“He’ll have to take you surfing and try to drown you again, just so it’s even.”
Dallas laughed. “Fine by me, anytime.”
“How is the estate?” A worry line wrinkled Kaimana’s forehead.
Dallas fell silent. “Most of the crop is fine and so is Misu’s house,” Allie said quickly. “But...not his house.”
“It’s just stuff,” he said, trying hard to mask the seriousness of the loss. “It can be replaced. And Allie is letting me sleep on the couch at Misu’s, so I’ll be fine.”
Kaimana uttered something in Hawaiian to show she approved.
Dallas glanced over his shoulder, up at the bright sky. “I need to head back and use this daylight while I can,” Dallas said.
“You go on. I need to talk with Allie.” Kaimana’s face left no room for argument, so Dallas just shrugged.
“Sure. I’ll meet you back at your place,” he said and trod off down the trail leading away from Kaimana’s house. When he was gone, Kaimana ushered Allie to a seat on her porch.
“Have you talked to your grandmother yet?” Kaimana asked, taking Allie by surprise.
“Talk to her? I don’t understand...” She’s dead.
“I talk to her every Tuesday afternoon,” Kaimana said. “I visit the Alae Cemetery, and we have a nice long chat.”
Allie instantly felt relief. Kaimana wasn’t talking about seeing dead people, she was talking about speaking to a grave.
“Oh.”
“You should come.”
“I will,” Allie promised, feeling a knot in her throat.
Kaimana clapped her hands, making Allie jump a little. “Okay, so be sure to tell her about the contest. She’ll want to know you’re entering. You still plan to enter the festival?”
“I forgot about it,” Allie lied.
“You’ve got months yet. That’s enough for several batches.”
“Several?”
“Sure, you harvest beans every month, roast them up and then pick the richest ones for the competition. Easy.” Kaimana dusted her hands as if it were a chore easily done. Allie didn’t think it would be that easy. Especially not now, with the island still rocked by the aftermath of the tsunami.
“Once you win the festival, you could always sell to Dallas. Of course, that is if you want to sell.”
Sell to Dallas. That would be a perfect plan, wouldn’t it? He’d get to keep the plantation and she’d get to travel around the world.
“Right...that would be a good plan.” Allie had to admit it was the perfect out. “We’ll win that contest. Dallas would be an excellent buyer. You’re right.” Allie felt a strange sense of disappointment when she said those words. Hadn’t she been relieved to find the land in one piece to sell? And now she could give Dallas the good news. No need to worry about rebuilding your house, just move on in to Misu’s and call it home. “You’re right. It’s the perfect solution for everyone.”
“Is it?” Kaimana asked, one eyebrow raised, her eyes playful within the wrinkled folds of her aged face. She was a wise woman who seemed to be able to see right through her.
“Well, anyway, I have to help with the cleanup right now, and then, I mean, the festival is months away.”
Kaimana nodded sagely. “Of course. It’s a long time. Lots of things can happen in that amount of time. You’ll need to work closely with Dallas to bring in the crop, roast up that coffee.”
“Will I?” Allie felt strangely upbeat about the prospect. What was wrong with her? One second, she couldn’t wait to sell, and now she seemed plagued by second thoughts.
“I know you need to go, but I have one thing for you...” Kaimana bustled back into her house. She emerged with a small wooden tiki carving, a short squat god grinning wide and wearing a tall pointed hat, twice as big as his body.
“It will bring you luck,” Kaimana promised. “One of the old Hawaiian gods.”
Allie studied it. The small wooden carving fit easily into the palm of Allie’s hand. He had a wide-mouthed grin that looked almost like a figure eight.
“I guess I could use all the luck I can get,” she said, meaning it. She put the little figure into her pocket and strode back toward the house. Her phone rang, and when she pulled it out, she saw a local number flash across the screen.
“Oh, thank goodness you’re there.” Teri sounded rushed and stressed. “I didn’t have Dallas’s number, and we need some help down here, if he could spare his pickup truck. The water receded, but there’s a lot of debris. I’m not sure if the salon is going to make it.”
