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

parties; he knew she’d get a kick out of it and balance his anti-party stance quite perfectly.

He headed through the double doors that led into the space that had been created for tonight’s gala ball and paused to take it in. Grace had outdone herself. Where the cocktail party had been beach-themed, tonight’s party was all glitz and glamour, and intimate with it. Candles adorned the tables, glassware sparkled, bottles of champagne chilled in ice buckets and an acoustic duo played the perfect background music.

Tonight was about thanking everyone for their hard work. The Foundation hadn’t paid for it. He had. It was another way he could contribute and give back. Like the white knight Malie accused him of being.

Was that really all she saw in him? Did she truly think that’s why he cared about her?

And why are you even pondering it anyway? She wants nothing from you.

He strode across the room, his intent to pick up a bottle and neck a glassful before anyone came in but he was intercepted halfway across the floor by a waiter. ‘Sir?’

He offered up a tray of prepared glasses like he’d spied his intent – of course, he would have, he was paid to be on hand and Todd should have known there would be some ready.

He took it and nodded his thanks, but couldn’t trust his voice yet. He threw back a gulp and turned to watch the doors. He prepared his face, his smile. He just needed to get through the next few hours and then he’d be free. Tomorrow morning he’d be on a plane to New York and he could start putting this blip behind him.

Because that’s all this was, a blip…

He took another swig and concentrated on it, rather than the internal laughter mocking his resolve.

‘Malie, if you don’t get yourself out here now,’ Kalani called through her open doorway, ‘I swear to God I’m going to come in there and—’

She came around the corner and he cut his rant dead, his mouth hanging open, his eyes wide as he stood holding a bright red umbrella above his head.

‘What’s wrong?’ She smoothed down her front, her hands patting nervously at the soft silk as her heart went into full-on panic mode. ‘Oh, God, is it too much? I knew this was a bad idea, what the hell was I thinking…’

She started to turn away, to race back to her bedroom and find something else when Kalani reached out.

‘Don’t even think about it.’

‘Look, I know we’re running late but I can’t turn up looking like this, not when it’s left you gawping all fish-like!’

‘Hey, it’s not cos you look bad.’ He shook his head, his hand falling back to his side. ‘I was just stunned speechless.’

‘Kalani, you’re never speechless.’

‘And I’ve never seen you dressed in a gown with lethal heels before.’

Her heart did a little flutter, her shoulders easing. ‘You mean, I look OK?’

‘More than OK, and now I think on it properly, as your godfather I should probably send you back to get changed after all.’

She laughed at that, her nerves almost forgotten. ‘In that case, I’ll just grab my bag.’

She teetered back into the dining room. It really was alien wearing heels again but it helped her confidence which was already in tatters thanks to her nerves. They’d taken a thorough bashing in the run-up to this evening, knowing it would be the first time she’d see Todd since their… since their argument… if you could call it that.

He hadn’t even come to watch over the kids’ sessions, not even the last few where there had been tears from her students, even herself. She’d never had the same group for so long and it had been impossible not to become attached.

She’d even promised Jonny that she would investigate surf centres back home and send the details on to the Foundation in the hope that the kids could keep up their surfing. And for the briefest of moments, she’d even thought of her family’s surf school, standing empty – such a waste – and the idea of talking to her parents – of opening their eyes to what was possible if she could get them on board with the idea, of the great work they could do. But there were so many what-ifs, so much doubt, so many past arguments to overcome…

And then there was Todd. He hadn’t even finished his lessons that he’d paid through the nose for and she knew he hadn’t taken them with anyone else. Guilt chewed her up inside and this time it had nothing to do with her past and everything to do with how she’d treated him. She knew she had to apologize, even if she had to drag him away to do it, she had to make him believe how truly sorry she was.

It was the reason she hadn’t bailed on the night altogether, that and the fact the people from the Foundation would be there, Tara’s parents among them.

Tonight was about celebrating the success of the work they had done with the surf school and hopefully it meant there would be lots more programmes like this one. Programmes that made her happy to be a part of, that got her out of bed of a morning and sent her to bed smiling at night. Only in the last week she hadn’t been smiling, she’d been pining. Missing Todd more than she could ever have thought possible. She’d tried telling herself it was because it was straight off the back of Zoe leaving, but she knew she was only lying to herself.

She wasn’t the same person she’d been before Todd’s visit. She wasn’t the same Malie who was happy in her own company, or messing about with the lads on the waves, or teaching at the school. She wasn’t the same Malie, content with sitting on her board patiently awaiting a wave. She wanted more.

But she also knew she wasn’t ready to take that plunge. Especially with