"I'll sue." Louana's breath came out in an angry hiss. "What you're doing is nepotism. I'll sue you for every penny you're worth. I'll own you and this shop by the end of the summer."
"It's not nepotism," Rikki protested. I could hear her patience wearing thin. "Kaley has more experience than you. She's the better candidate. It doesn't matter that she's family. With the way you've been botching product orders lately, I just don't think you're ready for more responsibility."
"You know what I am ready for?" Louana's tone was low and menacing. "Some respect."
Without warning, the stockroom door flew open and knocked me backward. I staggered down the short hallway, my arms flailing in an attempt to regain my balance. I found my footing as I reached the edge of the sales floor, and the customer at the nearest clothing rack turned to give me a curious look.
A curvy woman with fiery red hair stomped through the stockroom doorway, heading straight toward me. "Get out of my way," she snarled. She pushed her way past me and stalked across the shop. "This store is the worst!" she called over her shoulder. "I'm out of here."
By now, others were taking notice of the woman's tantrum. Everyone in the store, customers and employees alike, stopped to gawk as she barreled past, pulling clothes from their hangers and tossing them onto the floor.
"Louana, stop that!" Rikki cried, chasing after her. She caught up to the disgruntled woman and grabbed her wrist, preventing her from ripping another blouse off the rack.
"No," Louana growled. She whirled to face my aunt, and her narrow face turned as scarlet as her long, curly hair. Gritting her teeth, she wrenched her arm free of Rikki's grasp. "I quit," she seethed. "But this isn't over. You're going to regret the way you've treated me. I'm going to ruin this place." Spinning on her heel, she marched out of the shop.
CHAPTER TWO
Tension hung thick in the air for several moments after Louana's dramatic exit. As if sensing the excitement was over, customers gradually resumed browsing the clothing racks. Sara busied herself behind the counter, attending to a woman who wanted to buy a lavender satin sarong and a black bikini. I saw the customer murmur something to the young cashier, and they both darted sympathetic looks in Rikki's direction.
My aunt didn't seem to notice. She remained in the center of the sales floor, her jaw clenched and her dark eyes fixed on the shop's entrance. Judging by the look of trepidation on her face, I suspected she was waiting to see if Louana would return to cause more destruction. It was a valid concern. If our brief encounter was any indication, the woman was nuttier than a macadamia farm.
I came to stand next to Aunt Rikki, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?" I asked her gently.
She didn't answer right away. Instead, my aunt turned toward me and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, and I felt the tension leave her shoulder as she pushed the air back out. When she opened her eyes again, her expression was serene. "Yes," she insisted, pulling out of my grasp. "I'll be fine. I suppose that little outburst has been a long time coming. I only wish Lou hadn't been so destructive." Rikki looked past me to the mess the angry former assistant manager had left behind. She grimaced. "I should clean this up. Hopefully none of the clothes are damaged." She stooped to collect the fallen garments, and I quickly joined her.
"Need help, Rikki?" called a young woman. I looked up in time to see a slender, busty brunette heading toward us from the changing rooms. Our eyes locked, and my stomach did a barrel roll. I knew her.
And I hated her.
I'd known Harmony Kane since we were kids. Don't let the sunny-sounding name fool you. Harmony had been Aloha Lagoon's resident mean girl when we were growing up. Seriously—she made Regina George look like Mother Theresa. Coming from a wealthy family, Harmony had been royally spoiled, and she'd always looked down on me. She had mercilessly mocked me when I'd shown up to school in my aunt's hand-me-down outfits. Though I'd adored Rikki's flowy skirts, bright pants, and cute peasant tops, being picked on constantly by Harmony and her friends had all but crushed my confidence.
Harmony had also loved to pull cruel pranks, usually on yours truly. Once, when we were in high school, she and her boyfriend had filled my car with dead jellyfish. Even though Rikki and I'd had it professionally cleaned, the upholstery had still reeked for months after.
Rikki and I rose to our feet as Harmony reached us. To my dismay, she was still as gorgeous as she'd been in high school, with flawless skin and not so much as an ounce of body fat. Harmony's brown eyes narrowed briefly as she looked me over. Then her lips spread in a wide smile. Ugh. Even her teeth were perfect.