Allie stiffened, concern rushing over her as she thought about the shopping center and the salon. “Oh, Teri...”
“We’re trying to organize a big cleanup, but it’s slow going. Do you think you could come and help? We’re also looking for any cars that can haul trash away.”
“We’ll be there.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ALLIE AND DALLAS drove separately to the shopping center that housed Tiki Teri’s hair salon and Hula Coffee. He hadn’t even hesitated when Allie told him about Teri’s call. Despite having his own mess of a house to deal with, he’d instantly gone to help his neighbors. Allie realized the proof of his commitment to the community in how quickly he volunteered his assistance, how he instantly put the needs of others in front of his own.
As they pulled into the shopping center, Allie saw the buildings were still standing, amazingly; but Teri was right, they’d had some pretty intensive flooding. The parking lot was covered in debris: random splintered boards, old crates, even an overturned small fishing boat. Teri and Minnie were already there working, as were several other familiar faces that Allie recognized from Kai’s backyard barbecue.
Dallas and Allie didn’t have to ask; they both dug into the cleanup effort. Dallas gave Allie a pair of workman’s gloves and then she was off, helping Teri haul bits of broken glass and debris from the salon. They worked steadily, filling the commercial dumpsters someone had rounded up and put in the parking lot. The whir of fire truck sirens could be heard steadily throughout the day as people began the long, arduous process of cleaning up. Municipal trucks came out in force, with technicians working on downed power lines and leaking gas pipes. What Allie couldn’t believe were all the people who weren’t on a county or city payroll out working and helping, the line of volunteers that snaked into the shopping center eager to assist. Allie found herself working side by side with lifelong residents, and even a few tourists who’d enjoyed coffee at Hula Coffee, all happy to roll up their sleeves and help in a time of need.
She watched Dallas wordlessly hauling big pieces of wood away from the stores, his muscles bulging. He’d discarded his shirt at some point. Sweat beaded on his shoulders as he carried heavy pieces above his head. She could watch him all day, she thought. Then she remembered she’d have to tell him about Kaimana’s plan at some point. She decided not to think about it. The time now was for working.
The goodwill and the team attitude floored her. Never before had she seen people come together from so many backgrounds to work together, and in such harmony, at the teeth-gritting task of picking up what the ocean had brought in.
“Now this is the aloha spirit,” Minnie declared, stopping briefly from her task of hauling away soggy drywall to take a quick picture with her phone. She posted it instantly to several sites, and Allie knew the word would be spreading and more volunteers would show. The tsunami was a terrible tragedy, but Allie felt as if the spirit of the people here was an amazing sight to see.
Get knocked down seven times, get up eight.
Now she understood that saying more than she ever had. Allie wondered if Grandma Misu had seen this fighting spirit in her neighbors all these years in Hawaii. Allie couldn’t help but admire the people. She found herself considering how it would feel to live with such neighbors. Could I settle down here? What would it be like to live on an island where everyone looked out for everyone else?
As she tucked a piece of broken plate glas
s into the dumpster, watching others do the same, Allie saw a man turn on his car radio up to the loudest volume. Ukulele music punctuated the din of work, and Allie remembered then, suddenly, a long lost memory: her father’s funeral.
In true Big Island style, it had been a mix of cultures and religions: part Christian, part Buddhist, all Hawaiian. Incense had burned near the golden Buddhist plates set near his open-faced coffin while a pastor had said a few kind words in the open-air service near the cemetery. It had been standing room only, all the folding chairs taken, as half the Kona district had come. Allie remembered live ukulele music played throughout the ceremony, and she remembered her father, lying lifeless in the coffin, his face peaceful.
The sky above them had been crowded with clouds, threatening rain on that humid day.
She remembered that she’d worn one of Aunt Kaimana’s white-flowered leis around her neck. Kaimana had approached her after the ceremony.
“Waimaka o ka Lani,” she’d said, speaking in Hawaiian as raindrops fell from the sky. “Waimaka o ka Lani.”
Allie suddenly remembered what that meant: “The heavens cry when a loved one passes.”
