The pilot navigated through the narrow causeway of red cliffs in a gradual climb upwards. As we went farther up, the mountainside turned green and lush, and I saw heavy clouds hanging above the crater. The pilot kept us below the fog, but I felt the increase in humidity rushing through the open doors. My breath caught as we circled around the crater and flew lower. Everything was green or bright white with the lush vegetation and gushing waterfalls adorning every crevice of the verdant crater.
“Wai’ale’ale is the wettest spot on earth,” the pilot said. “It rains here almost every day of the year averaging over 426 inches a year.”
Mist clung to the tops of the mountains, so thick in some places that I couldn’t see the peaks. I’d never seen anything like it before and even though I knew a picture couldn’t do it justice, I snapped several. Describing this to Lorea and my family wouldn’t be enough; they needed to see it for themselves. Gratitude swelled within me for this beautiful piece of earth I was witnessing.
“Jon, thank you for this. It’s unbelievable.”
He took my hand while we both gazed out at the untouched beauty before us. A few moments later, the landscape changed again as the pilot flew through the mountain pass along the Na Pali coastline. We traveled along the jagged rock faces of cliffs stretching upwards several thousand feet. Below us, the shoreline was absent of beaches. The helicopter flew in low. The craggy rocks jutting out into the ocean reminded me of a giant’s toes stretching along the surf.
There was no sign of human interference on the northwest side of the island. Not a single road gashed the mountainside, and the shoreline appeared almost alien in its contrasting beauty of lava rock overgrown with flowering bushes surrounded by Kauai’s signature reddish sand.
We ascended the cliffs and Jon squeezed my hand. “Look over here.” He pointed out his side of the helicopter.
“This area is referred to as the Cathedrals,” the pilot said.
I could see why. The steep mountain pushed against the heavy clouds in jagged slopes that looked somewhat like a cathedral’s spires. I wanted to memorize the scene before me. We circled around the Cathedrals and after a few more minutes, the pilot headed east along the route that would take us back to Lihue.
Soaring over the breathtaking island of Kauai from a helicopter was something I hadn’t even put on my bucket list—it was so far out of my price range. I leaned back in my seat and wondered if this would be how life with the Connelly’s would go? Everything elite. Once-in-a-lifetime experiences becoming everyday occurrences? Perhaps that was part of the reason Malia was so happy she and Kyle were living in Idaho. There was definitely something to be said for normal life in the middle class.
I thought of Luke with his laid-back presence. Even though he drove a Harley, he wasn’t ostentatious. He had to be doing well for himself with the amount of divorces I’d heard about lately in the Sun Valley/Ketchum area, but he didn’t seem like the type to overindulge.
Or maybe I was just comparing him to Jon. Money had never been what attracted me to a guy, but it was still important to consider because I’d obviously been raised in a different atmosphere than the Connellys. What did I want? Even as I reveled in the thrill of the helicopter ride that had cost Jon three-hundred dollars apiece, I knew the answer to my question.
More times than I could count, an evening sunset in Rupert, Idaho had taken my breath away. My vantage point had been from a dirt dike by the irrigation ditch around my parent’s home or sitting on the back of a four-wheeler in the middle of a field, listening to the shush-shush of sprinklers watering the potatoes. The sun kissed the horizon and turned into a fiery ball streaking red, pink, and purple across the sky. If I closed my eyes now against the beauty of Kauai, I would see that desert sunset.
I would always be a down-home country girl. Simple things brought joy to my life. That didn’t mean that there weren’t plenty of big-ticket items on my bucket list, but there were plenty of things I could do without. This helicopter ride definitely should have been on my list, though. Kauai held its own simple beauties, and the quiet island had a rural feel with plenty to offer any type of explorer. The Connellys were lucky to live in such a gorgeous place. I smiled at my circular thinking as we approached the helipad and Jon gave my fingers another gentle squeeze.
We disembarked and had our picture taken in front of the helicopter. Jon linked arms with me, laughing at my wobbly legs, and we headed back to the car.
