by Kay Bratt
“He’s at practice,” she said. “Mama is busy on the computer, and Kupuna is taking a nap. I’m supposed to stay quiet.”
Quinn considered it. Why not? What else did she have to do but sit there and get more nervous at her sudden stand against the wrath of Ethan? Perhaps some salty air would take her mind off her now-regrettable act of bravery.
“Does your mom know you were going to ask me?” she said.
Alani nodded. “She said it might do you good to go.”
Great. Now Maria was analyzing her. But she was right.
Quinn needed the fresh air on her face. Heck, she needed it to run through her body and cleanse the sour feeling the phone call had left behind.
“Okay, Alani. I need to change. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll be out.”
By the time Quinn changed into shorts and a T-shirt, Alani had returned with the girl next door. They waited outside the cottage, their appearances total contradictions to one another with their blonde and dark heads tilted together in a giggling conversation.
“This is Junie,” Alani said, then led the way, the girl right on her heels.
Quinn followed, clutching her hat to keep it from blowing off in the strong trade winds. They followed a short trail that led straight from the cottage area to a wide span of beach. Quinn felt a thrill at how close her new home was to the water. At least that would make Ethan happy. If he could ever get past feeling like she’d betrayed him by buying it.
People were in the water, and Alani dropped her towel and ran out as fast as she could, taking on the waves like a daredevil. Her friend followed, falling in right beside her, the two splashing like tiny mermaids in the surf.
Their laughter was like a salve to the soul.
Quinn put her bag down and spread out her towel, then sat and searched the surf for Alani’s pink suit and Junie’s blue one. She found them both, then kept her eye on them, ferociously diligent to be sure neither of the girls disappeared beneath a wave.
If they did, however, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. Scream? Wade in and search, as long as the water didn’t go past her ankles? Obviously, Maria didn’t know that Quinn would make a terrible lifeguard, or she wouldn’t have trusted her to watch over the girls.
The girls played for at least half an hour before Alani turned toward Quinn. She held her arms up, waving.
“Come on out,” she called, a smile in her voice. “The water is warm!”
Quinn shook her head. “You girls go ahead. I’m fine here,” she yelled, loud enough for her voice to carry to Alani.
She wished she could go out there and be as carefree as Alani. She loved to look at the water, smell the salty spray, and imagine herself enjoying it like others did. She wondered what it would feel like to just drop her fear and embrace one of nature’s biggest gifts.
Small steps, though. She’d stood up to Ethan that day, and that was one shark too many.
Slowly, she breathed out. Then in. Then out again, letting the fresh air fill her. Revive her spirit. It truly did feel peaceful, and she wondered how her mother had ever decided to leave. The powerful harmony of Maui felt like a sure fit for her mother’s laid-back personality. Quinn was old enough now—or at least mature enough—to know that something bad must’ve happened for her mother to up and leave such a magical place. Maui was her mom’s home, her birthplace. Could it really only be infatuation with a boy that had led her away?
Unless that was a lie too.
Quinn hadn’t even thought of that. If her mother had lied about who her father was, maybe she’d lied about where she’d come from.
No. Something in Quinn’s gut felt the pull of Maui so strongly that she felt she had to have blood ties there somewhere. If it turned out she didn’t, she’d be devastated. She wasn’t sure why, but the small island spoke to her, somewhere deep within.
Quinn wanted to claim it too.
Down the beach she saw a family gathered under a flimsy cabana tent. An old woman sat in a chair right in the middle of the gathering, children and a few adults on towels around her. Something about them made Quinn think they were locals. Dressed in worn beachwear, they fit into the scene naturally.
They were people who could very well be related to her mother. To her.
Every native Hawaiian she saw now made her wonder.
Quinn needed to make time for more research.
She returned her gaze to the girls. Alani and Junie were coming out of the water, their small legs lifting high to step over the waves as they clutched each other to keep from falling.
“Quinn?” said a voice from behind her.
