by Liwen Ho
“We were classmates at Eden Prep.” Kylie edged closer to Noah and shook his hand. “I love your outfit. Only a real man could pull off those shorts.”
“Thanks.” Noah beamed. “Laurene picked them out for me. They’re not my usual style, but I trust her judgment.”
“Cute and smart?” Kylie gushed. “You got a good one, Laurie.”
“Actually,” Laurene cut in abruptly, “Noah works with my brothers. We’re on vacation here together.”
Kylie’s expression softened, as did her tone. “Devon’s here? In Oahu?”
“We’re staying on the Big Island. Speaking of which, we should get back before they wonder what happened to us.” She nodded to Noah and stood up. “It was nice seeing you, Kylie.”
Noah rose, bewildered by Laurene’s sudden urge to leave. Regardless, he gathered up their used plates and utensils and deposited them into the nearest trashcan. He shot Kylie a small smile as he followed Laurene out of the food court.
He caught up to her on the sidewalk leading to the parking lot. “Laurene, wait up. Are you okay? What happened back there?”
A line formed between her brows as her mouth twisted to the side. She blew out a breath and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have let her get to me after all these years.”
“I take it you and Kylie weren’t close.”
“I only knew her because she and Devon dated for a while. She didn’t think he was good enough for her, so it didn’t last.” Her voice wavered as she continued speaking. “Which is why … I don’t think it’s going to work out for us either. I’m sorry, Noah.”
“What are you talking about?” For the second time that day, he found himself confused by Laurene’s words and actions. Why had she suddenly changed her mind about him? “I don’t understand. I thought we were having fun together.”
“We were, but it wouldn’t work out for us long term. We’re just too different.”
“Too different?” The doubt that had been building in the back of his mind all day came rushing to the forefront. “What are you saying?”
“It’s just that,” she began with a sigh, “we have such different tastes. And the way we live is completely different…”
“I get it.” Noah winced as the reality of the situation weighed on his shoulders. “You don’t mind me tagging along so I can drive you around and carry your bags, but you don’t want to be seen with me otherwise.”
“Noah, that’s not what I meant.” She reached out to place a hand on his arm. “It’s … complicated.”
“Is that why you wanted to make me over? So I’d look more acceptable for you?”
“No! That’s not why—”
He cut her off with a shake of his head and stepped back from her touch. “Never mind. You’re right. We’re better off as friends.”
It was more clear than ever that Laurene had only been stringing him along. The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth but also set him on a new path. If she didn’t think he was good enough to date her, it was time to lick his wounds and move on.
Chapter Six
Laurene
Laurene was certain of one thing, that she’d messed up with Noah—again. Right when he’d been pouring out his heart to her, she’d gone and trampled on it. If only her old high school classmate hadn’t shown up when she did. She and Noah could be holding hands now, walking along the private beach behind Gabe’s villa, instead of being holed up in their respective rooms alone.
Noah had been upset since they climbed into her private jet to fly back to the Big Island. He had clammed up, keeping his answers formal and short. Even as he drove her back to the villa, he gripped the steering wheel tightly with his hands, his posture stiff and tense. Neither of them enjoyed that car ride home. He’d brought her bags up to the house and promptly bid her good night.
Being alone in her room was just about driving Laurene crazy. Desperate for someone to talk to, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen. The staff had retired for the night, but they had left dessert in the refrigerator. She grabbed a spoon from a drawer, took out a dish of chilled pineapple mousse topped with pistachios, and sat down on a bar stool.
The sound of footsteps approached, and she looked up to find her brother, Devon, in the entryway of the kitchen. He looked like he’d just emerged from a dip in the pool, wearing a fluffy white robe that barely covered half of his six-foot-three frame. With a playful grin on his chiseled face, he strode over and shook his head of chestnut brown hair in Laurene’s face. “I didn’t know you were still up.”
