by Holly Rayner
“Good night, Jacqui.” He waited until she was inside her apartment and heard the lock turn before he left.
Khizar saw that she had hoped he would kiss her goodnight, and part of him felt like a jerk for not kissing her. But he was determined not to get too involved. Losing his heart was not part of his plan.
As he drove back to his hotel, Khizar thought more about the long-term affect his strategy might have on Jacqui. He was beginning to like her, and he knew she would be hurt in the end. Although he was certain he could keep himself from getting in too deep, he wanted to try to protect her feelings as well, at least as much as he could.
Later that night as he finalized plans for the weekend, he considered what would make her happiest. He changed a few things, and satisfied with the itinerary, went to sleep thinking of how this weekend would seal his plan.
Chapter 6
Jacqui
Jacqui opened the bakery Friday morning with a spring in her step, and Lyssa noticed the second she walked in the door later that morning.
“You’re awfully chipper again today. How was your afternoon with Sheikh Tall, Dark, and Handsome?”
Jacqui rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help smiling as she remembered.
“He took me on a carriage ride through the park, and we had a picnic. And…he hired a string quartet to play during the picnic.”
Lyssa stared at her, bug-eyed. “He did what?”
“I know, right? It was definitely a little over the top.”
“And you loved it.”
Jacqui nodded firmly. “I totally loved it.”
“So, what’s on your weekend agenda? Please tell me he’s taking you someplace fabulous.”
“Actually, I was going to ask you about that.”
“Yes, take the weekend off.”
Lyssa tossed her book bag back behind the kitchen door, her voice muffled. When she came back out, tying on an apron, she added, “You literally haven’t taken any time off since you opened the bakery. Not even on the holidays. I can use the time to work on my project, and you deserve a few days off to relax.”
Jacqui stared at her, and Lyssa laughed.
“Look, he’s obviously into you. And you like him. So, take a couple of days off. You need to do that anyway.”
The bell over the door sounded and the two women looked up.
Lyssa smiled triumphantly.
“I bet he agrees with me,” she said, nodding at Khizar.
“I’ll bet I do,” he said agreeably. “May I inquire exactly what I am supportive of?”
Lyssa pointed at Jacqui. “She should take the weekend off.”
“As it happens, I wholeheartedly agree.” Khizar nodded.
Jacqui threw up her hands. “I was going to take some time off!”
Khizar leaned against the counter.
“I was hoping, actually, that I could talk you into taking the whole weekend off.”
“Yes,” Lyssa said before Jacqui could open her mouth.
“Oh, you two,” Jacqui said, a little exasperated.
“Come on, boss. In fact, why don’t you take off now? I’ve got the shop covered.”
Khizar shrugged. “If you can leave now, we can be on the plane that much sooner.”
Jacqui leveled a stare at him. “Plane?”
“I thought you might enjoy a weekend getaway. You got to show me Milwaukee; I’d like to take you somewhere in return.”
“Can I ask where we’re going?”
“I was thinking Hawaii,” Khizar said.
Jacqui felt her mouth open, but nothing came out. She blinked a few times, and finally, Lyssa answered for her.
“What she’s trying to say is, that sounds wonderful, and she’s ready to go,” Lyssa sounded like she was trying not to laugh.
Jacqui nodded. “That does sound wonderful. Are you sure?”
Khizar said, “If it helps, there’s a business contact I want to meet up with, so you’d be doing me a favor by keeping me company. The meeting will take an hour, tops, and the rest of the time will be sun, sand, and sea.”
“Okay, I’m in. Let me run home and pack a bag.” Jacqui turned to Lyssa. “Do you need anything before I go?”
“I’ve got it, boss. Have an awesome time.”
Khizar pulled out a card, set it on the counter, and scribbled a few things on it. He handed it Lyssa and said, “If you can’t get in touch with Jacqui, here’s my contact information, as well as the name of the hotel we’ll be staying at. They’ll have Jacqui’s name on the room, so if you need anything, you can call her there, too.”
