Her Hawaiian Homecoming

“Oh, I don’t want to put you out.”

“You won’t,” Kai assured her. “I’m barbecuing, and we’re having a few friends over anyway, at Aunt Kaimana’s house. One more is no big deal!”

For the first time since Chicago, Allie actually did feel like getting out. She ignored the little voice of warning at the back of her head. She was on a mission: sell the land and get out.

But, what would one little barbecue hurt? Besides, if she could convince Kaimana to sign her paper at the party, all the better.

“Sure,” she said. “I’d love to.”

CHAPTER FIVE (#ulink_6b66c170-88a2-5b8c-a7ca-d75851c1df7e)

A FEW PEOPLE turned into more like a hundred. By the looks of Kai’s crowded backyard, he’d invited every local on the island for his little barbecue. Allie stood awkwardly near a banana tree, clutching a frosty mai tai, wondering whether or not she should leave. It had been so long since she’d actually been at a party that wasn’t a bridal shower, she wasn’t sure she remembered how to mingle. Kai was busy manning the grill, and Jesse had her hands full with mixing drinks, and she’d not even seen a trace of Kaimana. She glanced down at her white striped maxi dress and high-heeled wedge sandals and suddenly felt overdressed. Everyone else wore colorful board shorts, tank tops and flip-flops. Allie was the only woman not in an above-the-knee sundress. But she had her reasons. Her legs were bright lobster red after she’d forgotten to apply sunscreen before she’d fallen asleep lying on her stomach on her grandmother’s reclining lawn chair in the backyard.

Her shoulders still radiated heat. They were so burned that even the thought of putting a strap or sleeve on them made her want to cry. The dress was the only sleeveless one she had, so she’d gone with it. Luckily, her front side was only marginally burned. In a day or so, she’d have a new golden tan. But right now, all she felt was agony.

Allie sipped at the sweet drink and glanced around, looking in vain for a familiar face. Just as she was considering knocking back her drink and bolting, she felt something pounce on her skirt. She looked down to see a fluffy brown Labrador puppy with steel-gray eyes.

“Poi! Down, boy, down!” An Asian woman about her age ambled up, deeply tan with her hair up in an elaborate do, a large white flower in her hair. She wore a black tube top and khaki shorts. “I am so sorry,” she said, grabbing the dog by the collar. “He’s not people trained yet.”

“No problem.” Allie grinned and knelt down, scratching the pup behind his ears. The dog reminded her of the lab she’d had growing up. “He’s friendly, aren’t you, Poi?”

“I’m Minnie,” she said. “You must be Allie.”

“How did you...”

“You’re the new girl,” Minnie said and grinned. “I know everybody here but you, so I just figured. Plus, the sunburn gave you away.”

Allie shifted uncomfortably. She realized she was the only one in the yard who didn’t have an all-year tan from years living here. It would take her quite a long time to work up to that, she thought. Her shoulders hadn’t seen sunlight for eight months, and even an hour of sun had burned her to a crisp.

“You need some aloe? I may have some in my car,” Minnie offered.

“I bathed in it before I came here. Don’t worry. I’ve got plenty.” Allie fidgeted. Her right shoulder blade in particular throbbed.

“Mind if I say, your eyebrows are...amazing. Where do you get them done?” Minnie studied Allie’s forehead. Minnie still held the puppy’s collar, trying to keep him from lunging again.

“I did them, actually. I used to do eyebrow sculpting in Chicago.”

“I have to introduce you to Teri, then,” Minnie said. “She owns the best salon in town.” Minnie glanced around and then waved to a platinum blonde in her midforties who was wearing a bright coral-colored blouse and white Bermuda shorts. Minnie waved her over and Teri came, carrying a nearly empty mai tai glass.

“Teri! This is Allie. You know, Alani Osaka—Misu’s granddaughter.”

“Oh, honey! So glad to meet you!” Before Allie knew it, she was enveloped in a big hug.