Allie felt something seize up in her chest when she thought of her father’s funeral. All the many people there, just like now, helping her family when they needed them most. She wondered why she couldn’t see it then, why she’d only thought they were there in some way to judge her: the little girl who’d survived. She’d been so wrong, she realized.
“Allie!” called a little boy, and Allie looked up to see Po running to her, his mother coming behind. He gave her a big hug, and when Allie set him down he grinned wide.
“Got any candy?” he asked.
“Po! That’s not nice!” his mother chided behind him.
“It’s okay,” Allie said, smiling at the mother. “I’m sorry, I don’t have any, Po.” The boy temporarily looked deflated but recovered quickly. “That’s okay. We went to see Kai! He gave me his chocolate pudding.” The boy wore a smudge of what looked like dried pudding on his chin. “He said hospital food is gross! But, I don’t think so.” Po grinned even wider. “Dallas!” he shouted, as the man strode over and gave the boy a solid high five.
“How you doin’, little man?” he asked.
“Good!” Po grinned. “We went to the hospital!”
His mother ruffled his hair. “We went to thank Kai, and as we drove by, Po saw you and Dallas here. He wanted to say hi. Is there anything we can do to help?” Po’s mother looked around at all the people working.
“You might want to ask Teri,” Allie said, nodding toward the salon owner, who was busy directing volunteers.
Po’s mother scooped him up. “Come on, Po. Let’s talk to Teri.”
Dallas grabbed his phone from his pocket and glanced at the time. “I should probably go see Kai,” he said.
“Let me come with you,” Allie offered.
“Allie!” called Teri, waving her over. Allie hesitated, not wanting to miss seeing Kai, but also feeling as if she didn’t want to let Teri down.
“Looks as though you’re needed,” Dallas said. “You stay and help. I’ll tell Kai hi for you.”
“I’ll be by when I can,” Allie promised.
* * *
DALLAS DROVE TO the hospital, amazed at the devastation he’d missed in the dark cover of night: entire shoreline neighborhoods had been washed away, as had shops and gas stations.
He’d never seen his beloved Kona District in such shambles. His half-knocked-down house was really the least of it. The tsunami had taken away more than stores and homes and gas stations. It had taken people’s lives and their livelihoods. Nothing about the Big Island would be the same after this, he knew. But he was also confident they could rebuild.
Judging by the way she’d rolled up her sleeves to pitch in with the relief effort, helping people she barely knew, Allie was a special woman, he could see. That’s what he’d have to tell Kai when he broke the news that he did plan to date his oldest friend, local or tourist; he didn’t care what category she fell in.
Dallas found Kai without visitors, save for the nurse named Maggie, according to her name tag. She was hovering near his shoulder and giggling. He probably had a lot of nurse attention.
“Mr. Brady, you are so funny,” she murmured, flirting.
“Mr. Brady, huh?” Dallas leaned against the doorjamb, crossing his thick, muscled arms across his chest. “We on formal terms now?”
“Dallas, you old dog.” Kai grinned. “Not my doing. You have to ask Jesse. She’s insisting everyone call me that.”
Maggie smiled shyly at Kai and then scurried out of the room. “Somehow, I don’t think that’s going to keep the nurses away from you,” Dallas said as he watched Maggie flit down the hall. A line of other nurses whispered at the nurse’s station, keeping their eyes on Kai’s room.
Kai shrugged. “Hey, bro, I can’t help it if the women love me.”
“Uh-huh. You sure you didn’t just break that leg for the attention?” Dallas cocked one eyebrow, and Kai laughed.
“That’s right. More female attention. Just what I need.” Kai exhaled a tired-sounding breath. “Speaking of female attention, Jesse told me you took Allie to your tree house? Are you serious with that?”
Dallas felt put on the spot. “The shelter was full.”
“So you take one of my oldest friends to your love shack?”
“Nothing happened.”
Kai just glared at him.
“Nothing much happened,” Dallas amended, thinking about the feel of her topless in his arms. Technically, they didn’t have sex. If he wanted to get technical, which he did right at that moment.
