Yeah. And here they were, finally, on the plane, flying high over the Pacific Ocean, heading to paradise. And, truth be known, she was really looking forward to it. Yes, they would have plenty of time alone. Jenna said she and Katherine planned to use this time to get reacquainted, to see if what they once had was still there. And Drew's job, according to Jenna, was to keep Jay occupied. Not a problem, she'd told Jenna.
How they planned to pull it off though, Drew had no idea. Didn't they think Jay would question them? Wouldn't it look odd if the two of them went off alone? Surely Jay would suspect they were up to no good. And when she did, would she then question Drew's actions? As far as Jay was concerned, she and Jenna were dating. So two couples vacationing on the islands, yet neither of them are spending time with their respective partners. Surely Jay wouldn't just dismiss that.
Drew glanced again over her shoulder, finding Jay watching her. Their eyes held, neither trying to pull away. Slowly, Drew felt her heartbeat increase, felt her shortness of breath, felt the energy between them. What was Jay thinking? But the slight smile, the intense stare... Jay was looking forward to this trip as much as Drew was.
And it had nothing to do with Katherine and Jenna.
Oh, yeah, there was going to be trouble.
Jay finally looked away, pulling her gaze from Drew and glancing quickly at Katherine. She still had her nose in her tour book, flipping through the pages like she'd been doing the whole flight. There was no conversation, no visiting. She'd simply been reading. Oh, occasionally Katherine would show her something, flashing a picture at her.
Like now.
"The Big Island has active volcanoes," she said, showing the picture.
"Are you interested?"
Katherine shook her head. "I don't think so. There's Jeep tours and hiking." She smiled. "Sounds more like your thing than mine."
Jay stared at her, wondering when their tastes had grown so far apart. In the beginning, they'd only wanted to spend time alone, with each other. They cooked meals in, rarely going out. They enjoyed each other's company back then. When did that change? When she took the job at Wilkes and Bonner? When Katherine went to work for Miles? Their time together got less and less. And the more Katherine moved up in her world, the further Jay moved down. Katherine was from a prominent family, from old money. She knew all the rules, all the proper etiquette, the right clothes to wear, the best restaurants. And Jay? No, not so much. She was lucky if she knew which fork to use at the fancy restaurants Katherine dragged her to. She rolled her eyes. Really, were four different forks necessary?
And now here they were, only hours from landing in Hawaii, a romantic destination for most. But for them? No. There would be no romance. There hadn't been even a hint of it since Katherine had fallen asleep in the middle of making love a couple of months before. Jay shook her head. No, not making love. Even if they had completed the act, she wouldn't call it making love.
She rolled her head to the side, looking out the window, seeing nothing. Ten days. She would spend much more time with Drew than she would Katherine. That was a given. Katherine already had excursions lined up for her and Jenna. She wondered at Katherine's sudden interest in art, in museums. In all their time together, Katherine never gave more than a passing interest in it. Perhaps it was a passion of Jenna's. Or maybe it was an excuse. Katherine knew, given the choice, Jay would much rather spend her time in the water. So to avoid being around her, she planned things she knew Jay would hate.
Again, that nagging feeling that Katherine just couldn't stand to be around her any longer hit full force. Going through the motions took on a whole new meaning. But if that was the case, then what the hell were they doing here? Why plan ten days in Hawaii with someone you had no interest being around?
Jay suddenly lifted her head, sliding her glance back to Katherine. Well, I'll be damned. They were going to Hawaii because Katherine wanted ten days with Jenna.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
"That's the great thing about time zones," Katherine said as she shut the door on their rental. "We just gained five hours."
Jay glanced at Drew, acknowledging the subtle wink she gave her.
"Oh, this is too quaint, Katherine," Jenna gushed as they walked up the wooden steps to the office. "It's just beautiful."
And it was, Jay admitted. They could hear the waves, smell the ocean, but it was hidden from this angle by row upon row of cedars, most of them dwarfing the palm trees that were scattered about.
"Well, if these are the cedars, where's the rainbow?" Katherine asked with a laugh, her gaze on Jenna.
Jay barely resisted rolling her eyes at Katherine's attempt at a joke. They were saved more trivial chatter when they were greeted by a young lady wearing shorts, sandals and a bright flowery Hawaiian shirt. Completing her outfit was a large red flower tucked behind one ear. Jay wondered if the locals got tired of dressing up for the tourists.
"Aloha... welcome," she greeted them. "You must be Katherine Patton from Texas."
"Yes."
"You are right on time. I trust your short flight from Oahu was satisfactory?"
"Wonderful. And the rental car was there as promised."
"Excellent. My name is Eleu. Let me show you to your cottages." She turned to a younger boy standing behind her. She nodded once and he was off, dashing toward their car. "He'll bring your luggage."
They walked through the fragrant garden, alive with vibrant colors of flowers and the lush greenness that Jay could imagine a rain forest having. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the sweet smells.
"Wow, look at that."
She looked to where Drew was looking, her own eyes widening. "Wow is right," she murmured, tilting her head up. "And I thought the trees out front were big."
Eleu laughed. "That is the tree of Okalani. Legend has it she planted the tree over four hundred years ago.. It draws the rainbows to our island," she said with a smile. "Or so the elders say."
"I was curious about the name of your business," Katherine said. "It makes perfect sense now."
"I will be happy to share the legend of Okalani with you if you are interested."
"Yes. Maybe later," Katherine said. "Right now, I just want out of these clothes and to get into the pool," she said, pointing to the pristine water that shimmered on the other side of the flower garden.
"Of course. But I hope you take advantage of our section of beach here. Your cottages look out over the ocean. It's only a short walk to the water."
"How's the surfing here?" Drew asked.
"Small waves, but a bit rocky in parts. Beginners love it." She looked Drew over. "You don't look like a beginner."
Drew shook her head. "It's been a few years since I've surfed. I think I'd need a refresher course."
"I have brochures of some of the local guides. I can recommend one. But it's farther down the island. The waves are much better."
"Great."
"You surf?" Jay asked as they continued on to their cottages.
"I've been here once before. But it's a story best told over a fruity drink."
Jay chuckled. "I knew there was a reason you were anxious to get to Hawaii. You can drink a mai tai with a cute little umbrella and no one will question your toughness," she teased.
"Can I have sex on the beach too?"
Jay stumbled and Drew grabbed her elbow to steady her, her quiet laugh for Jay's ears only.
"You're very, very mean."
"Here we go, ladies," Eleu said. "These two are yours."
There were only ten or twelve cottages at most, Jay guessed. They sat in a semicircle, all facing the ocean. They were painted different colors, bright fun colors. A back door faced the garden and tiny road, too small for a car. The front door and porch looked out over the beach. Tall palm trees were spaced between each cottage and dozens of flower pots sat haphazardly, all blooming profusely with red and pink flowers.