Meet Me in Hawaii by Georgia Toffolo (best affordable ebook reader TXT) 📗

‘I’ll think about it.’

She was still thinking about it a week later. And though it hung over them at times, especially when Todd made an appearance at the surf school when both she and Zoe were there, her friend hadn’t pressed her again and she was grateful for it. She wanted to make the most of Zoe’s stay, not dwell on the poor state of her love life or lack thereof.

The week had gone too quickly as it was. Days were being split between lessons at the surf school and sightseeing with Zo. They’d devoured pineapple whip, surfed until Zoe was too tired to surf any more, laughed and talked until their voices were raw. Just like old times. They’d even called Lils and Victoria and had a virtual birthday party for Lils. Drinking bubbles and getting giddy over the internet. But now the week was up, and it was time for Zoe to leave.

The car waiting to take her to the airport sat with its engine running outside Malie’s apartment. They’d agreed: no airport goodbyes. Too much crying and making fools of themselves in public. So instead they were doing it alone on the threshold of Malie’s apartment, with just the cab driver to witness it.

‘I’m going to miss you,’ Malie said, a tear running down her cheek as she looked down at her friend and wished she could stay.

‘Hey, we said no tears,’ Zoe admonished, her own cheeks damp.

‘No, we agreed no airport goodbye.’ Malie leaned down and pulled her friend into a bear hug.

‘Jesus, Devil, you’re going to crush me.’

Malie just laughed and held her tighter, hearing Zoe sniff and give a choked laugh back.

‘Thank goodness we have V’s wedding to look forward to,’ Malie said, pulling back and pressing a kiss to Zoe’s cheek.

‘It almost makes a trip back to the Cove worth it.’

‘You say that, but I don’t think you mean it really.’

Zoe manoeuvred her chair around and gave her a look. ‘You can think that if it makes you feel better.’

Malie just wrapped her arms around her middle, feeling suddenly alone. ‘Safe travels, Zo, message me when you get there.’

‘I will.’ She waved her hand in the air and then joined the driver who helped her in. She rolled the window down, her fingers curling over the door as she leaned out. ‘And talk to Todd, Malie, please.’

‘I said I’d think about it.’ She blew her a kiss. ‘Love you!’

‘Love you too!’

Malie didn’t move again until the car became a dot on the horizon, the sun setting around it. She looked back inside her apartment, its orderly state a stamp of Zoe’s presence, and realized it was the last place she wanted to be. With Zoe gone, after seven days together, it felt emptier than ever.

She walked through the room, donned her surf wear and grabbed her board off the wall. There was only one place she wanted to be right now, and that was with Koa.

Chapter Eighteen

TODD WAS TRYING TO concentrate on work, but it was late, and the later it got, the easier it was for Malie to take over his thoughts. As though he lacked the energy to push them away. Be it a smile, a tease, a lesson instruction, his brain just replayed her over and over and he had no idea what to do about it.

He pushed the papers he’d been reading away and swivelled in his chair to look out at the view. From here he could see the pergola under which they’d danced just two weeks ago and beyond it the beach where she’d saved him from the riptide – no, current. And in just one more week he’d be gone, flying to New York on business and in all likelihood, he’d never see her again.

Because why would he?

Now that he’d visited the school – witnessed what it was capable of – there would be no need for him to attend future visits, unless he could fabricate a reason, which was a ridiculous thought to even have. He didn’t have the luxury of time to chase a woman who’d made her feelings perfectly clear… only she hadn’t.

She was a walking contradiction and the idea of leaving without gaining at least an understanding of what stood between them bothered him more than he’d care to admit. He fisted his hands as his gut rolled with it. No, he did admit it, all right. He didn’t want to leave things like this.

But he could hardly make her talk to him.

He pushed up out of his chair and didn’t really think about where he was heading. He left the study, left the house, walked under the pergola. Didn’t think on anything until he’d removed his shoes and sunk his bare feet into the cooling sand, and then she was there, telling him to do just that. Like she had done that night, after their dance.

He could almost see her before him, cocktail glass in hand, her eyes dancing, her laugh soft and alluring. But it wasn’t a laugh that filled his ears now, it was the crashing of the waves and a… strange, snuffling sound. The kind an overexcited dog makes, a dog like…

He squinted into the dark – Nalu?

And then he appeared out of a ditch in the sand, one he’d likely created, and launched himself across the beach towards him. Todd scanned the rest of the area. Nalu wouldn’t be here alone and that meant Malie was here somewhere. But the beach was deserted, the only movement that of the palms and the flora swaying in the breeze.

He looked out to the sea, to the low glow on the horizon as it swallowed the last of the sun, and then he saw her. A solitary dark shape in the water, so still he would have missed her had he not been looking.

‘Zoe’s gone home, hey,