Quinn turned to find Maria coming from the other direction. She had one hand on her hair, trying to keep it from flying into her eyes.
“Kupuna’s friend is here. Do you want to come up and hear what he has to say about the kitchen counters?”
Quinn nodded, then stood and gathered her things. Alani had seen her mother, knowing their water time was being cut short. She and Junie ran up, and Alani threw her arms around her mother’s waist.
“Ah, you’re getting me wet, daughter,” Maria said, laughing. “Let’s go, girls. You need to get into some dry clothes.”
Like a line of chicks behind a mother hen, Quinn and the girls followed Maria up the trail and to the house.
The sand was so soft and deep that it made walking difficult. Yet Maria was fast, nearly walking on top of the sand. An expert, Quinn thought, then remembered that the woman wasn’t much older than she was. She just came across as older because of her sadness and responsibilities.
In the back lanai, the girls stopped at the outdoor shower.
“Rinse, then dry off before you come in the house,” Maria said.
“You can do your feet first, Quinn,” Alani said, moving over.
Quinn slipped off her sandals and rinsed her feet, glad that Alani had mentioned it. She would’ve walked straight into the back door and trailed sand on Maria’s—well, on her own—kitchen floor and made herself look oblivious.
Instead, she tiptoed over to the door and set her shoes next to the pile of others left there, then stepped in.
Kupuna and a man were sitting at the table, the stranger’s back to Quinn.
“Who you got on your crew now?” Kupuna asked him.
Maria cleared her throat. “Liam, let me introduce you to Quinn Maguire. She’s the one who bought the house, and, of course, she’d like to be a part of the conversation.”
Quinn approached, business face on and hand extended. She wasn’t starting off another relationship too friendly like she’d accidentally done with Maria. She knew how to get things done in the corporate world, and she was going to use those skills to turn this into a once-and-done quick project so she could prove to Ethan she was capable. She had also watched enough home improvement shows to know that contractors were notorious for being irresponsible, childish bullies. She would have to assert herself right away.
The contractor pushed his chair back and stood, then turned to face her. Hawaiian for sure, but perhaps of Asian descent too. Whatever his heritage, it made for an interesting blend of features. He was a big man—tall and obviously strong—reminding Quinn of a large oak tree.
He nodded quietly, then took her hand. His was warm. “Very nice to meet you.” A small smile began to spread over his face.
Something wasn’t right. Quinn didn’t get a bully vibe from him, but she did feel a sense of déjà vu.
“Again,” he added, an amused glint in his eyes.
She studied his face, then noticed his arm and the tribal tattoo that snaked around his bicep.
“You’re the surfer,” she said, feeling strangely insecure.
“Sometimes,” he said. “Today I’m a contractor.”
“You two know each other?” Maria asked.
Kupuna was quiet as he rubbed at the table’s scars under his fingers, listening intently.
“No,” Quinn said quickly. “He was just on the resort beach at the same time as
I was and asked if I wanted to paddleboard.”
“Why were you out there?” Maria asked him. “You know you don’t like to share the water with the tourists.”
He shrugged. “I needed a change of scenery. Not sure why, I just felt drawn there on my way to Napili Beach. I go where the ocean pulls me.”
Maria narrowed her eyes at him, her expression doubtful.
He ignored her silent reproach and turned his gaze to Quinn.
“I’d like to hear your ideas about the kitchen,” he said to Quinn, finally breaking the awkward silence. He pulled a pad and pen from his shirt pocket, prepared to take notes.
Quinn relaxed. Maria took a chair next to her father, and the contractor—Liam—waited for her to respond. She felt relief. She wasn’t going to have to argue to be able to plan her own kitchen. She started with the shabby Formica surface.
“Okay, I want new countertops for sure. Something not too modern, but definitely more updated than this,” she said, running a hand along it.
“We can do that. Easy,” Liam said. “I suppose you want granite?”
She raised her eyebrows at him. “You suppose?”
He nodded. “Most of the mainlanders who buy or build here want granite.”