Jacqui was touched by the thoughtfulness in that gesture, and admittedly she felt better knowing that Lyssa could reach her if anything came up.
After a quick trip home to pack a few things—Jacqui wasn’t really sure she was beach-ready—she and Khizar made their way to a small private airport just outside Milwaukee.
Khizar parked next to a hanger and carried both of their suitcases inside. They were greeted by the pilot, who talked with Khizar for a few minutes about their flight path.
The pilot walked Jacqui outside the hanger to the plane, where a steward took their bags and stowed them inside. Khizar followed Jacqui onboard the plane while the pilot finished the pre-fight checklist.
Jacqui looked around the interior, noticing that the main cabin was divided into sections. A long, brown leather couch sat along one wall, across from a long, low cabinet. Two plush navy chairs faced each other across a table, and another two chairs sat on the other side of them turned toward each other.
There was a wall in the back of the cabin with a door. In the front of the plane was a small galley half-hidden by a screen, where Jacqui could see the steward preparing a pot of coffee and some food.
“Sit wherever you like,” Khizar said, gesturing around the space.
Jacqui took a cushy chair facing the dark wood table.
“I definitely feel like a princess.”
Khizar chuckled as he sat across from her.
“Just wait. This weekend is about having fun, and indulging in whatever you like. So, as you Americans like to say, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Jacqui laughed at his excellent try at a flat American accent.
“In that case, I can’t wait. How long is the flight?”
“It should be about nine hours, maybe a little more. We shouldn’t run into any bad weather along the way, and we’re taking the most direct route. When we get in the air, we can have some lunch.”
Jacqui nodded and watched out the window as the plane started moving. True to Khizar’s word, as soon as the plane leveled out, Jacqui could see the steward moving around the galley again. After a few minutes, he carried a tray into the main cabin and set it down on the table.
“Thank you, Malik.”
The young man nodded. “What can I get you to drink, Ms. Bauer?”
“Iced tea, please, if you have it.”
“Of course. For you, Sheikh?”
“Coffee, please. And no rush on lunch. We’ll nibble on our snacks here until it’s ready.” Khizar waved a hand at the tray of fruit, cheese, olives, and bread.
A few hours later, Khizar checked in with the pilot in the cockpit, and when he came back said, “You might want to look out your window. We’re about to fly over the coast.”
Jacqui leaned over to the window to look. “I’ve never seen the ocean.”
Khizar looked from another window. “And there it is.”
It looked so far away, but still so blue as the sun glinted off the water. Every once in a while, she could see what looked like large ships—cargo or cruise ships, she guessed.
“I promise, you’ll get to spend as much time by, in, or on the ocean as you like. We’ll do whatever sounds like fun.”
Jacqui grinned at him suddenly. “Thank you, Khizar. This trip is really special.”
An uncertain look crossed over his face, but Jacqui didn’t give it any thought, since she’d already turned back to look
out the window.
Jacqui had thought she could spend the whole flight looking at the scenery far below the plane, but somewhere in the middle of the flight, she fell asleep. When she woke up, she realized that Khizar had picked her up and moved her to the couch. There was a soft blanket draped over her and a pillow under her head.
She stretched and slowly sat up to see Khizar stepping out of the cockpit. He smiled and came to sit down on one of the chairs, where he could face her.
“There’s a bedroom in the back, but I wasn’t sure you’d stay asleep if I moved you that far.”
“I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
“It’s night in Milwaukee now, so I’m not surprised. If you’d like to freshen up, your things are in the washroom.” Khizar pointed through the door.
Jacqui changed clothes and washed her face, and when she returned to the main cabin, Khizar beckoned her to a chair.
“We’re about twenty minutes out. I thought you might like to watch our approach.”
“Yes, thank you.” Jacqui sat down and looked out.
