Christian nodded. “I hope so.” He paused. “Something smells good.”
Jarin’s cooking a slab of ribs on the grill. Whatever happens … at least we’ll have plenty a ono grinds to eat.”
“Ono means good,” Christian explained.
Everly nodded, committing the word to memory. She wondered if she was going to need an interpreter’s guide to converse with Mele.
Christian frowned. “I didn’t think we had any ribs left in the freezer.”
“We didn’t,” Mele explained. “Jarin stopped and picked up a truckload on his way here.”
Everly was surprised. “He took the time to stop by the grocery store?”
Mele chuckled. “Yeah, the whole island might float away, but Jarin’s gonna make sure he has his ribs.”
Everly glanced at the stretch of ocean, a sense of foreboding coming over her. “Do you think we’re high enough here to be out the danger zone?”
A smile slipped over Christian’s lips. “No worries. You’re safe.”
Safe. The word floated over her, as tantalizing as the succulent scent of meat in the evening air. She’d been living in Roland’s shadow for so long that she couldn’t remember when she last felt safe. And yet, here, on this estate with Christian, anything seemed possible. Maybe it was wishful thinking … but it was something to hold onto.
CHAPTER 6
Everly looked out over the back deck to the sky ablaze with orange and yellow swirls from the setting sun, reminding her of orange and pineapple sherbet. A slight breeze ruffled her hair. It seemed a perfect evening. Had she not heard the weather reports and the sirens going off every hour, Everly wouldn’t have realized anything was amiss. Growing up in the South, she’d always feared tornadoes and had spent many a day, huddled in a basement, waiting for the storm to pass. But at least with a tornado, there were warning signs in the weather patterns. With a tsunami there was no warning, other than an unusually low tide. No wonder the people on the beach in Thailand didn’t realize what was happening until the wave hit.
On the surface, it seemed like everyone was taking everything in stride, but Everly sensed an underlying nervousness to the group. Jarin was at the grill, and sons were playing games on their phones. But they all kept glancing towards the ocean. Mele buzzed back and forth from the kitchen to the deck, bringing out enough food to last a week. Everly got the feeling Mele was staying busy to keep her mind off the threat. Jordan and Sadie were building a Lego tower, the only two who were oblivious to what was going on.
Christian was sitting beside her, his long, brown, muscular legs casually crossed. Everly was hyper-aware of his presence. It was like an invisible string pulling them together. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he was one of the best-looking men she’d ever seen, and he looked better in real life than he did on film. She was captivated by the sparkle in his light eyes and the dimple that appeared on his right cheek when he smiled. But it was more than his looks that drew her attention. There was kindness in his soulful eyes, but she could also sense sadness. Or maybe she just imagined that part because of what she knew about him. No, it was there … she could feel it. It tugged at that part of her. He’d suffered as she had. On a practical note, she appreciated how protective he was with Sadie, keeping a watchful eye over her. He was jovial with Jarin and his sons, laughing and making jokes. He and Mele teased one another relentlessly, like brother and sister.
Everly came to Hawaii … hoping to get a reprieve from Roland and to find answers about Mitchell. It was crazy to think she’d ended up here, with Christian Ross, one of the most famous actors of the day, and yet she felt perfectly at ease. Well, she would’ve felt perfectly at ease, were it not for the tsunami threat.
Jarin pointed. “You’d better finish off that plate, Everly, because I’ve got another slab with your name written all over it.”
Everly’s eyes widened as she looked down at her half-eaten plate of food. Her stomach was stretched to the point of exploding. Accustomed to large, Southern meals, she’d never seen anyone put away as much food as Jarin and his sons. Not wanting to be rude, she’d eaten as much as she could. But the minute she cleaned her plate, Jarin piled on another helping.
Casually, Christian draped an arm around her chair. A spark of electricity pulsed through her when he leaned in and whispered in her ear, his warm breath tickling her skin. “You’d better keep eating, or Jarin might get his feelings hurt.”