"Oh my gosh! Kaley Kalua," she exclaimed, throwing her arms around me. "It's so good to see you. How have you been? You look fantastic," she gushed.
I blinked at her. Did my plane crash on the way to Kauai? Because this totally can't be happening. "Hi, Harmony," I replied, my tone wary. "What are you doing here?" I lowered my gaze to the shiny name badge pinned to her pink off-the-shoulder top and felt the muscles in my face go slack. "Hold up," I said, taking a step back. I stared at her, thinking I had to be mistaken. "You work here?"
"Harmony is my top sales associate," Rikki replied. She smiled warmly at the girl who'd made my teen life a total nightmare.
I turned to face my aunt. Is she for real? Rikki did know this was the same Harmony Kane who had put gum in my hair during tenth-grade biology class, didn't she? At the memory, my mood shifted from disbelief to anger. Thanks to Harmony, I'd been forced to chop off six inches of my long locks. My eyes narrowed. Rikki and I need to have a chat about her hiring practices. For starters, don't put snobby, malicious skanks on the payroll.
"You and Harmony will be spending a lot of time together," my aunt said, ignoring what I could only imagine was a sour expression etched on my face. She beamed at my rival. "Because I'm promoting her to assistant manager." She arched an eyebrow. "If you want the position, that is, Harm. Now that Louana has quit, we have an immediate opening."
"Wow. Really?" Harmony's face lit up like she'd just won another beauty pageant. She rushed to my aunt and took her hand, squeezing it. "Thank you so much!" she exclaimed.
"You've earned it," Rikki replied. "I'll announce your promotion to the rest of the staff on Monday morning." She shifted her gaze to me. "I just need to handle a few more things in my office, and then we can leave." Rikki handed Harmony the pile of clothing she'd picked up off the floor and then excused herself.
I watched my aunt flounce toward her office, her magenta maxi dress swaying around her ankles. I still couldn't believe what had just happened. Not only would I be working alongside my worst enemy, but Rikki seemed to adore her. I was right. This wasn't Aloha Lagoon. It was hell.
Harmony cleared her throat, jerking me back to the present. I turned to find her watching me through narrowed eyes. "Oh, you're still here," I said dryly.
Her lips curled in a spiteful smirk. "So, Kaley," she said in a snide tone. "I hear your hubby traded you for a younger model—no, wait. It was three cheerleaders, right?"
Her words lit a fire in my belly. "Still as bitchy as ever, huh?" I retorted. "I guess some things never change."
Harmony's smile vanished. "Time for some real talk," she said. "I don't like you, and you don't like me." A customer walked past us, pausing to browse a nearby rack of bathing suits. Harmony plastered a fake smile on her face. "So as long as you stay out of my way, we won't have any problems," she said, her voice low. "Got it?" She turned on her heel and walked off before I had a chance to answer.
I glared after her. That was a tall order, considering we'd be working in the small shop together. The fact that she was employed at Happy Hula gave me second thoughts about taking the job. I couldn't stand to be in the same room as Harmony Kane. If the boutique had belonged to anyone other than Aunt Rikki, I would already be out the door, applying for a waitressing gig at one of the resort's restaurants. I couldn't back out on Rik though. I was just going to have to grin and bear it—and make sure that my
schedule overlapped with Harmony's as little as possible.
Rikki was on the phone when I dropped by her office, so I returned to the sales floor and killed time by browsing the shop. I perused several racks of skirts and tunics, marveling at the selection of designers my aunt carried in her store. The shop specialized in what I liked to call island couture: trendy clothing in bright colors and tropical patterns from some of the world's top fashion icons, as well as several popular local designers. When Rikki had first opened Happy Hula on the luxury resort, she'd only carried two or three different brands. Now the little clothing boutique boasted an impressive roster of more than twenty different designers—from Alexander McQueen to Zac Posen and everything in between. Rikki had even secured exclusive tropical-themed lines from several brands.
By the time my aunt emerged from her office a half hour later, I'd splurged on a sleeveless navy and gold Lily Pulitzer tunic, a pair of gold teardrop earrings, and the sandals I'd been eying when I'd first arrived. I was just taking my credit card back from Sara—and silently vowing to cut it into a hundred little pieces—when my aunt approached the front counter.
