Page 43 of The Seashell of ’Ohana

Kate lowered her sunglasses, narrowing her eyes at Stella, then raised her glasses again. “I don’t blame you. You can look all you want, but Lee is mine.”

Ian’s lips tugged higher. As he strutted toward me, his eyes never left mine. I rose to greet them. Lee gave me a peck on the cheek, then got a towel and a shirt from Kate.

“Hello, Abby,” Ian said in a flirty tone.

Ian grabbed his towel off the lounge chair. After he dried himself, he put on a muscle shirt, then enclosed me in a hug and handed me the glass of piña colada he had grabbed from the built-in bar behind us.

“If it tastes horrible, you can blame Lee.” Ian snorted. “If it tastes perfect, well, you can thank me however you like.”

I smiled and sat back down next to Kate and took a sip. “Does Isaac need help with dinner?”

Ian pulled a chair next to mine. “Don’t worry about it. We’re catering, and Isaac went back in to take care of last-minute business.”

When Bridget and Tyler got in the water up to their knees, I sat up straighter and watched them like a hawk. This time, there would be no mistake. No practice holding breath.

“We’re still on for the auction, right?” Ian asked.

“You can count on us being there.” Lee handed Ian a beer, and they clanked bottles.

Stella pulled her mouth away from the bottle. “You’re going to the auction at the Romanos’ mansion? The one they have every year?”

“Yes,” Ian said.

Ian had said 'the Romanos’ place.' He hadn’t mentioned we were going to a mansion.

Stella released a soft whistle. “I heard they expect you to buy something. Is that right?”

Ian’s broad shoulders touched the back of his chair. “Technically, you’re not buying, you’re auctioning, so if someone outbids you, then you have no choice.”

“Yeah, but it would suck if you really wanted one of the paintings from our gallery, and you were outbid.” She snorted.

Ian, who was just about to take another sip of his drink, stopped midway. “True.”

“What’s the cause that it benefits?” Kate asked.

Ian didn’t answer right away. His eyes were set on the horizon, the periwinkle sky darkening as the sun dipped lower. After he took a drink, he said, “Dementia.”

Something about the slow, intense way he’d said it seemed so personal. I would ask him later if we got the chance to be alone. I looked over at Lee to see if I could read the answer in his expression, but his gaze was fixed on Bridget and Tyler.

“Anyway, Stella,” Ian continued, his eyes going from absent to gleaming. “If you’re free, you should come with us.”

She shifted uncomfortably, leaning her elbow on the armrest. “I would love to go, but I don’t have a ticket. I heard they were expensive. Abby and Kate don’t pay me enough to afford a ticket to that shindig.”

“What?” I squealed, even though I knew she was teasing.

Stella stuck out her palm as if to stop me from attacking her. “Just kidding, Abby. You and Kate are generous with my pay.”

“We want to keep you happy,” Kate said. “You know too much. Now we have to keep you.”

“I can get an extra ticket for you, Stella.” Ian paused and glanced over to the house. “Actually, Isaac has an extra one. He could take you. I don’t think he asked anyone yet.”

As if on cue, Isaac shouted from the house. “Dinner is ready!”

Chapter Seventeen — Under the Moonlight

Isaac looked adorable with a black apron around his waist. He had arranged the dishes, utensils, and wine glasses on the eight-seater dining table. Flower petals scattered around lit candles, providing an elegant ambiance.

“So pretty.” Bridget’s blue eyes twinkled brighter under the glass light fixture.