“Yeah, I guess you could say that.” She sighed. “Cooper wants a serious relationship.”
He scrunched his brows. “I see.”
She laughed. “You see what?”
“Nothing. I thought you were taking things slow. You really don’t know much about him.”
She lifted an eyebrow, amused. “You’re telling me to take it slow? Really?”
He started kicking his feet around in the sand. Then he held up his hands in defeat. “Okay, I get it.” A sheepish smile stole over his lips. “I guess I’ll have to get used to sharing you with someone else.”
She smirked. “Welcome to my world.”
“It’s just been the two of us for so long. We’re moving into uncharted territory with my wedding and your boyfriend.” He reached for her hands and looked into her eyes. “Let’s make a pact right now. No matter what happens, we’ll always be friends.”
An ache started in the center of her heart and radiated out as she looked into those expressive eyes that had the power to make her heart do somersaults. “Yes,” she heard herself say, “we’ll always be friends.”
It was time to move on. This time, for real.
Chapter 2
Liam loved Dani and wanted to marry her. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling Maurie was right. Maybe Dani was marrying him for the wrong reasons. At dinner, Dani had chattered on about her favorite rock band and the latest trends in fashion, making their age difference seem all the more drastic. He kept replaying the earlier conversation on the beach, trying to decide what had unsettled him. Maurie had voiced concerns about Dani before, so that wasn’t it. What was it that kept nagging at him like a dull toothache? Even as he formed the question, the answer rushed in. It was the look on Maurie’s face in that moment when he realized she cared. He’d caught a glimpse of the real woman behind the competent mask, giving him the distinct impression her feelings ran deeper than mere friendship or business. Why had he not seen it before? All these years, he assumed he was the only one who cared.
He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was late—way past his bedtime. He needed to rest up for the wedding, but he couldn’t shut off the doubts. A part of him wished he could postpone the wedding. Then he could figure out if his apprehension was only cold feet or something deeper. But there wasn’t time. Above all, he couldn’t hurt Dani. She was counting on him to see this through.
Sleep was the furthest thing from his mind right now. He turned on the TV, not processing what he was seeing. Finally, he decided to do the only thing that really helped him relax—paint. After choosing a canvas, he began to sketch the one person he couldn’t stop thinking about—Maurie. Normally, he painted from a photograph, but Maurie’s image was so engrained in his mind that he had no trouble drawing her from memory. In smooth, practiced strokes, he formed the curve of her face, her slender neck, the stubborn set of her chin. She was standing on the beach, her eyes fixed on the distant horizon. The wind was whipping through her long, red tresses sending a strand across her face, partially covering one of her emerald eyes. Tall and lean with an air of grace, she was leaning forward on her tiptoes, her hands lifting to sweep the hair from her face.
An hour later, he stopped and looked at his work, startled that he’d been able to capture the essence of her expression from earlier. Maurie was resilient, capable. And yet, there was something tender about the scene. His heart clutched. Anyone looking at this painting would be able to see right through him. They would know he harbored feelings for Maurie. He’d have to put this painting away so Dani would never see it. His brush slipped out of his hand and landed at his feet. Liam picked it up and dipped it in a container of turpentine.
Rebel, his calico Yorkshire Terrier bustled into the room. She looked up at him and started whimpering. Then she jumped into his arms. He hugged her tightly. Rebel had an uncanny way of picking up on his emotions. “Time for bed,” he said, rubbing a hand over her soft coat of hair. “You love me, don’t you girl?”
She wagged her tail in response.
He sighed. “If only the rest of the females in my world were as simple as you, then life would be much less complicated.”
