“Meaning he’s going to take, like, two hundred more pictures of you?”
“No, he’s experimenting with catching the light at different angles on the water.” Lexi noticed the signal that Gracie would be boarding soon. “I’d better let you get back to the mainland.”
“My agent wants me to check out an opportunity in Chicago. Maybe I can catch Jordan while I’m there,” Gracie said.
“I wish you could, and then you could bring him here.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Lexi waved one last time at Gracie before turning to exit the airport. She stopped to admire the yellow plumeria leis hanging from a kiosk on her way out. Two women came up beside her and waited in line to purchase sparkling waters. They talked animatedly, and Lexi couldn’t help but overhear their conversation. One woman had red curly hair that fell halfway down her back. Her friend’s sleek black hair was styled in an angled bob. She was a full head taller than Lexi and the redhead.
“Oh, it’s good to be back,” the woman with the black hair said as she adjusted her carry-on bag.
“Isn’t this one of yours?” The redheaded woman picked up a postcard, turned it over, and pointed. “It is! Eliza, you’re famous.”
The woman named Eliza smirked. “Yes, my photos are in the kiosk at a tiny airport. Let’s hide from the paparazzi.”
The redhead snorted and returned the postcard to the rotating display. Her phone dinged, and she studied it for a moment before gasping. She grabbed Eliza’s arm. “JoNelle accepted Derek’s application to the masquerade ball.”
Lexi couldn’t stop her head from snapping up when she heard Derek’s name, but the women didn’t seem to notice. It probably wasn’t Derek Mitchell anyway. The two women moved to the register, and Lexi pretended to sort through a basket of tacky key chains as she eavesdropped.
Eliza drummed her fingertips together. “Oh goodie! This is going to be too much fun.”
“Wait, what if Derek declines? After all, you’re the one who sent it in.”
“Everyone is allowed to nominate people. I just took it a step further to make sure he’d make the cut. And Derek will do it because of the cause. He’s got that golden boy thing going on, remember?”
The redhead put a hand on her hip. “I still don’t understand how putting him up for auction benefits you.”
“Oh, you will.” Eliza’s voice was measured and cool. “Everyone will see. He should have agreed to work with me when he had the chance. Too late now.”
The women laughed and walked away from the kiosk. Lexi moved over to where they had been browsing and turned the display of postcards around carefully. She pulled out a lovely scene of a pink-and-orange sunset and flipped it over. Lexi’s stomach hardened. She wanted to believe that they weren’t talking about her Derek. She studied the back of the postcard she’d seen the redhead hold up earlier. Crowe’s Nest Photography was credited with the image. The logo was clever, with a crow standing in a nest of film strip. The initials E.C. were printed on the filmstrip at the crow’s feet.
There was a bad taste in Lexi’s mouth as she dropped the postcard back into the rack. The airport was eerily quiet in between flights, and Lexi was glad to be back in her Jeep. Part of her wished she hadn’t overheard the conversation, but the other half of her was dialing Derek’s number as soon as she started the engine. He didn’t answer, and Lexi didn’t want to leave a voice mail, so she hung up. She considered going to his house, but that would appear strange and dramatic considering the circumstances.
The more she thought about it, Lexi was glad that Derek hadn’t answered the phone. He probably wouldn’t care, but she didn’t want to come across as paranoid or possessive. Derek hadn’t mentioned anything about the masquerade ball, and Lexi figured if he was involved, he probably would’ve said something. The event was a week and half away. Hopefully that was enough time to do some research and find out if the Derek that Eliza and her friend had talked about was Derek Mitchell.
18
Lexi’s house seemed too quiet without Gracie. Everything was neat and tidy, so Lexi didn’t have any reason to put off her inner artist. She rededicated herself to the painting she’d started the previous week. The scene looked different, more vibrant; the details of the palm leaves swaying in the breeze, the glittering sand, and the trailing flowers were all more noticeable today. Lexi recognized that the frantic pace of her business life was slowly leaving her soul, and she had a greater appreciation—and an artist’s eye—for her surroundings. She painted the beach and the ocean waves kissing the sand, with a touch of the white on the crests as they rolled toward the shore.
