Chapter Nine
“He kissed her? So soon?” Maile Everrett’s voice rang clear in Missy’s ear.
“Not a big kiss. Just a…” she searched for the right word, “sweet kiss.”
“Hmm,” her dearest friend of decades huffed. “I expected more from our Kenny.”
Shaking her head even though her friend couldn’t see, Missy sighed. “He opened the car door for her.”
“Good. Good,” Maile muttered.
“When she was out of the car he didn’t let go of her hand.”
“Wait. He held her hand?”
“That’s right. He extended it to help her out of the car and once they were on the curb, he didn’t let go.”
“I see.” The tone in Maile’s voice had softened. “And he walked her to the door?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe there’s hope for our Kenny.”
She didn’t say it out loud, but Missy raised her gaze to the ceiling of her bedroom closet, the only place no one in the house could hear her talking on the phone, and prayed today meant there was hope for her Sara.
Her little girl with the most tender heart deserved a man as good as her father.
With the grace of God, maybe, just maybe this time, everything would work out.
By the time Kenny pulled up in front of the house again, twilight had settled in.
The last of the sun’s glow streaked the horizon, and the streetlights shone on the roads below.
Before he could make it halfway down the front path, Sara stepped out the front door.
For a split second Kenny almost forgot this wasn’t a real date.
Extending his elbow to her, he caught the faintest movement of the curtains again. “Maybe I should have kissed you hello?”
Her eyes rolled heavenward. “Do I need to ask if they’re watching?”
“You know they are.”
“Yeah,” she sighed, “I do. And no. Leading the way is more chivalrous in their minds. I suspect you’ve scored a few brownie points.”
“Got it.” He smiled, holding the car door open for her. Quickly circling the hood, he climbed into the driver seat and was still grinning when he pulled away from the curb. This was definitely proving to be a very different way of spending his holiday. “How did it go earlier?”
“To my surprise, no third degree. Though I will say, it was rather entertaining watching Mom pretend to dust every surface in the living room so I wouldn’t know she’d been spying from the window.
It must have killed her not to ask me a thousand questions, but I could see her eyes brighten when I told her I was home to change for dinner tonight. ”
The Alani’s didn’t live far from the resort. Honestly, even though it was the Big Island, getting to the other side of the island was no more than the time it might take to get through rush hour traffic in a big city. “I was able to secure a reservation for a table by a window.”
Her brows rose high over her wide eyes. “What did you do? Slip the maitre d your life savings?”
“Not exactly.” He turned into the resort parking lot.
“But when I stopped by on my way out of the resort to make my request, the young man at the podium noted my haircut. He asked if I was on leave from Pearl Harbor. I explained I’d already done my twenty and was joining the ranks of a civilian.
One question led to another and when I mentioned I’d been a SEAL, next thing I knew, there was a reserved sign on the best table in the place. ”
“Ah, he has a thing for SEALs?”
Kenny shook his head. “Not exactly. Seems his grandfather was a SEAL. Told me the man would fly back from the main land to kick his butt if he didn’t treat me right.”
“Well, good for Grandpa.”
That was pretty much what he thought. Even if all of this was free and just for show, deep down, he wanted her to have a really nice time. To be treated the way she deserved.
“Have you eaten here before?” He pushed the button to the top floor dining room.
“Nope.” She shook her head. “Only seen a glimpse in passing on my way to bathroom duty. And I don’t do that very often.”
The elevator dinged, and placing his hand on the small of her back, he ushered her out of the small space and across the expansive hall to the large double glass doors that led to the five star restaurant.
“Oh, my.”
Even he blinked. When he’d been there a short time ago he’d noticed that the place was fully decked out for upcoming holidays, but it had not been nearly as impactful as it was at this moment.
A breathtaking expanse of festive elegance, the restaurant was worthy of a state dinner.
In the corner, a magnificent, Christmas tree stood almost touching the high ceilings, its boughs shimmering with strands of multi colored lights reflecting off the shiny ornaments in every shape imaginable.
Strategically placed bows in golds and reds added to the wow factor.
“Definitely beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.”
“Every year I think the resort can’t outdo last year, and every year they surprise me.
” Her gaze darted from one table to the next taking in the variety of themed centerpieces.
Some had tea lights of green, white, and red in stemmed glassware of different heights, others had arrangements of red and white flowers perched on a gold rimmed glass vase with a crystal teardrop hanging within.
Each table was as impressive as the one before.
The host, a different gentleman, greeted them. “Good evening. Welcome to the Plumeria. Do you have a reservation?”
“For two. Yates.”
“Ah, yes, Mr. Yates. Follow me.”
Their table was tucked in a private corner with stunning views through the plate glass windows of the dark sea below and equally sparkling views of the tree across the way.
They’d barely settled into their seats when the small band across the way began to play.
It took a minute for him to recognize the tune.
“Oh, I love this song.” Her face lit up as bright as the Christmas tree. “Actually, I pretty much like anything Michael Buble sings.”
He shrugged. “He’s okay, but there’s no one like the original crooner… Sinatra.”
