Carrying my shoes, I make my way past the afternoon crowds. I’m not very far into the journey when my phone starts blowing up. What now? I check it.
The messages are from Fi. She needs something, but the texts are cagey and not very specific. That’s odd. I hope she’s okay. She wants to meet at the Tiki, like we always do. ASAP.
My plans to trudge home, curl up into a little ball of self-pity, drink a lot of wine, and throw myself into bed changes in an instant. I’m tired, but I’m going to come through for my friends.
The timing works for sure, I’m not that far away from the Tiki now. And hey, at least it’s closer than my apartment.
I arrive and look around. Fi’s not here. Neither is Angie. Huh. In fact, the whole place looks deserted. It feels like something’s off, but I tell myself that’s because I’m not used to getting anywhere early.
With a shrug, I find our usual table and sit. After a minute I get restless, especially since there aren’t even any employees around. Alarm bells start going off in my head. Why aren’t there any employees? Nobody guarding the cash register.
I’ve been here plenty of times during lulls, but I can never once remember zero other customers or employees. What the hell is going on here?
I’m about to leave and text Fi that the place is deserted and it’s freaking me out and maybe we should meet somewhere else when I hear footsteps in the sand nearby. I look up. And I can’t believe my eyes.
Chapter Sixty-Nine
Kaylee
It’s Chase. He’s standing right in front of me. And he’s not wearing shoes. And he’s here. He’s here? What is he doing here? He’s standing there right in front of me wearing a huge smile. A part of me is so happy to see him, but then the events of the last couple of days come crashing in on my emotions.
I stand and look into his sea-green eyes. For a fleeting moment, I wonder if he’s a mirage. Despite how upset I am about the way we left things, he’s a sight for sore eyes. I just can’t help it.
Then I see the object in his hand. It’s the coconut monkey from the bar, the one he chose the night that we met. It brings back memories.
What exactly is going on here? “What are you doing here?” I ask softly. “I thought your plane left yesterday.”
“I wasn’t on it. I couldn’t leave.”
“Why not?”
Instead of answering, he sets the coconut monkey on the table and asks me to sit down. I sit. I still don’t know what’s going on, though. The coconut monkey is a sweet gesture, but I’m still confused.
“Why the coconut monkey? It’s an apology. I’m so sorry, Kaylee.” Even though I’ve only known him a few days, I can tell that the look on his face is sincere. “Please let me make it up to you.”
“What are you saying?” I ask. Is it possible that I was right? Is there something real between us?
He takes a deep breath. “The truth of the matter is, I don’t want to leave. I want to be here. With you.”
It’s the last thing I expect him to say. “But what about everything you worked for? Your new job as CEO? And Mark? And buying them all drinks and stuff?”
“Don’t you read the news?” He asks with a smirk. “I’ll sum up the latest headline for you. Big shot billionaire resigns his new position as CEO of a Fortune 500 company to follow his heart.”
“No!” I say. “You didn’t.”
“I did.”
I search his face. He’s telling the truth. And he did it for love. For me? I have to admit, it’s a damn good headline. “Why would you do that when you worked so hard to keep it?”
“I told you. I want you. You told me that my passion is not in that company. And you’re right. So I quit this morning. I came here to see if you’ll give me another chance. To see if you care about me like I care about you.”
I swallow, almost not believing what he’s telling me. He gave up his dream job to stay here with me? “I care about you, Chase. I have from the very beginning.” I fight back tears. It feels like a dream come true.
All of a sudden, Chase drops to a knee in the sand. He wears a nervous smile, but his face is also a mask of concentration. I hear gasps from somewhere behind the bar, but I ignore them.
“Kaylee Love, will you go out with me? For real this time?”
I drop to my knees in front of him. Then I lean forward and press my lips to his. I feel the same magic as the first time we kissed at the overlook. It’s a perfect, magical, blockbuster movie-worthy kiss.
“Is that a yes?” he asks when we finally break the kiss and come up for air.
“That’s a yes,” I answer.
His dimple is back. He stands and helps me up.
I hear giggling coming from the other end of the Beaky Tiki. From behind the bar, where I can’t see. “They’re all there, aren’t they? This whole thing was a setup.”
“Yes. Everybody. Your friends and my siblings. All huddled back there pretending badly not to eavesdrop.”
I’m still smiling and fighting back tears of joy all at the same time. I stare at Chase Covington. My boyfriend. It doesn’t feel real. I’ve wanted this the whole time, I just wouldn’t allow myself to hope for it. And now, by the looks of it, neither of us can stop smiling.
Clapping and shouting erupts from behind the bar.
“What do you say?” Chase asks. “Should we invite them over?”
I laugh. “I don’t think we have a choice, do we?”
“No,” he replies, “I think we’ve held them off long enough.”
One thing is still
