“Thanks, but we’re only here for a few days.”And then he’d be back—where?Oklahoma?Having left his third job in as many years, he was ready to start over with something different.A visit to his sister and Brady, his new brother-in-law, had seemed like a great vacation and possibly a new adventure.Tish had left the farm and found work she enjoyed and a man she loved.Maybe California might be Ray’s promised land too.A week in paradise was just icing on that rich cake.
The waitress stopped by with glasses of water.When they’d ordered and handed back their menus, Courtney said, “I haven’t heard from Drew in hours.”
“He’s probably just busy,” Lisa reassured.“His ship will dock tomorrow as planned.”
“If all goes well.”Courtney frowned.“I waited three days for him in Hong Kong before he finally showed up.”
“The navy’s schedule is subject to change, based on orders.You have to accept that.But if he was going to be delayed, he would have let you know.”
“Since when did you become such a worrier?”Tish teased.“What happened to the carefree Courtney we used to know?”
“Love does that to a person,” Lisa said.
“Weddings do that to all people involved,” Matt said.“You two have been worrying yourselves to death all week.What’s important is that these two, who love each other, are making a lifetime commitment.”He squeezed his wife’s hand.“Our wedding was perfect.”
“Yeah,” Lisa said, “it took months to make that happen.”
“I can’t imagine the work that goes into planning a wedding.”Ray looked at his sister.“Somepeople’s weddings.”
Tish jabbed his elbow.“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”
“When Harry Met Sally,” Courtney called out.
Tish nodded.“That’s right.”
“Hey, it’s all good,” Ray said.“We’re all happy that you’re happy.And I’m glad I finally met Brady.”Tish’s new husband had left L.A.the day after Ray had arrived.“I’m just saying, the folks were a little disappointed.Dad would have wanted to walk you down the aisle.”
“Therewasno aisle.”Tish sighed.“We got married in Mumbai, for heaven’s sake.Mom would not have traveled to Indiana, let alone India.And it was kind of spur of the moment.”
Jessica rubbed her hands together.“Food’s here, guys.”
The conversation slowed.Ray’s shoulders relaxed.No longer worrying about memorizing everyone’s names, he was beginning to feel almost like a part of this crowd.He stared at the little rolls of rice and fish on his plate.He’d never eaten sushi before, but, hey, he was in Hawaii.Time to try new things.
He raised his head just as a blonde walked into the restaurant.His breath caught, but, when she turned to face him, it released in disappointment.What the heck was wrong with him?He was infatuated with a married woman whose name he didn’t know and who hadn’t even said a word to him.
The base restaurant where Doug brought Amy for dinner was everything she’d expected—and a little more.From the massive wooden tiki doormen to the thatched patio roof, the ambience was perfectly Hawaiian.For the first time since arriving in the popular and crowded tourist area of Waikiki, she’d felt the calm of paradise.Or maybe it was simply being with her big brother.
Her nerves finally settled enough to eat.She stuffed her face with the most delicious seafood, indulged in a couple of mai tais, and hoped that being face-to-face would make it easier to pry more information from Doug about the years of his life she’d missed.All she had uncovered was plenty more about his former EOD teammates at the dive shop, but nothing about his years in the foster care system.Slowly she was accepting the idea that she probably never would.
“Does your dad have a big enough shotgun to keep the guys away?”
“You realize that’s insanely chauvinistic and old-fashioned?”
“Got that right.”Doug smiled.
Somehow he got her to tell him all about her latest dating fiasco, her crazy business statistics professor, and her search for a new roommate, now that Carrie was getting married.
Another plane whizzed by overhead and landed with ease on the distant runway.“I can’t believe how peaceful and quiet this place is, and yet it’s close enough to watch the airplanes land.It’s fabulous.”
Leaning back in his chair, ankles crossed under the table, Doug smiled at her.“Uncle Sam owns some of the best real estate in the world.”
“No kidding?”She followed another jetliner taking off.“If I lived in Honolulu, I’d eat here every day.”
Doug chuckled a little louder.“Planning on signing up?Because the only way to get on base for dinner is to give the military a few good years of your life.”
Amy shook her head.“Maybe you have a buddy…” She let the words hang.
Snapping upright, Doug struck down the idea with a single shake of his head.“That would be a negative.Now, unless you want to take a few minutes to lick the plate”—he pointed a lazy finger at her nearly clean dessert dish—“it’s time to leave.Emily’s flight will be here soon.”
And just like that, she’d forgotten all about the view and the delicious food, and eagerly trailed after her big brother.She liked that thought.Her big brother.She desperately wished they lived closer.
Back at Doug and Emily’s hotel room, Amy watched her future sister-in-law unpack her bag and milked every possible detail about the plans for their so-far-unspecified wedding date.Despite Amy’s every effort to stay awake and visit, the adrenaline rush of the day had crashed like the Dow Jones on Black Friday and left her barely able to hold her eyes open.At the insanely early hour of nine o’clock, Amy kissed her brother and almost sister-in-law good-night, and headed two doors down to her own room.Pausing to glance groggily across the hall at Room804’s closed door, for a brief moment she wished that she too had someone special to curl up with before falling asleep.