Laurene shrieked as cold water droplets fell on her. “Dev, stop! How is it that you just turned thirty, but you still act like a five-year-old?”
“Someone’s gotta keep you and Gabe on your toes.” He took a seat next to her and dipped his finger into her cream-colored dessert. With a swift motion, he scooped up some mousse and stuck it in his mouth. “What are you doing up at midnight? It’s three in the morning back in California. I expected you to be in bed hours ago, not out all day with your new boy toy,” he added with a smirk.
“Excuse me? Noah is not my boy toy.” Laurene blew at a strand of hair that had fallen out of her messy bun into her eyes. “He’s a really great guy. And now I’ve gone and blown things with him.”
He gave her a sympathetic look. “What happened?”
She rolled her eyes. Her younger brother was the last person she wanted to talk to about relationships, but all her girlfriends were fast asleep back home. “Well, I first let a saleswoman at Tiffany’s think he was my driver. Then I dissed him in front of your ex-girlfriend who we happened to bump into on Oahu.”
“Excuse me?”
“Kylie asked if we were together and I said no, even though just a moment earlier I had told him yes.”
“You saw Kylie Martin?”
“That’s beside the point, Dev.” If she didn’t know better, she’d think her brother was still hung up on the girl who dumped him so many years ago. “Can we focus here? You’re supposed to be giving me advice about Noah.”
“Um, yeah.” Devon shook his head as if clearing his mind of some bad memories. He narrowed his eyes and faced her squarely. “So, why are you having such a hard time owning up to how you feel about him?”
“That’s a good question.” Laurene tapped her French-manicured nails on the marble counter. “I don’t know. At first I was just out to have a good time. Then the more time I spent with Noah, the more I liked him and respected him. He’s not like the other guys I’ve fallen for before. I like it that he doesn’t depend on his money or status. He’s real.”
“But?”
“But?” She didn’t like the smirk on Devon’s face, as if he knew there was more to the story. “There’s always a but, huh?”
“With you, yes.”
Laurene couldn’t help sticking her tongue out at him like she used to do when they were kids. “But … he’s not like the guys I’m used to dating. What if he gets to know me and finds out I’m just a spoiled rich girl who only likes to shop? Seeing Kylie reminded me of how much I hated being on the outside during high school. I could never be good enough for the kids who were born rich. Money was always an issue in my friendships then. I don’t ever want Noah to feel like he’s not good enough. But don’t you see,” she sighed, “money will always be an issue for us.”
Devon shook his head adamantly. “Only if you let it be. You were the one who made yourself feel inferior to the rich kids at school, not them. Who cares what they said or thought? You knew the truth. We had as much right to be at Eden Prep as they did, even more so since our grades, not money or connections, got us in. Don’t worry about Noah feeling inferior. Worry about yourself and your own superiority complex,” he added with a wink.
Laurene stopped chewing and swallowed her mouthful of mousse, along with a hearty helping of humble pie. Every word Devon said was on point. She did have some nerve assuming Noah felt inferior to her. Who did she think she was anyway? Being
wealthy didn’t mean she was better. If anything, Noah was the more considerate, kind, and generous one of the two of them. She needed to stop letting money be her hang-up. There were more important things to be passionate about.
“Thank you, Dev. You may behave like a kid, but you have the wisdom of an old man.”
He scoffed. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Oh, in case you’re wondering, Noah’s out by the pool.”
Laurene hopped off her stool and gave her brother a quick peck on the cheek before heading out of the kitchen. She knew exactly what she needed to do to get back in Noah’s good graces.
Chapter Seven
Noah
Noah knew he’d lost the battle as soon as he spotted Laurene walking out of the villa doors leading to the pool. Even in the near darkness, he had no trouble making out her petite form. Walking barefoot, she made her way across the manicured lawn and past an impressive stone fountain featuring two dancing dolphin statues. The light from the fountain lit up her hair that cascaded down her back like a crimson waterfall.