The blue was closer, and she could definitely see boats now. After a few minutes, green appeared on the horizon, quickly forming lush, vegetation covered mountains. The plane looped part of the island, and then descended for landing. Jacqui watched skyscrapers mix with houses, punctuated by stunning beaches.
Khizar pointed out some things as they flew into Honolulu.
“That’s Diamond Head, there’s Waikiki Beach, and downtown Honolulu.”
As the plane landed, Jacqui tried not to bounce in her seat. This trip was far and away the most interesting thing to happen in her life in a long time, and Hawaii was a place she’d always wanted to visit.
Before they got off the plane, Khizar thanked the pilot and steward and made arrangements for their flight back on Sunday night. There was a car waiting for them, and Jacqui found herself whisked off once again, though this time, the scenery was far more exotic than Milwaukee.
The car pulled up in front of the hotel and Jacqui looked out to see a lobby with walls open to the air, where guests wandered in and out freely. A uniformed valet opened her door and helped her out, greeting her with “Aloha” and a vibrantly-colored flower lei which he placed around her neck.
Instead of a front desk, they were greeted by a gentleman in a cream-colored suit.
“Sheikh Jamshidi, Ms. Bauer, we’re delighted you’re staying with us this weekend. I’m Joe Lukela, one of the managers here at The Kalakaua, and I’ll be taking care of you during your stay. You’re all checked in, and our bellhops will take your luggage to your suite. If you’ll follow me, I’ll lead you there now.”
Khizar gestured Jacqui in front of him, placing a hand on her back. Jacqui hadn’t really thought yet about the room situation, but she realized a few minutes later she needn’t have worried.
The manager opened the door into a bright, airy room. There was a small entryway with a bench and cabinet. In front of her were two walls of sliding doors, leading out to a large covered lanai. The whole wall was open, and Jacqui could see Diamond Head in the distance, and just below their room, a stretch of sand and ocean.
On either side of the main room were doors. The manager gestured to the bellhop, who opened the door on the right.
“Sheikh Jamshidi, Adam will show you to your room.”
He then opened the door on the left and said, “Ms. Bauer, this is your room. I believe you’ll find anything you might need inside, but if you don’t, please let me know. If we don’t have something on site, I can have it delivered.”
Jacqui walked into the bedroom. She wanted to jump on the giant, fluffy-looking bed, it looked so inviting, but almost immediately her attention was pulled toward edge of the room. Another set of French doors were open to let the breeze in, and beyond them, she could see an inviting hot tub.
She almost missed the manager’s next words in her amazement.
“I’m happy to arrange any excursions for you, and we have a lovely spa and restaurant here in the hotel.”
Jacqui laughed and waved at the luxurious amenities.
“I may not leave this space right here for the whole weekend.”
Joe smiled. “Is this your first time in Hawaii?” When Jacqui nodded, he said, “Normally, I encourage our guests to spend as much time as they like in the hotel. But since it’s your first time here, I insist you see some of the island. I’ll prepare some options you might like and have them ready for you tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you,” Jacqui said. “I can’t wait to see everything!”
When she walked back into the main room, Khizar was waiting for her.
“Would you like to take a walk and get dinner? I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
“Ditto,” Jacqui agreed.
They left the room and found the hotel restaurant. The host greeted them by name and seated them immediately on the patio outside.
Jacqui didn’t really notice the food, she was so busy taking in everything else. From their table, she could hear the ocean waves breaking on the beach and see palm trees swaying gently. People were strolling on the sand and playing in the water, and she couldn’t wait until she was one of them.
At one point, Jacqui realized she was being terrible company and apologized to Khizar.
He laughed. “Please, don’t apologize. I’m happy watching you be happy. If anything, I’m sorry. I should have taken you down to the beach first. I promise, as soon as we’re done with dinner, we’ll walk down there.”
“In that case…” Jacqui set her fork down and patted her mouth with her napkin. Then, she grinned at Khizar. “I’m done.”
