The Bride's Best Man

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Chapter Three

When the foursome reached the hotel, Pete said, “Do you mind if Shelby and I walk on the beach for a while? It’s a beautiful night.”

“No, of course not,” Kay said, after looking at her niece.

“We won’t be long,” Pete promised as he caught Shelby’s hand in his and headed out the open back door to the moonlit beach.

Kay looked at Dan. “Do you suppose he’s interested in her?”

“Why not? She’s attractive. You don’t mind, do you?”

“As long as it’s nothing serious. I wouldn’t want to leave her behind.”

Dan studied her carefully. “You wouldn’t consider moving to Hawaii?”

“I don’t think I’d make a good island girl. I’m a little too old and much too serious for a carefree existence.”

“I don’t live a carefree existence. I run a business, but I do it here in Hawaii.”

“I don’t think the question will come up, Dan. These boy-girl things happen on vacations all the time.”

“As I remember, when I left home, you had one of those boy-girl things going on. Whatever happened to him?”

“Tony Rico. I dumped him.”

“Why?”

“Because he wanted sex, and I refused. I’d already had an example right before my eyes of a forced marriage because of a pregnancy. But that was a long time ago.”

The elevator opened and Kay hurriedly said, “You don’t need to see me to my room. I’m fine.”

“I know you are.” Dan got into the elevator anyway.

They stood silently in the elevator, surrounded by strangers. When the door opened on her floor, Kay got out, calling a good-night to Dan over her shoulder. To her surprise, he followed her down the corridor.

“Really, Dan, there’s no need—”

“Yes, there is. Didn’t you find anyone worth dating in the past twenty years?”

Kay backed up against her door. “I’ve dated occasionally, but I had Shelby to care for and…and I was happy.”

“I hope so. I’d hate to think my marriage ruined four lives instead of three.”

“I don’t think it ruined Shelby’s life. She’s well adjusted and happy, too.”

“Because of you.” He leaned forward and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Bless you, Kay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then he walked back to the elevator.

Kay stood there watching him until the doors closed, depriving her of the view. She reached up and touched her forehead, still warm from his kiss. Just what did he mean by that?

“What did you want to talk about?” Pete asked Shelby, who had wrenched her hand from his the moment they were out of sight.

She turned to him, her features tight. “You’re treating this like it’s a game! I’m serious. I want to protect Kay!”

“From what, Shelby?”

“From Dan, of course. From his plan!”

“I don’t know what his plan is. But I don’t believe he’d do anything to hurt Kay. All he’s doing is a little flirting.” Pete smiled, sure he’d erased Shelby’s worries.

“You don’t understand! Kay gave up her freedom to take care of me for the past ten years. I don’t think she went out on more than five dates during those ten years. She’s inexperienced. Flirting could hurt her a lot!”

“I promised I’d try to find out what Dan’s plan is, but I can assure you he’s a good man. He wouldn’t hurt Kay,” Pete repeated.

“But he could make Kay fall in love with him, just by flirting. That’s why I need to know what he’s doing. Or maybe you could tell him not to do that.”

“Generally, if one works for Dan, one doesn’t tell him what to do,” Pete said with a grin. “It’s not good for one’s health.”

Her eyes narrowed. “So you’re afraid of him?”

“No, I’m not.” He pulled her close to him. “But I believe a man should make his own decisions.” Then he leaned over and dropped a kiss on her lips.

“Don’t do that!”

“Why not? I think we can find out more if Dan thinks we’re interested in each other.”

“You can just say we are. After all, we went for a walk on the beach in the moonlight, didn’t we?”

“Well, no. We haven’t actually gotten to the beach.”

Shelby looked around her. They were still on the lushly landscaped grounds of the hotel. “We can see it from here.”

“Well, at least give me another kiss so I can tell him the walk on the beach was fun,” Pete teased.

To his surprise, Shelby, in a serious mood, leaned forward and slid her arms around his neck. He readily pulled her against him and took the kiss much deeper than the first one.

When Pete finally lifted his lips, he hungered for more, but Shelby immediately backed away, staring at him.

“I…I have to go upstairs,” she said hurriedly, and rushed into the hotel lobby.

He didn’t know what that was all about. But he sure liked it.

The two men were quiet for much of their drive home.

Finally Dan broke the silence. “Is everything all right?”

“Yeah, sort of.” Pete could think of no way to get the information from his friend other than by asking him outright. “Shelby heard you say you had a plan. She wants me to find out what it is.”

