by Ellie Mack
Contents
About This Book
Glossary of Terms
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Ellie Mack
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Published by L. McAtee Marketing, USA
© 2018 Ellie Mack
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, photocopy, recording, or other — without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, duplicated, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious and are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual events, or locales or persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.
This publication is not intended for use as a source of legal advice. The information contained herein is the express opinion of the author. Any perceived slight of specifics, people, or organizations are unintentional.
Cover Design: Nemo Designs, Shannon Nemechek
Editing: Maria Vickers
Formatting: Maria Vickers
For Larry. My moon and stars, my solid rock. I couldn’t have survived my cancer journey this past year without your love and support.
Break Line
Ellie Mack
Former marine Nathan Fletcher had to get away. Everything was crumbling under the constant pressures of coping with PTSD, and he had to regain control. When opportunity knocked to relocate to paradise, he couldn’t pass it up. He had it all – paradise, family, and the career of his dreams. Nathan even had the best therapy in the world: the ocean. His life was perfect.
Tragedy strikes, taking more than his leg with it. His confidence is shattered leaving fear in its place. If it weren’t for his cousin and new best friend Kai, he might give in to the demons of his past and present.
Fate seems to be mocking the once cocky marine when a petite Hawaiian beauty becomes his physical therapist. She pushes all his buttons ten ways to Sunday! Nathan is torn between irritation with Kini Okana, and his desire for her.
Can Kai and Kini help him overcome the trauma that has turned his world upside down, or will Nathan let the tragedy rob him of his future dreams?
A-frame – A peak-shaped wave, with left and right shoulders, and the highest point of the rest in the middle of the peak.
Auntie – A respectful term for a woman who is of your parents’ generation or older:
Brah – Short for braddah or bruddah (“brother”). A casual, friendly way of addressing a male: Eh, brah — you wanna surf?
Break Line -The line where waves begin to break. All things being equal, waves will begin to break when they reach water depth equaling approximately 1.3 times the wave face height.
Broke da mouth (broke dah mowt) – Extremely delicious: Dis shrimp broke da mouth, auntie!
Bumbai (bum-BYE) – Short for “by and by.” Otherwise, or else, eventually: You bettah study bumbai you flunk da test tomorrow.
Chang – Miserly, overly frugal: C’mon, gimme some more, brah — you so chang!
Chicken skin – Goosebumps: Dat ghost story always give me chicken skin!
Da kine – A catchall phrase that is often used to fill in a mental blank when talking, similar to “whatchamacallit”: Let’s go to da kine place we grind at last week.
Dawn patrol - Early morning surf session before the sunrise. This time usually offers the least crowded and cleanest conditions before the winds pick up.
Grind – Eat.
Haole (HOW-leh) – A Caucasian person, or mainlander not including people of Portuguese descent. Not an insult, just matter of fact.
Howzit – A greeting, equivalent to “How are you?” or “How is it going?”
Kanaka (kah-NAH-kah) – A person of Native Hawaiian descent.
Kau kau (KOW kow) – Food, eat.
‘K den – An expression of farewell, equivalent to “OK, then — goodbye.”
Like beef? – An invitation to fight, equivalent to “You wanna step outside and settle this?”
Lolo – Stupid, absent-minded, crazy. Moron, imbecile.
Mahalo – thanks, gratitude, admiration, praise, esteem, regards, or respects.
Moke (MOHK) – A local man who looks and acts tough.
No need – Equivalent to “you/I don’t need it” or “that’s not necessary”: No need shoes in Hawaii brah— just slippahs!
Ohana - means family, friends, relatives. Not always blood related, but the circle of close persons you surround yourself.
Rajah dat (RAH-jah dat) – Equivalent to “Roger, that!” meaning “Yes,” “OK,” or “I agree.”
rubbish – Trash, garbage.
Scrap – Fight, argue (see also like beef?): In small kid time, me and him scrap all da time afta school.
Shaka (SHAH-kah) – Hand signal in which index, middle, and ring finger are folded down while thumb and pinkie are extended, with palm facing body. Means “hi,” “goodbye,” or “thank you.”
Shoots – Equivalent to saying “OK” or “I strongly agree”: Shoots, I’ll take some of dat free kau kau!
Sistah – The feminine equivalent of brah.
Slippahs – Equivalent to “slippers,” meaning flip-flop sandals.
Small kid time – Equivalent to saying “back when I was younger”: I know her since small kid time.
Stink eye – Dirty look: Da tita gimme stink eye when I ask her out.
Tanks – Equivalent to saying “thanks” in a sarcastic way: Tanks, bruddah — now dat I no need!
Tita (TEE-tah) – A local woman who is tough and masculine. Feminine equivalent of moke.
Uncle – Masculine equivalent of auntie. Not necessarily blood relative.
Sunrise in paradise!
