They had a front row seat next to the stage. He ordered punches for Kelsey and Rowan and a whiskey for himself. Long white tables werelaid out, and after a speaker blessed the meal, heaping platters of food were placed amid them.
The moment Everett tried the kalua pig, he closed his eyes in appreciation. The woodsmoke, salt, and fat created a robust flavor paired with a juicy tenderness. Kelsey forked up a piece and immediately agreed. “This is so good!”
“Five stars,” Everett said, immediately craving more. But he wanted to try it all, so he held back.
Kelsey pointed to a bowl that looked like mashed potatoes but was a pale purple. “What’s that stuff?”
“Poi,” Rowan said. “It’s mashed taro root. Many say it’s an acquired taste.”
Everett scooped some for him and Kels. “Let’s try it.”
The taste was slightly tangy and not the most pleasant. He tried not to make a face, but Kelsey immediately grabbed her punch to drown out the flavor. “Gross,” she said.
“Kels.”
“Sorry!”
Rowan laughed. “No, it’s okay, most tourists don’t like it. I’ve been eating it all my life, so it’s like eating potatoes for me. A staple.”
She pointed out the other dishes, which were more to his liking. There was laulau, a salty fish wrapped in taro leaves that was flaky and light. Macaroni salad and sticky white rice offered carb options that Kelsey happily devoured.
Everett found the Hawaiian rolls almost criminal—buttery, soft, with a touch of sweetness. He had two and forced himself not to eat a third. He didn’t want his expensive suits to become too tight.
Dessert was the haupia Rowan had talked about—a creamy coconut milk pudding. He watched her finish it in record time, a smile on her face. Kelsey asked for seconds, so Everett gave her his, too full from the bread to indulge.
“It’s starting,” Kelsey whispered as the lights dimmed and the tiki torches flickered.
The dancers came out in a rush. Bare chests, skirts of leaves, and painted arms flashed under the lights. The choreography was visually arresting and fast-paced. They whirled together, parted, and created a display that left everyone breathless. Kelsey’s face was full of wonder. Everett relaxed into the moment, enjoying for once being part of something so much bigger than work.
A roar from the crowd rose as a name was chanted. He frowned and looked around.
Then a man stepped into the circle.
He was enormous. Muscled like he’d been carved from koa wood, brown skin slick with oil, tribal tattoos sweeping across his chest and down one arm. Long dark hair fell down his back. His grin was wicked. His hips snapped in rhythm to the drums, and when the fire knife hit the air, the crowd went feral.
Kelsey clapped so hard her lei slipped off. “Oh my God, he’s like Maui fromMoana!”
Rowan’s laugh came low and warm. “That’s Howie. Told you he was the best.”
Everett leaned over, voice dry. “Your cousin puts on quite a show.”
She blinked, then grinned, slow and dangerous. “Cousin?”
“You said—”
“I said ‘Cousin Howie.’ It’s what locals call each other when we grew up together. Not blood.”
Something sharp slid through his chest. He tried to ignore it. “Good to know.”
“Rowan, is he your boyfriend? He’s so ...” Kelsey trailed off, gaze pinned to the mostly naked dancer who owned the stage.
Irritation ruffled his nerve endings. “Isn’t this a little indecent for children to see?”
Amusement sparkled in Rowan’s dark eyes. “You jealous, Suit?”
He stared straight ahead. “Of a man dancing in a grass skirt?”
“He’s not wearing grass.”