Her face fell. “This is my fourth plate,” she whispered. “I can’t eat another bite.” Then she saw Jarin watching her closely and realized he and Christian were in cahoots. She eyed them, her eyes sparking. “How many plates were you gonna give me?”
Jarin laughed. “As many as you’d eat.”
A devilish smile curved Christian’s lips. “Jarin bet you’d eat two plates … I said three.”
“And she showed you guys up,” Mele piped in. “Good for you, Everly. I knew I liked you.”
Everly shoved Christian’s arm, a mock scowl forming over her face. “That was mean.”
He grinned sheepishly. “Sorry … I couldn’t resist.”
“Uh, huh. I see how it is.” She pushed aside the plate, pointing a finger at Christian. “I’ll blame you when I can’t fit into any of my jeans.”
“I guess that means we’ll have to work out tomorrow … burn off the extra calories.”
“Tomorrow … huh? And what makes you so sure I’ll be here tomorrow?” she quipped.
Christian touched her arm, sincerity shining in his eyes. “I wish you would stay.”
Heat bubbled over her as her mind grappled with what was happening. Out of nowhere, the atmosphere had shifted to something intensely personal. Blood started pumping like a freight train through her veins. Things were moving fast … maybe too fast. A look passed between Mele and Jarin, and they suddenly grew interested in their mundane tasks, turning away to give them privacy.
Christian’s eyes locked with hers. “Please … stay a few days. I’ve got plenty of room.”
There were a million reasons why she shouldn’t … Roland being at the top of the list. The minute Briggs told him about Christian, he’d go berserk and make things very difficult for her. “But tomorrow’s Christmas Eve.”
His eyes flickered with what looked like pain. “I know.”
His reaction was a bit confusing at first, and then she recalled. His former girlfriend committed suicide on Christmas Eve. Should she stay? She weighed it in her mind. Christmas alone with Jordan in a small beach rental, or Christmas here in this luxurious place … with Christian and Sadie. “Okay,” she said, almost before her mind could process what she was saying.
“Good,” he said, breathing what looked to be a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. When his striking eyes captured hers, everything around them seemed to disappear. The moment got deliciously slow. She glanced at his lips, wondering what it would be like to kiss him.
When Jarin cleared his throat, she backed away from Christian, blushing. But Christian didn’t seem one bit embarrassed. On the contrary, his eyes were brimming with what could only be described as a cautious hope. She gave him a questioning look, wishing she could read his mind.
“Look!” Jarin’s oldest son pointed to the ocean. They all looked toward it and saw the large wave rolling in.
Everly held her breath, praying it would stop at the shoreline. Thankfully it did.
Mele was the first to speak. “Was that the tsunami?”
Jarin peered out. “Maybe. The tide looks higher than it was a while ago.”
Mele frowned. “You think? It’s hard to tell from this distance. All da waves look high to me.”
“That’s a good sign, yes?” Jarin said.
Christian hurried inside to check the news. When he returned a few minutes later, his expression was one of relief. “The tsunami warning has been lifted.”
“Thank the Lord,” Mele said, hugging Jarin.
Everly was surprised when Christian encircled he
r in a tight hug. His breath smelled like the tangy salsa and chips he’d been eating, and she felt the strength of his embrace. For a split second, she had a feeling of déjà vu … like coming home to something familiar. Before she could analyze the feeling, it fled, leaving her to wonder if she’d only imagined it. She noticed he held onto her a few minutes longer than necessary.
When Christian let her go, Everly said a silent prayer of thankfulness that she and Jordan were safe. She knew they’d been watched over today. Now that the threat was over, she suddenly felt exhausted from the day’s events. What she would give for a soft bed and a few hours of sleep. She stifled a yawn.
Christian quickly picked up on her thoughts. “You look tired.”
“Yeah, it’s been a long day. Would it be too much to ask you to take Jordan and me back to the beach rental?”
A crease appeared between his brows. “I thought we’d settled this already. You’re staying here.”
“Oh, I just assumed since the tsunami is over that we’d go back there to sleep. You’ve been so kind to us already. I don’t want to be a burden.”
