“Really?” He could hear the disbelief in Kal’s voice. “I don’t recall you doing that for Miss Qatar.”
“That was because she was with a couple of friends that went out during the day. Paige is here alone.”
?
?What kind of person comes to Hawaii alone?”
Mano sighed. He didn’t really want to get into Paige’s story with Kal. “The kind of person that could use a vacation and a knowledgeable tour guide.”
“What good are you as a tour guide if you won’t leave the property?”
“We left the property!” Mano snapped at his older brother. Kal always thought he knew everything. He was older and wiser, while Mano was just the baby. It had only gotten worse after their parents died. At that point, Kal decided he was the head of the family and needed to not only run the show but care for Mano as though he were still a child. Never mind he was nearly eighteen at the time he lost his eyesight.
“Okay, okay,” Kal said. “How long is the nurse from San Diego in town?”
“Until Friday afternoon.”
“That’s a shame. I’m going to just miss her.”
“How’s that?”
“I’m flying over on Sunday for Tutu Ani’s birthday. You didn’t forget about her party, did you?”
Yes. “No,” Mano insisted. “I wouldn’t forget our grandmother’s birthday. I just thought you’d be too busy to come.”
“You’re the workaholic, little brother, not me. Of course I’m coming. After a week with your friend, I expect you to be in a good mood when I arrive.”
“Don’t get your hopes up on that. You know those big family gatherings always make me tense.”
“Your family should be where you feel the most at ease,” Kal argued.
“Yes, well, I only feel at ease at the Mau Loa. So unless they’re having the party here and neglected to tell me so I could book the ballroom, I won’t be having much fun. But I’ll go for Tutu Ani’s sake.”
Honestly, it wasn’t just the location that stressed Mano out. The large crowd of family, the well-meaning but pushy aunts treating him like an invalid, the kids running in front of him and unnerving Hoku...it all added up to an afternoon he’d sooner do without. He hadn’t really even enjoyed the gatherings when his parents were alive and he could see.
“You know they’re having it at Aunt Kini’s place. It’s the only place we can bury the pig.”
Thank goodness Paige was here. That’s all Mano had to say about it. She would be a welcome distraction from the upcoming chaos. Hell, he’d completely forgotten about his grandmother’s birthday celebration until Kal mentioned it. He’d be happy to lose his memory once again in Paige’s arms.
“Did we get her a gift?” Mano asked. He couldn’t remember.
Kal just sighed into the phone. “Yes. We went in together to get her the golden South Sea pearl necklace with the diamond clasp. You don’t remember sending me a check for that? People usually remember paying that much for something.”
Mano just shrugged. “We both have more money than we’ll ever spend. I really don’t pay attention to things like that.”
“Well, at least pay attention to your phone. I’m going to text you when my plane leaves Maui. I need you to send the car to pick me up.”
“Okay.” Mano made a note of his brother’s arrival and his grandmother’s party in his calendar so he wouldn’t forget again. “I’ll see you Sunday. Don’t take it personally if I don’t answer the phone between now and then.”
Kal barked an evil laugh into the phone. “I won’t. I know you’re getting busy. I mean, you’re busy.”
“Goodbye, dork.”
Mano heard his brother laugh again into the phone as he ended the call. He loved Kal, but he certainly didn’t mind that they lived on separate islands now. He was happy to have his space, from his brother and from the rest of the family. At the Mau Loa, he was in charge and confident of his every move. Although they knew he ran the family business without a hitch, his family was still prone to treating him as though he were newly blind and incapable of doing anything for himself.
They certainly wouldn’t believe what he’d done over the last few days. His little adventures with Paige had been out of the norm for him. While it made him uneasy, it also was a shot of excitement into a life he’d crafted to be very predictable and dull.
Paige was anything but, and he liked that about her. It made him wish, for the first time, that she wasn’t a tourist. Going into these short-term flings, Mano could always guarantee that he knew when the relationship would end. There was no reason to worry about an ugly breakup or a woman walking out on him, like Jenna had. Paige was the first woman who made him want more. He didn’t know what more he wanted, but he wasn’t looking forward to the end of the week.