He forced his eyes away, but the image of her black strapless swimsuit was already etched into his mind. How its plunging neckline and mesh cutouts on both sides of her waist highlighted her curves. And the demure yet hopeful smile on her red lips when she saw him sitting in the far end of the infinity pool overlooking the Pacific. Oh, how he wanted to distance himself from Laurene, but it was hard to do so when he was still every bit as attracted to her. Now the attraction had turned into a very tangible need to be close to the woman who had captured his heart.
She reached the water’s edge and dipped one foot in. “Would you care for some company?”
He raised his head at the sound of her hesitant voice. His mouth went dry at the sight of her, and he had to lick his lips to speak. “Sure.” He might as well wave a white flag and let Laurene declare victory. But what was she here for? To play with his heart some more or to make up? He steeled himself, wary of the answer. Either way, he would have a hard time saying no to her.
She approached slowly, wading through the water until it reached her shoulders. With numerous fiber optic lights shining beneath the surface of the pool, Laurene appeared to be walking among stars. Her eyes, full of regret, never left his. When she came face-to-face with him, she stopped and took a deep breath. “I owe you an apology, Noah.”
Noah quirked a brow. “What for?”
“For so many things. For not making it clear to the saleswoman at Tiffany’s that you weren’t my driver. For cutting you off at the mall when you were trying to defend me. But most of all, for not giving you a chance. I assumed things about you that I shouldn’t have. You’re the kindest and most genuine man I know, a true gentleman. I respect you so much, Noah. I’m sorry I didn’t make you feel that way today.”
Laurene’s confession warmed his body even more than the heated water of the pool. But as much as he wanted to pull her into his arms and forget everything that had happened that day, he couldn’t. What she had said still rang in his ears.
Noah gazed out into the dark waters of the ocean, feeling his heart being tossed about like a boat in a storm. Their differences, both financially and socially, were as vast as the ocean itself. What if she got tired of him one day when the newness of the relationship died down? If he couldn’t pamper her the way she was used to—and the way she deserved—would she lose respect for him?
With resignation, he stretched out both arms to rest on the pool’s invisible ledge and turned to meet Laurene’s eyes. “I appreciate your apology, I truly do. But you were right about what you said. We are different. I live in a condo and drive a secondhand car. I wear department store brands and buy pound cake from the supermarket. I like eating mall food. But you, you deserve the best there is. I wish I had the means to give you everything, but I don’t.” With a firm shake of his head, he added, “I’m not the man you want, Laurene.”
She stepped forward, causing the water to splash about with her sudden movement. Her green eyes held a mixture of sadness and longing. When she spoke, her voice trembled with emotion. “Noah, you’re the man I need. I like who I am around you. You make me want to be a better person. You remind me that there’s so much more to life than wealth or possessions. I don’t care where you live or what you drive. I like what you wear and the foods you eat.”
“You say that now, Laurene, but one of these days, money will be an issue. And it’s not an issue that can be easily resolved. I’ll never be a billionaire; I’m not sure I’d want to even if I could. And you will no doubt always be richer than me.” He paused and frowned. “There’s not much we can change about the situation.”
“But, Noah, that’s the thing. I fell for you. The friend Gabe brought home from college. The guy who talked to me like a real person and not his friend’s silly little sister. The guy who helped me study for my calculus final when he could’ve been watching a movie instead.” Her lips curved up in a playful smile. “Didn’t you ever wonder why I dropped by the office every week after you started working with Gabe and Dev? Why I always brought food for you and not my brothers?”
“You always said you were out shopping in the neighborhood and happened to have leftovers from lunch.”
“The closest mall to the office is fifteen minutes away in Milpitas. And I always brought you a full entree with a drink and a dessert.” She gave him a pointed look. “Those were just excuses. I came to see you, Noah.”
He chuckled. For someone with an Ivy League education, he sure was dense. “Now that you put it that way, I guess it’s kind of obvious what your intentions were. But why did you stop coming around? It’s been a month since you last visited. I thought maybe you’d met someone.”
