Page 91 of Pallas & Kawehi

"Sure." He walked them all up to the front.

KAWEHI

The only breath of space they got was going through the metal detectors at the entrance of the hangar, but once inside it was an absolute crush. When they shifted around a corner of the maze of tables and booths, Kawehi managed a full chest breath. "Wow."

Maile shook her head and tried to take a step to the side but was nudged closer again. "I can't wait to get out on the other side. If this was a club, I'd be okay, but you know what this reminds me of?"

Kawehi turned her head. "Hmm?"

"Those videos they showed us about cows being led to slaughter."

Kawehi's nose scrunched up a little. "Not a great image in my head. Thanks."

Maile shrugged and that jostled Kawehi a little.

Laughing, Kawehi caught sight of a bathroom door just behind a booth offering local snacks. "Hey," she had to lean down a little as the volume of the room had gotten louder. "I think we're going to be in here for a bit. I'm going to make my way toward the bathroom."

Her arm was caught by her cousin. "I'll come with you."

"If you want, but with how slow the crowd is moving, I can probably get back to you before you get to the door."

Maile gave her a look that was more of a grimace. "Okay, but I don't know how you're gonna find me in this crush."

"Then come with me. There might be another way out of the hangar that we can see from the wall."

The two of them managed to change direction in the crowd and head toward the marked bathroom door along the wall.

NICK

He saw the two in the crowd and rolled his eyes as Maile started to follow Kawehi through the crowd.

Kawehi's cousin didn't like him. At. All.

The feeling was mutual.

Sure, she'd come to the wedding with the rest of the family, crowding into the tiny office for their civil ceremony, but she'd made it very clear behind Kawehi's back that she was watching him.

And that was one of the reasons he was so relieved to get away from the islands.

Welcoming? Hospitality? Right.

He leaned out from his place along the way and saw where they were heading.

Nice.

Kawehi was heading toward the bathroom. He should have known that was where she was heading. She was always the one to plan ahead.

He'd be the one wanting to get in and get to the fun.

They really sucked as a couple. He'd thought that they would be better than that. He thought she would have been grateful for all the attention he'd shown her. All the love he'd showered on her, but she was always going to work in the alley. Her family owned it! Why would she have to go to work all the time?

When he was home, he wanted to enjoy himself. He wanted a wife who was sweet and loving. He wanted a wife who was there when he got home. Someone who made his home a happy place. Not someone who worked more than he did!

He felt a muscle tick in his jaw, and he could feel his face heating up with anger.

Pushing away from the wall, he moved along the wall just outside of the table maze and moved closer to the bathroom. He'd been to the bowling alley looking for her but heard that she was taking the night off to go to the festival with her 'boyfriend.'

Yeah, they were going to have a talk.

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