Chapter 4
FOUR
KAWEHI
It was Saturday night and every time the front door opened, Kawehi would lean over the counter to see who was coming in.
No matter how many times she looked, it wasn’t Dom.
Domenico.
Domenico Pallas.
Yes, she was losing her mind.
She felt like a schoolgirl at times, writing her crush’s name on her folder, but Dom wasn’t a crush. He was a friend.
That’s the line she drew in the sand, and he was respecting that.
Sort of.
She’d replayed that moment at the mall over and over again. The way he put his hands on her hips and stepped in closer. She’d started the touching so she couldn’t blame him for basically doing the same thing, could she?
His hands were warm, his fingers long, and the weight of his touch made her feel like a living, breathing woman again.
Why, she wondered, why had she been so blinded by… love? It was a question that she’d asked herself over and over again. How had she fallen for Nick? He was a sullen man for the most part and she was used to men in her life who were gentle, happy, and supportive. Sullen?
Not really.
But that wasn’t all that he was.
He’d be sweet off and on. He’d be thoughtful, too.
Then there were the times that he loved on her so hard it felt like she was swept right off of her feet. And then he’d hold onto her tight and tell her that she was everything he’d ever wanted and more.
He was always there, checking in with her and bringing her things.
It seemed thoughtful, but her uncle was the one who didn’t like it when he came around. Her uncle, who asked her to take a break. Take a step back and just think about it. About Nick.
She’d been so in love with Nick at that time she saw her uncle’s… hesitation as-
No, she hadn’t seen it as anything. Nick would always tell her that her uncle didn’t want to lose her at the bowling alley. That her uncle didn’t want her to be happy.
Nick had her thinking that her uncle was holding her back.
And if she’d been thinking clearly, she wouldn’t have felt like she needed to take a break from her family.
She wouldn’t have married Nick so quickly thinking that she was ready for something new in her life.
It seemed like the old adage was true. “Marry in haste. Repent at leisure.”
“Uh oh, it seems like you’re thinking about He-who-should-not-be-named.”
Kawehi sighed. “I was zoning out, wasn’t I?”
Her cousin Maile gave her a sorrowful smile. “It wasn’t that bad, honey. It would have just looked like you left a mannequin behind the counter.”
“A mannequin? Oh god! Really?” Kawehi hung her head. “I can’t believe it.” She pushed the thoughts away. “What can I get you, Cuz?”
“You don’t have to get me anything, I just-”
“Spit it out. Or go hungry.”
Maile laughed out loud and then covered her mouth. “Wow. You really are in a mood. Okay, fine. Won Ton Min and a coke, Miss Grumpy.”
“I’m not grumpy.”
Maile gave her a look that stopped Kawehi’s protest. “Please tell that to someone who doesn’t know you.”
“Okay, I’m a little grumpy, but you were right. I was thinking about Nick.”
Maile sat forward on one of the stools and leaned in. “Come on, spill it.”
Kawehi tried to wave it away. “Leave it alone or I’m not going back into the kitchen to order your food.”
“Like that would stop me.”
She got up from the stool and walked around behind Kawehi. Well, she tried to go behind Kawehi. But instead, the two women tangled up together and almost fell into the kitchen.
Looking up from the prep table, Kawehi’s and Maile’s uncle just tsked at them and waved his cleaver.
“What’s going on with you two? No come in here and make trouble!”
Kawehi and Maile managed to untangle themselves while they laughed.
“You two have lost all your senses!” What you like, Maile? Tell me and go back outside.”
“Won Ton Min, Uncle!”
Kawehi tried to cover Maile’s mouth with her hand, but Maile licked her palm and Kawehi pulled her hand away like she’d been bitten. “Gross!”
“Then don’t cover my mouth!” She sauntered out into the main room of the bowling alley with Kawehi following behind her. “So what’s happening with the jerk now?”
“Nothing. Not a damn thing.” Kawehi let out a breath and folded her arms across her chest. “No word on where he is and I don’t know who to talk to on base. Even if I got on the base, I wouldn’t have any idea where to go or who to ask.
“Dom said he’d try to find out for me, but I don’t think he should get involved. I mean-”
“Stop!” Maile narrowed her eyes at Kawehi. “Back it up.”
Kawehi realized what she’d said a moment too late. She’d told herself that she wasn’t going to talk about Dom, but then she’d just opened her mouth and-
“Dom?” Maile leaned in, resting her head on her hand. “Are you into kink now?”
Kawehi’s brow furrowed as she looked back at her cousin. “Kink?”
“You said Dom. Is that because he’s dominant?” She winked and leaned in, ready to listen.
“Dominant? OMG!” Kawehi’s palm collided with her forehead. “No! His name is Domenico. He’s a customer that came in the other night when some guys were giving me trouble. Dom helped me boot them out of the bowling alley and Uncle left us alone with food to eat.”
