Page 5 of Broad Shoulders

This could either be the best decision I’ve ever made or one of the worst. Either way, there’s no turning back now.

I look out at the view as the plane begins its descent toward Hawaii. Below, the islands rise from the ocean like some impossibly perfect postcard. The sight makes my heart jackhammer in my chest. It’s been almost a year since I was here. A year should have been enough time to get over Alana. But I failed completely, and now I’m coming back to see her again.

I know the odds are against me. She made it crystal clear she didn’t want any strings attached. But I’ve spent almost a year with her constantly on my mind, and I’m going crazy. I have to try.

The airplane touches down, and I stand up from my seat, relieved to finally remove myself from the too-small airplane seat. As I exit the plane, warm tropical air hits me, heavy with moisture and the scent of flowers. My pulse quickens with every step I take toward the terminal.

Whatever happens tonight, at least I’ll have an answer.

When I show up at Honu that night, it looks just like I remember it. The same weathered wooden sign. The same warm glow spilling from the windows. The same sound of locals chatting and laughing inside.

I take a deep breath and walk in. The scent of beer and worn wood surrounds me. It’s almost like stepping right back in time. Alana stands behind the bar, pouring a shot of something amber into a glass as she talks to a customer. Her dark braid falls down her back, swinging a little as she moves. My throat goes dry at the sight of her.

Then she looks up. The smile drops from her face. She nearly fumbles the bottle she’s holding.

She recovers quickly, finishing with her customer before coming around the bar toward me. Her face is serious, guarded. We meet in the middle of the room.

“What are you doing here?” Her voice is steady, but her eyes give away her shock.

I drink in the sight of her—she’s even more beautiful than I remembered. Jesus, thosecurves. “I came to see you.”

Alana glances around the bar, then jerks her head toward the door. “We need to talk outside.”

I follow her through the door, confused by her reaction. She leads me to a spot a few steps away from the entrance, where we won’t be overheard.

“Did they give you my messages?” Her eyes search mine intently.

“What messages?” I ask.

“The ones I sent to the team.”

Hearing that she tried to reach me sends a jolt of hope straight through me. “No. No one reached out.”

She processes this. “So you just decided to come on your own?”

“Yeah.” I run a hand over my jaw. “I haven’t been able to get you out of my head, Alana. I know what you said about keeping things casual, and I tried to respect that. But I had to come back. I had to see if there was any chance for us.”

She hesitates, looking down. I can tell there’s something she’s struggling to say. Finally, she takes a breath. “Okay, I’m just going to tell you. Jackson, after you left, I found out I was pregnant. I had a baby two months ago.”

The words hit me like a fastball to the chest. I stare at her, unable to form a coherent thought. “What? Are you serious?”

She nods, confirming the bombshell she just dropped.

“A baby.” I repeat the word, trying to make it real. “Boy or girl?”

“Boy.”

A son. I have a son. The concept is too huge to grasp. “Where is he? Can I meet him?”

“He’s with my mom when I’m working.” She watches my face carefully. “You can meet him tomorrow, if that works for you.”

“Of course it does.”

“Where are you staying?” A hint of a smile touches her lips. “The Palm?”

“No. I rented a guesthouse this time.”

“What’s the address? We’ll come by tomorrow afternoon.”

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