There was nothing in the world more calming to Nathan’s jangled nerves than the serenity that lay before him at Ala Moana Beach. While most of the world was still in shades of black and white, a thin sliver of yellow began rising over the mountains.
Nathan zipped his wetsuit as he watched the waves coming in, hearing the roar of the ocean as it crept up the sand. The perpetual heartbeat of the earth, the rhythmic lull of the sea that lured this haole into its embrace.
His wife, or rather ex-wife, Tonya, had refused to accompany him in this move to Hawaii. At first, he couldn’t understand how anyone would turn down the opportunity to live in paradise, but as the months passed, everything became known. The affair she had been having with their neighbor, Tom, and the web of lies slowly unraveled. Two months after his arrival on the island, she wanted a divorce. As more facts surfaced, he filed. When she failed to either bring or send their daughters to stay with him, he ended up contacting her parents with whom he still shared a relationship. She had relocated with Tom to Nebraska, lying to her parents that he had signed over custody to her. She’d forced his hand, leaving him no choice but to file abduction charges and pursue full custody.
Nate had a new job in new
surroundings to adjust to, and now this business. Stress mounted in great waves from all of it and there was only one way to solve it–the Hawaiian way–out on the open water. The ocean had become his solace.
Kai, Nate’s cousin, wasn’t due to arrive for another forty minutes. He had been taking surfing lessons from Kai since arriving. Some might call his new hobby an obsession by the number of hours he’d spent learning, but if anyone wanted to be good at something, it took practice.
Surfing helped take his mind off everything else and worked wonders for his PTSD. Since moving here, Nate had yet to visit the military base for counseling. He was hoping that things would work themselves out. After all, he'd never been so at ease as he had since taking up surfing. He viewed his leash as his lifeline in more ways than one.
With his chin jutted forward, a gesture he unconsciously made when he had a firm determination, Nathan strode with confidence toward the beckoning waves.
“I got this! I survived Kuwait City, I can catch a wave on my own.”
It was magic. The soothing calm of the cool water contrasted to the building heat in his muscles. The combination created a euphoria that was addictive as he paddled out to the beach break.
He hadn’t managed his PTSD well back in Oklahoma City. It may have been that he’d only swapped one addiction for another, but he rationalized that surfing was a whole lot healthier than taking the cocktail of anti-anxiety meds that he’d been prescribed. The PTSD seemed to vanish in the waves. Surfing was his therapy of choice. It calmed him to be in the water, to feel the rush of power in his body that he’d gained since first getting on a board. It was a thrill like no other.
The sun rose behind him, casting a golden glow over the water. Nathan breathed in deeply, absorbing the bit of warmth the sun offered to his face. As he munched on his protein bar, his oxygen leveled out. He had dreamed of this life since he was a child.
Now he had the perfect job at the University of Hawaii as a professor, living in paradise, and reconnecting with his mother’s family. As soon as the paperwork went through, he’d have his daughters with him, and it would be perfect. Oklahoma was nice, but he was glad to get out of there. There were simply too many painful memories and too many stressors.
He stuffed the wrapper inside his wetsuit, turned toward shore, and paddled to catch the clean wave that was coming up behind him. He could do this! Kai would see that he was ready to graduate.
‘I got this,’ he thought as he jumped up, his feet tucked under him in a crouching position, his hands still on the board.
Suddenly, his entire body rocked on the board. He tried his best to hang on, but inevitably, he wiped out and sank beneath the waves. A deep burning pain radiated from the center of his left thigh.
‘What the hell?’ He felt like a Mack truck had hit him.
Nathan came up gasping for air, pulling on the leash attached to his board. When he grabbed his board, there was a huge chunk gone. Perfectly round teeth marks around the missing part of the board. Instant fear gripped his chest.
The sun was high enough now to see colors, and Nathan was in a deep crimson pool. He reached down to what was left of his leg, his heart pounding as he saw the torn flesh.
‘Got to get to shore.’ He struggled to pull himself on top of the board and paddle toward the beach as another wave crashed over him. He came up gasping. Every second was crucial. With every ounce of strength he had, he hauled his body on his board, focusing on the back of his SUV. Nathan stroked his arms toward shore.
He saw a fin, then another. His heart pounded in his chest.
‘Don’t panic, just swim.’ He swallowed hard. No! He couldn’t go out like this! He survived combat. He survived twelve firestorms, sniper’s bullets, and landmines.
He had to make it to shore.
Left, right. He was losing strength.
Left, Right. Left, right. He felt weak and cold. Nate could barely move his arms. Another wave, he clasped tightly to the board, just a little further. He forced himself forward.
Left, right . . . blackness overtook Nathan Fletcher.
Kai Wanoki was a man of many talents. He was rather proud of himself this morning. He had been helping his lovely wife in the bakery by proving his skills at yet another talent–doughnut maker extraordinaire!
