Aloha in Love

by Watts, Jennifer

  “Aloha po, Mana’o nahenahe. Sweet dreams, Lani.”

  The dreams that finally come are sweeter than I can remember dreams being in a long time, thanks to the beautiful man wrapped around me.

  Chapter 17

  It is a struggle to slip out of bed the next morning, surrounded by the warmth of Kane’s arms, but anything is possible when you need coffee. We were up late and Kane roused me before sunrise for a second round, so I’m already yawning on my way to the kitchen. I glance at the clock above the stove and see that it’s just after 8am. Not wanting to wake up Kane, I tip toe from the room like it’s just another one-night-stand.

  I find the coffee grinds in a cupboard and tinker with his coffeemaker until I’ve got it figured out. With my caffeine fix on the way, I decide to make some toast, rummaging through Kane’s refrigerator to see what’s there. I’m pleasantly surprised to find it stocked with all kinds of fruit; however, breakfast is soon forgotten when I stumble upon some crab meat and a new recipe starts forming in my mind. I take out the eggs, mayonnaise, and red pepper, even scrounging up some breadcrumbs from the pantry. I’m so deep in preparation that I have no idea how much time passes before Kane’s arms wrap around my waist and bring me gently back to reality.

  “Did I wake you?” I say, glancing at the clock before realizing it’s almost 9am.

  “No, the smell of coffee woke me up—but this certainly isn’t coffee…” He rests his forehead against the back of my head, eyeing my culinary creation. I can feel his breath on the nape of my neck and my whole body tingles in response. “What have you gotten yourself into here?”

  I take a break from chopping the red pepper and turn to face him. “Crab cakes are what I’ve gotten into. I felt inspired.”

  “Crab cakes for breakfast?” He asks, looking contemplative. “We could do worse.”

  “I can make you real breakfast as well,” I say, feeling shy about the bits of red pepper stuck to my hands.

  His fingers brush against my chin, and he tilts my gaze to the ceiling. “I can think of better ways to channel that energy.”

  “You are insatiable.” I stare at his full mouth, and he hisses with flashing hazel eyes.

  “Keep looking at me like that, and I’ll show you how hungry I really am.”

  He lifts me onto the wooden countertop and lowers his nose into mine, but before our lips meet, my phone vibrates with an incoming call.

  “Ignore it,” he commands, but I roll my eyes and snatch it off the counter.

  “Ashley speaking.” I speak breathlessly into the phone, but my greeting is met with silence on the other end.

  “Hello?” I can hear the faint sounds of breathing and know that someone is there. “Dale, if this is you…” I start to say, feeling my face get warm, but a voice interrupts me.

  “So my son has been calling you then?” It’s the refined, slightly accented voice of Dale Silver Sr.—I recognize my ex-boss’ voice right away.

  I clear my throat. “No, he hasn’t. Not recently anyway.”

  “Hmm…”

  That’s literally all he says.

  “How…how are you, Mr. Silver?” I stutter.

  He laughs, but not unkindly. “Please, Ashley, you’ve known me for close to a decade. I saw you walk across the stage at the University of San Francisco. I gave you your first desk in this industry. Even if my son has piss poor timing and non-existent self-control, we can probably still dispense with the pleasantries.”

  “Fair enough,” I say, realizing that Dale Sr. hasn’t said so many words to me since our wedding four years ago. Not that he’s been cruel or unkind; in fact, I’ve always liked Dale Sr., harboring deep respect for his hard work and clear vision. He built his business up from nothing, and he deserves every accolade and ounce of success—Dale Jr., on the other hand…

  “What can I help you with then, Dale?” I try to whisper the last word, but Kane’s head still whips up. He grabs for the phone, but I give him a look, pulling back and covering the microphone. “It’s his father!” I hiss. He looks no less pleased, but at least he backs off.

  “I understand from my son that you’re on an extended vacation; however, the agent selling your townhome seems to think otherwise.”