“Now I know my mom would love you. Sinatra is her favorite.”
“So your mom has good taste.”
Sara chuckled softly, reaching for her napkin.
Kenny pushed to his feet and stretched his hand out in front of her. “Can’t let a good song go to waste, even if it’s not a Sinatra tune. Join me?”
Sara looked at Kenny’s outstretched hand, then at the small dance floor where a few other couples swayed to the music. “You are a risk taker, aren’t you?”
“It’s in my DNA.” The smile that teased his lips had her toes tingling.
Sara placed her hand in his and Kenny led her to the dance floor. One hand settling at her waist while the other held hers gently, they moved slowly to Michael Bublé’s smooth voice. “You didn’t warn me you’re a good dancer.”
“Not that good.”
“Better than me.”
“I don’t know about that.” Gently, he raised her one arm high, spun her out then pulled her back in, pulling her flawlessly against him without letting her miss a single step.
“I feel like Ginger Rogers. I can’t believe I did that move and didn’t trip over my own two feet.”
If that wasn’t enough, the song picked up speed and pulling her closer, his grip tightening around her waist, he slipped his foot between her feet and leaning right, spun them around the dance floor like a twirling figurine atop a music box.
They came to a stop at the same time the music slowed to the end. “You’re better than Ginger.”
Her hand on her chest, she stood perfectly still, staring up at her fake date. “No one is going to believe I did that.”
The corner of his mouth lifted, more amused than smug. “It could be our little secret?”
Now why did the idea of keeping secrets with Navy SEAL Kenny Yates hold so much appeal?
“Or,” his brows rose a little higher, “we could show off for your family.”
“Yeah, no. That might be a bit of overkill.”
A softer tune kicked in and Kenny continued to hold her close as they glided around the dance floor. “So what’s next? Do you have any more days off?”
“I’m working the day shift this week. I get off work around three pm usually. So far, no opportunities to pick up extra night shifts have come my way.”
“So, I hear that downtown is getting all decked out for the season.”
She nodded.
“I’m told there’s a fun parade.”
“That’s right. It starts the season.” As a kid the inaugural parade to kick off the holidays was always one of her favorite things to do.
“I usually start my Christmas shopping much earlier than this, but this year has been a little unusual. Would you care to join me after work? Help me do a little shopping, then watch the parade.”
She couldn’t resist the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. She hadn’t been able to attend the parade in years. “I think I’d like that.”
“Good. Then it’s a date.”
A date. Oh, in only a few days, that word was starting to take on a whole new meaning for her. She sure hoped she hadn’t gotten in over her head.
Dining and dancing with Sara had been the nicest evening he could remember having in a heck of a long time.
He hadn’t expected to have a bad time, but Kenny hadn’t expected to enjoy her company near as much as he was.
Not only was she an easy dance partner, following his lead with the lightest of nudges, she laughed at all his jokes—and not a forced polite laugh, but an honest and appreciative reaction.
And her eyes didn’t glaze over when he’d forget himself and talked a little too much about life in Uncle Sam’s Navy… at least what he was free to share.
“Hey, isn’t this a surprise.” Holding hands with his wife, Nick Harper came up behind him.
“Hey there.” Kenny pushed to his feet. Some things the Navy drilled into a sailor for life.
Right along side of never put your hands in your pockets or wear your cover indoors, there was also the rule to always stand for a lady or superior officer.
Too bad he had to ignore the code of never lie to a buddy. “Celebrating something?”
“My mother is in town and babysitting. That’s reason enough,” Nick teased.
“We’re just about to order dessert. Care to join us?” Kenny waved at the two empty chairs on either side of him.
Nick shook his head. “Nope. Have to call it an early night. I’ve got a lot of prep work to do for a new group of amateur treasure hunters renting one of our boats for the next couple of weeks.”
“Treasure hunters?” Kenny’s one brow rose up.
“Yeah,” Nick sighed. “Some of these folks are great, and some are reckless as hell. Whenever they turn up on our doorstep, either Billy or I go with them. Make sure they’re not breaking any laws or endangering the waters.
Though, this should be an easy one. A family, which doesn’t guarantee anything, but the dad is a professor from the mainland, his kids are in college, the daughter is a marine biology major and the son some kind of computer whiz.
They think they can find the wreck of the Isadora. ”
“That’s just legend.”
“Who am I to burst their bubble?” Nick shrugged.
Kenny held back a chuckle. “Well, if you need a hand.”
Squinting at his old friend for a long minute, Nick nodded. “You never know. I might take you up on that.”
Kenny patted him on the shoulder. “At your disposal.”
A few more friendly words were exchanged and the co-owner with Billy Everrett of the Big Island Dive shop, keeping his arm around his wife’s waist, exited the restaurant.
That was what she wanted some day. A love that would last through the years, all of the ups and downs.
Just like Doug and Emily, Nick and Kara, and Billy and Angela.
Some days, she thought maybe tomorrow would be her turn.
Other days, she thought every good man on the planet was taken.
Then there were days like today, when she wondered if her Navy knight in shining armor was going to turn into the proverbial toad. After all, for her, they always did.