"Sorry that took so long, sweetie," Rikki said, coming to stand beside me. She glanced down at my shopping bag, and a knowing smile curled her lips. "Indulging in a little retail therapy?" She craned her neck to see inside the little bag with the purple and white Happy Hula logo. "What'd you get?"
I pulled the tunic out of the bag. "You like?"
Rikki squealed in delight. "I love it! I was actually thinking of you when I ordered that."
I grinned. "I thought I could wear it on my first day at work."
I waited patiently while Rikki, Sara, and Harmony set to work closing down the boutique for the day. Harmony pretended to try to engage me in amiable conversation, though as soon as my aunt's back was turned, she dropped the act and shot me dirty looks. I did my best to be polite, which took about a metric ton of willpower.
The Kauai sunset painted a breathtaking mural across the sky as Rikki and I crossed the courtyard on our way back to the employee lot several minutes later. Dozens of resort guests were scattered about, some taking photos in front of the picturesque surroundings, others swaying to ukulele music being performed by one of the island's resident musicians. I paused to listen in admiration of the beautiful, sunny melody.
My aunt leaned in close. "That's Nani Johnson," she said, pointing to the young brunette strumming the uke. "She's the most talented musician on the island. Even studied at Juilliard, from what I've heard."
"She's remarkable." I closed my eyes and moved to the music for a few moments.
"I start my own lessons with her next week," Rikki told me.
I reopened my eyes to find her grinning with excitement.
"She's going to teach me how to play. Now that you're around to help out at the store, I'll have more free time to pursue some new hobbies."
"That's great." I squeezed her arm, thinking that perhaps I should get a new hobby myself. Maybe I could take up knitting. Or napping on the beach. Does that count?
When the song ended, Rikki and I joined in the applause before continuing on our way. We reached her Vespa a few minutes later. I climbed on and shut my eyes again, not opening them until I heard the familiar crunch of gravel in my aunt's driveway.
Rikki lived in a cottage on Kalapaki Drive. The little house had teal siding with white trim and a seahorse theme throughout its decor. Two seahorse statues carved from driftwood stood on either side of the entrance to the front porch, and a third, smaller one was fixed to the door, just below the peephole.
I managed to maintain my balance this time around as I climbed off the scooter. For a few moments, I stood still in the driveway, childhood memories flooding through me as I stared wistfully at the front porch. With a small sigh, I unstrapped my belongings from the back of the Vespa and followed Rikki into the house.
Little had changed since I'd last been home. The living room was still outfitted with the same set of wicker furniture with overstuffed green cushions, and a lead and stained-glass lamp shaped like a palm tree illuminated my aunt's bamboo desk in the far corner. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I spied a crack in the glass that constructed one of the palm fronds. My father had made the lamp as a gift for Rikki's thirtieth birthday. Not even two hours later, I'd knocked it over as I chased one of the neighbor kids through the house. My aunt hadn't even been mad; she'd told my parents not to punish me and had even thanked me for giving the piece "more character."
"Home sweet home." Rikki sighed with contentment.
She fluttered into the kitchen to make dinner, and I set my bag down and joined her. After a meal of seared mahi mahi and rice, we lounged on the lanai with an open bottle of wine between us.
"Why did you hire Harmony Kane?" I asked after a while. I turned in my seat so that I was facing her. "Don't you remember how horrible she was to me when I was younger? Is this a 'keep your enemies close' kind of situation?"
Rikki smiled at me in the moonlight. "I'd like to think I have a positive influence on her. Plus, she was just a kid back then, ku'uipo. People grow up. Harmony has been a model employee—literally." Her lips twitched. "She's posed in most of the outfits in our inventory for some ads in the Aloha Sun."
I groaned. Of course she had. I was getting the impression that Rikki had a penchant for hiring wayward employees, myself included. Maybe she thought she could fix us all. "What about that dreadful woman that quit this afternoon?" I asked next. "What was her name again?"
"Louana," Rikki replied, her smile fading. "Louana Watson."
