He looked surprised, and then started laughing.
“Oops. Did I just say that out loud?” Blotches of heat crept up her neck as she grinned sheepishly. “Sorry.” But she wasn’t sorry. On the contrary, it felt good to release some of the tension.
His eyes grew thoughtful. “Maybe I’m speaking out of turn here, but you and Anthony strike me as an odd couple.”
She didn’t know how to respond, so she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. “My sister’s in town. You’ll have to meet her.”
“I’d like that very much,” he said sincerely.
“Well, thanks for the package. I’ve been expecting this.”
He nodded. “You’re welcome. Thanks again for the chicken.” As she turned to leave, he added, “If you ever need to talk, I’m here.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled, hurrying away.
The next week was rough, making Samantha feel like she was the unfortunate ball in a soccer game where both sides were out for blood. Anthony was intent on picking Dani apart for the slightest infraction, and Dani was determined to undermine him at every turn. Her sister was normally not the cleanest person on the planet, but she was doing things to intentionally goad Anthony—leaving her clothes in a wad on the bathroom floor when taking a shower, tracking sand inside the condo, and leaving her shoes in the middle of the living room floor. Worst of all, she removed the annoying picture from the bathroom and placed it in the hall. Anthony had nearly come unglued about that.
Samantha’s only reprieve from the craziness was the time she spent with Finn. They surfed every morning. She’d mastered getting up on her board, and he was now teaching her how to maneuver through the waves. Afterwards, they often went walking on the beach. He even took her to the WWII bunker that was up the beach from Turtle Bay. One night, when Anthony was working late, she and Finn attended the night show at the Polynesian Culture Center. She especially loved the fire knife dancers.
She loved how open Finn was, loved his easy smile. Mostly, she loved the person she became when she was with Finn. They were getting super close. It was only a matter of time before she would be forced to tell him the truth. Time was slipping away, and the wedding was drawing ominously near.
“This is glorious!”
The comment jolted Samantha to the present, and she looked over at Dani. They were sprawled out in the lounge chairs on the back deck, relaxing. Samantha turned her face to the sun, liking how it made her skin feel tingly and warm.
Dani turned to her. “I’m falling in love with Hawaii. It’s about as close to heaven as you can get. Why have we not come here before now?”
She smiled. Despite Dani’s constant quarreling with Anthony, it was great having her here. She had an insatiable zest for life and was determined to visit every beach on the island in a record number of days. It had taken Dani all of an afternoon to master the bus system, and she was roaming all over the island. Anthony assumed Samantha was spending most of her time with Dani, so he’d stopped giving her the third degree about how she spent her days—which was a huge relief. She was spending time with Dani, but she was also spending time with Finn. . Today was the first time she and Dani were spending the bulk of the day together, and that was because Finn was running an errand—something about picking up a surfboard that was being repaired.
She hated to broach the next topic, but she’d promised Anthony she would. And she knew he would ask her about it later. She might as well get it over with. “Um …” She licked her dry lips. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
Dani removed her sunglasses. “You sound serious. What’s Anthony done now?”
Samantha tried to keep a straight face. “I don’t even know where to start with this one.”
“What?”
“It’s your toilet training.”
A weird expression came over Dani. “My what?”
“Your toilet training. Anthony thinks you’re using too much toilet paper and asked me to talk to you about it.”
Dani gaped. “You’re joking, right?”
A smile quivered on Samantha’s lips, and then she burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that tears streamed down her face. “If you could’ve seen your face!”
“So you’re kidding?”
Samantha shook her head. “No, unfortunately, I’m not,” she said, mopping away her tears. “Anthony made me promise I’d talk to you today about this. Evidently, using more than one square of toilet tissue is a serious issue. Of course, this is coming from the man who chewed me out last night because I didn’t cut the tomatoes for the salad small enough.”
Dani was appalled, and from the look on her face, Samantha could tell she was about to launch into a tirade about Anthony. But before she could, they heard a male voice. “Come back here. Now!”
Rebel trotted up to Samantha and began wagging her tail. “Hey girl,” she said, rubbing her head.
“Cute dog.” Dani sat up and held out her hand. Rebel sniffed it and then deemed her okay, allowing Dani to pet her.
Liam came walking across the yard. “Rebel, come here, girl,” he urged.
Rather than complying, Rebel took off like a shot, straight to the center of Anthony’s yard. Then she look looked up at the condo, as if she wanted to be sure she was in the right place, before squatting down and doing her business.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Liam said, throwing his hands into the air. “Anthony’s going to love this.”
“I see your dog has the same problem I do,” Dani called.
Liam’s eyes widened when he realized they were there. He looked embarrassed as he approached.
Samantha was the first to speak. “This is my sister, Dani. She’s visiting from California.”
“Yes, Samantha told me about you. I’m Liam. From next door.”
“Hello, Liam.” Dani flashed a dazzling smile. “I love the accent.”
“Thanks.” He beamed. “So what do you and my dog have in common, Dani?”
“Our bathroom manners… or lack thereof.” Dani laughed. “According to Anthony, I use too much toilet tissue, and your dog obviously has a penchant for going in the worst possible spot. So it would seem we both have toilet training issues.”