No detail had been left undone. No expense had been spared. Even the weather was cooperating. A couple of hours earlier, dark clouds had gathered above the ocean, making Liam worry it might rain. But the clouds had dissipated, leaving only blue sky and a pleasant breeze. Liam adjusted his bowtie and smoothed down the coat of his tuxedo before glancing at the white folding chairs, which were quickly filling with guests. The wedding was taking place at Kuilima Point overlooking the ocean, one of the most picturesque spots at Turtle Bay. The delicate scent of plumeria flowers floated on the air, and a string quartet was playing. After the wedding ceremony, a dinner and reception would be held in the nearby tent. White linens and live flowers adorned the tables underneath, and dainty lantern lights added the crowning touch. Dani would be pleased when she saw it. It was a dream wedding. This was supposed to be the happiest day of his life. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his nerves. He was so edgy he’d nearly jumped out of his skin a few moments ago, when one of the caterers tapped him on the shoulder to ask a question. He’d stayed awake almost the entire night before and had finally drifted off to sleep around 3 a.m. His lack of sleep wasn’t helping the situation. And to make matters worse, Maurie wasn’t here. He’d called her several times, but it went to voicemail. Had something happened to her? It wasn’t like her to not show up. He shook his head, feeling disgusted with himself. Now was not the time to be worried about Maurie. She was probably just running late. He needed to focus on Dani and the wedding.
Finn, his best man, stepped up and put a hand on Liam’s shoulder. “How ya doing?”
He smiled. “Great.”
Finn chuckled. “Liar.”
“To tell you the truth, I’m a little nervous,” Liam admitted.
He offered a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, it’s completely normal.”
“Were you nervous when you married Samantha?”
Finn looked thoughtful. “Not nervous, but stoked. You know that rush of adrenaline you get the moment before you catch the perfect wave? It was that kind of feeling.”
Liam nodded, his heart sinking. Adrenaline had nothing to do with the way he was feeling. His gut was churning so fiercely that it felt like his stomach was trying to eat itself from the inside out.
“Hey, are you okay?”
He offered a weak smile. “Yeah, it’s just all hitting me at once. My life’s changing forever.”
“If it’s any consolation, marriage is amazing. I never knew I could be this happy.”
That was easy for Finn to say. He’d married the girl of his dreams. Over the past year, Finn and Dani’s older sister, Samantha, had become like family to him. In fact, he was almost as attached to Dani’s family as he was to her. Growing up the only child of a wealthy couple had left Liam longing for stronger family connections. His father was sole owner of one of the largest biotech companies in Europe, and his mother was a socialite. Nannies cared for him until he was old enough to be shipped off to boarding school. It didn’t occur to him that he cared so much about Dani’s family, until Maurie had asked him probing questions: “Of all the girls you’ve dated, why are you marrying Dani? What is it about her, in particular, that has you willing to make such a commitment?” He couldn’t answer the question right away, and it had eaten away at him. Finally, it dawned on him that he loved Dani’s family as much as he loved her. Dani’s mother, Katia, called him on a weekly basis, and he spent a great deal of time with Finn and Samantha. By marrying Dani, he wouldn’t just be gaining a wife but an entire family.
Finn’s phone buzzed. “Hang on a sec,” he said to Liam before answering it. “Really? That’s odd.” He frowned. “Okay … I’ll tell him.” He ended the call and looked at Liam.
“What’s going on?”
“That was Samantha. Dani wants to talk to you.”
Liam had
rented a room at the hotel for Dani and her mom. Samantha was there, helping Dani get ready. Liam wrinkled his forehead. “Right now? The wedding’s about to start. And it’s bad luck to see the bride beforehand. Did she say what it’s about?”
“No, just that she needed to talk to you.”
He pushed his hair out of his eye and rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants. “Okay.”
Liam knocked once on the door before Samantha opened it. The grim expression on her face caused Liam’s throat to go dry. “Is everything okay?”
She only shook her head and stepped back so he could enter. Dani was sitting on the bed, the fabric of her wedding dress billowing around her. For some strange reason, the scene reminded him of a long-forgotten nursery rhyme.
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey. Along came a spider, who sat down beside her. And frightened Miss Muffet away.
When Dani saw Liam, she burst into tears. Miss Muffet is already frightened away, even before the spider has a chance to sit down.
