Page 54 of Gin and Lava

“It’s worked out so far.”

“Good. Keep telling yourself that.” Connor picks up the remote and turns up the volume. “But what a woman really wants is to be pursued. Desired. Hunted.”

“She isn’t a velociraptor,” I grumble. “And yes, I knowJurassic Parkis from the 90s.”

Connor turns to me with a smile. “Well, mine was a dragon. Maybe you don’t hunt a Viking Princess. Maybe you get your battle ax and give her a different kind of challenge.”

I frown at Connor, but at the same time, that sounds freaking hot.

Could I really show up at her work?

17

NAOMI

Soothing bamboo music pipes through the speakers at the Mandara Spa as I reset my cart for my next client. Normally, I find the music at work calming, along with the get-your-Zen-on décor of golden Buddhas and up lighting. But nothing seems to settle my nerves lately, especially with Shauri sending me three-hundred emails a day. I exaggerate, but it feels like she’s shooting off every thought that runs through her head.

I’m also trying to not call Mason. Even though it’s crossed my mind that he’d be some sweet stress-relief.

My phone buzzes and Bridezilla’s name blinks on the screen, causing the knot in my stomach to churn. I’m not supposed to take calls at work, but the twenty-minute voice message I’ll receive for not picking up seems worth the risk.

“Shauri, hi,” I say, answering the call, and to my surprise the phone clicks open a video chat. Shauri’s grinning face smooshes into the frame, her auburn hair wobbling in a bun atop her head.

“Naomi!” she screeches. “Thank the Goddess, I caught you!”

I plaster on a smile as Shauri launches into a barrage of words like she’s Niagara Falls.

“I have some thoughts on the alcohol menu,” she begins. “Oh! And I was thinking we could get fresh flowers for everybody’s rooms. You know, a little aloha fragrance to go with the sound of the ocean. We should get leis, too, right? Nothing saysWelcome to Hawaiibetter than a necklace of orchids. Wouldn’t that be amazing? Do you know a florist in Waikiki? Or maybe we could get them at the airport. I remember ladies with refrigerators full of them near the arrivals gate.”

“Don’t you have a wedding planner?” I interject, not in the mood to track down a wedding’s worth of flowers for my aunt’s beach house.

“Of course!” Shauri laughs, lounging on the patio of her Washington home, a fog of grey skies behind her. “But the wedding planner is doingthe wedding. Not this part. Obviously.”

“Right. Look Shauri, I’m at work and—”

My co-worker Elise walks into the backroom and motions to me.

“Oh my gosh,” Shauri continues. “What if you gave massages to everyone as part of the pre-week fun?” I walk toward Elise as Shauri blabbers on. “Beach-side massages sound divine. Don’t you do contract work on the side, not just at your salon?”

“It’s a spa, not a salon,” I correct.

“There’s at least nine of us,” Shauri points out. “We would need to get some of the other ladies at your salon to help.”

“I thought this was a pre-wedding vacation, and I was a guest,” I say, not wanting to work, much less for free, which is what Shauri will expect. “I was hoping to enjoy the time off.”

Elise crosses her arms, waiting politely.

“It would only be for one day,” Shauri pouts. Except, she’s not considering the time it’ll take for me to set up the beach house, get food, set up the decorations, and whatever else is on her enormous Naomi-must-do list.

“Shauri, can you hold on a sec,” I say, noticing Elise is getting antsy. I drop the phone to my shoulder so Shauri can’t see my face. “Sorry, Elise. What’s up?”

“I just wanted to let you know your boyfriend is here,” Elise says with a frown.

“Excuse me? My what?”

“He’s up front.” She motions toward the front desk. “He doesn’t have an appointment, but wants to make one. I’m not sure if he’s joking. Maybe you should—” She motions for me to follow her to the reception desk.

“Did I just hear—” Shauri’s voice croons at my shoulder “—that you have a boyfriend? That’s so exciting! Is he your—”

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