Her Hawaiian Homecoming

Allie left her post at the back bumper and wobbled her way to the driver’s seat, her heels covered in mud. He watched the firm bend of her rear as she ducked into the car.

Dallas grabbed a huge leaf that hung near his head from a nearby banana tree and put it in front of the back tire for a little grip. Kai stood at the other side of the bumper.

“Okay, ready... Give it some gas.” Dallas put his shoulder into the back of the car and heaved with all his might. Kai did the same. Allie revved the engine, the wheel spinning and flicking serious mud all over his favorite pair of Wranglers. He gritted his teeth and pushed harder, digging his worn cowboy boots into the mud for leverage. On this push, the car gave a little. He leaned in, and the car broke free of the rut, rolled over the leaf and on to the main driveway again. Kai gave a whoop.

“Teamwork!” he said, and gave Dallas a high five.

She paused on the road, and he jogged up beside her driver’s-side window. She gave him a sparkling smile, showing even white teeth and a dimple in her right cheek. Right then, he could see a little of Misu in her, in the childlike glee of her expression. This is what it looked like when her guard came down, he thought. He felt a little light-headed. He wanted to reach straight into that front seat and kiss this girl on the lips.

This was not going to do at all. He couldn’t be lusting after Misu’s granddaughter, for heaven’s sake. It wouldn’t be right. Misu wasn’t here to give her blessing, and besides, Allie still had serious questions to answer.

“Thanks, Dallas,” she said now, smiling even more broadly. Her dazzling smile made him forget just what those questions were. “Where should I park?”

Dallas realized the only real pressing question on his mind right at this moment was what that tight little body looked like without clothes on. Kai nudged him, hard. He ignored his friend.

“Uh...right there,” he said, pointing to a spot near the water tank, recovering himself, even as he tried to get his dirty thoughts under control. “Misu’s house is the yellow one there.” She nodded and rolled up the window, maneuvering the car to the spot.

“I thought you didn’t like locals,” Kai murmured at his shoulder.

“I don’t.” Dallas watched her brake lights flash. “She’s not a local.”

“Allie is like a little sister to me. Just like ohana. Family.” Kai studied his friend. “Careful, Dallas. Don’t look so relieved. She’s not someone you play with. You get me?”

“I thought you said you didn’t believe the rumors.”

“I don’t. But what I know as fact is that you haven’t been yourself since Jennifer.”

That was the understatement of the year. Before Jennifer, he would’ve never spent his time babysitting drunk tourists. But a lot of things had changed since then.

“Dallas, I mean it,” Kai grumbled, voice low. “You have to promise me you’ll stay away from Allie.” Kai held Dallas by the upper arm, his grip a little tighter than it should have been.

“Kai, come on.”

“Dallas. I’m asking you. As a friend. Do not play with that girl unless you plan on marrying her. And even then... Just don’t mess around.”

“I...” Dallas watched Allie hop out of the car, her lean form tight as she made her way to the trunk.

“Dallas?”

“Fine, Kai. Okay, I promise.” Allie bent over the back of the open trunk, showing her perfectly rounded assets at the best possible angle. Dallas instantly regretted his promise.

“I’ll get that,” he said, offering to carry the bag.

“You don’t have to.” Allie looked at him suspiciously, clutching the suitcase tightly.

“I’ll take that,” Kai said, moving between them, and Allie handed Kai the bag, who took it up the porch steps and avoided Dallas’s eyes. He hadn’t seen Kai so protective of someone since, well, his sister, Jesse. Kai wasn’t kidding about her being family. He followed Kai up the porch and slipped the key into Misu’s lock.

“I’ve got to go check on Jesse at the coffee shop,” Kai said. “It was good to see you, Allie. Though I’m really sorry about Misu.”

A shadow of sadness passed across her face. “Thanks, Kai.” Allie smiled warmly at him, and Dallas felt a little tinge of jealousy. He wanted all of Allie’s smiles.

“You remember Jesse?”

Allie’s eyes lit up. “Of course! She hated pink!”

“That’s her, and she still does.” Kai grinned. “Jesse still lives next door with Auntie. We’ll have you over for dinner sometime soon.” Kai backed off the porch. “Or come for a free cup of coffee at Hula’s. And if this guy gives you any trouble, you call me.” Kai pointed his house key at Dallas, a warning.

“I won’t be trouble,” Dallas promised.

“You’d better not be.” Kai wasn’t kidding. Kai was normally a lighthearted, easygoing guy, and when he got serious, which was hardly ever, Dallas paid attention.

“I’d love to come over for dinner and see Jesse. Good to see you, Kai.” Allie waved. Dallas had left Misu’s place exactly as it had been when she’d gone into the hospital after her sudden and devastating heart attack. All of her furniture and most of her clothes were still here. The simple overstuffed white linen couch she loved sat in the middle of the living room, draped with the pink-and-yellow Hawaiian-breadfruit quilt. The kitchen was dated but clean, its white-tiled floor and older appliances ready for use, and the breakfast nook nearby, which acted as her dining room. Little had changed in twenty years. Dallas knew Allie had been here once. That photograph had been taken right on Misu’s porch, so she’d been here then anyway. Her house would’ve looked much the same.

Allie went straight to the kitchen, running her finger along the old yellow countertop, stopping at the refrigerator. She plucked the photo of her and Misu from the freezer door and stared at it, running a finger over Misu’s face.

“She was a good woman,” Dallas felt the need to say.

“She was,” Allie agreed, her voice sounding far away. She put the photo back and blinked as she looked around the room. She gave the small house a quick tour. “Where’s the bathroom?”

“Don’t you remember?” he asked her.

Allie shook her head.

“It’s outside,” he said.

“Outside?” she echoed.

* * *

ALLIE STOOD AND stared at her only working shower.

It was outside, in a cabana with walls but no roof. She plopped down her bag and stared.

How on earth had this little tidbit about her grandmother’s house escaped her? She used to live here when she was little, that much she remembered. But how old had she been? Seven? Eight? That was before... Well, before the car accident, before she and her mom moved to the mainland, where it had been just the two of them against the world. Of course, with her mom working two jobs, it had pretty much been Allie all on her own. Allie preferred it that way, actually. Anytime she depended on anyone—like Jason—they failed her.

“So if you want to talk about the estate, I’d be happy to...” Dallas stood by her, lingering near the door. Allie did not turn to look at him. If she did, she’d stare at his muscled chest, and she didn’t want to do that. She didn’t have time for guys who looked as if they belonged in a sexy-cowboy calendar. She had sworn off men this time, possibly for good. The fact that she was very aware of his every movement made her feel jumpy and anxious. Her mind might want to be done with men, but clearly her body wasn’t. It had other ideas about what she ought to do with Dallas McCormick.

“I just want to shower.”

“Oh...sure.” Dallas paused, as if waiting for her to invite him in. She nearly barked a laugh out loud. With abs like that, and those crystal-blue eyes, he was probably used to women throwing themselves at him all the time. Well, not this one, buddy.

“I’d like some privacy.” Allie was proud that she made it sound official.

“Sure thing, ma’am.” Dallas grinned, unoffended, and then tipped his hat at her as he backed out of the cabana. The door slapped shut behind him, and Allie moved to secure the bolt. With Dallas and his broad, chiseled chest out of the room, Allie felt as though she could breathe for the first time. She stared up to where the ceiling should be but saw only blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds.

“How are you supposed to take a shower when it’s raining?” she muttered to herself.

Allie whipped up her thick jet-black hair off her neck, panting in the Hawaiian humidity as sticky sweat trickled down the nape of her neck.