He went to her side. “What’s wrong, love?” He heard the door open and looked up as Samantha left the room. Carefully, he sat down on the bed.
“I—I don’t know how to tell you this,” she began, rubbing her puffy eyes.
“What’s the matter?” Gently, he pushed her tangled hair back from her face.
She turned to him, her eyes filling with remorse. “I don’t know where to start.”
“Start at the beginning. Whatever it is … you can tell me.” He kept his voice calm, as if he were speaking to a child.
“You’re so good to me!” She gave him a pleading look. “I want you to know how much I care about you. You’ve done so much for me and my family.” Her lower lip quivered as tears rolled down her cheeks.
The air seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for her to continue. “But?” he prompted.
“But I’m not in love with you.” She let out a gush of relief. “There, I finally said it.”
Liam could hardly believe his ears. Hurt pelted over him, and he had the uncanny feeling of being suspended in air, watching the scene unfold from a distance. It took him a moment to recover his voice. “Are you saying that you don’t want to marry me?”
She shook her head vigorously. “That’s just it. I can’t marry you, Liam. Not when I’m in love with someone else!”
Liam’s head jerked backwards as if someone had given him a hard slap. He’d just heard his fiancée say she was in love with someone else, it didn’t seem real. He knew things like this happened to other people, but never in his wildest dreams would he have thought it could happen to him. “Who?” he managed to croak. “Who are you in love with?”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
He caught hold of her arm. “It matters to me.”
“I never meant for it to happen,” she wailed. “When I signed up for surfing lessons, I never dreamt I would fall in love.” She winced. “Falling in love with the surf instructor seems to be the curse of the Fairchild sisters.”
His mind struggled to make sense of what she was saying. “Are you talking about Finn’s friend, Mikala? The one who teaches surfing lessons?”
She nodded, guilt radiating from her eyes. “I assumed I was the only one who felt that way, but he came to me last night and told me he feels the same.” Her voice broke. “I’m so sorry, Liam. I never meant for this to happen. I’m not sure what will happen between Mikala and me, but I can’t marry you. I hope you understand.”
He leaned forward and rubbed a hand across his forehead. For the past twenty-four hours he’d been having serious doubts about the wedding. And now he was fighting mad that Dani was jilting him. His emotions were zapping back and forth like a renegade ping-pong ball. Then in an instant, the commotion ceased. He should really be thanking Dani right now—thanking her for preventing him from making the biggest mistake of his life. Without warning, laughter bubbled in his throat. He gulped, in an attempt to squelch it, but it burst out. He doubled over, his shoulders shaking. He laughed until tears came to his eyes.
Dani shot him an incredulous look. “Why are you laughing?”
He sat up and mopped his eyes. “This is just so unexpected.”
“I’m really sorry.”
Compassion welled in his breast as he looked at Dani’s tear-stained face and disheveled hair. This had to be brutal for her. Even though it hurt to know she’d betrayed him, he admired her for having the courage to tell the truth. “It’s okay,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Her eyes went wide. “Really?”
“Really.”
The tears started again. “I feel like such a louse. How can you be so understanding?”
A melancholy smile edged over his lips. “I guess it comes with age.”
“I’ll never forget your kindness.”
He gathered her hands in his and planted a kiss on them. “Thank you, Dani.”
Her jaw went slack. “For what?”
The relief that flowed through him was liberating. “For helping me see things clearly. It was right in front of my face the entire time, but I couldn’t see it … until now.”
“I—I don’t understand.”
He shook his head. “There’s no way you could understand. I’m only just now realizing it, myself.” He stood. “Goodbye, my sweet, adorable Dani. You will grow into an amazing woman one day. I wish you all the best.”
As he left the hotel room, he pulled out his phone. “Maurie … it’s me. Call me. I’ve got great news.”