  Of course Dale Sr. is talking to our agent, screw all that pesky privacy stuff. “This is not a vacation, you know that.” I speak as politely as possible. “We’re getting a divorce. I quit Silverdale, and I’m taking my life in a new direction.”

  Dale Sr. is silent as falling snow. I inspect the panko breadcrumbs caked under my nails, hearing the faintest sigh through the phone.

  “As much as I wish that my Dale had a little more decorum and gratitude, I do know that you’re good for him, Ashley—very good indeed. Is there any way that you’d reconsider…”

  “I’ll stop you right there, Mr. Silver—there is absolutely no chance that your son and I will ever reconcile. What’s done is done, and it was a blessing in disguise for us both. There is no going back—not now, not ever.” I can feel fire singeing through my veins, arming me with invincibility as I speak the words aloud. Surprisingly, Dale Sr. doesn’t put up much of a fight.

  “I understand, dear, you probably don’t believe me when I say that, but I do. While I did call you my daughter in-law for a brief time, you were—more importantly—one of my most promising employees. If you refuse to go back to Dale, I can’t force that life upon you, but I would like you to reconsider coming back to Silverdale.”

  “I’m not moving back to San Francisco,” I spit out.

  The energy through the phone is like hearing a patient flat-line.

  “I meant for you to represent Silverdale in Hawaii.”

  “You don’t have an office here,” I counter.

  “We may well soon.” His voice is practically humming. “There is untapped opportunity on the islands, and we signed an engagement agreement with a local developer last year, with the aim to develop multi-family residences in the Maui area, along with the possibility of a luxury resort in the community.”

  I steal a glance at Kane, catching only his backside, but his posture is stiff and I can see that he’s listening. “If you want my opinion, Mr. Silver, that last idea is impossible here, given the strong sense of community and their commitment to preserving the natural environment.”

  “That’s just it, Ashley, I do want your opinion. This is precisely why I’m asking you to join us.”

  “I’m not in the business anymore.”

  “Never say never.” He chuckles. “Don’t answer me yet, not until you’ve seen the initial plans. I’ll have them couriered to you overnight—and I am truly sorry, Ashley. I’m sorry for my son, but most of all, I’m sorry that he didn’t appreciate what he had right in front of him. Goodbye, dear.”

  Before I can protest, Dale. Sr. has hung up the phone. I stare at the thing in my hand. Those might be the nicest words he’s ever said, but if he thinks I can be swayed by project plans and development proposals, he’s wasting his breath. That ship has long since sailed. I mean, look at me elbow-deep in my coconut milk and ginger crab cake batter. I toss the phone down and wash my hands before shaping the mixture into little patties.

  “What do you think about a papaya salsa to accompany these? Or maybe a basil remoulade?” I ask, and Kane looks at me like I’ve lost it.

  “That’s it? That’s all you have to say after being on the phone with him?”

  “With my old boss,” I snap back. “Who also happens to be my former father-in-law, and as you just heard, I’m not interested in having either of them back—not a chance in hell.”

  Kane’s hands form fists at his sides. He stares through the sliding doors and onwards to the lanai and ocean beyond. “So why does this Dale Sr. guy think that you getting back together with your ex is an option?”

  I sigh inwardly, already dreading the direction of this conversation. “It appears that Dale hasn’t been totally upfront with everyone about how serious and final our situation actua
lly is.”

  “Explain,” he barks out. I have to bite my tongue to keep from snapping back at him.

  “My friend, Jamie, mentioned something similar the last time I spoke to her. She mentioned that he told a few people I’m on an extended vacation, even claiming that we’re on a break, but our temporary separation agreement is already in place and he hasn’t tried to contact me yet, so I doubt he has interest in reconnecting. If anything, he’s downplaying it to save face.”

  Kane smirks at me. “You really believe that?”

  “I really do. The most important thing to Dale—and I do mean the most important—is his reputation. What people think of him is everything, but when the divorce is finalized and I haven’t come crawling back, he’ll find some other way to spin it—he always does.”

  Kane exhales a gusty breath. “Can we not talk about him anymore?”