“Misu was my favorite customer. She always gave the best advice.” It seemed as if Teri didn’t want to let her go. Allie didn’t mind, though. Instead of an awkward outsider, she was starting to feel like a prodigal daughter returned. In Chicago, she’d always lived in big, populous neighborhoods and gone to overcrowded schools, walked busy city streets, where it was easy to blend in. She wasn’t used to being noticed or singled out. Small island life was a different kind of existence, she was quickly finding out.

“Teri, you won’t believe this. She does eyebrows!”

“You do?” Teri asked, taking the last sip of her mai tai. “Threading or waxing?”

“Both,” Allie said. “And facials, too.”

“I just lost my eyebrow girl, and I haven’t found a good replacement yet.” Teri studied Allie’s face. “You did your own eyebrows?”

Allie nodded.

“That’s good enough for me! They look great. You might be too busy with Misu’s place, but if you want a job...” She raised her glass as if a paycheck were inside.

Allie’s first impulse was to jump at the offer, but then the small voice in her head told her she ought not to get too comfortable. She wasn’t putting down roots. Here or anywhere else, she vowed.

“Oh, I’d love to, but I’m not sure how long I’m staying, actually.”

“You’re not staying?” Minnie asked, surprised. Teri and she exchanged a quick glance. “You’re just going to let Dallas run Misu’s place?”

“Or sell,” Allie said. “One Realtor told me it was good land for condos, maybe.” The mixed feelings that passed across Minnie’s and Teri’s faces told her they liked that idea about as much as Dallas did when he first heard it. “But I haven’t decided yet,” she finished quickly. Both women looked relieved.

“No need to rush something like that, honey,” Teri agreed. “Take your time. And hey, stop by the salon anyway. You want to just work something totally temporary until I can find a permanent replacement, that would be great. The tourists wait for no one! Just think about it, okay?”

“Sure, I’ll think about it,” Allie said, realizing it would be the perfect way to make a little extra cash while she waited to get her ducks in a row to sell. But only if Teri didn’t expect her to stay long-term. She was still planning to sell and get out—quickly.

“By the way, how are things going with my boyfriend, Dallas?” Minnie asked, her eyes bright.

Allie felt a ripple of shock. “Your boyfriend? Dallas... Uh, I didn’t know...”

“Don’t listen to her,” Teri quibbled, giving Minnie a shove. “That’s how she talks about Dallas, but they aren’t...”

“Hey, a girl can dream, can’t she? Besides, my boyfriend is the best kind imaginable: hot and completely imaginary. If I ever had a real conversation with him that wasn’t a passing hello, it would ruin the whole fantasy. So how is it living next to one of the hottest guys on the island?”

“He’s got an ego to match,” Allie grumbled, feeling a flash of annoyance at the mere mention of the man’s name.

“Ha! Lady after my own heart.” Teri grinned her approval. “Thank God you didn’t fall for that Texas charm. Dallas is bad news.” Teri rattled the ice cubes around her mai tai glass.

“Why bad news?” Allie asked, interest suddenly piqued.

“He’s a player with a capital P,” Teri said. “He’s not a one-woman man.”

“He can play me any day,” Minnie echoed in a dreamy, far-off voice. “Have you seen those abs? And that accent! I mean, ‘Cowboy, Take Me Away,’ you know what I’m saying? When he goes kayaking out of the bay, women just line up to watch and see if he’ll take his shirt off. I mean, a guy who looks like that? Maybe he should have more than one woman. We ought to share him, for the sake of the sisterhood.”

Teri laughed. “Minnie!” she exclaimed, giving her friend a shocked pat on the shoulder.

Allie had to admit he did have a nice chest. She could see why women would follow him around. Not this one, though.

“How do you know he’s a player?” Allie asked, curious now.

“Besides the fact he takes a new tourist home every Saturday night?”

Allie gulped. Every week? Not that she ought to be surprised. She knew Dallas was proud of his body. Why wouldn’t he want to show it off naked to a new woman weekly?

“An expensive proposition,” she said, thinking aloud.