Chapter 37
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
annalise
“Oh gosh, this is so good.” I take another bite of the warm custard-filled malasada.
After we landed, we stopped by our luxury condo to shower and drop off our luggage.
It’s right by the beach, and we even have a personal housekeeper—a sweet middle-aged lady named Lelani—who gave us a bunch of recommendations for food spots and places we must see.
We indulged in the best poké I’ve ever had in my life, and later stopped by the bakery and purchased a whole box of malasadas straight from the oven.
“These are fucking addicting,” Maddox says, reaching for another one.
“Don’t eat them all, now,” I warn, shooting him a glare.
He wraps his arms around me and kisses my cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll buy you more.”
I lean against him as we watch the sunset at Hanalei Bay. The sunsets in California are beautiful, but they don’t compare to this glorious sunset in Kauai.
“This is nice,” he says, caressing my hair. “Being able to hold your hand out in public.”
“It is. I miss being able to do stuff like this with you. If we did this back home, everyone would be swarming around you trying to get an autograph.”
“That’s going to be you once this shop takes off. Everyone will be wearing a Thorny Roses piece by the end of the year.” He flashes me his dimpled smile.
“I’ll be happy just having a few people wear my clothes.”
My phone dings with a notification and I pull it out to check it. I texted my family when I landed, but I haven’t touched it since. It’s a message from Serena and Mazi.
Serena
How’s Hawaii so far?
Mazi
Are you a member of the mile-high club yet?
I snap them a picture of the box of malasadas.
Me
It’s great. I’m never coming home. And yes lol.
Serena
I’m so jealous!
I check my emails and am surprised by what I find in my inbox. “Oh my gosh, Dimples! Ten orders have been placed for my shop!” Checking Instagram, I find that my number of followers has doubled—I now have four hundred.
“Rosie, that’s incredible! See, I told ya your shop is gonna take off. I’m so fucking proud of you!” He lifts my chin and kisses me on my lips.
“Thank you, Maddox, for encouraging me to pursue my dreams again. For the office, for this trip, for everything. I promise once I make some money, I’ll repay you.”
Maddox has done so much for me—spoiling me and showering me with affection. I want to be able to give back to him, too.
He shakes his head and laces his fingers with mine. “You don’t have to give me anything. I have you. You are all I need in this world.”
Those three little words rise in my throat, but I swallow them down once again.
Each day, the urge to say them to him grows stronger, yet I still can’t bring myself to speak them.
I’m afraid that once I utter those words, the voices in my head will return, trying to snatch away my happiness and convince me that I don’t deserve love.
“You ready for playoffs?”
Maddox sucks in his cheeks. “Truthfully? I’m nervous as hell.
I made it to playoffs last year when I was in Houston.
But being back home? There’s so much pressure on me, and I’m scared I’m gonna let everyone down.
” He grabs a handful of sand, letting it seep through his fingers.
“Everyone compares me to Kyrie, but I don’t think I can ever live up to him. ”
“Maddox, you are amazing. And you shouldn’t compare yourself to anyone. Kyrie was a fantastic player, but so are you. You both changed the game of basketball, and you’re going to lead the Dragons to the championships just like he did. I have faith in you.”
A warm smile graces his lips and he kisses my forehead. “Thank you for always lifting me up.”
Blush creeps on his cheeks and he scratches the back of his head. “Will you, um, come to my playoff game next Saturday? You can bring Ollie, too.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I say, squeezing his hand.
“Really?” The excitement in his voice and the way his face lights up squeeze my heart.
“Of course. I plan on attending every single game of yours. I’m gonna be the loudest one there.”
“Promise me you’ll wear my jersey. The only last name you should be wearing is mine,” he says, a teasing smile quirks on his lips.
A laugh bursts from me. “I was already planning to.”
I roll over in bed and reach for Maddox, only to find the space next to me empty.
Slipping on my shorts, I head to the living room to find it fully decorated.
There are vases of flowers everywhere, a large “Happy Birthday” banner hanging on the wall, and balloons and streamers dangling from the ceiling.
In the kitchen, Leilani, the housekeeper, is preparing something that smells absolutely delicious.
Maddox is leaning against the wall wearing a lazy smile on his face. “Happy birthday, beautiful.”