“If we leave now, I think the timing will be perfect for the last part of my surprise.”
“There’s more?”
He nodded. “And you didn’t even need to use the parachute. I’m glad you didn’t try to bail on me today.”
“Hey, that wasn’t my fault. I’m really not accident prone.”
“I think we’ll have to go on a few more dates for you to prove that,” Jon replied, helping me into the car.
I smiled and buckled my seatbelt, not responding to his veiled request about more dates. Luke was always in the background of my thoughts, and I wished I knew what it was about him that made me hesitant to start dating someone else. As we coasted down the mountain, I relaxed, feeling the cool breeze against my skin. Jon pulled up next to a whitewashed building called The Shrimp Station.
“This isn’t the surprise. This is just dinner. These guys make the best coconut shrimp on the island.”
“Malia said I had to try some while I was here.”
Jon and I sat outside under a canopy at a wooden picnic table, and ate crunchy shrimp battered with flakes of coconut. I wasn’t a huge seafood fan, but I admitted that they were delicious. I laughed when Jon licked his fingers and stretched his arms above his head.
“My mom gets after me for eating here too much. She’s kind of a health nut,” he said.
“I don’t blame you. These are delicious.”
I finished off my shrimp and remembered how Luke had mentioned eating coconut shrimp last night. It was irritating that he kept crossing my mind, especially when Jon was right here. I dabbed my lips with a napkin and forced Luke’s steel blue eyes from my memory. Instead, I focused on the laugh lines around the blue-green eyes in front of me. Jon was a welcome distraction for my stressed-out heart. I took his hand as we walked back to the car and a smile crept across his face.
Almost a half hour later, the sun had turned a brilliant coral hue as it approached the surface of the water. Jon parked behind a long line of cars, all of them flanking a low stone wall on the shoreline. He jumped out of the car and got my door again, something I appreciated.
“You’re about to experience sunset on the wall.”
There were probably a dozen or more people sitting, facing the ocean, laughing and talking. Jon found a spot for us, and I sat with my legs dangling over the edge of the rocks. As he sat beside me, I saw a turtle splash through a wave. “Oh, look! Sea turtles.”
Jon swung his feet back and forth from the wall. “That’s why I picked this spot. They’re always here.”
The surf rolled in, and several times I saw the round bodies of the sea turtles as they rode the waves, bobbing up and down on the surface. A few minutes later, my focus shifted to the blazing glory of the sun sinking into the water. Jon pulled me closer and I leaned into him. I’d already experienced an ocean sunset with him at the Beach House restaurant, but this one seemed even better. It was as if I could reach out and touch the sun.
“You’re right. This is a great surprise.” I hummed a few lines of a Hawaiian song I’d heard earlier in the day.
Jon didn’t respond he just stared at me until I asked, “Penny for your thoughts?”
“You really are a rare beauty,” Jon said. “Your eyes are such a deep brown. I love that chocolate color with your blonde hair.” He smoothed a strand of hair behind my ear.
I felt self-conscious with the way he was looking at me—really seeing me. So I surprised myself when my arms wrapped around his waist. “I think this date pretty much knocks out any I’ve ever experienced
.”
He draped his arm around me, and I relaxed into him. We sat there for a minute staring out at the ocean. He shifted his head, and his lips brushed my temple. His closeness created a swarm of butterflies in my stomach—happy, sparkly butterflies that had my lips tingling.
I turned my face and smiled at him. As he leaned forward, I ducked my head and took his hand. I wanted to kiss him, but my meditation this morning had helped me understand the depth of my own strength. If I kissed him, I wanted to be sure it was what I really wanted, not what the sparks flying between us demanded. Normally, sparks dictated all things romantic for me, but my ex-boyfriend had kind of ruined that for me.
Jon didn’t say anything about me dodging the kiss, and he didn’t seem upset, either, which boosted him up a few more points in my book. After the sun had set, Jon helped me up from the wall. “It’s great to have such good company, Adri.”