Quinn turned to Maria. “What do you think, Maria? I don’t want to be like most of the mainlanders.”
Maria didn’t reply. She looked thoughtful.
Realization flooded through Quinn. “Oh, Maria, I’m so sorry. How insensitive to ask your opinion when this is your house I’m remodeling for me.”
Maria smiled. “No, it’s fine. I’m happy to give my opinion. I love this house, and it deserves to be brought back to its former glory. To be honest, I’ve always wanted to use maple butcher block to match the cupboards. But soapstone is also nice.”
“Both sound lovely, but I think I’ll go with soapstone.” Quinn turned her attention back to Liam. “I’m not sure about the cabinets. Do you think they can be cleaned up?”
He paused, studying the cabinet doors. The interiors were glass, but the paint around the panes was peeling. Even yellowed.
He opened one and peered inside.
“They’re original,” Maria said. “Most kitchens back then had these glass doors.”
“I think I can clean them up and paint them white. Shine up that glass and they’ll look great and can continue to be a part of this home’s history,” Liam said. “Where possible, I always try to refresh and preserve.”
He looked at Quinn hopefully.
“That sounds perfect,” she said. She was all for keeping the integrity of the house, if at all possible.
The girls burst into the back door and ran through, headed to Alani’s room in a rush of flying hair and giggles. The interruption lightened the mood, and Liam seemed to relax.
“We could do wood paneling in here and paint it white too. That will give you more of a beach-cottage feel, which I’m sure you’re looking for.”
“As long as it’s that shiplap stuff.” She didn’t mention she only knew about it from Chip and Joanna’s makeover show.
“We can do that,” Liam said. “Shiplap would look good too. And I hope you aren’t planning on putting in new floors. These are original tongue-and-groove fir. They used to have a ruddy glow, and with some tender loving care, we can get them back to it.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Quinn said, feeling triumphant that they were all on the same page.
“I plan on helping with the floors,” Kupuna said. “Pali and I will sand them, and you can finish them, Liam.”
Right on cue, Pali arrived, slamming through the door. He took a chair next to Kupuna.
“I heard my name, Kupuna. What are you volunteering me for?” he asked.
Quinn noticed a huge difference in his tone with his grandfather in the room. Absent was the sarcasm—in its place, a welcome inflection of respect.
“We’re going to help improve this kitchen,” Kupuna said. He reached over until his hand was on Pali’s arm; then he patted it affectionately.
Pali’s eyes glittered at her, a simmering of resentment he was too dutiful to verbalize in his grandfather’s presence. “Whatever you say, Kupuna,” he said, slowly speaking the words.
“I’ll make a note of that on the estimate,” Liam said. “I won’t have to hire a big crew, and that’ll bring the cost down.”
Quinn couldn’t imagine the old man working on his knees, but she wouldn’t insult him by saying so. After all, maybe he only meant to supervise Pali. She hoped the kid would do a good job.
“And we can help with the wood paneling,” Maria said. “Quinn, can you paint?”
Pali laughed as though he found the idea ridiculous.
Quinn didn’t appreciate it either. She could paint. But she wasn’t going to be there indefinitely.
“Liam, how long do you think this will all take?” she asked, dodging Maria’s question.
He scribbled on his pad for a moment, then looked up.
“It depends. I’m working another project, but I can squeeze in a few hours a day. The cabinets will take a week; the countertops can be done in a day or two. We can’t start on the floors until those are done, but we can put up the shiplap and paint.”
Quinn sighed. There was no way he’d finish before she had to leave.
“Can you give me an estimate on the cost?” she asked.
“Let me check some costs on the materials, and I’ll get it to you tomorrow afternoon.”
“Don’t forget the family discount,” Maria said.
Liam laughed, and Pali joined him.
“I thought you were only friends?” Quinn said, thinking she’d been had. She looked from Maria to Kupuna.