It took Lexi several seconds to recognize that her phone was ringing—she’d been so immersed in her painting. When she found her phone, she was already sliding her finger across to answer it, too late to register that she didn’t work with Shawn Halstrom anymore.
“Hello?” she said, noting that she sounded breathless. She forced herself to breathe, dropping her shoulders from where they had edged up near her ears.
“Lexi! Are you really there?”
“Yes, it’s me. Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong,” Shawn said. “I’ve been waiting, hoping that I’ve given you enough time, but Lex, I really miss you. Can we talk?”
Lexi leaned back against the balcony, her paintbrush clasped tightly. The cadence of Shawn’s voice was familiar, bringing back memories of their time working together. They’d accomplished great things. If it hadn’t been for Shawn’s talents and organizational skills, Lexi might not have pursued the creation of Burke’s Higher Steps. “I miss you, too, Shawn. How have you been?”
“Working too hard. Did you hear that I got a promotion to lead your foundation?”
“Really? That’s great, Shawn. That was probably the hardest thing to leave. I’m so glad to hear that it’s in good hands. You’ll do amazing there.”
“Yeah, I guess so. It’s not the same without you, though.” His voice dropped a notch. “I wish I could see you again.”
Lexi closed her eyes. The waves rolled in slowly, rhythmically, with a dependability that would never be doubted. Shawn had been her rock, and they’d worked together with a rhythm that had kept their jobs and life in sync. She had missed Shawn, but not with the emotions she could hear in his voice. Before Derek, she might’ve entertained a future with Shawn . . . but the dark-haired man with a camera bag slung over his shoulder had changed everything.
“Are you still there?” Shawn interrupted her thoughts.
“I am, and that’s the thing, Shawn. I’m really here. In Kauai.”
“I know.” Shawn sounded dejected. “I guess I just wanted to make sure that you’re happy there, ’cause if you’re not, I think you could be happy here.”
“I’m sure it’s hard to believe. It’s like living in a dream, waking up here every morning, away from all of the stress. But it’s a good dream. I’m living now, and life is beautiful. I never noticed before how simple things can bring such joy.”
“I guess that explains why you added so much to the foundation funds,” Shawn said. “Did you do that for me? For this job?”
“I wish I could take credit for that, because I want you to be happy. I don’t want you to work so hard anymore, Shawn. Don’t let life pass you by.”
“There’s someone else, isn’t there?”
Lexi hesitated, and she knew the pause would answer her question better than any words. Shawn knew her too well. “I’m painting right now on my balcony overlooking the ocean.”
“I didn’t know you were artistic off the screen, but it makes total sense. You always had the best eye on the team.”
“What don’t you know about yourself because you work through every break, weekend, and vacation?”
Now it was Shawn’s turn to hesitate.
Lexi knew she’d struck a chord. She cleared her throat and offered him the only thing she could: advice. “You still have time to change things, but you have to s
top running so life can catch up with you.”
“That’s some good advice. Are you sure you aren’t with Hallmark now?”
Lexi laughed. “Nope. The plumeria tree in my backyard smells way better than any cubicle.”
Shawn chuckled. “I still miss you, but you’ve given me something to think about. As soon as I get an assistant, I’ll take some time off and see if I can meet up with life.”
“That sounds like a wonderful possibility.”
“But Lex, until then, if you change your mind, will you call me? I’d hop a flight right now if it meant I could see your beautiful face again.” He paused and cleared his throat. “I love you.”
Lexi sucked in a breath. He’d said the magic words, but why now? Lexi curled her toes on the soft mat printed with Hawaiian flowers. What would she do if Shawn was standing in front of her saying the same words? Lexi shook her head. Even if Shawn was here, she wouldn’t give up her chance to date Derek and discover what it was about him that made her heart soar higher than the mountains lining the shores.
