Chapter 13
KAWEHI
Two weeks later while she was waiting for a call from her lawyer about a date for their next court hearing, Kawehi was standing at the doorway of Lanikai Lanes when a large caravan of cars entered the parking lot and filled it near to bursting. Every car had a sticker on the front bumper that said it belonged to someone stationed at KBAY.
Already smiling, she found herself grinning ear-to-ear when the driver's door of the forest green Ford Bronco opened up and Dom stepped out into the twilight.
He lifted his hand in a wave and smiled back at her, filling her heart. Another man walked up to him and clapped a hand down over his shoulder, leaning in to say something.
Dom nodded and together they walked toward the door.
"Breathe," she reminded herself. "Breathe."
Dom held back a half a step when the other man stepped up first, but he spoke to make the introductions. "Kawehi, this is Wolf, our team leader. Wolf, this is Kawehi Phillips."
He took her offered hand and gave it a hearty shake. "Nice to meet the woman who puts a smile on Pallas' grumpy face."
She felt herself blushing at his words and the frank interest in his eyes. This was a man who didn't miss much. "He makes me smile all the time and doesn't mind the tears. There's nothing more I could ask for."
Wolf nodded and leaned in to give her a kiss on her cheek. "You make him happy. Mahalo."
He continued on past her and into the building.
She knew that the bowling counter was fully manned by their high school hires and the food counter as well by Maile and one of their friends, so she could stand at the door and greet people.
Dom stepped up next and leaned in for a kiss that they broke off almost too quickly, but she could hear the hoots and hollers from the men coming up behind him.
Instead of moving past her into the building, Dom turned and stood at her shoulder, leaving more than enough space for the door to stay open. As the men walked by, he made introductions. She knew some of his men, the ones who had come to the beach and shown up to the bowling alley over the last few weeks and the others who had come with them to Bellows beach.
Those men leaned in for hugs, even Axl who stopped to ask her. "Is Maile here?"
She would have smiled if she didn't know how nervous Maile had been knowing that Axl was coming to the bowling alley. The two of them might fight like a cat and dog, but she had a feeling, after talking to Dom, that they liked each other more than anything else.
"She's working at the dining counter."
A few strange looks crossed his face before he spoke again, his gaze drifting across the open space of the alley. "Well, I guess I'll have to go over there." He turned back to look at her. "Since I'm hungry."
She nodded and felt Dom's hand give her hip a little squeeze. "Yeah. You've got to eat."
With a half-smile, Axl moved inside with a walk that looked like he was marching to his death.
"He does know that he could send someone over to get food if he wanted, right?"
Her shoulders shook with laughter, and she leaned back against him. "Oh, he knows."
Dom brushed a kiss along the side of her neck. "I think he's just trying to come up with a cover story to see your cousin."
"Would you come up with a cover story to see me?"
Dom turned her so he could look her in the eyes. "I just kept coming back here. I didn't need to hide how much I wanted to see you."
She leaned into him for another kiss.
When Dom leaned back, she felt his body stiffen a little in an awkward way. "Dutch."
Kawehi turned to look and saw a blond man with a build like the others, walking up to the steps.
She put out her hand in greeting. "Hi! I'm Kawehi, are you part of the Marine group?"
The blond man in front of her startled as if he'd walked into a glass wall.
Behind her, Dom gave a snort of laughter. He leaned in and laughed again. "That's Dutch, baby. He's part of the Air Force."
She shrugged. "So?"
Dutch may have been paler than Dom's more swarthy skin tone, but she could see the red on his cheeks. "Airmen are different than Grunts. We don't eat crayons."
She arched an eyebrow at the newcomer. "I'm guessing the crayon thing is a dig."
Dutch nodded. "It's better than talking about shi-"
"Watch it, flyboy."
Dutch held up his hands in surrender. "Sorry, Pallas. I know we're in mixed company."
She rolled her eyes. "So you're an airman from Hickam?"
"Yes, ma'am." He gestured at the men coming up behind him. "These guys are with me."
Dom reached out and shook Dutch's hand. "Just watch what you say in front of Kawehi, and we'll settle the rest of it in the lanes."
Kawehi grinned. "Ah... I sense the competition is strong with both of you."
Dutch lifted his chin at Dom. "She's smart and beautiful. Keep her around."
Dom's arm wrapped around her and gently tugged her up against his side. "I will. So keep that in mind."
Dutch shook his head. "I'm not planning on getting in trouble, just kicking your-" He cast a look at her.
"You can say ass, but I'd bet money that the Marines are going to kick Air Force butt tonight."
"Hey!" "Whoa!" "What?" "What the hell?"
Kawehi laughed at the outburst from the men who'd walked up behind Dutch.
She smiled at them all. "Don't worry, the machines can't tell the difference between Marines and Air Force, but I'm going to be cheering for Dom and his guys."
"Oh, Dom!" "Ha! Sounds like Fifty Shades of Crayon."
Dutch turned around and silenced them all with a look. One of the men up walked beside Dutch. "I'm Vortex, ma'am." The man was tall and dark and had a gorgeous smile. "I'll help Dutch keep these guys in line."
"I'm okay with all of you being competitive, just remember that families might come in. So if that happens, try to keep it clean or quiet."
Vortex introduce the other men. Preacher was a definite silver fox, who shook his head at the behavior of the others. Pretty Boy was a man who was the embodiment of his callsign with chiseled features. Sherlock was the quietest member of the group. SOS had amazing eyes, and Vibe was a smiling bearded, tattooed hot guy.