  “With pleasure.” I snort. “Now get over here and help me cut up these papayas. We have a salsa to make.”

  • • •

  I’m not even surprised when a thick brown envelope shows up on my doorstep the next day. I don’t know how Dale Sr. knew where I was staying, but I’m guessing Kane must have brought the mail over this morning. I roll my eyes but scoop it up and carry the thing inside, planning to ignore it for the next several days, but curiosity gets the best of me and soon I’m tearing it open and extracting the heavy folders. They contain the spiraled and bound project summaries, along with some draft blueprints.

  I sit down at the breakfast table to skim through the information, but my heart sinks upon realizing that the luxury resort they’re planning is a monstrosity. The very essence of the place is garish and overblown, a total slap in the face to Hawaii’s natural beauty. It’s meant to be a themed hotel, thereby making no effort to fit in with the landscape. In fact, it calls for the destruction of a good portion of the natural environment, and by some cruel twist of fate, the proposed location is not just in Maui, but specifically Paia town—my vibrant and unpolished little speck of paradise.

  My stomach rolls like the swelling sea. I shove the folders into the closest kitchen drawer, having no interest in seeing them again. I wonder to myself if they’re an omen of some kind, or perhaps I’m just bad luck. As hard as I try to escape, the past seems destined to follow me wherever I go. All the skeletons in my closet are intent on ruining any chance I have at happiness, at least it feels that way. Nonetheless, I shake off the thought and choose to be in the here and now. I chose this life for myself, and an envelope of paper and pipe dreams isn’t going to change that. They are just plans after all—early stage plans at that. It’ll probably never happen, especially not here in Paia, so I tell myself it’s nothing to worry about.

  Chapter 18

  Kane tags along to shop for my next tester menu. There’s something so beautifully domestic about watching him push a grocery cart around. I walk beside him as he reaches for items on the highest shelf, and it just feels so normal, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. We still haven’t defined the relationship, if that’s even what it is. It’s clear that Kane cares about me (and I care about him more than I’m comfortable admitting), but beyond that I don’t know. He still insists on not being good at “the other stuff” and definitely doesn’t set any expectations. From what I can tell, he’s convinced that he’ll disappoint me no matter what. I try not to push the issue though. It hasn’t been that long and I really am having fun.

  We round the produce aisle and crash into another cart. The woman on the other end looks up and smiles, like the cat that ate the canary. “Kane,” she says in a husky voice. “I’ve been looking for you.”

  “I’m not interested in being found,” he answers, but she just throws her head back and laughs.

  “Always so stand-offish, but I guess that’s what we like about you.” She stops and leans one arm against her cart, giving me the chance to get a good look at her.

  She’s older, probably in her mid-forties, with a tan a few shades too dark for her platinum blonde hair, but she looks good for her age—too good. She’s got a killer body and plenty upstairs, but from the shape and height of her breasts, I seriously doubt they’re God-given. As she leans forward and wraps her long bubble-gum-pink fingernails around his forearm, I immediately see red. I push her cart aside until there’s nothing between us, tearing her hand away like an animal.

  “Don’t touch him,” I snarl.

  She gives me the onceover. “And who the hell are you?”

  “I’m his girlfriend.” I avoid eye contact with Kane, fearing how he’ll respond to my declaration, but nonetheless propelled forwards by pure adrenaline.

  “Kane doesn’t do girlfriends.” She shakes her overly-processed head of hair in my face.

  “I guess he does now.”

  She smirks. “We’ll see.”

  “Stay away from him!” I spit the words at her through clenched teeth.

  “And if I don’t?”

  “You don’t want to know what happens if you don’t, old lady!”

  “Old lady?” She scoffs. “From where I’m standing, all of this looks better than what you’re offering.” She waves one bubble-gum-pink-tipped hand up and down her body.

  Before my brain can catch up with my impulses, I’ve already slapped her across the face. It’s nothing like the movies though; there’s no satisfying smack of sound and my hand leaves no welting red mark. In fact, I somehow miss, catching only half of her face in a sloppy hit that leaves her howling.