Liam chuckled, looking at Samantha. “I like her.” He motioned at a nearby chair. “May I?”
“Of course.”
He scooted the chair next to Dani, and before long, they were engaged in earnest conversation. As usual, Dani laid on the charm, and Liam seemed to be eating it up. Samantha chuckled ruefully. No one was as charming as Dani.
Her phone buzzed. “Excuse me,” she said, getting up. “I need to take this.” But she could tell they barely heard her.
“Hello,” she said, walking into the condo.
Her mother’s cultured voice came over the line. “Samantha, darling, how are you?”
“Good. It’s great having Dani here.”
“I’m so glad you guys are getting a chance to spend time together.”
“How are you doing, Mom? Any more episodes with your heart?”
“No, I’ve been doing well on the new medication. So far so good.”
“How’s Trisha?”
“Great. She’s agreed to stay with me until I leave for Hawaii for the wedding.”
“I’m glad. Tell her I said hello.”
“I will. Anthony’s been such a dear. He calls me nearly every day to check on me.”
“Really?” Samantha had no idea.
Excitement bubbled in her voice. “And guess what?”
“What?” she said dully.
“He’s going to invest in my business.”
“Yeah, he mentioned that.”
“It’s amazing how things come together. I was so worried about what we were going to do after your father died.” Emotion clogged her voice. “And then you and Anthony got engaged. It’s the greatest blessing.”
Samantha just sat there, not sure how to respond.
“How’s i
t going there?”
“Okay.”
“Anthony told me your ring finally came. He says it’s beautiful.”
She looked down at the rock on her finger. The hardest part was remembering to take it off before meeting Finn. “Yeah, it’s great.”
Her mom picked up on her hesitation. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah… it’s great,” she repeated flatly.
A long pause. “Anthony mentioned you’ve had a difficult time settling into your new life with him.”
Anger covered her like a suffocating blanket. “Really? Is that what he said? You know, Anthony’s not the easiest person to live with. He has some strange personality quirks.”
Her mother laughed. “Don’t we all, dear,” she drawled.
The space around Samantha expanded and contracted in one hard punch. It was obvious that her mother didn’t want to hear that Samantha was having reservations about Anthony because it threatened the security he provided.
“It’s perfectly normal to get cold feet, darling. Anthony said the two of you have had several arguments.”
Her jaw clenched. “Anthony had no business telling you that.”
“Oh, darling, don’t get mad at him. He just wants you to be happy.”
No, he just wants to keep me in line so I can be his dutiful trophy wife! There was so much she could’ve said, but she didn’t want to unload on her mother and cause her to have another heart episode… or worse. None of this was her fault. She was simply caught in the crossfire.
“Samantha? Are you still there?”
“I’m here.”
“Are you okay? You don’t sound like yourself. Dani was concerned. That’s why she went there. I’ve been worried too.”
The hitch in her mother’s voice made her feel guilty. “I promise, I’m fine,” she said, trying to keep her voice even.
Her mother’s exuberance bounced back like a boomerang. “I was thinking for the wedding…”
Katia droned on another twenty minutes about the details of the wedding, even though Samantha kept reminding her they’d purchased a wedding package, meaning everything was already set. All they had to do was show up. Finally, when she could no longer stand it, she cut in. “Mom, I’m sorry, but I need to let you go.”
“Oh … okay. I didn’t mean to keep you.”
She ran a hand through her hair. “You haven’t been keeping me. I’m glad we got a chance to catch up.”
“Me too, darling. Tell Dani I said hello, and give her a kiss for me.”
“I will. I love you.”
“Love you too. Bye.”
When Samantha went back outside, Dani and Liam were still laughing and talking. Their cheery demeanor turned her despondent mood sour.
“Samantha,” Liam said, “would you and Dani like to join me this afternoon for tea?”
“Ooh, tea.” Dani trilled her tongue. “That sounds so British. I don’t know about Samantha, but I’d love to.”
Samantha shook her head. “Thanks, but there are some things I need to take care of.”
“What things?” Dani said.
She forced a smile. “Just things.” The truth was, she didn’t have a single thing that needed to be done, but she needed some time alone. A long walk on the beach would do her good right now.
“I’ll come for tea,” Dani said frankly. “What time?”
Liam smiled. “How about three.”
“Great. See you then.”
Liam raised Dani’s hand to his lips and kissed it, gazing into her eyes. “Until then.”
When he was out of hearing range, Dani turned to Samantha. “He’s really nice.”
“Yeah, and he’s obviously taken with you,” she said dryly.
Dani wrinkled her nose. “You think so?”
“Yeah. Go easy on him. He’s genuinely a nice guy.” Dani had a knack for flirting shamelessly and then leaving men broken-hearted.
Her eyes danced. “He’s really cute, and I’m a sucker for British accents. This trip just keeps getting better and better.”
“I’m glad things are working out for one of us,” Samantha muttered darkly.
Dani’s face fell. “I’m sorry. I know what a rough time you’re having. I don’t have to go over to Liam’s. I can stay here and hang out with you instead.”
“No, it’s okay. Go ahead. I’m going for a walk. See ya later.”
