Page 55 of Two Tickets to Paradise

Vince watched as Buck took a step closer to him and set his hand on his shoulder.

"Whatever I can do to help, I will."

Vince felt a muscle tick in his jaw and tried to release the pressure in his muscles. "Do you know where I can find a place to stay until I figure out how to get home to Chicago?"

Buck's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't think Cora's going to like that."

"I don't like it myself, but I need to listen to her brother. I can understand and maybe even admire what he's doing. As much as it's going to hurt, I can't stay here and know that it's going to make things difficult between Cora and her brother."

Buck folded his arms across his chest and gave Vince a long, hard look. "Don't you want to find out what Cora has to say about this?"

"God, yes, but I'm only so strong. If she asks me to stay, I don't think I'd be able to tell her no. When she looks at me with those eyes..." Vince felt the air leave his lungs. "I don't want to mess things up with her and I feel like I've already done that."

"I don't think so." Buck shook his head. "I'm pretty sure that things are going to blow over with her brother, but I can see your point."

Vince felt like a complete jerk. "Look, I don't want to put you in a tough spot. I can find a place to stay on my own."

"Give me a minute, okay?"

Vince nodded. "Anything."

Buck took his phone out of his pocket and took a few steps away.

As Vince stood there, he took his phone out of the pocket from the back of his board shorts. He opened the texting app and started to compose a message to Cora, but all of the words felt flat.

He deleted them all and put his phone back in his pocket.

"Okay."

Vince looked up at Buck and was a little surprised at the man's smile. "What's up?"

Buck gestured at his phone. "Lucky you're a squid."

"Okay?"

"The Navy Lodge in Pearl Harbor had a no show. They've got a place for you to stay for a few days."

He felt his heart fall into the pit of his stomach. It was one thing to be willing to do the right thing, but actually hearing that he had a place to go to? That hurt on so many levels. He just didn't want to admit it.

"The Navy Lodge, huh?"

Buck nodded.

"How did you manage that?"

The other man looked like he was going to shrug and brush it off but changed his mind. "The reason I think I know how you feel? Well, she works at the Navy Lodge. When I told her I needed to find a place so that Axl wouldn't beat up his sister's boyfriend, she was only too happy to say that she had a room available. So, if you want to stay there, she can comp you the room as a courtesy to a Navy man in need."

"Yeah... I guess so." He shook his head. "No, I know I should do it. I just don't want to."

Buck nodded. "I got it. Why don't you let me talk to Cora if you're worried about talking to her."

Vince balked at that. "It's not that I don't want to, I'm just-"

Buck gave his shoulder a pat. "I know, man. I know." He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a set of keys. "Here."

Buck put the keys in his hand. "The white Jeep Wagoneer outside. Go ahead and get in. I'll be out there in a minute or two."

Vince looked at the keys in his hand and then shifted his gaze to the bedroom door.

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