  “Bitch!” She screams, but before I can try for round two, Kane wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me off the floor.

  “Easy, Ashley,” he whispers, but that only enrages me even more.

  “Your little whore assaulted me!” She holds a hand to her cheek, but it doesn’t even look the slightest bit red.

  “Don’t call her that,” he growls back. “Besides, I didn’t see anything.” He gives her a hard stare until she finally gives up and looks away.

  “Goodbye, Monica.” Kane mutters over his shoulder, abandoning the cart and carrying me to the frozen food section.

  “Let me go!” I kick my legs and squirm with all my mite, but he doesn’t put me down until we’re far away from Monica.

  I slide out of his arms and put my hands on my hips. “So is this what I have to look forward to? Running into all the shameless cougars you’ve slept with?”

  He tilts his head and narrows his eyes. “You fought for me. You’re jealous right now and it’s so fucking hot.” He backs me right up against the nearest freezer door.

  “You have no idea how turned on I am right now. See?” He grabs my hand and slips it down the front of his low slung board shorts. He’s not wearing any underwear and it feels like silk on steel.

  “Kane,” I moan, moving my hand up and down beneath his shorts.

  “A few more strokes like that and I’ll be coming right into your hand,” he whispers, nipping at my chin with his perfect white teeth.

  “You’re feistier than I thought.” He kisses along my jaw line. “I like that—loyalty—and I am loyal to you Ashley.”

  I meet his gaze with a pouty face. “How would you feel if we ran into some guy I was sleeping with?”

  “Let me say it again, in case I wasn’t clear the first time: I’m not sleeping with her. There’s no one but you.” He thrusts himself into my hand and levels me with a glare. “If I find out you have someone else, well, let’s just say it won’t be pretty for him.”

  “Threatening my fictional other lover now are you?” I tease, and his teeth clamp down on my earlobe hard enough that I yelp.

  “You’ll excuse me, Lani, if I don’t find that very funny.”

  “I’m sorry. There is no one but you, I promise.” I shiver when his tongue dips into the groove of my neck.

  “And it better stay that way,” he grinds out.

  I rise onto my tip-toes and capture his mouth with mine at the same time that I wrap my fingers around his length, but he
grabs my wrist and removes my hand from his shorts before pulling away from the kiss.

  “As much as I’d love to empty myself into that sweet little palm of yours, I happen to like shopping at this grocery store.” He murmurs the words into my ear and takes a step back.

  I let my shoulders sag and lean my weight back against the cold glass door. “I’m going to run into women like that all over the island, aren’t I?”

  He steps forward to brace his body against mine. “Ashley…”

  “Just tell me the truth. How many are there?”

  He lays his palm flat against my neck and uses his thumb to lift my chin. “Ashley, look at me.”

  I look up into his beautiful hazel eyes, filled with a combination of amusement and sadness. “Not as many as you think.”

  “You promise?” I try my best to keep my voice steady, because I realize how silly it would be to cry about something like this. He can’t control his past any more than I can control mine.

  “That woman? It was all about release. A means to an end.”

  “That’s romantic,” I say, sarcastically, as his hand comes up to cup my chin.

  “No, it’s not. It was just sex. You’re more than that.”

  “How much more?” I challenge, and I’m not at all surprised when he looks away.

  “You told her you’re my girlfriend.”

  I hear the words, but it’s hard to read the tone of his voice. “What should I have told her?” I push myself off the freezer door and prepare to walk away, but only if I have no other choice. I have to be prepared for the possibility that I’ve scared him away.

  His eyes glaze over as he focuses very hard on one spot on the ground. “That works,” he says, curtly, before pivoting on his toe and heading back down the aisle, presumably in search of our cart.

  “I guess that’s better than nothing,” I grumble. It wasn’t exactly a commitment and he certainly didn’t return the sentiment, but it’s a start. At least that’s what I start telling myself as I trail after him.