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

‘Of course.’ Grace scanned the crowd, craning her neck and frowning. ‘He did have a call to take earlier, I think he might still be on it.’

She turned back to Malie, ‘As soon as he returns, I’ll bring him to meet you. I know he’s keen to discuss the initiative with you directly. In the meantime, I highly recommend the Fun For All cocktail we’ve had mixed specially, it’s going down a storm.’

A waitress appeared as though beckoned with a tray of tall cocktail glasses and a drink that very much resembled a Tequila Sunrise, complete with colourful umbrellas, orange slices, cherries and straws. Malie picked one up and grinned as Kalani did the same.

Her godfather was a tower of a man and broad as a bodybuilder, seeing him with such a drink topped off his alien outfit rather brilliantly.

He sipped at the straw and she felt the giggle bubble up in her belly.

‘Say anything…’ he said around the straw as Grace walked off into the crowd, ‘and that double shift will be a triple.’

She took the straw between her lips, fighting back her smirk, and sucked down the sweet drink. She looked to the stage and tuned in to what Eddie was saying.

‘We have a fabulous item up next; you’ll all want to get your hands on this one, especially if you missed out on the surf lessons with our very own Kalani that were on offer earlier this evening.’ Malie felt her cheeks colour as she realized where this was going. Eddie chose that exact moment to catch her eye above the crowd. ‘We have a package of five private sessions, only this time they are being offered by the legend that is, Malie Pukui!’

There was a round of applause and she felt her cheeks heat further.

‘We arrived just in time,’ Kalani murmured, clearly amused to see the discomfort transferred to his goddaughter.

‘Who’s going to start us off?’ Eddie asked the crowd.

‘A thousand!’ someone shouted.

‘Twelve hundred!’

‘Fourteen hundred!’

Figures were flying through the air and the excitement in the room was palpable. She took another sip of her drink and felt her pulse racing with the thrill of it, her embarrassment forgotten. To know that this was something she was able to offer personally and have it raising so much money for the Foundation was wonderful.

‘This is fantastic, Malie, fingers crossed they secured something similar for mine earlier.’

She nodded, her eyes fixed on Eddie and wondering when the bidding would end.

‘Tell you what, ladies and gentlemen, why don’t I bring the lovely Malie up here and you can see for yourself the amazing company you will have for those five lessons – her smile alone is worth it! Hey, Malie!’

He sent her a wink across the room and she shook her head with a laugh.

‘Come on…’ Eddie waved his hand at her and the crowd started to turn, hunting her out. Kalani nudged her with his elbow.

‘You can’t leave him hanging.’

‘You’re only saying that because you managed to escape!’

Kalani shrugged. ‘You only have yourself to blame for taking so long to turn up.’

‘I was having a hair emergency.’

‘Be that as it may, your hair can’t save you now.’

She laughed again, ‘I’m gonna kill him.’

Kalani chuckled. ‘Best save that for after the auction, he’s doing an epic job of it.’

Her godfather was right. Eddie was doing a great job and she had to trust him. If her going up there raised even more money, then it would be worth every step.

She walked forward, her drink still in hand, and smiled at the crowd parting before her. Eddie filled the air with her numerous surfing accolades, and she tried to tame her smile; it wouldn’t do to look too arrogant about it all but hearing it listed like that made her heart pound harder and her lungs feel fit to burst. She really had achieved a lot and sometimes it was easy to forget in the day-to-day running of the school.

‘Hey, Malie.’ He grinned down at her, holding out his hand to help her onto the stage; she took it, stepping up and turning to look out over them the crowd.

It was hard to make out Kalani – to make out anyone – with the lights now directed onto the stage, onto her.

‘Here she is, folks. Say hi, Malie.’

She leaned into his mic and gave a soft ‘Hi’, her fingers fluttering in a wave.

‘Four and a half thousand!’ The shout was instant and Eddie laughed.

‘Remember, it’s just the lessons, folks!’

Oh, God. She wasn’t one to blush, that was Lils’ trick. But right now, the heat flushing her body had less to do with the hot lights and everything to do with the suggestion in Eddie’s statement. The laughter rippled through the crowd, along with a flurry of further bids. She squinted against the lights, trying to make out who was bidding but it was impossible.

‘Five thousand!’

‘Five and a half!’

‘Si—!’

‘Twenty thousand.’ The male bid stole through the crowd, steady, level, controlled. Nothing like the previous shouts had been.

An amazed hush swept the room, Eddie made a choked sound like he’d swallowed his own mic and then he coughed, his brow hitting the heavens.

‘Did I just hear twenty thousand dollars?’ he said, leaning towards the crowd with his ear and giving Malie a quick smile, bringing the reality of the sum home for her too.

‘Yes, twenty thousand.’

She tried to follow the voice in the crowd – there was something so familiar to it, disturbingly familiar. But it couldn’t be. It couldn’t.

It was just the familiar English twang that made her think of him.

‘Wow!’ Eddie declared, one hand raised in the air. ‘Well, in that case, I think we have a winner who definitely deserves to take to the stage too. Come on up here, twenty-thousand-dollar man!’

The crowd applauded, the excitement travelling through the room as the sea of people began to part and the lights on the stage found him in their midst.

Her heart leaped