“Oh?” Maile gave her a wide-eyed stare. “Uncle playing matchmaker?”
“Maile! You know I’m married, I can’t-”
“You’re married to what? An empty seat at the dinner table? A mortgage that you have to pay all on your own? They repossessed his car, right? He’s a total douche.”
“Ew, I hate that word.”
“Stop being a dork, Cuz. Your husband is a deadbeat. And you have a guy who’s protecting you from assholes. Tell me more.”
“There’s not much to tell. We’re friends. We had something to eat together. That’s all.”
Maile gave her a look. “Don’t believe it.”
“Don’t believe what?”
“That that’s all. There’s more to this Dom guy. At least where you’re concerned.”
“Stop it, Cuz.”
Maile sat back and gave Kawehi a searching look. “You’re blushing.”
Kawehi heard the soft DING of a bell from the kitchen. “Oh good, your food is ready. Be right back.”
She moved into the kitchen and let out a pent-up breath. Yikes.
She really didn’t need Maile delving into her personal life. It was hard enough putting the pieces together in her own head, but Maile had a great imagination. She’d already put together a whole story about kink just because she’d called him Dom.
Oh, boy. She really needed to keep a better lid on her feelings.
And that’s exactly what she had for Domenico.
Feelings.
She just didn’t want or need to fall all over again.
Nick had done a number on her heart, and she just had no idea if she was smart enough to know when her feelings for a man was the real thing.
“Kawehi?”
She looked up and saw her uncle standing beside her. “Sorry, Uncle.”
He put his hand on her shoulder. “No need to be sorry, Kawehi.”
“I do. I listened to Nick, and he had my head turned around so much that I didn’t know which end was up. And I don’t know why he walked away.”
“What about that guy? The one from the other night?”
“Domenico?”
Her uncle smiled. “That one. He’s a stand-up guy.”
She smiled back at him. “You like him.”
“He’s a good one.” Her uncle picked up the bowl he’d finished preparing. “He’s not like the other one.”
“I want to believe that, Uncle.”
He shook his head. “You already do, Kawehi. You already do.”
He gave her a wink and walked to the back of the kitchen, leaving her to take the Won Ton Min out to Maile.
She was laughing at herself almost immediately. It was funny. She was funny.
Funny and stupid.
Her uncle was right.
He had always been right.
She didn’t just want to believe that Domenico was a good guy. She knew he was.
Still, she was having a hard time trusting her feelings.
And that was all her own problem.
Something she would have to figure out.
She walked out from the kitchen and set the bowl down in front of her cousin. “So, how is work?”
“Deflection,” Maile gave her a knowing look and reached for the yellow mustard and soy sauce.
Kawehi looked away. “Deflection because I really don’t like that mustard.”
Maile laughed. “Your loss. This stuff is delicious.”
“Look at it this way, Cuz.” Kawehi offered, “Since I don’t like it, it’s more for you.”
“Whatever.” Maile snapped apart the chopsticks and used the ends to stir the yellow spicy mustard and soy sauce. “Now, tell me about this guy.”
“No.” She took a step back. “I’m not talking about this.”
“I don’t just come here to see your pretty face, Cuz. I want dirt.”
Kawehi lifted her hands in the air. “No dirt. Oh well.”
“No, seriously,” Maile managed to speak around a bite of saimin noodles, “throw me a bone and tell me something about him. Is he hot? Stupid hot?”
Kawehi shook her head. “Stupid hot? What’s that?”
“So hot that it makes you stupid, Stupid.”
“Ha ha. Thanks. Name calling. Really mature.”
“You’re the one who won’t tell me about this guy you met.” She picked up another bite with her chopsticks. “What’s his name again?”
“Dom!”
“No,” Maile grumbled around her next bite. “Not the kinky nickname. I’m talking about his real name.” She picked up her napkin and wiped at the corner of mouth. “What’s his real name?”
“Domenico.”
Maile coughed and almost choked on the noodles she had in her mouth and managed to look up. “Oh my god. Is that him?”
Kawehi wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole.
“Hey, Dom.”
“Hey, Dom!” Maile held out her hand as if she expected him to kiss her knuckles. “I’m Maile, Kawehi’s awesomely fun cousin.”
He shook her hand and didn’t react to her slightly pouty expression before turning back to her.
“Sorry to stop in.”
She shrugged. “Not a problem.” She looked at his clothes and her skin prickled hot up and down her arms. “It’s good to see you.”
He must have seen her look and his smile deepened. “I just finished up my work at KBAY and thought I'd stop in and see you."
She gestured at the chair he’d occupied about a week before. “You want to sit down and have something to eat? I can get you whatever you want, I-”