After a couple beats of awkward silence in which Lexi tried to think of a response, Shawn cleared his throat. “You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know.”
“Thanks. I’ll let you know how things go around here, okay?” Lexi infused her voice with brightness that she didn’t feel at the moment.
“Okay. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Good-bye.”
Lexi hated the finality of the conversation once she hit the end button, but she didn’t know what else to do. She’d never set out to break Shawn’s heart, but he sounded as if she’d ripped his heart out and trampled it underfoot.
She sighed and put down her paintbrush. Shawn did sound different. She’d never seriously considered him before, but maybe her leaving had given him a dose of reality that could change his path in life. That was one thing to hope for.
19
The next day, Derek took Lexi to the Shrimp Station so she could try real coconut shrimp. He’d offered to pick her up on his way back from chopping coconuts at Ke’e, but Lexi refused again, saying that she had some shopping to do and would meet him at his house. Derek had hesitated, and Lexi felt bad that he was probably wondering why she didn’t want him to see where she lived. Her web of deceit was starting to tangle around her legs, dragging her underwater like a rope of seaweed firmly rooted at the bottom of the ocean. Lexi was ready to break free and tell Derek the truth, but she needed to find the right moment.
In between bites of crunchy coconut shrimp didn’t seem like the right moment.
“Mmm, this is so good,” Lexi said. “How’s your day been?”
“Good, but something kind of weird happened today.” Derek leaned his elbows on the table.
Lexi finished chewing an extra crunchy bite of shrimp. “What?”
“I got a phone call with an invitation to be one of the bachelors up for auction at the masquerade ball.”
Lexi choked and started coughing. She grabbed her drink and took a sip, fanning her eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“I think a piece of coconut went down the wrong pipe.” Lexi coughed a couple more times and sipped her drink. “Okay, sorry. Tell me about this auction.” Lexi widened her eyes and smiled, but she was replaying the conversation she’d heard in the airport, trying to remember the woman’s name.
“There’s a masquerade ball that Kauai is hosting to raise funds for the refugees. They’re asking local bachelors to participate and bring the spirit of giving to life on our island.”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea. And how do they raise money?”
“By collecting donations, hosting an insanely expensive dinner and dance, and auctioning off eligible island men for a date. You know, the ultra-rich kind of party.” Derek scrunched his nose. “I guess the event is good to get people to donate, but I took some photos last year. If you could have seen the costumes, the food, the decorations . . . if those people just stayed home and donated the money from all of that, we probably could have world peace.”
Lexi laughed, but she thought it sounded a bit forced. “Even rich people need to have a little fun, though, don’t you think?”
Derek took a bite of shrimp and chewed slowly. “I guess so.”
“How many bachelors will they have?”
“I think there will be ten or fifteen.” Derek swirled another piece of shrimp in the sauce. “They like the bidding to be just a step above friendly so that they can raise more money.”
“Oh, I bet that will be exciting,” Lexi said, trying to keep her voice even. She wished she’d been able to reach Derek yesterday right after she heard the conversation, because now she was worried. If Derek hadn’t just bashed rich people again, she might have told him in between bites of shrimp, because then she could go to the masquerade ball and “buy” Derek.
“The nice thing about it is I’ll get a little bit of free advertising for my business. They’re letting me include my Fuse logo in the program, and I’ll have a bio, too.”
“That is a great opportunity. I wonder if you could get another venue in addition to art night somewhere on the island while people are still around after the ball.”
“See, I can tell you must have been successful in your brother’s business. Look how quickly you thought of that idea while I’m just wishing I had more shrimp.”
“Well, have one of mine. I’m stuffed.” Lexi pushed her basket toward him.
Derek smiled and snatched a small shrimp, popping it into his mouth. He bit down and some bits of coconut flaked off, one piece clinging to his chin.