“Dallas McCormick!” Kai raised his voice, upset, his face flushed. “I told you not to mess around with Allie. She isn’t one of your conquests. You promised me, Dallas. You promised me you’d stay away from her.”
“I promised I wouldn’t treat her casually, and that’s not what it is,” Dallas protested.
“Uh-huh. Right.” Sarcasm laced Kai’s words.
Dallas felt anger pinch his temples. He was tired of everyone assuming the worst about him, including his best friend.
“I’m not messing around,” Dallas growled. “I wasn’t looking for this, Kai. Lord knows I’ve tried to find fault with that woman, tried and failed. She’s not only the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, but she’s also smart and funny and completely and totally selfless and one helluva stubborn pain in my ass. She drives me crazy, but I can’t seem to get enough of her anyway, so that either makes me suicidal or a glutton for punishment, I don’t know. But what I do know is that I’m going to spend as much time with her as possible because being with her might make me insane, but being without her is worse.”
“You done?” Kai asked, as he raised an ironic eyebrow.
“No, I’m not, not where Allie is concerned.” Dallas had begun to pace. He ran a harried hand through his blond hair.
“Okay, Dallas... I—” Kai glanced at the door looking worried. Well, let him worry about one of his nurses overhearing. Dallas didn’t care.
“I’m not done!” Dallas thundered, really gearing up now as he stood rigid by Kai’s bedside, his back to the hospital’s hallway. “You know what else? She’s completely and hopelessly a danger magnet. But do I care? No! I just want to make sure she’s safe, and given the past week, I can already tell that’s a full-time job. But I want that job. I’d do anything to get that job. But you and everybody else on this island keeps telling her I’m pretty much a grade-A asshole, and I’m tired of it.”
Kai glanced over Dallas’s shoulder. “Dallas...” Kai began, but was cut off once more.
“I may not deserve Allie, that’s true, but I’m damn well going to try to, because she’s exactly the woman I’ve been looking for my whole life. Not you or anybody else is going to stop me from going after her, because I can’t even think about a world where I don’t. Even if she is a walking natural disaster, even if she�
�s got more emotional baggage than a full set of luggage, I don’t care. So even though it’s none of your business who I have sex with or when, I’d really like you to be okay with this. I’m not asking your permission to date her, because you’re not her father, but you’re the closest thing to one right now, so there. I’m asking. I want you to be okay with this.”
Dallas took a deep breath and released it. Kai had been rendered speechless, which was exactly Dallas’s intent. Let him say something now. Let him lord imaginary conquests over him or tell him he was not serious enough to date his friend; let him even try to pull any of that crap. Dallas was ready.
Kai cleared his throat and glanced at the door. That was when Dallas realized someone was standing behind him in the doorway of the hospital room.
He turned in time to see Allie, holding a bouquet of flowers from the gift shop downstairs, standing stock-still. It was clear by the startled look on her face that she’d heard every word.
“Do I get a say in this? Or do you two men get to decide who I sleep with next?”
* * *
ALLIE HAD TO ADMIT, watching Dallas turn bright red made her day. He’d been ranting when she’d walked up to the door, and she’d paused to listen, wondering what had made him so mad. When she realized it was her, she’d been shocked. Frankly, she’d never heard a man ever sing her praises like that, all while cursing her so much at the same time. She wasn’t sure if she should be deeply flattered or deeply offended, and found she fell somewhere in the middle. She decided to focus on the fact that it was none of either man’s business who she slept with and go from there.
“Allie, I...” Kai began.
“Don’t ‘Allie’ me! Kai, did you tell Dallas he couldn’t date me?”
Kai suddenly appeared sheepish. “I was just looking out for you,” he said. “You’re new to the island and...”
“And I’m a big girl who can take care of myself.” Allie tossed the flowers down on the visitor’s chair nobody was sitting in. “If I want to sleep with the island’s biggest revolving door, that’s my business.”
“Hey,” Dallas protested.
Her Hawaiian Homecoming (Mills & Boon Superromance) Page 19