Chapter 3
The beating of the drums throbbed like a second heartbeat as Maurie scooted forward in her chair to get a better look at the Tahitian dancers. This was her favorite part of the luau. She had a grudging admiration for the dancers that moved effortlessly across the stage, their hips swinging wildly back and forth as they kept time with the drums. The Tahitian was one of the hardest dances to master. She’d been trying to learn it for months and was only starting to get the hang of it. Although it probably didn’t help that she was a tall, lanky redhead—about as haole as a person could get. Her dance instructor and class members were very kind and seemed impressed that she was making the effort to learn hula and Tahitian dance. Maurie figured it was important to learn as much as she could about the place and people where she lived. Taking the class had not only given her a greater appreciation for Hawaii, it was also fun and good exercise.
Cooper squeezed her hand. “What do you think?”
The hopeful expression on his handsome face made Maurie’s heart clutch. Cooper liked her a lot, and the main reason she came was so she could get her mind off Liam’s wedding. She looked across the table and smiled. “It’s fantastic.”
His light eyes sparkled. “I’m so glad.”
Maurie was pleasantly surprised when she learned Cooper was taking her to a Luau at Paradise Cove, located on the west side of the island near Ko Olina. She assumed he would want to take her someplace quiet and private, rather than a tourist spot, but this was just what the doctor ordered. The MC on stage was a twenty-something Tongan with an easy manner, lots of charm, and a bronze chest that looked carved from stone. Thanks to his quick smile and clever jokes, he had the audience eating out of his hand. Maurie turned her attention to what he was saying.
“Folks, I hope you’ve gotten your fill of kalua pig and all of the other delicious items on the menu. In Hawaii, we don’t eat until we’re full. We eat until we’re sleepy.”
The audience laughed.
“So be sure and eat as much as you like. I hope you’re enjoying the entertainment. Let’s give a big Aloha to the dancers. A-L0-HA,” he bellowed, then cupped his ear and leaned forward.
“Aloha,” came the response from the crowd.
He shook his head in disappointment. “Is that the best you can do? Let me hear you again.” He cupped his ear.
“ALOHA!”
“Much better.” He waved a hand. “Now applause.”
As the crowd complied, he bowed and began strutting around the stage like a peacock, as if the clapping were solely for him. This earned him more laughter. He stopped and cocked his head, batting his eyelashes. “Aw shucks. You don’t have to keep going on about me. But it is nice.” He laughed at his own joke and then held up a hand to quiet the audience. “Now comes my favorite part of the evening, where we open up the floor and give you an opportunity to join us in dance. But before we do that, I have a very important announcement to make.” He flashed a coy smile. “There’s a very special couple here tonight.”
Was it someone famous? Maurie looked around, trying to see if it was anyone she recognized.
“And the man has a very important question to ask the lady. A very important question.” He wriggled his eyebrows, eliciting a few chuckles. All heads turned as he pointed at Maurie and Cooper.
Maurie’s eyes went large. Was he pointing at them? Or was it someone behind them? She felt all eyes zoom toward their table. At first, she thought there must be some mistake. Then she saw the nervous look on Cooper’s face as he stood and retrieved a small box from his pocket. He got down on one knee. Maurie’s heart jumped in her throat when he opened the box, revealing a dazzling diamond ring.
Cooper looked up at her, pure adoration on his face. “Maurie Bradshaw, I was smitten the first moment I laid eyes on you. You’ve captured my heart. Will you marry me?”
She was so stunned that she just sat there.
“Maurie?” Cooper implored. “I love you. Please say yes.”
Her brain felt like it had been scooped out of her head and scrambled. Could this really be happening? She knew Cooper cared a great deal about her, but she didn’t expect him to propose. Was she ready for marriage? Yes, she was. She wanted to settle down and start a family. But in her heart of hearts, she’d hoped it would be with Liam. That chance was gone, and here she was, a simple Kansas girl who’d come to Hawaii many years ago in search of adventure. And now, she was sitting in a perfect setting, and an amazing guy was proposing. He loved her, and she was very fond of him. “Are you sure you want to marry me?”
Love on the Rocks (Hawaii Billionaire Romance) Page 2