“You can blame Gabe for my absence. Big brother gave me a lecture and told me I needed to figure out what I was doing with my life. He said it was time I stopped wasting my days doing nothing and also to stop distracting you from doing your job. I didn’t want to get you into trouble, so I stayed away. But when I heard you were coming on vacation with us, I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to spend time together. And it was until I went and messed everything up.” She sighed. “Can we have a do-over? Please?”
Noah’s heart raced with anticipation. He skimmed his hands over the water as he reached for her, pulling her warm body to his. He almost couldn’t believe Laurene was in his arms, but her sweet scent surrounded him, confirming her presence. “What do you have in mind?” he murmured into her ear.
“Hmm…” she replied softly. Laurene relaxed against him and nuzzled her nose into the crook of his neck. She took her time answering, seeming to enjoy just being close to him. When she did pull back, she gave him a dazzling smile. “How about we get some frozen pound cake and Chinese takeout and stay up and talk?”
“We can do that.” He cupped her cheek and caressed it with the pad of his thumb. Laurene leaned into his palm, a serene look on her face. His breath hitched to see her beauty in the moonlight. He only had one desire to fulfill. “What if we add in a kiss, too?”
She pretended to think for a moment. “That would have to be a do-once, since we’ve never kissed before.”
“Then maybe we should start,” Noah whispered against her mouth. As soon as their lips met, a fire ignited in his body. He claimed her mouth with his, aiming to discover everything he could about her touch and taste. The kiss was soft, warm, and, most of all, inviting. She drew him in, wrapping her arms around his neck as they exchanged breath for breath and dreams for reality. Kissing Laurene was everything he had hoped for and more. When they parted, he was sure her lovesick smile mirrored his own.
She sighed as she trailed a finger down his wet chest. “Now that we’ve gotten our first kiss out of the way, we can have our do-over now.”
“I like the sound of that,” Noah quickly replied and moved in to bridge the distance between their lips. He couldn’t believe how much their friendship had shifted in just a matter of hours. But it’d been a long time coming. They j
ust had one more hurdle to get past.
He broke off their kiss with a wistful smile. “Sorry to kill the mood, but we should probably think about how we’re going to break the news to Gabe. Because I’d very much like to have his blessing to date you.”
“No worries. Just leave that part to me,” Laurene touted as she leaned in. “Now, no more talking about my brother. We have more kissing to do.”
Noah gladly complied as he pulled her into his arms again.
Chapter Eight
Laurene
Laurene took one look at Gabe and knew she’d have no trouble convincing him that she and Noah were meant to be together. She had decided to break the news to him as soon as the sun had risen in Hawaii. According to Devon, their older brother had cut his vacation short and flown back to California already. She could only assume he’d worked things out with the woman she and Noah had caught him kissing the other day.
She was thrilled for Gabe to have found someone who could be his equal. Plus, his good fortune would work in her favor. Her older brother was the happiest she’d ever seen him. He hardly paid attention to his computer screen as they chatted via video conference. His focus was fully directed at the beautiful blonde sitting beside him.
Laurene turned to Noah who sat on the other end of the plush leather sofa in the villa’s spacious living room. He’d purposely angled himself away from her cell phone screen so as not to appear on camera. She shot him a mischievous grin and blew him a kiss, knowing full well Gabe wouldn’t even notice.
Noah pretended to capture her kiss with his hand and put it into his shirt pocket. He then gave her a thumbs-up and mouthed the words, We’re in this together. No matter what.
She sighed happily. After their sleepless night of talking and eating, he still managed to look as handsome as ever. His tousled hair and swoony grin made her heart skip a beat. She was more than grateful he had decided to give her a second chance. They’d come to an agreement that regardless of what Gabe said, they vowed to stay together. Nothing could stand in their way, not even an overprotective brother. With determination, she mouthed back, No matter what.
