“One minute she was there and then she was gone. You know how kids are.” The woman patted her daughter’s back. “Keilani, say thank you to the beautiful lady who found you,” the woman said, looking down at her daughter with a smile.
The toddler looked at Lexi and held her hand out moving it back and forth. Then she giggled and blew Lexi a kiss.
Lexi pretended to catch the kiss in the air and patted her cheek. “Thank you, Keilani. Have fun shopping.”
She waved at the little girl then let her hand drop to her side. That’s when she noticed the man who had helped her standing quietly next to the end cap of paintbrushes on aisle seven. “You really get the credit for finding her,” Lexi said. “Thanks for hunting down the lost mother.”
He grinned. “Glad to help out a tourist when I can.”
“But I’m not a tourist,” Lexi replied. “I just moved here.”
One eyebrow lifted, and Lexi noticed a different look in his brown eyes, as if he were seeing her for the first time. He held out his hand. “That’s great news. Welcome to Kauai. I’m Derek Mitchell.”
They shook hands, and sparks of light flew up her arm. When they broke contact, she immediately craved his touch again. What was happening to her? The first hot guy to shake her hand had her thinking of moonlight walks on the beach and kisses in the sand. She decided that she was smitten with the idea of this Hawaiian guy. She needed a can of macadamia nuts and a long bath, not a man. Still she smiled broadly and returned the introduction. “I’m Lexi Burke, no longer from Chicago.”
Derek wrinkled his nose. “Man, that place is cold. Good choice coming here in March. The weather will only get better from now until October.”
“I’m counting on it,” Lexi replied.
“Are you an artist?” Derek asked, motioning to the growing stack of supplies in Lexi’s cart that she’d left in the middle of the aisle.
“I wish.” Lexi laughed. “Maybe in a different lifetime—or maybe now. I love art and I need to refocus some of my energy. Drawing and painting used to be a passion of mine before the nine-to-five killed it.”
Derek nodded. “I get that. The good thing about this place is it unwinds all that tension, and creativity leaks out from everywhere.” He tipped his head to the side. “Since you’re new, I’ll let you in on a secret. Drive over to Hanapepe on Friday nights for the local art night, and you’ll see what I mean.”
“Hmm, I may just do that.” Lexi gave Derek her canned response to every invite from the male species. And then she realized that he was being friendly and didn’t expect a commitment. He was too good-looking though with that bronzed skin and his relaxed stance that seemed to say, I don’t have any idea what my looks do to your pulse-rate. Yep. Derek was on her list of things not to encounter in Kauai. Her fingertips drummed along the handle of her shopping cart trying to keep up with her racing heart. It was time to make a quick exit. “Thanks again for your help. Maybe I’ll see you around the island sometime.”
“Good luck with the painting.” Derek lifted one hand and let it fall. She noticed a stack of frames tucked under his arm.
After Lexi checked out and packed up her supplies, she wished she hadn’t been so skittish around Derek. She hadn’t even reciprocated his question about being an artist. He’d spoken about creativity, and judging by the major clues that he was picking up art supplies and knew about the Hanapepe street fair, he was probably an artist himself. Lexi felt chagrined that she hadn’t asked him anything. Then she felt chagrined that she was thinking about him again. Derek was just another piece of man candy Lexi didn’t want to taste. But he’d been so kind and genuine at the store. She shouldn’t be mean to him just because she carried a chip on her shoulder the size of the Sears Tower. She could give him the benefit of the doubt. Derek was quite possibly delicious on the inside too. So was the authentic Hawaiian Shave Ice Lexi was going to stop and pick up at Hee Fat General Store. Yes, ice covered in sugar sitting on top of a mountain of thick ice cream would definitely do the trick to keep Lexi’s mind from wandering into dangerous territory.
***
That moment when Derek had walked out of the end of the aisle, three frames tucked under his arm, his mind occupied with how his photos would look with the design, had stayed with him all day. He’d heard the little girl crying, and then he saw the woman, Lexi, approach the dark-haired girl. Lexi’s straight blonde hair contrasted sharply with the girl’s dark skin. He remembered how it fell across her shoulders when she crouched down and asked the child if she needed help. The way the little girl had put her arms around Lexi’s neck made Derek wish for his camera. Lexi had hesitated only a second before embracing the tiny girl, gently holding her in her arms as she stood and surveyed the store. That was the first time she’d seen him, and her striking, jade-colored eyes had lit up with hope.