“We are friends. And family,” Kupuna said. “In Hawaii, family comes first. We all help feed each other. He will be honest, and he will do the best job for the lowest price he can give and still make a profit.”
Quinn didn’t have an answer for that. As for family coming first, she could’ve pointed out that they were all sitting there together because Maria’s husband, Jaime, had abandoned ship. But she couldn’t bring herself to cause Maria any more pain. And it wasn’t as though Quinn had much experience with family, other than her mother. She only hoped that she really was getting a good deal on the work and would end up with stellar results and not shoddy workmanship.
Liam flipped his notebook shut and pushed it back into his shirt pocket.
“Are you at least licensed?” Quinn asked, thinking that would be the very first question that Ethan would belt out.
All eyes were suddenly on her, and they weren’t friendly.
Liam nodded. “Yes, I’m bonded and licensed. Now, if you’re satisfied with that and don’t require references or a criminal background screening, we can get this going. Tomorrow we’ll look at the rest of the house and see if we need to address anything else,” he said.
Getting references probably wouldn’t be a bad thing, Quinn thought, but she held her tongue.
Maria clapped her hands together. “Great. Now it’s time for lunch. Sit down, Liam, and let me fill your tank before you go. You too, Quinn,” Maria said.
“I’m not arguing,” Liam said. “But I’ll need to eat and run. I got another job to bid on over in Kihei.” He slid into the chair across from Kupuna. Gone was the businesslike persona, and in its place, he looked comfortable and at home. He turned his attention to the old man.
“Kupuna, do I have a story for you. You missed it Friday night at the poké shack.”
Kupuna leaned back in his chair, ready to listen. Maria started a racket, pulling pots and pans from the cupboards. Across the house, the girls could be heard chattering, a movie on in the background.
Their normal felt so abnormal to Quinn. She was not a part of their puzzle.
“I’m not hungry,” she said, ignoring the growl of protest from her stomach. “I have some work to do.”
Maria looked as though she wanted to try to convince Quinn to stay but cau
ght herself and held up a hand. She gave her a wave.
“Okay,” she said. “If you change your mind, there’ll be leftovers.”
The others didn’t even look at her as Quinn slipped out the door.
Chapter Seven
Quinn opened a can of tuna and paired it with saltines for her lunch. She pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge and went to the couch, settling herself in front of her laptop.
As she ate, she worked, spending an hour or so answering emails. When she felt caught up, she went to the bed and lay across it, groaning happily at the comfort that embraced her. Maria had taken off the brightly colored bedspread that Pali had used, and in its place was the softest, most feminine white comforter that Quinn had ever touched. It wasn’t new—it had that homemade, used feel to it that was just right. Super lightweight too. Just right for the warm Maui air.
She wondered if Maria would sell it to her before she left.
At the foot of the bed was another new addition. Quinn reached for it and pulled the crocheted coverlet up and over her. It was a soft teal-green color, reminiscent of ocean water, or even beach glass.
Maria had great taste.
Quinn sighed, letting all her stress go. Lying down in the middle of the afternoon was completely out of character for her. Ethan always said people who napped were wasting their minutes, and those minutes added up to years over time.
Either the cottage was just too cozy or the stress must’ve been getting to her more than she even knew, because within two minutes everything faded out around her, and she fell into a deep sleep.
She woke nearly two hours later, feeling more refreshed than she could remember in a long time. She peeked out the door, curious as to what was going on. The main house was quiet, almost eerily so, and with that, she decided to take advantage of the moment.
Grabbing a blanket from the back of the love seat, she went out to the lanai.
She pushed the small table aside and shook the blanket out onto the wooden planks. She settled onto it, crossing her legs before closing her eyes for a moment.
It was rare that she got to practice yoga. Ethan thought it a bunch of useless mumbo jumbo and encouraged her to stick to the stationary bike or jogging, whatever could burn calories the fastest. It wasn’t worth the ridicule to try to do it at home where he could walk in on her. And with her work schedule, there wasn’t a lot of time to sneak it in elsewhere either.
