“I’ve lived in ten houses the past twenty years. Mostly, I fixed them up slowly while I lived in them. The first one was just a little one bedroom, not much more than a shack. But I leveled up with time.”
“And you get to be your own boss.”
“Right.”
“Noah, that’s great.”
“I don’t live in them anymore, and I usually have two or three going at a time. I’ve got a team of guys I work with now.”
“You mean guys who work for you.”
He nodded modestly.
“You’re an entrepreneur.”
“I don’t know about that. I just like fixing these old places up. Breathing life back into them. Selling to local families at a reasonable price.”
“You are something else, Noah Kapono.”
He shrugged and looked away. “I hate seeing them knocked down, just to fill the whole lot with some soulless manor house for rich mainlanders to rotate through.”
His voice had taken on a bitter tone, and Anne frowned. “Are you alright?”
“What are we doing here, Anne?” he asked suddenly.
She straightened, startled. “What? You asked me.”
“All I want is to be near you.” His voice was softer now, but he wouldn’t meet her eyes. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
“And now that you are?” She stared at him, uncomprehending. Her stomach sank. “Am I a disappointment?”
He laughed in a rough sort of way. “No. Never.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“I’m terrified.” He looked straight at her, and she saw the truth of it in his eyes.
She was stunned. “What are you scared of?”
“I’m scared of losing you again.” He swallowed and looked away. With his eyes on the water, he continued, “It was bearable the first time, because I was so sure that you’d come back. But you never did. Not to me.”
“I’m here now.”
“Are you?”
She took his hand in hers and pulled it to her knee, holding it there. “I’m right here.”
He let out a shuddering breath and leaned towards her.
She met him halfway, letting his forehead rest on hers.
They stayed that way for a long time.
“What areyouscared of?” he asked eventually.
“I’m scared of hurting Zoe again.” She pulled back to look at him. “I’m scared of messing things up as badly with my other two kids as I did with her.”
“Your kids will be okay.”
