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Finally, she booked them an authentic Hawaiian luau and that didn’t bring up any memories for her at all. Her text message alert sounded and her heart jumped in her chest, but of course it wasn’t Bastien. It was her mother.
The divorce was going to be final in six months.
Tawny was going to marry Kirk in a civil ceremony and she wanted Mikelina as the maid of honor and to plan the bachelorette party.
Mikelina closed her eyes. It shouldn’t be this hard. She decided to hold off on texting her mother until she could agree to do it with a clear conscience. Her father chose his path in life and made his decisions and was now living with the consequences of his actions. There would never be a beach house reunion. That house was slated for happy memories with another family.
Her father would never again toss a quarter in the pool so she could dive for it, while her mother blended up piña coladas and Celia Cruz played over the speakers. Those people didn’t exist anymore.
It was time that they all got on with their lives. Maybe once her mother did, other people who weren’t affected by Tanner’s crimes would be able to as well. Tawny would become Tawny Diamonte and her new life would begin.
Mikelina would still be Mikelina Presley—no relation to Elvis, but daughter of Tanner Presley, the crook.
Maybe she’d ask Kirk to adopt her. Mikelina Diamonte sounded pretty flashy.
She closed her laptop with a snap and checked her watch. The couple should be arriving at the client’s house in another hour and she wanted to be there to greet them and show them around the house. Mikelina had only represented this house once and she wanted to familiarize herself with it so she sounded confident. Besides, she could help Selena in the kitchen and maybe sample some of the dinner she was making.
She was looking forward to spending some quality time with Selena and a lot of mai tais. They could take in a luau, too. Mikelina had never been to one, but it sounded like fun.
The house wasn’t on the ocean. It was more upcountry, but the views were incredible, and it was only a short drive to the beach. It was attached to a coffee plantation, very private and secluded. As she pulled into the driveway, Mikelina felt a pang of envy. It was the perfect escape from civilization, with all the comforts of home.
“Smells good in here,” Mikelina called out, her stomach growling. Whatever was simmering in the kitchen beat the hell out of airplane food and the bag of chips she had grabbed for lunch.
The small dining room table was set with shining silverware and porcelain china on a lace tablecloth.
“Fancy,” she murmured, admiring the plumeria pattern on the china.
A bottle of Perrier-Jouët Rosé was wedged in among the ice in the bucket. Mikelina swallowed hard. When would everything stop reminding her of Bastien?
The kitchen was empty and she couldn’t resist peeking into the slow cooker on the counter.
“It’s kalua pork,” a deep voice said behind her. “Selena wanted me to apologize that she used a Crock-Pot instead of an underground oven, but we did kind of throw this together at the last minute.”
Not believing her ears, she whirled around. “Bastien?”
He handed her a plumeria blossom. She couldn’t resist sticking her nose inside it while she recovered. The smell was light and beautiful and for some reason she wanted to run away and cry.
“What are you doing here?” she whispered.
“Apologizing. I told you I was a prick.”
This couldn’t be happening. Mikelina turned her back on him and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She didn’t want him to see her crying. She trembled when his warm hands touched her shoulders.
“I was a jerk. My head was so far up my own ass, I couldn’t see clearly. I was pissed off about Jace. I thought I was over Gina’s betrayal. And I really fell hard for you. None of which I was expecting or dealing with like a rational adult.”
Mikelina gasped. She couldn’t have heard that correctly. Fell hard? They were great in bed and enjoyed each other, but she could have sworn that the falling-in-love part had been one-sided.
“Can you forgive me for being an asshole?”
“It’s all right,” she said, her voice catching as she tried to get a hold of herself.
“It’s not all right.” He gently turned her to face him. “But I’m hoping it will be. I’m sorry I hurt you. I was wrong to jump to conclusions. Believe me when I say, Kitty has already read me the riot act about that. I was an idiot to think you were like Gina. I know in my heart you’re not and could never be like her or your father.”
Mikelina blew out a shaky breath. “What makes you so sure now?”
He brushed away a stray tear with his thumb. “I was sure then, I just was too blinded by hurt and rage to see it. And I took it out on you.”
“You really hurt me,” she said. “I let my guard down around you. I thought I was safe and then it was my worst nightmare.”
