Life's a Beach (22 page)

“I wanted to be here. I like working at Palekaiko. More than I like working in Hana.”

Amelia dug her heels in. “Wait,” she said. “I want to hear this.”

“We'll discuss this later,” Tetsuo said.

“I'm helping out with the luaus,” Michael went on. “They made me community coordinator.”

Tetsuo sneered. “A meaningless title.”

“But it's not. I've been in contact with the elementary schools. They're coming in to do a dance program. The kids are so excited.”

“We'll find another place to make that happen.”

“No one will go to it. Not like the Palekaiko. Anyplace else would be cheesy or would want to hire actors. Please, Uncle, I want to do this.”

“Michael, when I gave you permission to work there, it was so you would report back to me.”

“And I still can.” Michael looked up at Marcus. “Right?”

“You'll have to ask the new owner,” Marcus said, sliding the tablet over to Tetsuo to sign.

Amelia sagged. “I suppose it's for the best.” She turned her face into Samuel's shirt and tried not to cry.

Tetsuo signed it.

“I guess that's it, then,” Samuel said, hugging her tightly. He sounded almost as upset as she was.

“Not so fast,” Tetsuo said. “My nephew and Ms. Parker have intrigued me. I will not be turning the resort into condos at this time. It will remain the Palekaiko Resort…with one caveat: Michael and Ms. Parker retain their current positions.”

“I want a big raise, Buster, after the crap you pulled today.” Amelia pointed her finger at him.

Tetsuo waved his hand. “Fine. However, if after a year there isn't a change in the resort's financial status, you're both fired and I put up the condos as planned.”

“What if we're successful?” Amelia asked.

“I'm a betting man. I don't think you can do it. But you have made it interesting, and I'll enjoy watching you fail.”

“But if we can pull it off, then what?”

“If after a year the resort is profitable, in addition to being a cultural center, I will offer to resell it back to the Kincaides. At the same price they sold it to me today.”

“Why would you do that?” Amelia asked, flabbergasted.

“I like the idea of bringing our heritage to visitors to our island, and your ideas are very innovative. Therefore an additional condition would be that Ms. Parker becomes hotel manager immediately and remains so until the resale.”

Amelia opened her mouth to tell him to go right to hell. Then she looked up at Samuel, who smiled and winked at her. He'd sold the resort, but she could still have her home, at least for another year. More, if she made it profitable. “I'll do it,” Amelia said. “For triple my current salary, since you've promoted me. And I'm going to need a month's paid vacation to ease all of the ugliness that's happened between us.”

Tetsuo laughed. “Then I'll have to insist that Michael be your assistant manager, and he will be reporting to me.”

She looked again at Samuel, who nodded.

“I'd like a renovation budget,” Amelia said. “I've got several ideas for the resort. And I want a crack at your Hana hotels as well.”

“And so you shall,” Tetsuo said. “But I grow weary of this conversation. I have what I wanted. You have what you wanted. Samuel, you have forty-eight hours to get your construction workers off my property.” Tetsuo bowed to them. “Goodbye.”

When they were back on Samuel's yacht, they left Michael with the crew, and Marcus and Samuel joined her downstairs.

“Are you mad that I took the position?”

“Not at all,” Samuel said. “Will you keep me on as snorkel instructor?”

“If you stop slacking.”

“Are you mad that we sold the resort?”

She shook her head. “Throughout this whole nightmare, all I could think about was how worried and stressed you would be. I don't want that life for you. This way you really can just be Dude, if you want. But you can be Samuel when you need to be too.”

Amelia wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

“And that's my cue to go,” Marcus said. “I'm not mad either. Not that anyone cares. Get a room, you two.”

Amelia heard him close the door behind him and thump up to the deck.

“Now, then,” Samuel said. “I need to be inside you. Right fucking now.”

“No complaints.”

He hugged her tight. “Let's try to avoid pissing off the yakuza in the future.”

“I can't promise anything,” Amelia said, pulling off her shirt.

Amelia rode the elevator up to the fifth floor for what had to have been the tenth time today. It had been a long year filled with Tetsuo's nonsense, trying to sabotage his deal. Thankfully, nothing had been as harsh as cutting the parasail tow line—even though the rat fink bought her a parasail adventure as a congratulatory present. She filed that invitation under
N,
for no fucking way.