"Oh. That's right." I chewed the inside of my lip, recalling the conversation I'd overheard outside the stockroom. Guilt wound its way through me. "I'm sorry for all the trouble she caused. I feel like it's sort of my fault."
"Your fault?" Rikki lifted a brow. "Why would you think that?"
I was glad she couldn't see my cheeks burning in the dark. "I heard your argument. She was angry that you gave me the manager position."
My aunt waved her hand dismissively. "Don't you feel bad about that for one minute," she said. "You deserve it, and I know you're going to do an excellent job." She rose from her chair and stretched, staring up at the starry sky. "You know, it's such a perfect night. I could really go for a swim right now." She looked down at me, lips stretched in a devilish grin. "Sometimes I like to go skinny dipping at Coconut Cove. Want to join me?"
I gave her a wry smile. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass." Swimming naked with my aunt in the middle of the night wasn't exactly my idea of a good time.
"Are you sure?" she pressed. "It's so peaceful out there at this time of night. And the moon over the ocean…" She trailed off, a happy sigh escaping her.
"Maybe next time." It wasn't that moon I was worried about seeing. I yawned. "I'm pretty beat." Even as I said the words, I could feel the exhaustion taking over. My body was still operating on Atlanta time, which was nearly three in the morning.
"Suit yourself, dear." My aunt blew me a kiss and then started toward the double doors that led back inside the house. "Rest up," she called over her shoulder. "You've got a big day tomorrow, Ms. Store Manager."
I heaved myself out of the chair and retrieved my bag. Through the living room window, I caught a glimpse of the Vespa's tail lights leaving the driveway. Slinging my duffel over my shoulder, I climbed the stairs and pushed open the door to my old bedroom. I was greeted by the same canopy bed, purple gossamer curtains, and bamboo vanity set I'd had when I was younger. With the exception of an easel and a set of watercolor paints that Rikki had set up in the far corner, everything else about the room was exactly as I'd left it. I crossed the hardwood floor and sank down on the thin comforter, weariness from travel and the time difference seeping into my bones.
It was the first time I'd been completely alone since I'd left our condo—Bryan's condo—to fly from Atlanta to Los Angeles, where I'd boarded the plane to Kauai. A wave of fresh pain rolled over me at the
thought of my now ex-husband, and the dam holding back my tears broke. I had moved clear across the continent and had pushed away everyone else I cared about just to be with Bryan. In the end though, that hadn't been enough. He'd dropped me for two Nicoles and a Puerto Rican pole dancer named Valentina.
Bryan and I had been having problems for months leading up to his cheating scandal. I was over him, but I wasn't over the pain and humiliation he'd caused me. Thanks to his celebrity athlete status, every news outlet from ESPN to Entertainment Tonight had covered the story. My failed marriage had become a late-night talk-show punch line. I'd even had a literary agent from New York call as I was boarding the plane in Los Angeles, begging me to sign with her whenever I decided to write my tell-all memoir about my famous ex-hubby's sex addiction. Not that I was planning to do any such thing. I wanted to forget my marriage to Bryan Colfax had ever happened.
I never should have left Aloha Lagoon in the first place, I thought, wiping the moisture from my eyes. I shouldn't have married Bryan. I'd really thought I'd loved him, but doubt about whether or not I'd made the right decision had been eating away at me for years—and I could pinpoint the exact moment it had all started: the moment that Noa had told me he loved me.
I'd tried to convince myself that going through with the wedding had been the right thing to do, but deep down, I'd known that I was making a huge mistake. I'd loved Noa. I should have chosen him.
I sighed and rested my head against the pillow, pulling the purple comforter up to my chin. It's too late now, I thought glumly, recalling our strained reunion in the resort parking lot that afternoon. I'd seen the thinly veiled hurt behind his eyes. Things between us would never be the same. I'd blown my shot.
My second chance at happiness doesn't revolve around Noa Kahele, I reminded myself. Now that I was home in Aloha Lagoon, I finally had my life back. No more planning my entire year around Bryan's schedule. No more being polite to those catty football wives and girlfriends who gossiped behind my back. I closed my eyes and burrowed deeper under the covers. Starting tomorrow, everything is going to be better.
Aloha Lagoon Mysteries Boxed Set Volume III (Books 7-9) Page 22