That Lexi thought the little girl could be his touched him in a way he’d never admit. His last relationship had ended with Carly telling him he was too self-absorbed and obsessed with photography to ever be a decent father. Derek shrugged away the thought and refocused on the episode from yesterday that kept running through his head. He’d probably never see Lexi again, but he could hope for a chance to photograph her stunning face or hear the musical quality of her sweet voice.
Derek ran his hands over the coarse sides of his hair. He needed to focus if he wanted to be prepared for art night in Hanapepe tonight. Why had he blurted out an invitation to Lexi for art night? Even if he told himself he wouldn’t think about her, he knew he’d probably spend the better part of the evening looking for her golden hair. And there he was, thinking about her again. Derek groaned. Focus dude! He’d been studying ideas on how to make a bigger splash at the street festival. He hadn’t done as well last week and wasn’t sure if he should continue, but he’d invested so much into his booth and producing the photos to sell he decided he’d give it two more weeks and see if he could break even on the venture.
It was more than just an art fair to Derek. He wanted to make things work in Kauai. He’d lived here for two years now, scraping by, working odd jobs and photographing on the side to pay the electric bill and keep from going hungry.
Even though he was only a quarter Hawaiian—Kauai was in his blood. His grandfather was born on this island and buried in the Kauai Veterans Cemetery on Lele Road, but Derek had only visited Kauai once. When he was in his teens and indulging in a rebellious streak, his parents sent him to the island to be straightened out by his grandpa’s old-fashioned ways. Derek’s life had been different since then and in a way, he’d spent the rest of his life trying to make it back to the island full of so many beautiful secrets. Derek knew he could work the rest of his life and barely scratch the surface of the possibilities for his photography business. It brought him a joy that was hard to explain. Now if only someone else would find joy in his work so that he could afford to continue his dream.
He dusted off the set of picture frames housing some of his best pieces. Tonight he would find an opportunity that would change things. Derek wasn’t ready to give up on his dream to shoot photos full-time. His grandpa, better known as Kuku, expected more of him than that.
“Why so many thoughts, bro?” Pika asked, as he banged through the front door of Grandpa’s old house, unannounced as usual.
Derek rubbed his hand over his face. His friend was laid-back, but he always knew when something was eating at Derek. “Just thinking I don’t want to be chopping bamboo with a machete next week, ya know?”
Pika shook his head. “Money’s money, right?”
“I’d rather be shooting, catching the light in the lens.” Derek held up his thumb and index finger. “I feel like I’m this close. If I could just catch a break somehow.”
“Now that’s what we need to do. Surf,” Pika said. “That’s the only way I know to catch a break.”
Derek rolled his eyes. Pika was the epitome of Hawaiian culture. He was at peace with himself and life on the island. It was a gift that Dere
k wished he could indulge in, but they were wired differently. Derek wanted to climb the mountain and conquer the world, and Pika was content to chop coconuts in the shade at the base of that mountain. Pika’s way made good money, selling the coconuts for five dollars apiece to the tourists hiking the coastline. He was making more money than Derek with his consistent, hard labor, and he seemed happy, too.
“Did you ask your mom about making some frames?” Derek asked.
Pika held up a canvas bag that he’d set near the door. “My makuahine, she get all excited and made you two already. I hope they fit.” He pulled out two frames woven from palm leaves and set them in front of Derek.
Derek picked one up and ran his finger along the intricate braiding; the texture was unique, and the color was a dark green. They would fit the 8x10 photos he’d had printed on foamcore. “This is perfect. I really think this will work.” He stood and slapped Pika on the back. “Thanks man.”
Pika flashed him the hang-ten sign. “She’s still weaving so if they don’t sell, I don’t want to know.”
Derek grinned. “Tell her to make ten more.”
When the door swung shut, Derek got to work fitting his photographs carefully into the hand-woven frames. Everyone wanted a souvenir from their travels, but most people were tired of the cheap, generic merchandise that was all made in China. People wanted a piece of the island to take home with them. Something created in Kauai. Derek grabbed his camera and set up an impromptu shoot of his new line of products. Custom frames holding custom pictures from the isle of Kauai. When he leaned in to focus the lens, he saw Lexi holding that little girl again, and he fumbled with his camera. What was it about that shot he couldn’t get out of his head? Derek concentrated and captured some excellent photos, all the while wondering if he’d ever see Lexi again.
About the Author
Jeanette Lewis is an Amazon best-selling author of clean romance. Dreaming up stories has always been one of Jeanette’s favorite things. Other favorites include family, friends, crisp autumn days, having adventures, and frozen gummy bears.
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The Lucky Billionaire (Destination Billionaire Romance) Page 11
