Mom spotted me first, a wide smile splitting her face.“Look who made it after five years.”
I engulfed her in a tight hug.“Hey,makuahine.”
I hugged my sister next, which she followed up with a pinch to my side.I swatted her hand away, finally within reach of Mae.
I didn’t waste time pulling her into me, then touching my lips to hers.“You good?”
A hit to my side made me stand up straight and tuck Mae into me.“Stop being so violent, Cal.”
Caliope crossed her arms, glaring at me.At twenty years old, she was still all fire and way too much youthful energy.“You haven’t been home in five years.What did you expect?”
I dropped my gaze, escaping from her accusing stare.“I know.I’m sorry.”
When she didn’t respond, I risked a glance up and found her mouth open in shock.Raising a brow at her sudden silence, I couldn’t help but poke fun at her.“I like you much better quiet.It suits you.”
A red flush crawled up her neck, and I was grateful I could still run faster than her.Bracing myself for the fallout, I watched her eyes narrow.
“And I like you much better with a girlfriend.Mae was about to tell us about the car you bought her.Talk about over the top.”
Huh, guess my sister had grown up a lot in the last five years.Grinning, I nodded.“It’s not over the top.It’s the safest on the market.”
I could basically feel Mae rolling her eyes at me.“I’m only borrowing it.”
If she wanted to keep telling herself that she was only borrowing it, that was fine with me.There was no need to show her the registration papers, which were in her name.“You said yourself that you love the cupholders.”
I’d had her death trap of a car removed the moment the new car had arrived.Mae hadn’t talked to me for two days.But since she loved me, she couldn’t stay away from me forever.And she only had the new car to get the girls to school, so she also didn’t have a choice but to use it.She still sometimes felt like she was a burden, but it meant I simply had to work harder to convince her that she’d given me so much more than I ever could repay.I was living in a dream, and it was all thanks to this tiny little woman who had burst into my life.
Mom clapped her hands together.“Now that everyone’s here, let’s eat.”
I was so nervous, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get anything down.Since I wanted tonight to be perfect, I’d enlisted Caliope’s help.She’d strung lights all across the outside area and decorated the arch that led to the beach with flowers.And that meant I needed to wait for sunset.Apparently that was the most romantic time of the day.At least according to my little sister.
Mae called the girls, who were playing at the beach with their cousins, but they ignored her.
I walked down the steps and waved at the group playing catch.“Dinnertime.”That got me a few interested glances from the boys.“Last one to the table is a rotten egg.”That got all of them moving.
Mae laughed at the stampede that ensued, and I couldn’t help but stare at her.She was beautiful.Always.But when she was happy and smiling, she was impossible to look away from.
I made sure the girls had food and watched them settle on a blanket next to the pool, having a picnic, before I joined Mae at the buffet table.Her plate was still empty.
“You should try the poke.”I put some on her plate.“And you’ll love the huli-huli chicken.I put some on the girls’ plates, and they love it.”After adding manapua, I stopped, since the steamed bun threatened to topple off the side of her full plate.
“I think there’s still a little room left for a few grains of rice.”
She grinned at me, and I bent down and kissed the top of her head.“Smartass.Go find us a seat.”
She walked off, and I couldn’t help but watch until she sat down.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so at peace.”
Turning to my right, I smiled at my mom.“I don’t think I’ve ever been this at peace.”
“It looks good on you.”
Caliope skipped up to us, her hair a tangled mess.“What are we talking about?”
I piled food onto my plate, not wanting to leave Mae alone for too long with people she didn’t know.“We’re talking about how I’m the favorite.”
She stuck her tongue out at me and stole a piece of chicken from my plate.“In your dreams.We all know I’m the favorite.”