He took my hand, and it made me want to kiss him even more. He wanted to be close to me, but he was honoring my wishes. As we walked, he swung our hands back and forth in a rhythm that was reminiscent of grade-school buddies. I giggled.
“What’s the joke?”
“No joke. I just think you’re charming, that’s all.”
His eyes crinkled with laugh lines. “I’ve heard a princess call her prince that, you know.”
I didn’t say anything to that as he tucked me into his car, but my cheeks were warm. We sang to a reggae tune on the way back to the hotel, and I thought about how I must be the luckiest wedding planner in the world.
The red light of the hotel phone was beeping when I got back to my room, and I had about six voice messages on my cell. The red light was annoying so I pushed a button to hear that message first.
“Adrielle, dear. We know that you’re the wedding planner for Kyle Connelly and Malia Wright. Don’t think for a minute that our carefully laid plans include the son of Tri-C Enterprises on the premises. Reschedule the wedding luau. I warned you what happens to people who don’t respect my wishes.”
I shook my head after listening to Mrs. Harper. Her nasal English accent was unmistakable. I kept the message, but mentally deleted her from my mind. Even though her message had me worried, I told myself there was nothing she could do to me. I wouldn’t let her ruin the perfect day I’d had.
I turned my attention to the multitude of voicemails on my cell and groaned when I saw they were all from the maid of honor. Heather must have followed through on her plans, but not without Jenica discovering the interference.
After flinching at the screeching quality in her voice on the first message ranting about my controlling behavior and messing up her plans, I deleted the rest without listening. Taking a few cleansing breaths, I stood, consulted my planner for the room numbers of each of the wedding guests and headed to room 407. I caught myself clenching my hands into fists on the elevator and forced myself to relax.
Jenica swung the door open with a smug look on her face, and I hoped she hadn’t done something that I couldn’t fix. “Hello, Adri. Did you get my messages?”
“I did and I’m not sure what is going on or why you are so angry.” She opened her mouth to speak, but I held up my hand. “Jenica, who’s getting married this Saturday?”
She narrowed her eyes. “’Malia, of course.”
“Then I shouldn’t need to say anything more, but I will. Malia is getting married on Saturday. Her bridal shower and bachelorette party is tomorrow. I’m not sure what you are planning, but Malia didn’t want anything suggestive at the party. The man you were telling me about is very different from the fire dancers performing at the luau for the wedding breakfast. Malia made a special request concerning her bridal shower, and it is my job to make sure that the bride is happy. That’s also the maid of honor’s job, but maybe you forgot.”
“Well, you’re just as snobbish as I thought you were,” Jenica spat.
“Say whatever you like, Jenica, but what is most important is to honor the bride’s wishes.”
She opened her mouth and closed it again, reminding me of some of the fish I’d seen while snorkeling. “Fine!” She moved to close her door, but I stopped her.
“Fine, meaning what?”
“Fine, have it your way. We won’t have any fun. We’ll be just as prudish as you want us to be.”
“Thank you. I’m hoping that tomorrow will be what Malia hoped for.”
“Oh, you little witch,” Jenica shrieked before slamming the door in my face.
“That went well,” I mumbled to myself as I walked back to the elevator. I had said more than I should have, but I was so stunned at how horrible Jenica was acting compared to sweet Malia, my mouth had taken over my brain. I’d have to hope that Jenica wouldn’t do something rash in retaliation since she obviously didn’t suspect Heather at all. As a wedding planner, I usually wouldn’t dream of enlisting help to override someone’s plans, but not many of my clients were of the same caliber as Malia and her paradise wedding.
Chapter 10
BRIDAL SHOWER FAVOR, HAWAIIAN STYLE
Using ribbon, tie a bottle of finger nail polish to a pair of flip-flops with a personalized note from the bride.
Example:
I’d flip without friends like you.
Thanks from the bottom of my toes!
Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com
Tony called me back the next morning.
“Adri, I can’t believe you found trouble on your first day in Hawaii.”
“Technically, it was the second, but yeah, I’m lucky like that.” I walked over to the patio door and pulled it open, letting the fresh ocean air permeate my hotel room.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“No, I mean it. Are you doing okay? That’s a scary thing—seeing a body.” Tony’s concern was sincere, and I felt bad for worrying him.
“I’m doing great. The family I’m working with here is fabulous. They’re taking good care of me. I didn’t want to bother you. There are just some things that I can’t get out of my head. I want to know who that woman was. Can you help me?”
“That’s the thing.” Tony paused. “I probably could make some calls, but unless I have a good reason they’re not going to give me information in an ongoing murder investigation.”
“Dang.”
“But you can ask them. That would be totally natural. Don’t worry that it makes you look suspicious. The police will understand that you’re concerned after being the one to find the body. Call up the investigating officer and tell him your concerns. If he can release her identity, he will.”
“Okay. It’s just, every time I think about that woman chained under the ocean, I think that there’s something else I should remember but I don’t know what it is.” Even while talking with Tony, her face swam before my vision almost pleading with me to figure out what I was missing.
“You could tell them that. Again, that’s normal. You were probably in shock after finding her, right?”
“Kind of.” Tony knew me so well. He would predict that I went into shock and hated being vulnerable in that kind of a situation. “Please don’t tell Wes. I haven’t told my parents yet because they don’t need to worry. I’m not in any danger.”
“I won’t tell any of your family.”
“Thanks, Tony. Sorry to bother you.”
“You’re not bothering me.” He sounded cheerful. “I saw Lorea the other day. You left her with plenty of work, but I think she misses her best friend a lot.”
“I miss her too.”
“Well, take care of yourself.”
“I will.”
After I ended the call, I thought about the obvious note of happiness in Tony’s voice. Could he be Lorea’s mystery date? I shook my head. That was too hard to fathom, unless it was some kind of favor to keep Lorea from having to find another person to go out with.
I texted Lorea:
Are you going to tell me who your date was?
She rep
lied about five minutes later:
Maybe, when you tell me what you’re going to do about Luke.
I grumbled. She knew just how to needle me, but I wouldn’t let her get the best of me. I sent her a picture of Jon and me in front of the helicopter with a subject line: Luke’s busy.
My phone pinged with the alarm I’d set for breakfast. I needed to eat and make sure everything would be ready for Malia’s bridal shower. I hurried to get ready for the day, showering and dressing in yellow capris and a white and black striped top. I walked down to a lovely buffet table set with tropical fruit, oatmeal, granola, pancakes, and scrambled eggs.
I filled a bowl with fruit and another with oatmeal and a sprinkling of granola and looked for a place to eat on the veranda. There was a light breeze that carried the scent of the ocean. I settled in for a nice view of the beach as I ate. Not five minutes later, a shadow fell over my table. I looked up to see Luke carrying two plates of food.
“Mind if I sit with you?”
“Not at all, just don’t block my view.”
Luke chose the chair next to mine. “It is a nice view,” he said, carefully arranging his plates. He took a bite of pineapple and leaned back in his chair. “So what’s on your agenda for today?”
“Malia’s bridal shower.” I downed my glass of orange juice, not realizing how worried I still was about what the maid of honor might end up pulling. “She wanted it simple, so I’ve tried my best to keep it that way.”
“I’m sure it will be perfect.” His eyes wandered over to mine. “Any other plans today?”
“I don’t think so.”
“You’re not doing something with Jon?”
I shook my head. “Why so many questions about Jon? He’s just showing me around the island.”
He shoveled in a mouthful of pancakes and chewed slowly. “I met him last night. He mentioned he’d taken you on a helicopter tour. I got the feeling he’s a player.”
“What do you mean?”
“He seemed pretty friendly with Malia’s sisters. He looked like a pro.”
Veils and Vengeance Page 11