12
When Finn stepped through the doors of the Haliewa Surf Shop, the guy behind the counter smiled in recognition and gave him the shaka sign. “Hey,” he drawled, “how’s my favorite haole?”
Finn’s grinned and he repeated the same phrase he always came back with. It was their ongoing game of verbal ping-pong. “Depends on how high da surf is.”
Mikala laughed, pointing his finger like a pistol. “That’s right, bro. I taught you well.”
Finn leaned over the counter, and the two clasped hands in a hearty shake. Mikala was an island boy of Tongan descent, and a superstar in the surfing world. The year before, he took first place in the Triple Crown, and now he was training for what he hoped would be win number two. He always introduced himself as Michael to the tourists, but to the locals and his closest friends, he was known by his Polynesian name. Mikala was the first friend Finn had made when he’d moved to the North Shore.
Sometimes, Finn still found it hard to believe that he was in Hawaii, living a life that most could only dream of when three years earlier, the majority of his waking hours were spent behind a desk, pounding out code on his keyboard. At the time, he had his entire life planned to the letter. He was going to marry his college sweetheart, Natalie. They had planned to buy a big house in a swanky neighborhood and have a couple kids. That all changed in one brutal afternoon when he stopped by Natalie’s apartment and found her in the arms of his best friend. It was shortly after that when Finn realized he needed another life.
Surfing had provided the perfect distraction to ease the sting of heartache. Growing up in California, Finn knew the basics of surfing, but he’d wanted to take his skill to the next level. Little did he know that his second day on the island, when he came into the shop to inquire about surfing lessons, he would end up being taught by one of the top surfers in the world. He and Mikala hit it off instantly and had been close friends ever since.
“How’s business?” Finn said.
“Slow but steady—normal for this time of da year. You know how it is when da waves get low. Surfing lessons help make up for da slow sales, though. When word got out that I taught da famous country music star Montana Crew, people came flocking.”
Finn cocked a grin. “Yeah, that and the fact that you took the Triple Crown. You know your stuff better than anybody, and word’s starting to get around.”
“Thanks, bro. Your vote of confidence means da world.” He hesitated. “Especially since… well, you know, if you hadn’t stepped in and helped…” His voice caught as he put a fist to his mouth and coughed to hide the emotion. “… I owe ya big time.”
Finn waved the comment away. “Small kine. That’s what friends are for.”
Mikala nodded, gratitude swelling in his eyes. Then, as was characteristic of him, he instantly changed the subject. “Your board is sweet, bro. You’re gonna love it! I’ll get it for ya.” He went to the back and returned a minute later, laying the board on the counter for inspection and rubbing an appreciative hand over it. “I thinned da nose to give you a sleeker ride and fanned out da edges. You’ll have to let me know how she handles. She should be just about perfect.”
Mikala believed a surfer was only as good as his board, and he took great pride in crafting boards that were perfectly tailored for the user. He was constantly making tweaks to Finn’s board to improve it. Finn had lost count of the number of times Mikala deemed the board to be perfect and then “upgraded” it … again. “Thanks, man. I’m anxious to try it out.”
He winked. “Really? You could’ve fooled me. I was expecting you to come by a week ago. If
I hadn’t texted you this morning, you wouldn’t be here now.” A devilish glint sparked in his dark eyes. “She must really be something.”
Finn’s eyes lit up. His feet had barely touched the ground since Samantha had come into his life, and he knew it was as obvious as a whale in a swimming pool. “She is.”
Mikala gave him a perceptive look. “This is more than infatuation. You’ve got it bad for this one, don’t ya?”
“Yeah,” Finn admitted, “I’m afraid so.”
Mikala shook his head in mock sadness, clucking his tongue. “I never thought I’d see the day when Finn Croft would be stepping out on his first love.”
Finn laughed. “You never know when love’s gonna hit, man. You just have to roll with it.” Mikala was always joking that he and Finn would never settle down because their true love was the ocean, and there was not a woman alive who could compete with that.
“I’m happy for ya, I really am.” A satisfied grin spread over Mikala’s lips as he pointed to his chest. “Just remember da man who made it all possible.”
While Mikala had many talents, modesty wasn’t one of them. “How could I forget,” Finn groaned, “when you keep reminding me? I’m sure I’ll hear about this until my dying day.”
“Which might be sooner than later with that kind of talk,” Mikala teased. They laughed.
Finn’s voice took on a more serious note. “I really am grateful. If you hadn’t let me step in and be Samantha’s instructor, I never would’ve gotten to know her.”
“Small kine. It was the least I could do for ya, bro.”
From the moment Finn met Samantha at the airport, she was all he could think about. And that, in itself, was a miracle because he was starting to think his experience with Natalie had scarred him for life, making it impossible for him to find anyone else. Finn was glad he was quick enough on his toes to ask Samantha where she was staying. He contacted a friend who booked reservations for Turtle Bay, hoping he could locate her that way. But since she wasn’t staying in the actual hotel, they had no record of her. He’d even resorted to frequenting the bay and pool in the hope he might catch sight of her.
Everything to Lose (Destination Billionaire Romance) Page 10
