Page 67 of Big Island Moonlight
“Are you okay?” Tenn asked, sitting down beside her.
“I sold over a thousand books,” she said breathlessly. Rory gasped and clapped her hands.
Relief washed over his face, and he grinned. “Congratulations.”
“No, you don’t understand. I sold over one thousand books overnight. More than twice what I had already sold. Inmonths.And the sales are still coming through.”
“Lani, that’s amazing.”
She showed him the video that had set off the tidal wave of sales, and the flood of comments and new followers that she had gotten as a result.
“Mama, you sold a thousand books?” Rory asked, crawling up onto the couch beside her.
“I did, baby. I can’t believe it.”
“That means we’re going to Italy!”
Lani gaped at her daughter, then smiled bashfully at Tenn. “I did say that, didn’t I?”
Olivia appeared from down the hallway. “We’re going to Italy?”
“I think we are.” She cast a questioning look towards her husband, who smiled and grabbed her hand.
“I guess it’s time to start looking at flights.”
“I’d say we’re overdue for a vacation, wouldn’t you?”
“Eager to escape from paradise?” he teased.
She sighed and squeezed his hand. “I want to spend some time together as a family – away from all of the demands and distractions of daily life.”
Tenn’s eyes softened. “That does sound nice.”
“It’s an adventure!” Rory shouted.
“It sure is.” Lani laughed and opened her arms, and Rory launched herself into her embrace. “What do you think, Olivia? Are you ready for an adventure?”
“I guess.” She crawled up next to Tenn and peered at them cautiously. “What will we do there?”
“Eat phenomenal food,” she said, smiling at Tenn.
“And see amazing art,” he added.
“And saybuongiornoto everybody!” Rory said.
“There’s pizza and ice cream and music and all sorts of fun things to do,” Lani told her.
“Okay,” Livie agreed, grinning. “Let’s go to Italy.”
25
Juniper
Juniper rose in the wee hours to get Wilder a new diaper. She changed him on a towel on the floor in a rectangle of moonlight, hoping that if she kept the lights low, he might go back to sleep… but no such luck. He was wide awake and babbling loudly – his new favorite pastime.
She put him on her hip and carried him out to the kitchen, leaving Cody to sleep. He’d adjusted to fatherhood over the past few months and no longer slept quite as deeply as he had before – but he had class all day, followed by deliveries, and she wanted to let him rest.
The glowing red numbers on the oven clock read4:53.