Kai glanced over at the confectionary delights inside the white box on the passenger seat of his jeep. His haole cousin would be pleased. He was particularly fond of those filled with passion fruit.
When Nathan first arrived on the island, Kai and Leilani were skeptical about his relation. Nathan looked like shark bait with his Midwestern looks–shoulder length jet-black hair, chiseled nose, deep brown eyes, and farmer’s tan.
Kai’s mother, Kalea, and Nathan’s mother, Makani, were sisters. They kept in touch through letters for years and then suddenly the letters stopped.
Nathan told his Aunt Kalea about his mother’s diagnosis of cervical cancer. She fought hard, going through all the treatments like a trooper. His father and mother had a renewed zeal for life as she said she had been given a second chance.
Nathan handed a silk wrapped package to Kalea from her sister before sharing the bad news. Kalea listened intently as Nathan wrapped up his tale. A few months later, the cancer was back, and within weeks, she had passed away.
Her hands firmly gripped the arms of her easy chair as she worked his features over in her mind. The resemblance to her sister was uncanny.
Kalea cried as she opened the box, her hands shaking as she looked at each picture, found the bundle of letters that hadn’t been mailed, and the small box inside that held Malani’s pearl necklace. Kalea swiped at her eyes, putting everything back inside, and she embraced Nathan as she proclaimed him ohana.
The next weekend, Kai asked Nathan if he surfed. Nathan instantly perked up, responding “not yet” but he was anxious to learn. They hit the surf that very afternoon. Nate was a fast learner and seemed to take to the waves with a natural ease, but he still had a few things to learn.
Kai remembered the day well. His oldest sister and brother-in-law had just moved to California where Jimmy was stationed. Jimmy had been his best surfing buddy.
Kai glanced out at the waves rolling in. They were ripping this morning, not safe for his haole cousin. Oh well, they’d go over some basics, enjoy the doughnuts, and plan for later in the afternoon when Nate was off work.
He turned off the main road into the parking lot at the beach. Nate’s SUV was parked in the usual spot. As he turned the ignition off, he scanned the beach, searching for his cousin. Kai slid out of the driver’s seat, grabbed the freshly brewed coffees, and walked over to Nate’s car.
Kai visually scanned the entire beach, then the waves. Wait, there was someone laying on their board. A knot formed in his throat. His heart pounded in his chest. He dropped the coffee and ran toward the board, splashing out into the surf, catching the edge. It was Nate! His pulse was weak, and his leg was nearly unrecognizable.
He dragged his cousin onto the sand then pulled off his own t-shirt, tying it tightly around what was left of his leg. Kai called 911 giving them their location.
“Stay with me, brah. The ambulance is on its way.” Kai’s eyes kept flickering back and forth between Nate’s face and his leg. It was bad, really bad. He held onto Nathan’s hand, trying hard not to let the fear be heard in his words, or let his hands shake. He kept his fingers on his wrist to monitor his fading pulse.
Kai kept pressure on the wound to slow the bleeding. “Come on, Nate, you gotta make it. Your girls will be flying in soon, you gotta hang on.” He was afraid for Nate. His pulse was barely detectable now, and his body temperature had dropped. Kai noticed Nate’s lips were blue, his skin pale and clammy.
“Where’s that damn ambulance?” Kai screamed to no one in particular, frustrated that he felt helpless.
Nate turned his head groggily, trying to speak, but it came out in a hoarse whisper. “Cold.” It seemed a tremendous exertion for him just to g
et that one word out.
Kai’s yellow shirt was rapidly becoming saturated with blood. He hoped that the paramedics would arrive in time.
“Don’t talk, just stay with me.”
Kai paced the waiting room. It had been nearly four hours since they took Nate into surgery. He made his way back toward the coffee station, pouring another cup of the burned bitter fuel into the Styrofoam. It certainly wasn’t the rich Kona blend from his family’s plantation, but free coffee was all there was.
He found the remote and sat down in one of the cushioned chairs, turning on the news. Not that it would make much difference about the surf conditions, but it was a habit.
“Mr. Wanoki?”
Kai stood, seeing the doctor coming toward him.
The doctor shook his hand, nodding. “There was extensive damage and a great deal of blood loss. We’ve given him five units. One good thing about this type of shark attack, it was a clean bite."
“So . . . not good, but could be worse?” Kai responded to the doctor. A small bit of relief showed on Kai’s face. Nathan was still alive, and they managed to save the leg, those were both good signs, but everything was still up in the air. He’d seen it before. So many things could still go wrong. It was difficult to be relieved, but he had to acknowledge this bit of victory.
Doctor Kelley paused for a few moments, allowing Kai time to ask questions. When he made no indication, Dr. Kelley continued, “Now we play the waiting game. He’s still unconscious and will be for a bit longer. With a long procedure such as this, he’s been under the anesthesia for several hours, there may be some complications from that. When he’s out of recovery, the nurse will let you know the room number, and then you can go see him.”