Page 48 of Big Island Weddings
He took a step back. “And you didn’t call me?”
“I wasn’t sure where we stood. You’ve been working so much…”
“I’m here for you. Always.”
“I’m here for you too. If you’ll let me be.”
His dark eyes were thoughtful as he reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. Then he took her hand and led her through to the living room, where they settled onto the deep blue couch.
“I’m sorry,” she said as soon as they sat down. “I should have started with that. I’m just… my head is all scrambled lately. I’m sorry for not telling you as soon as Rory’s dad showed up.”
He reached out and took her hand again, waiting for her to say more.
“When I first met Zeke,” she told him, “when we worked together on the cruise ships, he seemed like a nice guy.”
Tenn’s expression darkened at the mention of her ex-husband, but he didn’t interrupt.
“I had already been living with him for months when he started drinking too much, and it was years before things got really bad. And now, with Lorenzo, he seems like a good person… but I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s hard for me to trust that anyone is who they seem to be. Especially men.”
She paused, struggling to find the right words. A terror that she didn’t fully understand clawed at her chest.
“I think… I didn’t want him to know what you look like.”
“You would let him around Rory, but not me?”
“Rory didn’t get hurt last time,” she said, her expression pleading. “You did!”
“It’s not your job to protect me.”
“Why?” She yanked her hand away. “Why not, when you protect me?”
Tenn looked at her for a long moment, his expression intense and unfathomable. Then he slid off the couch and onto the floor. For a confused moment, Lani thought that he was kneeling to propose. Instead, he laid his head in her lap and put his arms around her. Confused, she put one hand on his head and another on his arm.
His shoulders shook, just once, and she was shocked to realize that it was a sob. When he lifted his head to look at her, though, there was no grief in his eyes. He looked up at her with immense relief.
“I thought that you were going to leave.” His voice was ragged.
Lani slid off of the couch and into his arms. He shifted on the floor until he sat with his back to the couch, cradling her against his chest.
“I saw him,” he said, speaking into her hair, “before Rory even told us about him.”
“You saw Lorenzo?” She shifted to peer up at him.
“Not a lot of Italians in Pualena,” he said wryly. “And he’s… friendly. Talkative.” His expression clouded. “Handsome.”
She took his face in both hands and kissed him. “I don’t want him,” she said against his lips. “I want you.”
“Say it again.”
“I want you. Only you. Forever.” She leaned back just enough to see him properly. “I want to be a family. You and me and our girls.”
“I want that too.”
“Well then.” She burrowed back into his embrace, threading her arms under his and resting her face in the crook of his neck. “The rest is just details. We’ll figure it out together.”
17
‘Olena