Dan took his eyes off the road to look at Pete. Then he turned back to his driving. “That’s my business.”

“Look, Dan, I’d trust you with my life, but Shelby doesn’t know you. She’s afraid you’re going to hurt her aunt.”

“Hurt Kay? I owe her too much. Not that I’d ever even consider such a thing anyway. You can tell Shelby that Kay is safe from me.”

“Then why are you flirting with her?”

Dan looked at him again, and Pete was glad they were no longer in the areas of Honolulu heavily traveled by tourists. “You’re being ridiculous!”

“Am I? I noticed it as much as Shelby did. I know you’re not a womanizer. So what’s going on?”

“I’m showing an old friend Hawaii. That’s all.”

Pete tried it one more time. “So you really don’t have a plan?”

“Of course not.”

They finished the drive in silence.

The women didn’t go to the beach until after lunch. To their surprise, the two men joined them almost at once. Dan had rented Pete and himself a room for the day so they could shower and change before they went to dinner. Driving back to their homes would take too much time.

Dan stretched out on a towel beside Kay as the other two ran into the surf together.

“How do you think your plan is working?” Kay whispered.

Dan almost choked. “My plan?”

“You know. To get to know Shelby.”

He felt relieved. “I wouldn’t say she’s exactly taken to me. Would you?”

“No, but I think she’s getting used to you.”

“How about you? Are you taking to me?” he asked with a big grin.

“Oh, you!” Kay returned, smiling. “You’d better be glad I know you’re teasing!”

Dan went along with her. “Right. By the way, I like your swimsuit. It looks good on you.”

“Thank you. We don’t do a lot of swimming in Cleveland. I’m a little white so I’m covered in sunblock.”

“I’ll be glad to rub some on anytime you want.”

“There you go again! What with our pretending, as you suggested, you’re going to have Shelby thinking the wrong thing if you don’t stop that.”

“Okay, I’ll behave.” To take his mind off her beautiful shapely legs and curved bottom, he changed the subject. “Pete told me all about your knowledge of furniture. He was quite impressed.”

“I should know it. After all, I’ve worked in the furniture business since I was eighteen.”

“I thought you started your shop after college.”

“I did, using the insurance money I had from Mom and Dad’s deaths. But while I was in school, I worked parttime in a furniture store. Plus, I studied furniture in college. At least, I focused on it in my interior design classes. Furniture and antiques. I did a lot of that on my own. There are books where you can look up most anything.”

“Do you sometimes get antiques?”

“Yes. People don’t know what they’ve got. Have you ever watched The Antiques Roadshow? They have one set in the U.S. and one in England. You can learn a lot from watching that show.”

Dan raised himself on one elbow. “Did you think seriously about opening a shop here?”

She avoided his gaze. “No, of course not!”

“Why?”

Kay abruptly sat up. “Why would I? I have a perfectly good shop in Cleveland.”

“Because Shelby might decide to stay in Hawaii. She wouldn’t be the first person to arrive in paradise and decide not to leave.”

“Like you.”

It seemed like forever ago when he’d come to Oahu. Only, he’d come with every intention of staying. He’d needed to get away from Cleveland and everyone there, and Hawaii was the farthest he could go. Still, he’d fallen in love with the islands immediately.

He could tell he’d upset Kay with his questions. Before he could find a way to calm her down, she jumped to her feet.

“I think I’ll cool off in the water for a few minutes.” She ran down the beach to where the waves rolled into the shore. The surf was strong today, and Dan immediately rose and followed her. He wasn’t sure she’d be able to stand up if she went in too far at high tide.

She’d slowed down after she’d entered the water, feeling her way in. Shelby immediately came to her side, reaching her before Dan did.

“Aunt Kay, I’m glad you decided to come in! Isn’t it great?”

Since a wave rolled over her at that moment, Kay didn’t have a chance to answer. She would have gone under except for strong hands on her waist.

“I think you’re in over your head, Kay,” Dan whispered in her ear.

“Yes, I think I am.” As soon as he let her go, she began moving back toward shore.

“Wait, Kay!” Dan called out, turning to follow her.

“What did you say to my aunt?” Shelby demanded.

“I told her I thought she was in over her head. She’s shorter than all of us. I was afraid the waves would be too strong for her.”

“I’ll go see,” Shelby said, apparently finding his words unremarkable.