Page 37 of Two Tickets to Paradise

Cameron smacked his open palm on the door and spun around. "Just my luck."

Maile looked over at Cora and gave her a wink. "He's too obnoxious. You know that."

Cora touched her fingertips to her chest and smiled at Maile? "Me? That's kind of news to me."

Maile swung an incredulous look at Kawehi. "Come on, Cuz! Tell her!"

Kawehi braced one hand on the table and leaned out her hip to brace her hand on it. "Tell her what?"

"OH!" Maile turned back to the corn and put her frustration into stripping them down to the cob.

Kawehi sighed. "If you've got the salad, I'm going to help her or we're going to end up with just a handful of corn cobs for dinner."

Cora dug her spoon into the salad and watched as Kawehi wrestled some of the corn away from her cousin, warning her with a gentle voice, "How is she going to try Kahuku Sweet Corn, cuz, if you tear the kernels off the cob."

"Ohhh... he just makes me so mad!"

Cora watched as Kawehi started shucking the corn cobs as Maile tore into the corn and her brother at the same time. Things were going to be really interesting while she was in Hawaii. Really interesting.

TEN

Vince was havinga remarkable time in Hawaii. Sure, it had only been a few hours, but there was something to be said for sitting at the side of the lake with a beer in his hand where the weather alone wasn't trying to freeze him to death.

They weren't joking about the cold wind coming off of the lake in Chicago, but Enchanted Lake was quickly living up to its name.

Riptide, the Navy man assigned to the Marine unit was enjoying the fact that he wasn't the only squid in the group.

The food that was currently sitting in his stomach was some of the best he'd ever had outside of his family's kitchen. Add to that the beer and the company?

He was enjoying himself immensely.

Kawehi, Pallas' wife, leaned forward and gave him a curious look. "Aren't you overly hot in those pants? That shirt?"

"What? I'm not stylish enough?"

She shook her head laughing. "I'm afraid you're going to pass out if that's what you're wearing while you're here in Hawaii."

"I think you're right," he nodded. "Is there somewhere I can grab some clothes that would be better for the islands?"

Vince avoided looking at Cameron knowing that he was probably looking over at him. He had been watching him all through the afternoon and he'd likely keep doing it until they left Hawaii. Vince didn't let it bother him. If Cameron was in a mood to be menacing, he could.

He was enjoying himself regardless of Cora's brother putting him under a microscope.

It didn't hurt him at all, and he was enjoying his time with Cora more than he thought possible. Buck, the other Marine who'd come to the airport to pick them up leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. "If you want, I can give you the names of a few places you can go and get some clothes better suited for the climate."

"Yeah?"

Buck shrugged. "Sure. I remember when we first got here, I had clothes more like yours and the humidity," he rolled his eyes. "I don't think I've ever sweat that much in my life. I've been in some of the Southern states and thought I had a hold on what humidity felt like and then I got here and swore I was going to sweat through my dress uniform the first time we went out to do a Toys for Tots event."

Arctic almost spat out his beer. "I remember that. When they decided to move the box under an awning I wanted to bend down and kiss the ground. It wasn't cool, but at least we weren't standing in the sun."

Pallas shook his head. "Really?"

Buck looked over at his friend. "Yes, really. Not all of us were meant to live in the Pacific, this close to the equator."

"Wuss!" Cameron tossed his head back and laughed. "If he brought the wrong clothes, that's his problem!"

Maile huffed out a breath. "Don't be a complete ass! That's not living Aloha, Axl."

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