Racing toward him, I leap into his arms and give him a kiss. “Thank you, Maddox. Gosh, you spoil me so much.”
“My girl deserves the best.” He smiles against my lips.
“Breakfast is ready!” Leilani carries out two plates of loco moco—a traditional Hawaiian dish consisting of white rice, a hamburger patty, gravy, and a sunny-side-up egg—and sets them on the table.
“Mahalo, Leilani. This looks delicious!” Maddox says. We both take a seat and Leilani comes back with two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice.
“You are too kind for cooking for us,” I say.
“Na‘u ka hau‘oli,” she says sweetly. “And happy birthday to you.”
“Mahalo, Leilani.”
She scurries off to the kitchen to clean up, and I dig in. “Wow, this is so good. Who knew this combo would be so tasty?”
“Right? Hawaiian food has been amazing so far. I wish I could have woken you up with breakfast, but I didn’t want to burn this house down.” He grins and takes another bite of food.
I reach over and squeeze his hand. “It’s okay that you lack skills in the kitchen. You make up for it in other ways.”
A suggestive smile tugs at his lips, and his hand grazes my thigh. “Oh? Are you talking about my skills in the bedroom?”
Heat pools between my legs as I think about all the ways he has pleasured me. “You are so cocky. But I’m talking about how thoughtful and caring you are. You’ve been so amazing to me, and I am so grateful to have you in my life again.”
Blush creeps across his cheeks and his smile widens. Leaning forward, he pops a kiss on my lips. “I am, too. And I hope you like what I have planned for us today.”
“I’m sure I will. What are we doing first?”
“First, we’re gonna go shark cage diving.”
“What?” My stomach starts churning, and I shoot Maddox a look to let him know he has completely lost his mind. “I’m all about adventure, but I’m not trying to die on my birthday. Have you not seen 47 Meters Down?”
He waves me off. “That’s just a movie. We’ll be perfectly fine.”
“If a shark breaks through the cage, I’m going to use you as bait to get away.”
He folds his arms across his chest, frowning. “Wow—I was just joking about cage diving, but it’s good to know you’re willing to sacrifice me.”
“I’m kidding. I would never do that.” I laugh. “But what are we really doing?”
“You’ll see. And I promise it doesn’t involve sharks.”
Wind whips through my hair and ocean water splashes me as our boat glides through the stunning Nā Pali Coast. The towering cliffs, lush valleys, and turquoise waters look like something straight out of a postcard.
Our captain, Kekoa, expertly maneuvers the boat into the heart of a glorious sea cave.
“This is Pukalani, which means window to heaven.” He gestures toward the large circular opening above us.
Maddox and I tilt our heads back in awe, completely mesmerized by the breathtaking views. The vibrant blue sky stretches above us, illuminated by beams of sunlight cascading through the opening. It truly looks like a window to heaven.
Kekoa takes us through more sea caves before bringing the boat to a stop. “This is the perfect spot to snorkel,” he says, handing us our snorkel gear.
Excitement bubbles in me as I buckle my life jacket and slip the mask over my face. It’s my first time snorkeling, and I can’t believe I get to do it in freaking Hawaii.
As we dive beneath the shimmering surface, a sea turtle swims past us. Maddox quickly retrieves his Kamado Tech Adventure Cam and captures the perfect shot of us with the turtle and other magnificent sea creatures in the background.
“Did you two have fun?” Kekoa asks, handing us towels as we return from our snorkeling adventure. We’d been having such a blast that we completely lost track of time.
I remove my snorkel gear and wrap the towel around my body. “Yes, it was gorgeous out there. I wish I could stay out here all day.”
Maddox settles next to me and pulls me onto his lap. “I’ve been snorkeling before, but I have never seen views like this. I’m so glad I got to experience this with you, Rosie.”
“Thank you for giving me this experience, Dimples.”
Just when I thought my birthday couldn’t get any better, Maddox surprises me with massages by the beach, followed by a helicopter ride to a waterfall where we’re currently having a candlelight dinner beside the water.
After we finish our main course, our chef, Makoa, comes out with a ukulele singer and a cake. They all join together and sing “Happy Birthday” to me.
