daggers Steph’s direction.
“I’m assuming he didn’t give you permission to drug him. Isn’t that a crime of some sort? Assault, maybe?”
“You’re right, Stephanie.” Finn regarded Carina with narrowed eyes. “Maybe we ought to call the police.”
Branson broke the tense mood with a sonorous snore, and Steph pulled her hand free.
“Carina…” Cole sauntered into the room. “Why don’t you share the real reason you tried to make Branson fly high as a kite? I don’t believe for a minute you only wanted to talk to him.”
“And while you’re at it,” Jarrett added, “you can tell us why you’re so anxious to get married. What girl wants a quickie wedding instead of a big deal with a long white dress and all the trimmings?”
To Stephanie’s utter amazement, Carina started crying. “Fine! I’ll tell you why,” she sobbed, “I wanted a quick wedding because I’m pregnant.”
The room darkened, and Stephanie gripped the bed cover, balling it in her hands. Her chest felt so tight, she could barely breathe.
Carina’s pregnant. Steph should’ve known. No wonder her boobs looked bigger. And why else would she have been so desperate to rush the wedding? How she must’ve laughed while feeding Steph that story about not being able to have children. And Steph, trying to follow MawMaw’s advice, had pitied her.
“Miraculous healing, Carina.” Steph cleared her throat to steady the warble in her voice. “Earlier tonight you told me you couldn’t get pregnant.”
“I refuse to apologize.” Carina sniffed, but her eyes looked suspiciously dry. “I did what I had to do to save my marriage. My baby needs a father.”
“You don’t look pregnant.” Cole leaned back against the wall and folded his arms across his chest.
“I am. Here’s the proof.” She opened her small clutch and unfolded a paper, tossing it on the bed beside Steph. A sonogram.
Steph didn’t want to look at it. Using her crutches, she moved across the room, as far as possible from the offensive paper. She pulled out a desk chair and plopped down.