He laughed again and Jacqui felt like she accomplished something by making him laugh so freely. It was a nice sound, and one she wanted to hear more of.
They skipped dessert, and decided to walk straight from the hotel patio down to the beach. Jacqui stopped at the water’s edge and knelt down to trail her fingers in the water. She was awed at touching the ocean, something so big and far away from any place she’d ever been.
Khizar let her take it in in silence, and when Jacqui reached for his hand, he wrapped his fingers around hers. Jacqui tried not to think about what it would be like to have this all the time, but as they walked along the beach, listening to the waves, she hoped that maybe they could find a way.
Chapter 7
Jacqui
With the time difference, Jacqui woke up well before sunrise. She found Khizar in the kitchen attached to the suite, waiting for coffee to finish brewing. When he saw her, he pulled another mug down from the cabinet.
“Good morning,” Jacqui said.
“Good morning,” he replied cheerfully, pouring two cups of coffee and handing her one. “Did you sleep well?”
She took a careful sip and nodded. “So well. I swear, that bed is like sleeping on a cloud.”
“Excellent. Since you’re up early, would you like to go watch the sun rise over the ocean? I can have the hotel pack a breakfast for us and suggest the best place to go.”
“I’d love that. Give me ten minutes to get ready.”
A short time later, they were in a car with more coffee and a large bag of breakfast pastries and fruit. The hotel had offered one of their town cars and drivers, so both Jacqui and Khizar were taking in the scenery from the back seat of the sedan.
The driver took them to a secluded little park where the palm trees formed a canopy and large rocks just right to perch on sat facing east. Jacqui clambered up on top of one of the rocks with her coffee and a pineapple muffin, while Khizar did the same on a rock a few feet away.
They were quiet, sipping coffee and eating. The sun slipped above the horizon, turning the sky bands of purple and pink and orange, the colors reflected in the glass-like water. Jacqui had never seen anything so beautiful.
After the sun was fully risen, Jacqui looked at Khizar.
“I know tradition is to applaud the sunset, but I feel like that sunrise
deserves a standing ovation.”
Khizar nodded. “Truly gorgeous.”
He was watching her instead of the sky, and Jacqui wondered for a moment if they were talking about the same thing.
Back at the hotel, Khizar left to take care of his business meeting while Jacqui bought a book from the small store in the hotel and went to sit on the beach. The hotel had little cabanas set up for guests, so she grabbed one and curled up in what had to be the most comfortable beach chair ever.
She read a little, but mostly she sat and watched the people and the ocean. When Khizar found her there a couple of hours later, she was ready to go sightseeing. They walked around a large open-air market, and Jacqui bought souvenirs for her parents and Lyssa.
They had lunch at a small café in downtown Honolulu, trying some of the local specialties. Then, Khizar took her to a little cove a few miles out of the city, and Jacqui got to try snorkeling for the first time.
After figuring out how to get the mask fitted and the right way to breathe, Jacqui dived right in. She and Khizar spent the next hour pointing out brightly-colored fish and interesting-looking coral to each other.
Jacqui also spent some time covertly admiring her snorkeling companion. She usually spent as much time as she could doing yoga, a practice she’d picked up from a roommate at culinary school, so she was no slouch in the fitness department. Jacqui knew she looked good in her purple bikini.
Khizar, on the other hand, looked like he spent hours in the gym each day. The man’s abs alone must have taken a whole team of personal trainers to sculpt, but the effect was totally worth it.
After snorkeling, they headed back to the hotel to change. Jacqui took a quick shower, dressed for the evening, and then collapsed on the couch in the main room. Khizar didn’t let her stay motionless for long, though.
The two borrowed the hotel’s car and driver again. Khizar wouldn’t tell her where they were going, and Jacqui was surprised when they pulled up at a small airfield.
The driver dropped them off, and Khizar led her to a helicopter, where a pilot waved at them to get on board.