“Happy birthday, beautiful,” Maddox says, kissing me on the cheek.
I shut my eyes and wish for Abuelo to be cancer-free, for me to have the courage to leave the job I hate, and for what I have with Maddox to last for an eternity.
Using my fork, I dig into the carrot cake—my favorite flavor—and pop it into my mouth. “Oh, this tastes like heaven.”
Maddox takes a bite and hums in satisfaction. “My mom will always be my favorite chef, but Chef Makoa comes pretty close. Do you think I can pay him to move to San Francisco so I can eat more of his food?”
“And leave this?” I gesture to the scenery around us. “I don’t think there would be enough money in the world for that. I’m already dreading leaving paradise.”
“I am, too. What do you say we come back to Hawaii after basketball season is over? We can explore the other islands then.”
“I would love that. One of the things I want to do is travel more. I’ve been to Cuba with my family, to a few cities in Cali, and Mazi and I went to Vegas during spring break last year. But there’s still so much of the world I have yet to see.”
Leaning in, he plants a soft kiss on my cheek. “We can see it together. Traveling is one of the greatest luxuries in life, and this trip is the first of many.”
A smile spreads across my face and warmth fills me as I envision us traveling the world together.
I imagine going to Paris and placing locks on the Love Lock Bridge above the Seine River, visiting Japan during cherry blossom season to meet his grandparents, and staying in one of those glass domes in Norway as we watch the aurora borealis dance above us.
“Out of all the places you’ve traveled to, what has been your favorite?” I ask.
“Hawaii.” He reaches over and strokes my cheek. “Because every other trip I’ve been on, the whole time I was wishing you were there with me. You are my favorite person, Rosie, and anywhere next to you is my favorite place to be.”
Digging into his front pocket, he pulls out a red heart-shaped velvet box and places it in my hand.
“Maddox, you didn’t have to give me another gift. You’ve already given me enough.”
He shifts in his seat, watching me carefully as I open the box. My heart beats rapidly in my chest when I catch sight of the gold rose necklace he gifted me on our anniversary all those years ago. “I can’t believe you still have this,” I whisper, a rush of nostalgia washing over me.
As I lift the necklace from the box, I notice that he added diamonds on the stem and had our initials engraved on the leaves. The last time I saw the necklace, I had thrown it at him out of spite, and that was something I’ve always regretted.
“I held on to it, hoping one day I would be able to give it back to you,” Maddox says softly. “All the mementos from our relationship—the ticket stubs, the handmade gift you made me, the jar full of love notes—I kept them all.”
Butterflies swarm wildly in my stomach. “I did, too.”
Sitting on my old bedroom floor is a box full of memories from the time we were together. As angry as I was with him, I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away. I didn’t want to completely erase him from my life.
“Can you put it on me?” I ask, handing the necklace to him.
Brushing my hair to the side, he clasps the beautiful piece around my neck and holds the rose pendant with his fingers. “The diamonds I added symbolize the strength of my love for you, which continues to grow with each passing day.”
Turning me toward him, he cups my cheeks and caresses my lips, sending jolts of electricity through my entire body.
The singer reappears and strums his ukulele to the tune of “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz—our song—and begins to sing.
Maddox takes a bow and reaches for my hand. “Annalise Rose Monroe, may I have this dance?”
Smiling, I pinch the sides of my gown and curtsy. “You may.”
The stars twinkle in the sky as we stare lovingly into each other’s eyes and sway to the beat.
Maddox twirls me around and brings me back to his chest, nuzzling his face in my hair. “I missed being able to slow dance with you.”
“I did, too. We haven’t danced together since senior year, when we won prom king and queen.”
“And now I have my queen in my arms again,” he says, causing my smile to widen. “I hope you had a great birthday, Annalise.”
“This has been the best birthday I’ve ever had. And it’s not because of the gifts or this trip. It’s because I got to spend it with you.”
His warm brown eyes sparkle under the soft glow of the moonlight and his dimples carve hollows into his cheeks. “I plan on spending the rest of your birthdays with you, Rosie.”
He plants a kiss on forehead, the warmth of his lips lingering as I nestle my head against his broad chest. I breathe him in, wanting to savor this moment.