Page 33 of Knot Your Sunshine
The thought slithers through my mind before I can stop it: What if this isn't about our approach? What if she's genuinely not interested? What if the biological compatibility doesn't mean enough to her?
"She needs time." I force the words out, trying to convince myself as much as them, my voice sounding steadier than the earthquake happening in my chest. "We had weeks to process finding our scent match. She's had all of five minutes."
"So much for not overwhelming her." Keanu turns from the window, his reflection doubling in the glass. His shoulders slump. "I honestly never thought our scent match would need to think about it. We're literally designed for each other on a molecular level. Plus, we can give her anything she wants, money, connections, support."
"Apparently not," Josh says, pushing his glasses up with his middle finger. "She's clearly driven by achievement, by building things herself."
"This reminds me of that old story from our village," Keanu says suddenly, leaning against the window. "About Kaleo and Nalani? The fisherman who waited on the shore for seven years because his love was too busy becoming the island's greatest navigator to notice him?"
Josh stops spinning. "Didn't he finally get her attention by becoming the island's greatest canoe builder?"
"Yeah, but it took him seven years." Keanu holds up seven fingers like we might not understand the number. "Seven years of watching her sail past his beach every morning, never even glancing his way."
The knot in my gut twists tighter.Ugh, I don't want to wait seven years.
"So what do we do?" Josh's chair creaks as he spins again, slower this time.
I breathe deep, pulling in the last traces of Mia's scent, trying to memorize it in case—no. Not going there.
"We wait." The words scrape my throat like broken glass. "We give her the space she asked for."
"That's it?" Keanu pushes off from the window, his whole body radiating disbelief. "Just... wait?"
"And plan better for round two." I force my features into something that might pass for confidence if you squint. "She'll come around. The bond is too strong to ignore..."
It has to be.
Chapter thirteen
Mia
"You okay? You look like death." Elena appears beside me at the resort's main entrance, concern creasing her brow as she takes in my restless pacing.
I grab her arm without breaking stride. "Please walk with me. I can't stand still."
"Where?"
"Anywhere. Away from here." My eyes scan the perfectly manicured landscape until they land on a hand-painted wooden sign nestled between two hibiscus bushes. The cheerful yellow letters read "Waterfall Trail." Perfect. "There."
We head toward the small path that branches off from the main walkway. Native ti plants mark the entrance, their broad red and green leaves creating a natural archway.
Moments after we step onto the packed earth trail, the world transforms. Towering palms rise above us, their fronds whispering secrets to each other in the breeze. Ferns unfurl on either side of us, and flowering ginger plants release bursts of zestiness as our shoulders brush past.
"So?" Elena asks, matching my pace. "Tell me what happened!"
"They were the person who DMed me." The words tumble out. "Josh and Keanu… and this other alpha I met last night."
Elena stops so abruptly I almost trip over her. Her mouth falls open like she doesn't where to start. "Wait, what? Josh and Keanu? And who's that alpha you met last night?"
"I went down to the beach to check out the glowing ocean after I texted you," I say quickly, the words rushing out. "There was this alpha playing ukulele by a fire. Noa. We talked, and then..." Heat floods my cheeks. "We kissed."
"You KISSED?" Elena's voice rises an octave.
"Yeah, but I pulled back. Didn't let it go further." I tug her forward, needing to keep moving. "Anyway, they're the ones who flew me here. They orchestrated everything. The ticket, the suite, the encounters... everything."
"But why hide it? Why not just tell you from the start?"
I take a deep breath, preparing for what's about to blow her mind completely. "Because... they're my scent matches."