After she finished checking all the rooms, she ran into Joely on the ground floor.

“Dude's looking for you,” she said, swinging her keys. “Your parents' and sister's rooms are all set too. Holt's keeping an eye on Mike just in case, but I think he's too worried about the high school hula finals tonight to be his uncle's flunky.”

“I hope so. Please tell me Dude wasn't in his hammock.”

“All right,” Joely said, walking away. “I won't tell you.”

Amelia stomped to the palm trees, which shone with a new coat of paint. “We don't have time to fool around today,” she told him.

“That's a damn shame, because I was just contemplating all the naughty things I would like to do to you.” Swinging in the breeze, Dude didn't even look up from under his Panama hat.

“Dude, please tell me you're sober.”

“
Wahine,
you need to learn to relax.”

Amelia counted off on her fingers the things she had to do. “I have to make sure someone picks up my family at the airport in case Tetsuo wants to get cute with the car service again. I need to check that our booze levels are adequate.”

“Mine are.”

She went on as if he hadn't spoken. “Marcus has been spending a lot of time surfing at Honolua Bay lately. I barely see him.”

“What do you need him for?” Dude asked, reaching into his bag. Instead of pulling out a beer, which was what she'd expected, he had a small box in his hand.

“He's the new owner. He needs to be here tonight to sign the papers with Tetsuo.”

“He'll be here, sunshine.” Dude sat up in his hammock. “And so will I.”

“Yeah, that's right.” Amelia crossed her arms. “I suppose you'll sign on as co-owner. I hope you don't think you're going to tell me what to do. I've enjoyed bossing you around far too much to ever go back.”

“I wouldn't dream of it. Now, will you sit down? I've got something for you.”

“Yeah, I've seen it. And like I just told you, I don't have time for a nooner.” Amelia straddled the hammock and sat across from him. “Not that I'm not tempted. Once this is all over, I'm taking my vacation and you and I are going to catch up on some serious naughtiness.”

“It's a date,” Dude said, pushing a strand of her hair out of her eyes.

“I'm sorry, I've been a little strung out lately. You've been a really good sport about my mood swings.”

“As long as I'm with you, I'll be happy.” He handed her the box. “I was going to ask you to marry me at dinner tonight in front of your family, but that asshole Tetsuo ruined it by wanting to sign the papers over dinner.”

“He didn't ruin anything.” Amelia's hands shook as she opened the ring box to reveal a heart-shaped diamond in a platinum setting.

“Will you be my beach bunny?”

“I would be honored, Dude.”

He slipped the diamond on her finger. Amelia admired the fire and sparkle of the cut, but not as much as the fire in the eyes of her fiancé.

“Aloha au Ia'oe,”
she said.

“I love you too, sunshine.”

To Raymond James—I'm glad we got to experience Maui for the first time together

There are a ton of people I'd like to thank. Without all their support and hard work, this book would have had a hard time getting into your hands.

My agent, the fabulous Louise Fury.

My editor, the wonderful Sue Grimshaw.

My publisher, the fantastic Gina Wachtel.

Random House's marketing people, rock stars Erika Seyfried and Ashleigh Heaton.

My peeps at CTRWA, especially those who were at the Cherry Adair workshop when this idea was sprung.

My friends Mary Sheahan and Tracy Costa, for checking the grammar and giving it a quick copyedit.

My amazing husband, Tom Schmidt.

Thank you for all your help. I am truly blessed to have you all on my team.

Heat

Longing

Fever

Life's a Beach

Beach Happens
(coming soon)

PHOTO: JOEY JONES FROM EXPOSURES

USA Today
bestselling author
J
AMIE
K
.
S
CHMIDT
has published more than thirty short stories in small-press journals and e-zines. She's an active member of the Romance Writers of America. When not writing, she relaxes with a mug of hot tea and knits or makes beaded jewelry.

jkschmidt.com

Facebook.com/​Jamie.K.Schmidt.1

@Jamiekswriter

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That's it for this month—but February is bigger and better than ever before. Hope to see you soon.

~Happy Romance!

Gina Wachtel

Associate Publisher