Calm, Cool, and Adjusted (34 page)

We each throw on the skirts and tie-tops we bought at the outdoor market. Lilly’s is bright pink flowers on white, and sticking out with the baby’s shape below. Morgan’s is yellow and clings to her figure, matching her golden hair. And mine is turquoise like the color of the bay we’re staying on and just slightly tacky.

We’re giddy and giggly as we make our way to the race’s finish line. Seeing all the paper numbers discarded and the runners coming in at the finish is hard for me to digest. I mean, it should be me. I trained for a year to do this, and I’m standing here looking like a turquoise popsicle with all the other tourists—who are digging in on shaved ice and screaming for the triathletes as nothing more than a tourist site. My leg jiggles with anticipation. I want to be out there, and I want to run across that finish line with everyone else. But my friends take my hand and smile at me. Even Lilly, who’s not the warm type.

“There’s next year, Poppy,” she nods.

I bite back a sob.

“Maybe next year you’ll do the full triathlon, not the Tinman,” Morgan says.

As I watch a large group of women come across the finish line, I feel a tinge of regret, but it’s short lived. Life is too fleeting for that. I’m free. I’m calm, cool, and adjusted. Looking to the sky, I lift up my fist to show solidarity to my mother and little sister. They’re together and they’re in real paradise. Seeing my Spa Girls, I know that the Lord has replaced what the locusts have eaten. I’m not allowing them to eat anymore. From here on out, it’s organic pesticide, baby. I’m not living for tomorrow. Well, within reason.

“I’m going to see if any of my running group came.” I walk closer to the finish line, and I look back to see them both looking worried about me. “You girls go shop; you don’t have to stick around for me.”

Lilly lifts her brows. “I wish I was having a girl. I saw this little bikini that was darling! Want to shop, Morgan?”

“I’ll be fine,” I say to them both. “I promise.”

They nod and take off for the row of stores behind the race’s finish line. The ground is covered with race numbers, and I pick one up and lament for just a moment that it’s not mine. I kick some of the paper cups as I get closer.

“You’re still in a soft cast?”

I turn around and see him, and I feel my entire face light up. “Simon!” Leaping to him, I bring my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek. “Simon.” I snuggle into his neck, nuzzling as close as I can get. I can’t believe how I missed him.

“I knew I’d find you here,” he says quietly, while clinging to me fiercely. It feels like I’ve never left his side.

“Right, well, no running this year. You’re not going to believe this, but I’m here with the Spa Girls. We decided to come when Morgan’s wedding got postponed. Well, and besides that, it’s the last month that Lilly can travel because of the baby. So George—that’s Morgan’s fiancé—he called his travel agent at home at five a.m. and they got us these great seats in first class, because George travels a lot and gets all these upgrades, so he got the upgrades—” I notice that Simon’s eyes have begun to glaze over and I grab him tighter. “Oh my goodness, I missed you. Shut me up.”

“Not as much as I missed you. Do you know how quiet it is without you in my life? No one to nag me about golf. It’s not nearly as fun that way.”

“I imagine it’s far too quiet. How’s your mother?”

“She’s doing really well, Poppy. I was hoping to introduce you.”

“Now?”

“Well, I thought you’d have to check with the Spa Girls.”

“They’ll understand.” I nod quickly. I don’t want to let him out of my sight for fear he’ll disappear again.

Simon grins. “Don’t you want to call them?” He hands me his cell phone.

“Why did you disconnect your cell phone?” I ask him with a hand perched on my hip. “I mean, a lesser woman would have been offended.”

“A lesser woman wouldn’t have come to Hawaii for me.” He winks.

“Who says I did? And why did you just abandon California?”

“Sometimes a man has to find out the truth, even if it might hurt.”

Simon weaves his arm through mine and we step over all the discarded water cups and running numbers until we get to a scooter.

“Simon, you are not driving this?”

“Only down here. I figured it would be a madhouse due to the race, and I was right. All you tourists. Besides, the scooter’s good for the environment. I thought you’d be proud of me.”

After a weaving drive through the lush greenery and floral scents, Simon drives up to a magnificent house perched on a hill, with a wall of windows overlooking the Pacific. “Simon, this place—”

“It’s where my sister is going to live. Isn’t it gorgeous?”

“Your sister?”

Simon nods. “She’s moving here to take care of Mom and run her hairdressing business. Her son was getting involved with a bad crowd, so she was looking for a change and we decided she was better suited to this lifestyle.”

“So you’re not living here?”

“I’m bored here. This island is—well, it’s an island. There’s nothing to do but golf. I was golfed out in a week, and without a good chiropractor, I just want to sit on shaved ice all day anyway.”

“So where are you living? When you come home, I mean. To California.”

“I was hoping to move in with my wife. She’s got this great little cottage right on the ocean close enough to a place called Pebble Beach.”

I bite on my lip, praying that Simon isn’t trifling with my emotions. “Your wife?”

“The offer still stands. I’m a man of my word, you know.”

I crumple into his arms, and the strength of his embrace comes about me full force. “Shouldn’t we date?”

“Is there something you have to say that you haven’t shared with me in three years?”

I look up at him and shake my head. “I don’t think so.”

“Nor do I. Come in the house.” Simon leads me up a walkway of small pebbles all the way to the front door. The house is nice, but simple in both design and size. It looks like Simon. Ever practical and yet elegant. He opens the front door, and I see the house is furnished with typical man furniture. Big, bulky, and reclining. I have to laugh at all the blues and greens and ocean hues. While I’m sure he bought it all new, there’s something that gives off a garage-sale feel to everything he’s put together.

“I know, it needs a woman’s touch. My sister will get here soon enough.”

I’m looking around for his mother and gingerly walking through the house, but there’s no sign anyone’s home.

“She’s not here. Neither is her caregiver.”

I feel my heart begin to pound at the idea of being alone with Simon. This is chemistry. This is the energy I wanted to feel. “Simon,” I turn around to see Simon on one knee with a jewelry box open and the most perfect diamond the size of a . . .

“Simon, is that a golf ball?”

“No, Poppy, it’s a diamond. I have a friend in the business. You might know her.”

“Morgan. Morgan knew about this?”

“Dr. Poppy Clayton, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

I feel the tears rolling down my cheeks, and I fall on top of Simon’s shoulders, knocking the ring from his hand, so he’s lying in a heap on the floor. He groans. “Does anyone know a good chiropractor?”

“I do, and for once in her life she’s calm, cool, and adjusted. Now I just have to help others with that.” I go scampering to get the ring, which has rolled across the painted cement floors, and allow Simon to place it on my left hand. “Yes, Simon, I will marry you. Now let’s get a table. I can hardly have my husband walking hunched like that.”

I let the diamond sparkle at the window, sending off a myriad of rainbow colors in a brilliant display of nature and wealth all compacted into one incredibly gorgeous package. I’ll tell you, this thing ought to put out enough energy for the lot of us. Maybe I was desperate all along, but not for reasons I might have thought. Being single was never the source of my desperation, but being alone was. It went a lot deeper than a boyfriend, and it took a bigger Man that even Simon to root it out.

“So are you marrying me for my chiropractic care or my great beachside real estate?” I quip.

“Hmm. I think it was your girlfriend in the diamond business. You were definitely the best deal. I don’t think Morgan would have given me a deal on a ring for Chloe.”

I swat him, and he wraps me tightly into his arms. “I can’t believe you don’t know the answer to this question. I’m marrying you for the perfect energy between us. God’s first building block.”

I smile up at him. Energy indeed.