“You’re not,” he replied firmly.
Part of her really did want to stay here with Christian, but she didn’t want to make things any sticker with Roland than they already were. Besides, she and Christian lived worlds apart. There was no future for them. “We can still come for Christmas.”
Mele shook her head. “With all the traffic, it’ll take several hours to get back down the hill. Your best bet is to stay here for the night. That’s what my family’s gonna do. We’re staying in the cottage. You and Jordan can take one of the guest rooms in the main house.”
“Please, Mommy,” Jordan piped in. “Can we stay?”
There was a hopeful expression on Christian’s handsome face, but he wasn’t putting undue pressure on her, like Roland would have. Rather, he seemed willing to wait for her to make her own decision. “What about the rental car? I have all of my luggage in it.”
“No worries. I’ll take you to get the car in the morning,” Christian said. “Things should be back to normal by then.”
She could tell that no matter what objection she put forth, either Christian or Mele would fire back a solution. She sighed. “All right, we’ll stay.” She turned to Christian. “Thanks so much.”
He nodded. “Of course.”
Her phone buzzed. She pulled it out … Roland. Her stomach tightened. Briggs probably spoke to him by now. If she didn’t answer, he would keep calling. “Excuse me for a minute. I need to take this.”
Christian leaned back in the lounge chair and stretched out his legs, letting the darkness of the night envelope him as he listened to the hypnotic sound of the waterfall, spilling over the rocks. After he’d gotten Everly and Jordan settled into their room, he got Sadie ready for bed. It had taken a full hour and several bedtime stories to lull Sadie to sleep, due to her excitement about Jordan sleeping over and Christmas Eve tomorrow.
His thoughts went to Everly and all that took place during the course of the day. From the moment he met her, she’d consumed his thoughts. First, due to the instant attraction he felt toward her and second, because he regretted arguing with her. When he learned about the tsunami threat, all he could think about was getting Everly and Jordan to safety. It baffled him to feel such a strong connection with a woman he’d just met.
It was a miracle he’d found Everly in the midst of the commotion. He’d been driving down Pupukea Road, making pretty good time going against traffic, when he spotted Everly, struggling with that man, Briggs. So, he’d parked his SUV alongside the road and gone to her aid. At first, he assumed Briggs was a stranger. But then he realized with a jolt that Everly knew him. And then there was the mysterious Roland. Briggs mentioned that name when threatening Everly. When Christian asked Everly who Roland was, she clammed up. The same name came up on Everly’s phone when she received the call. Even though Everly stepped to the edge of the deck, Christian could tell from the tone of her voice she’d gotten into a heated argument with the person on the phone. It troubled Christian that Everly accused Briggs of stalking her. Had Briggs followed her here? It certainly sounded that way.
Instinct told Christian Everly was attracted to him too, and when she said she wasn’t married, he assumed that meant she was available. But maybe he’d jumped the gun. Roland obviously had some sort of hold over Everly. Were the two romantically involved? The jealousy that stabbed through him came as a surprise. He thought again how crazy it was that he could be so affected by a woman he’d just met. But, he couldn’t deny the charge that went through him when he held her in his arms immediately after the tsunami.
It had been touch-and-go for a few minutes there, but he was glad he’d persuaded Everly to spend the night. For weeks, he’d been dreading Christmas Eve like the plague. But now, it didn’t seem as daunting, with Everly and Jordan here. His parents were returning from their cruise late tomorrow evening and planned on coming for Christmas. Kat was flying back Christmas morning and would be joining them later on in the day.
Christian smiled thinking about how animated Everly’s hazel eyes had become and the heightened color in her face when she realized he was teasing her about the food. And, the hungry look in her eyes that kindled those same feelings in him, especially when he realized she wanted him to kiss her. Or maybe it was wishful thinking on his part, but that’s the vibe he got. At any rate, he certainly wanted to kiss her. He glanced toward the house and the soft halo of light that came from the guest room. Even the house seemed more cheerful with her here. Nighttime often left him feeling despondent and lonely, especially this time of the year. But tonight, anticipation tingled through him. He wondered if Everly had purchased presents for Jordan. If she hadn’t, he would need to make a trip into Mililani to Costco or Super Walmart. He’d never shopped for a boy before. It would be fun to be able to get something other than Barbie dolls or bake sets.
