Page 84 of Aloha, Seattle

“That’s fair.”

He wants to say more. I know it. The corner of his mouth twitches whenever he keeps something to himself.

I feel like I owe him further explanation, but he says, “I hope you know that just because someone hurt you before, doesn’t mean the next person will. Like I told you a couple of days ago, you met the wrong man before you met the right one.”

Are you the right man?I want to ask, but I chicken out and ask instead, “What about you?”

Theo’s green eyes brighten. “I can see getting married one day. Kids too, if they happen, but I’m not in a rush to be a dad.”

You would be an amazing dad.

“What about you?” He squeezes my hand with a smile. “Kids?”

“Having kids makes me nervous. In the sense of what would happen to them if I…”Died.

He bobs his head in understanding even though I didn’t finish the thought. “That can be scary to think about, but hopefully not something to keep you from having kids if you really want them.”

Why are you so perfect?

I grin and he wants to know what he said that makes me giggle softly. “Do you think about this kind of stuff a lot? Marriage? Kids? The house in the suburbs with a dog and white picket fence?”

Theo laughs but then his chest rises and falls quickly. Our eyes lock and there is a seriousness in his gaze. Like there is something important he wants to say. My heart stops and I suck in a breath.

“Not until recently,” he says.

“What does that mean?” I whisper, wondering if he even heard me.

“Mind if I cut in?” Mama Athena flashes a proud smile between the two of us.

I am internally screaming and setting the reception tent on fire, but I nod my head.

“Absolutely.”

Athena kisses both of my cheeks and Theo squeezes my hand as I allow his mother to cut in.

I turn around to see how happy they are dancing together. She has him bend down so she can whisper something in his ear. He comes up with that perfectly wicked grin of his and he looks over his Mama’s shoulder at me. Whatever she said, it made him happy, and made him find me. And that warms my heart like the Grinch on Christmas Day.

I don’t plan to gawk at them while they share a moment, so I set my sights on the open bar I had originally hoped to visit upon first arriving to the tent. I slither my way past other guests as they dance, eat, and talk with wild hands flying through the air. I rest my elbows on the bar countertop once I reach it, and the bartender, who doesn’t even look old enough to be serving alcohol, smiles at me and asks what I’d like from the bride and groom’s drink menu.

I glance over my options quickly and settle on a Mai Tai, because what screams Hawaii more than a Mai Tai.

“Hey Cate,” Liam rests his arms against mine and smiles. “Enjoying the wedding?”

“I am,” I nod and mean it. “Sarah and Caleb look so happy. It was a beautiful ceremony.” Even though I spent most of it ogling the best man and entertaining naughty sexual thoughts.

Liam taps his empty beer bottle against the counter when the bartender looks his way and nods understanding Liam wants one more of the same. “They make a great couple,” Liam agrees.

“So do you and Tess.”

“Tess is great.” Just him hearing her name draws the sweetest smile from his lips. “You know, everyone expects me to propose.”

“Oh really?” I square my shoulders to his and ask. But what I really want to shout is,“Duh, you two have been dating for six years!”,but I refrain.

He bobs his head, smacking his lips, savoring the last drop of his beer. “Yeah. I love Tess, but I don’t like feeling pressured to make big decisions.”

Fair enough. I can’t fault him for that. I feel the same way.

“Have you told Tess that?” I ask as the bartender places a square napkin with Sarah and Caleb’s initials stamped on it and puts my Mai Tai on top. “Thank you,” I drop a five-dollar bill in his tip jar and turn my focus back to Liam.

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