Meet Me in Hawaii by Georgia Toffolo (novels for beginners txt) 📕

starting to argue less.’ She said it so matter-of-factly, her approval written in the nod of her head. ‘It’s been a week but already things feel different. I was worried about them before… you know… they just seemed to argue, or talk about what’s best for me. They never seemed to talk like I was there, or pay attention to me and what I thought – it sucked – but now…’ She took a long drag on her straw and gulped it down, like she didn’t want to pause too long now she had the floor. It made him smile to know she was in such a good place she felt able to speak openly. ‘Now, I don’t know, they ask about my surfing, they ask where I’d like to go to dinner, who my friends are, and they talk, to each other like, you know, properly.’

Todd looked to Malie and she gazed back at him. Had they really helped this family long term, did the Davidsons stand a better chance at happiness now because of their intervention?

Malie’s lips curved up, her admiration shining in her gaze. ‘We will talk to them about the bus, won’t we, Todd?’

‘Of course we can try.’

‘Thank you.’

The waiter returned with a loaded-up tray and Tara’s eyes bulged out of her head. ‘I don’t think I can eat all this, Mr Masters.’

‘We’ll help.’

She shook her head, ‘I told you I was rubbish at deciding, you should have chosen for me, Malie.’

Malie laughed, ‘No way, if Mr Masters is paying, I say we go for it.’

Tara laughed and started to tuck in. For a moment both Malie and Todd just watched her, and then with a shake of their heads and a smile as warm as Tara’s, they tucked right in as well.

Chapter Thirteen

‘YOU OK?’

They were standing outside the hotel, having left Tara inside with her parents, and through the glass doors they could see her chattering away excitedly as they stood either side of her, bending down to listen, their faces full of wonder and such obvious devotion. Malie could feel her chest tighten, as a strange wedge formed in her throat. She tried to swallow it back.

‘You OK?’ Todd tried again, turning her to face him, his worried gaze searching her own.

She tried for a smile. ‘Of course.’

He lifted his hand to her cheek, brushed his thumb over her cheekbone and she felt the wetness spread, a tear she hadn’t known had fallen caught in his wake. ‘Malie, what is it?’

She took a shaky breath and turned away from him, starting to walk. ‘I should get home.’

‘I’ll walk you back.’ He fell into step beside her, struggling to keep up.

She shook her head, she needed to be alone before she cracked completely. ‘I can find my own way home.’

‘Malie, what’s happened? What’s upset you? Is it me?’

She didn’t break pace, she couldn’t even look at him, if she did, she knew she’d crumble, and she didn’t want anyone to witness that. She hardly knew what was wrong herself. Seeing Tara like that with her family. Hearing her troubles and how much better her life seemed to be getting and how it compared and contrasted with her own life. It was too late for Malie’s family though – ten, twelve years too late. Too much time had passed with her being an outsider, her parents not knowing how to talk to her and vice versa.

‘Malie, please? I’m worried about you.’ She stopped and he rounded in front of her, his hands gentle on her arms. ‘Malie, look at me.’

Her lashes lifted, her eyes meeting with the blazing concern in his. He shook his head a little. ‘We had a good night; Tara, her parents, everyone had a good night – didn’t you?’

‘Of course, I did.’

‘Then what is it?’

She gazed into his sparkling blue eyes and for a second wondered what it would be like to offload, to tell him everything that haunted her still – the guilt, the sadness, the regret, the pain of missing what she’d once had and how it controlled her even now.

And then she realized, she’d already told him so much, told him more than she’d even told her best friends. She’d known him a week and spilled her all. And why would she do that, unless… unless…

Her lips parted, her chest painfully still. It was so obvious, so startlingly real. She was falling for him.

She’d tried to keep her guard up, keep her distance, keep herself safe and… oh, my, God.

You silly, silly fool, Malie.

‘I have to go.’

She stepped around him and picked up her pace. How could she have been so stupid? So blind to it?

Trying to shake off the panic, her arms wrapped tight around her roiling stomach, her ears strained for footsteps behind her. Only this time he didn’t follow. This time he stayed where he stood and again, she felt his eyes on her back, and it filled her with cold. Because she couldn’t accept the comfort he offered, not without wanting so much more.

‘Tomorrow morning, then?’ he called after her.

‘Yeah.’ The word caught in her throat as she carried on moving. She’d be home soon, then she could let it all out and tomorrow morning she would be up to focusing on the surf. Teaching him like she would anyone else.

She was saved from the mocking laughter inside by her phone pinging in her pocket. She pulled it out and glanced at the screen, half expecting it to be Todd asking her to turn back. But it wasn’t, it was a message from Victoria asking for a Lost Hours call.

She smiled in spite of her mood. Lost Hours was code for ‘need to talk stat’ and it could be anything from the good, the bad or the downright ugly. And this was definitely one of the ‘good’ variety.

Lost Hours! Lost Hours! I have exciting news and I’m going to burst if I don’t pass it on to at least one of you