A slight rustle from behind caught his attention, and he sat up, his senses on full alert. He cocked his ears, listening. This time, he heard the slight crack of a stick breaking. His muscles grew taut as he stood and turned around. “Who’s there?”
Nothing.
He strained to hear. Was someone there? Watching? Chills ran down his spine.
He stood there for a full five minutes, his eyes scoping the dark landscape. For months, Mele had been after him to get motion sensors for the grounds. Especially since they got reporters nosing around from time to time. But Christian had resisted the idea. He felt equipped to deal with most situations. Growing up in Laie had made him tougher than most to start with. But when he reached stardom, he figured he had two options—live in the shadow of body guards 24/7 or learn the art of combat. He’d chosen the latter, hiring a former Navy Seal to teach him how to handle himself. Not only had the training given him peace of mind, it allowed him to do his own stunts. Even so, at this moment he felt vulnerable and wondered if he should’ve taken Mele’s advice. After all, no amount of combat training could protect him against a gun. “Show yourself,” he demanded, clenching his fists.
The only response was the slight ruffling of his hair when the breeze picked up. Finally, he turned and began walking towards the house.
When Roland’s phone buzzed, he carefully got out of bed, so as not to awake the sleeping blonde beside him. He padded across the carpet of his luxury condo to the solid wall of windows that afforded a spectacular view of the water. “Hey.”
“I’m here at the estate,” Briggs said quietly. “It looks like Everly and Jordan are staying the night. Ross just stepped back into the house.”
Roland swore under his breath.
“What do you want me to do?”
He clenched his jaw and balled his fist, resting it on the window. “Keep watching them. I want a full report.”
“Will do.”
Roland ended the call, fury burning through him like poison. The thoughts of Everly being alone with Christian Ross was almost
more than he could take. He’d been on pins and needles from the moment he realized Everly was in Hawaii. It infuriated him that she would leave town without telling him. And when he learned about the tsunami warning, he panicked and instructed Briggs to get Everly and Jordan to safety. But that had blown up in his face, resulting in Everly taking up with—of all people—Christian Ross. Talk about rotten luck. Roland was accustomed to circulating in the upper realm of society and there were few people he considered to be out of his league. But Christian Ross? Billionaire Movie Star? Geez! How was he supposed to compete with that? He couldn’t even fathom how Everly could’ve met the man, much less formed an attachment to him.
Why couldn’t Everly understand that he loved her? Hadn’t he proved his love when he looked after her and Jordan following Mitchell’s disappearance? Yeah, there’d been other women, but they were insignificant … mere distractions. He was a virile man, after all, with needs that had to be met. But his heart belonged to Everly. It always had and it always would.
The first time he walked into Global Fitness Center in Charleston and saw Everly, he knew she was destined to be his. She was teaching a Pilates class. Her eyes met his for one brief moment, and he had the feeling he was truly seeing the sun for the first time. After that, he was a changed man and could think of nothing except how to win her heart. Then he got to know her and learned she’d recently gotten married. But he wasn’t about to let a little thing like that stand in his way. He’d fought his way to the top of his law class at Yale, graduating with the highest honors. Then, he built his law firm from the ground up with sheer guts and determination. It didn’t take long for him to ingratiate himself into Mitchell’s life. Mitchell was vain and self-indulgent, intent on making a name for himself in society. All Roland had to do was dangle the bait of investing in Mitchell’s art gallery, and before long, the two were as thick as thieves. Of course, it never entered Mitchell’s mind that Roland was using him to get to Everly. Mitchell was too self-centered to see anything but himself, a character flaw Roland exploited to the fullest extent.
Love on the Rebound (Hawaii Billionaire Romance) Page 5