“You have a little something there.” Lexi pointed at her chin, and then giggled when Derek wiped his mouth, and the stubborn piece of coconut clung to his whiskers. She reached across the table, and gently wiped his face. The air between them was charged, and Lexi wondered how she’d gone from giggling at Derek to putting her hand on his cheek. Instead of pulling away, she enjoyed feeling the rough skin change to the brisk whiskers beneath her fingers. Derek covered her hand with his, moving his mouth and kissing her palm.
A thrill shot through Lexi. She wanted to be with Derek. She didn’t want him to go on a date with another woman laced with diamonds and designer clothes.
The conversation at the airport slammed into her like a truck. Derek shouldn’t go to the masquerade ball. Eliza Crowe was dangerous. That was her name. Lexi could clearly picture the logo on the back of the postcard. She dropped her hand from his face and broke the building tension when she met Derek’s eyes. “Who is Eliza Crowe? I mean, do you know her?”
Derek’s face pinched as if he’d tasted something sour. “She’s a photographer. We met at a summit here on Kauai once. I thought it might be cool to date someone who had the same interests as me.” He swallowed and flicked a pebble to the ground. “I thought wrong.”
“Oh, that explains a lot.”
“About what?” Derek turned to her.
“Well, I overheard a really strange conversation after I dropped Gracie off at the airport.” Lexi repeated what she’d heard.
Derek raked his fingers through his hair and held his breath for a few seconds. He blew it out and shook his head. “I figured it was her, but I was hoping it wasn’t.”
“What made you think Eliza had something do with your nomination?”
“She’s friends with JoNelle Walters who runs the masquerade ball.”
“Wait, this same thing happens every year?”
Derek nodded. “JoNelle’s been working on it for the past three years. This year is supposed to be big, really help some people; otherwise I wouldn’t have agreed to participate.”
“But aren’t you worried about Eliza? She sounded so . . . sinister.”
“That’s because she is. She wanted us to team up, combine some aspects of our businesses, but I turned her down. She’s been angry ever since and went to some lengths to try to sabotage my business opportunities. But that’s been almost a year now. P
eople around here know me now, so I don’t think she’s much of a threat. Besides, what could she really do to me? I’m a nobody.”
“You’re not a nobody, Derek. You have a lot of talent, and she can see that you’re a threat. What if she’s planning to ruin your business?”
“How could she possibly do that? Even if she did something to taint my image, it’s not like people pay attention to the logos on their postcards and souvenir photos.”
“That’s true, but I’ve seen some nasty things in business. People can be ruthless. Ack! What if she tries to bid on you?”
“Don’t worry. She won’t be able to afford me, unless she has some kind of sponsor.” He winked.
Lexi couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, I’ll try not to worry.”
But she did worry. After she left Derek to finish up the work he needed to do to prep for the following art night, Lexi drove home, her thoughts spiraling out of control toward a scenario where Eliza kidnapped Derek and took him away from her forever.
20
Derek had endured Pika’s teasing all afternoon yesterday about his new wahine, but Pika stopped when Derek asked him about Gracie.
“When you moving to the mainland to watch the ballerina?”
Pika shook his head. “I can’t leave the island or my makuahine.”
“You’re right. Your mother needs you,” Derek replied. “So you’ve thought about it, huh?” He’d been teasing, but the way Pika stared out toward the ocean spoke volumes about his feelings for Gracie. Derek cleared his throat, and Pika shrugged out of his trance.
“At least I’m thinking.” Pika tapped his head. “You’re a goner.”
Derek laughed as he recalled the conversation. He didn’t care how much Pika teased him, because today Derek was taking Lexi on a photo shoot. He’d be in his element, and he was excited to show her the results of his experiments on capturing light on the ocean water. Lexi had seemed genuinely interested—a lot of the women he’d dated in the past had faked interest, but their empty-headed questions exposed the truth.
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