Page 51 of Big Island Neighbors
“What’s going on?” His voice was soft and sad, confused, and that only made her feel worse.
She took a few faltering steps towards the street, stopping when she reached the limits of his porch light. Golden light glowed from windows up and down the street, but the road home was be pitch black… save for the headlights of oncoming cars.
“At least let me drive you,” he said.
“Why?” A sudden rage flared in her chest, and she turned to face him.
“What do you mean, why?”
“Why me?” she demanded. “What do you even see in me?”
A look of hurt colored the confusion on his face. “Why are you angry?”
“I’m not angry!” she shouted.
One side of his mouth quirked up in suppressed amusement, and Lani laughed. The anger evaporated as quickly as it had come, taking the fear with it. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.
Tenn held out his hand. “Will you come back inside?”
She hesitated a moment, then nodded and put her hand in his. They walked back inside, and he closed the front door softly behind them.
“How about a cup of tea?”
“Sure.” She made an effort to keep her voice steady. She felt hollowed out and tired, exhausted by her own emotions. “Thanks.”
“Here.” He settled her on his oversized blue couch with a fuzzy blanket over her legs and then walked into the kitchen, glancing over his shoulder as he went to make sure that she was still there.
Lani took deep breaths, working to smooth away the last of her nerves. The air still held traces of their dinner, joined a few minutes later by the sharp scent of peppermint.
She focused on her breath and stroked the blanket on her legs like a cat until her heart finally settled back into its normal rhythm.
Tenn came through with two steaming mugs of tea and set them on his heavy wooden coffee table. It was a light color, unvarnished, and it made her think of driftwood. He joined her on the couch, leaving a buffer of air between them.
“Was that a real question before?” he asked.
“What question?”
“You asked what I see in you.”
Surprised, she met his eyes in a glancing way and then looked down at her hands.
“Can you really not see for yourself?” he asked.
She shook her head, refusing to allow the tears that burned the back of her throat.
“How is that possible?” he said softly.
“You deserve to be with someone who’s ready to go all in.” She leaned forward to pick up one of the mugs. It was warmin her hands, and she breathed in the scented steam. “Someone without all of this baggage.”
“I don’t know what I deserve,” he said, his voice hoarse, “but I want you.”
“But why?” she demanded, finally meeting his eyes. The depth of emotion that she saw there startled her, and she looked away again.
“Lani, I’ve been in love with you since I was fourteen years old.”
Involuntarily, she scoffed. Refusing to look at him, she bent her face low over the mug that she held.
“You don’t believe me.”
