Page 38 of Emi's Hero

“I weigh a lot more than you, and it hasn’t broken yet,” he said. “Want some help up?”

She nodded.

George grabbed her on either side of her waist and lifted her to sit on the top rail. “Now swing your legs over to the other side and rest your feet on the rail below. I’ll hold you steady.”

She did as he said, liking the way his hands felt so warm and strong where they rested on her waist. Her pulse quickened, and a rush of heat flowed through her veins that had nothing to do with the sun shining down on them.

When she was steady and could hold herself up, George removed his hands from her body and climbed onto the fence beside her. “See?” he said. “It’ll hold both of us.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” she said and glanced at the pasture, counting the horses quietly grazing. “Eleven,” she said softly.

“That’s how many I counted,” George said. “They have a lot more than that, scattered across the various tracts. Cowboys on the ranch are calledPaniolo.”

As they sat on the wooden rail, watching the horses graze, George spoke softly about the ranch and how they combinedmodern techniques with cultural heritage to raise cattle. The ranch donated over six thousand pounds of meat annually to needy Hawaiians.

Emi listened, letting George’s rich tones calm her racing heart. By the time they climbed down from the fence, it was nearly time for lunch.

“Let’s clean up and see if Ule will let us help in his kitchen.” George held out his hand.

Emi took it as naturally as if she’d held his hand all her life. They walked to the ranch house together in silence.

The closer they came to the house, the faster her pulse pounded. By the time they stepped up onto the porch, she was nearing the point of hyperventilating.

George stopped and turned to face her. “Hey. It’s going to be all right. I’m sure Kalea’s friend won’t push you too hard. If you feel uncomfortable, all you have to do is stop.”

She stared up at him. “What if I don’t remember anything that will help us find Sara? Time might be running out for my little girl,” she whispered.

George took both her hands in his and leaned close until their noses practically touched. “We’re going to find her.”

For a long moment, she stared into his eyes, wanting so badly to believe him. She had to believe him. Had to believe they’d get to Sara in time.

“We’ll find Sara,” he said softly.

Emi inhaled, let the air out slowly and nodded. “We’ll find her.”

“Now, let’s wash up and invade Ule’s space,” George said with a wink.

He led her to the guest room where she’d slept the night before and into the bathroom. They washed their hands at the same time. Emi had the soap first. When she handed it to George, it slipped out of his hands.

He caught it before it hit the floor and returned it to the soap dish.

She rinsed first, then George.

When she reached for the towel, he took it from her and gently dried her hands and his.

The whole process felt oddly...intimate, leaving Emi slightly breathless by the time they left the bathroom.

She followed behind him to the kitchen, glad for a few moments to pull herself together.

Ule didn’t let them touch any of what he was cooking but put them to work setting the table with plates, glasses, cutlery and napkins.

When Kalea, Hawk and Mr. Parkman entered the kitchen at noon, Ule had George and Emi carry platters of sandwiches and bowls of beans and potato salad to the kitchen table.

George filled glasses with water, tea or lemonade, depending on what each person wanted.

Ule joined them for lunch and got into a discussion with Mr. Parkman and Kalea about the different techniques they were using to manage the cattle.

Emi found it fascinating, soaking up their words. After years without outside contact and no one else to talk with, she loved sitting at the table, listening to the voices of people who cared for each other and the land and animals they managed.

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