"Wow. There are a lot of handsome guys in the alley tonight."
Pretty Boy preened a little. "I only see me." The others groaned and he laughed. "Come on, guys... I have to live up to the name."
"Keep it calm, Peanut Butter." Dutch laughed when Pretty Boy's smile twisted a little. "He only came because he heard you had liquor. He'd be happy if there are women around."
Kawehi nodded. "Well, I'm sure we can get some here if you're okay with us posting some pictures on social media."
Dutch grinned, nodding. "Fine with us."
PALLAS
Pallas was enjoying his night for a number of reasons. They were on their third and final game of the night and everyone was having so much fun that Dutch was talking about making it an actual league between the military branches stationed on island. Pallas admired his interest, given that the Marines were basically cleaning up in the first two games. Even if the Air Force could manage to pull out a solid game, they were still going to lose Two to One.
And then there was the added benefit of seeing Kawehi and when she could spare a moment or two, having her in his lap and her lips against his. Things had been getting better since they'd been able to serve Nick with divorce papers. Kawehi was happier, smiled easier, too. He looked forward to the time when she was free.
He wasn't sure when he'd be able to talk to her about making what they had a... permanent thing with a ring. He just wasn't sure how eager she was to get into another marriage while she was still trying to get out of the last one.
He just knew that it didn't matter to him, he wouldn't stop wanting her no matter what. He was in. He'd wait for her to be ready, because he knew it. He had a feeling she felt the same way, but there was still Nick to deal with.
"Hey," Buck took the empty seat beside him when Chicago got up for his turn. "You look happy tonight."
Pallas cast a look over his shoulder and saw Kawehi laughing with some of her usuals at the dining counter, a crowd of women walked up and leaned in for hugs.
Pallas turned back to Buck. "I'm happy all the time when I think of her. When I'm with her. It's all... paradise."
Buck shook his head. "My parents met here in Hawaii when my dad was on RNR from serving. My mom still has hope that I'll find a wife, especially since we were assigned to Hawaii. I'm just hoping I make it to retirement." He sat back in his seat and sighed. "I started later than most, but once I was in, it was all I wanted to do."
Pallas nodded. "Did your dad give you the speech my dad gave me when I told him I made the right choice in joining the family business?"
Buck looked at him with a curious light in his eyes. "What? The 'If you'd only listened to me when I told you to join up' speech? Yeah."
"Well, mine was almost the same. I'll probably be a lifer like he was."
Buck leaned forward, bracing his arms on his thighs. "Are you worried that Kawehi might not want to leave if you get reassigned?"
Pallas frowned at the question. He didn't know how he hadn't thought of that. "I've been focused on just being here. I really didn't think about leaving."
Buck's smile faded to a hesitant frown as he lifted a hand and put it on Pallas' shoulder. "You're in love, man. Something had to slip between the cracks."
Pallas nodded and shook his head. How had he not thought about that?
"Hey, Pallas!"
He looked over at the other bank of benches at Dutch, putting a neutral expression on his face. "Yeah?"
"All kidding aside, I'm hoping we'll be able to come over to the festival at KBAY without any trouble."
Pallas laughed openly. "Fine. We'll let you guys in. Your money is just as green as ours."
Dutch raised a brow at him. "You should know colors," he winked, "you've had plenty of crayons."
Kid stepped in between them. "Pallas? You want me to take out the trash?"
Pallas was already up on his feet. "Kid. Kid, it's okay. Dutch is just going for the low hanging fruit."
Kid stepped back, his face set in a scowl. "He's being an ass. We all agreed to keep things family friendly."
Pallas almost laughed, not at the other Marine, but at Dutch's awkward expression.
Turning his back toward the food counter so Kawehi wouldn't see. "Dutch should know all about low hanging fruit." Pallas cupped his hand down near his balls. "His fruit is practically dragging on the ground. Like his knuckles."
"You're an ass, Pallas."
They were both laughing at that point. Dutch shook his head. "Chicken."
Kid looked between the two of them. "What's chicken about?"
Dutch gestured at Pallas. "He's hiding his crude gesture from his woman."
Pallas nodded. "Well, I'm not going to do anything to tick her off. You'd understand if you had a woman as amazing as she is."
Nodding, Dutch sat back on the bench behind him. "Can't lose what I don't have. Good for you, Pallas."
Pallas clapped his hand down on Kid's shoulder. "Hey. It's your turn."
Kid turned to look at the screen and then turned back to Pallas smiling. "I was on the Varsity team at my high school in Tulsa." He moved away to grab his ball from the ball return and Pallas saw some of Dutch's men glaring at him.
Sherlock shook his head. "I should have known you had a ringer."
Vibe nudged Sherlock with his elbow. "Yeah, genius. Where were your powers of observation."
Sherlock swatted Vibe's hand away. "I've never seen him bowl, asshole."
Preacher laughed at both of them. "Everyone calm down. This is just for fun."
SOS laughed. "To you. These guys are going to start practicing every chance they get to beat the grunts next time."
Dutch turned back to Pallas. "Children."
Pallas nodded in reply. "Can't take them anywhere."
The pins exploded and everyone turned to look. Kid turned around with both arms up in the air. "Turkey!"
The Marines jumped up to congratulate him and Pallas gave Dutch a wink. "Start practicing."