Page 78 of Try Me

Unexpected Guest

Declan

A familiar soundbroke through the drumming of rain on the roof, and it took Declan a moment to realize that someone was knocking on the door to the cabin. Judging by the amount of light spilling in from the windows, it was early morning.

The knocking continued. Declan disentangled himself from Pearl, waking her as he rolled off the bed.

“Someone’s here,” he said, grabbing his T-shirt off the floor and handing it to her. “Put this on.”

Pearl sat up and pulled the shirt over her head. “Who is it?”

Declan yanked on a pair of shorts and went to the window over the sink that looked out on the front yard. Pushing aside the thin curtain, he saw a Jeep parked in the gravel outside.

“I think it’s Jack,” he said, letting the curtain fall back.

Declan strode over to the door and snatched it open, ready to give Jack a piece of his mind. But the man at the door wasn’t Jack. Dressed for a tropical storm in a black raincoat and fedora, Nate McKenna stood on the front porch.

Declan stepped into the doorway, blocking McKenna’s view. “What are you doing here?” McKenna was the last person he wanted to see at the moment, but he shouldn’t be surprised that his agent had found him in the middle of nowhere.

“You didn’t show up yesterday,” McKenna said. “I got worried.”

“So you tracked me down?”

“You’re not the only one, Bishop.” His eyes strayed over Declan’s shoulder. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he asked.

Declan stepped out onto the porch instead. “How are the roads?” he asked, determined to look on the bright side. At least they would get back to Oahu in time for the exhibition.

“The Hanalei Bridge is out, and the river is flooded. But Wainiha isn’t bad. I got here, didn’t I?”

“We can fly safely in this?”

“Don’t you trust me?” McKenna asked.

Declan owed McKenna his life, but that didn’t mean he trusted him.

“Pearl doesn’t like to fly. I want to make sure it’s safe.”

McKenna glared down at him. “Having a good time with her, are you?”

Declan clenched his fists at his sides. “What’s it to you?”

“Everything. I told you to get laid,” McKenna said. “Not fall in love.”

Declan took a deep breath, determined not to show his anger. “You don’t tell me what to do.”

McKenna’s scowl deepened. “That’s exactly what I do. And you listen to me because you want to be rich and famous.”

Declan sensed an opportunity. He took a deep breath and slowly let it go. “I don’t have to listen to you anymore,” he said.

“Open your eyes, Bishop,” McKenna said. “You’re a fool if you can’t see she’s using you. She’s only with you to further her career.”

Declan stared out into the rain. Of course that was true in the beginning. But things had changed in Kauai. Hadn’t they?

The door opened and Pearl stepped onto the porch. She was wearing Declan’s t-shirt tied in a knot at her waist and a pair of shorts. Her hair was up in a messy bun on top of her head, and her cheeks were pink. She looked like she’d just tumbled out of bed.

She narrowed her eyes at both men in turn. “Are we getting out of here?” she asked. “Or are you two going to stand around chatting all morning?”

Declan knew she was worried about making it back in time for the contest, but it saddened him that she was so eager to leave their little patch of paradise. Leave it to Pearl to get right to the point.

---