Page 10 of Forgotten Promise

Kailani had no idea why those words had always worked, but dammit if they didn’t sink in and soothe the rough edges.

Today…they weren’t having the desired effect, as she forced herself back to the couch and made herself sit down.

No more pacing.

No more freaking out.

She could do this.

She’d known this day was coming ever since returning from her trip to Boston four weeks earlier, and while she’d tried to distract herself with work, the overwhelming feeling of dread had never fully lifted.

She jumped, startled, when there was a knock at the door. Even though she’d been expecting it.

Time’s up.

She took a deep, steadying breath, then rose and crossed the room.

Kailani opened the door, and her smile came easily when she saw John.

“Aloha, John,” she said. “It’s so nice to see you again.”

“It’s good to see you too, Kailani.” John stepped into the room. His smile was warm and friendly, and her heart panged a little as, once again, she wished things were different.

Kailani hadn’t recognized his name or handsome face at the binding ceremony, which made sense as she’d since learned that—unlike her and Benjamin—he wasn’t a legacy. His name had been put forth for membership by the mayor of L.A.

A detective in the major crimes division, John had the best homicide closure rate in the country, cracking over two hundred cases, most with confessions, and he was still young, only thirty-five.

John held his duffel bag, and her stomach sank at the sight of it, even though her own suitcase was packed and ready at her apartment should things not go the way she hoped today.

“Go ahead and put your bag down here. This suite will be yours. I thought we could chat, in private, before heading down to lunch.”

Her smile faded when she heard another voice at the door.

“Hello, Kailani.”

She scowled, her voice cold when she said, “Benjamin.”

Turning away from Benjamin, she offered him no other greeting or even an invitation to come in. Instead, she walked over to the couch and sat back down heavily.

“Good to see you too,” Benjamin said, sarcastically dragging his ridiculously oversized suitcase into the suite.

What the hell did he have in there?

Kailani pointedly ignored him.

They were all here together at John’s request. He had contacted both of them via email a few days earlier, asking if the three of them could meet in Boston a day or two prior to the wedding ceremony.

It was Benjamin who’d suggested meeting at Hale’ekolu, as he was in Japan for business, and his flight was stopping in Hawaii on the way back to the states anyway. John was going the wrong way by flying west to Hawaii first, but she was grateful they were here because in truth, the timing of the binding ceremony couldn’t have been worse. She was knee-deep in the renovation project and her absence meant more work for her family if she left the hotel.

“How have you been?” she asked John, who claimed the spot next to her on the couch.

“Busy. While L.A. is sometimes short on water, the same can’t be said for criminals. I’ve just closed a case. Double homicide.”

“You cracked it?” Benjamin asked as he sank down in an overstuffed chair across from them.

Kailani was curious about Benjamin’s question, as well as his familiarity with John.

John nodded. “I did. Finally. The media surrounding the case hindered us for a while, as we were forced to work our way through hundreds of calls from people who thought they saw or heard or knew something. In the end, it was one of those calls that panned out and pointed us in the right direction.”

---