Courageous Love: A Christian Romance Novel (The Hawaii Love Series, #1) (7 page)

Michelle sat up and began digging through her bag for her cell phone as two men sat next to her on the bench. At first, Michelle was unaware as she focused on the contents of her purse. But within seconds, the conversation of the two men sent a chill down her spine.

“Look at you, you are one ‘ono wahine!” The men stared at Michelle, pointing and giggling. The larger of the two got up and walked around to the other side of the bench, catching Michelle in the middle of both men. At first, Michelle wasn’t too startled. They had merely called her a beautiful woman.

“Hey sweetie, you want to spend some time with a real kane?” The man on the bench pushed his legs firm against Michelle’s, the coarse hair on his sweaty legs scratching her delicate skin. She could feel her heart race faster.

Michelle looked up, trying her best not to show that she was scared. Her cell phone shook in her hand as her eyes darted across the concrete, and she realized they were the only people outside. Michelle knew she was in a desperate situation and needed to think fast to avoid becoming another island statistic. She had her hand on her cell phone and was ready to dial Tracy. But what could her friend do so far away? She knew there was no other option but to dial 911, but before she could press a button, the man standing next to her reached down, knocking her phone down and back into her purse.

“Don’t even think about it.” The wrestler-sized man pulled up a corner of his lip, flashing her his brown jagged teeth. “Now,” he said, breathing heavy into her ear. “You do as we say. You’re gonna stand up and give us your bag, your wallet, and your phone, right now.” The large man pressed down heavy on Michelle’s shoulder to get his point across. Michelle struggled with whether to scream for help, hoping that someone inside the station might hear her, or just remain silent. But she knew her odds of survival were slim if she played the helpless victim. Just as she opened her mouth to scream, the bus to Haleiwa pulled up in front of the bench.

“Are you alright?” the bus driver asked as the doors pulled opened. Michelle shook her head, the men still flanking her on either side. The huge Samoan bus driver got up from his seat and marched down the steps to help Michelle on as she scurried away from the two men. “Leave her alone.” The bus driver glared at the men as he towered over them. “And don’t bother any more of my passengers or you will have to deal with me personally!” He turned away and loaded Michelle’s bags onto the bus as the two men slithered off down the road and away from the bus station.

“Thank you,” said Michelle sheepishly, feeling like a helpless damsel in distress.

“No worries, ma’am,” said the bus driver. “Those two are always causing trouble and looking for new ways to do it. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Michelle sat a few rows back from the driver as he took his seat. “Yes, thank you, I’m fine.”

“Well,” he said, belting himself in and closing the large bus doors, “sit back and relax ’cause you’ve got a few hours before we arrive in Haleiwa.”

Michelle smiled politely at the bus driver and settled herself comfortably on the uncrowded bus. Placing her purse on the seat next to her, she thought again about calling Tracy, but she was too exhausted to talk. Instead, she texted Tracy that she had arrived safely and again thanked her for taking care of Mene. Michelle replaced her phone in her purse and rested her head against the seat. The busy downtown area passed by her window as she watched the sun in the distance. The route to Haleiwa was via Interstate H1, H2 and the Kamehameha Highway, all of which went through the middle of the island. She wouldn’t see the coast again until she arrived on the North Shore and her hometown of Haleiwa. From there she would have another mile long trek into the rural area off the shore where Trinity Ranch was located. She figured she would arrive at the farm around dinnertime, about an hour or so before it got dark. Sitting back, she closed her eyes, trying not to think about her close encounter or how her father would greet her. Instead, she took a deep breath, cleared her mind of everything, including the mysterious, handsome man she had bumped into at the airport, and focused on the one thing she needed, and that was to get some rest.

****

D
aniel’s stomach growled loudly. He got up from the balcony and decided to venture into the city for dinner rather than just ordering room service. The hotel lobby was small but festive. Brightly colored light fixtures hung from the ceiling and bamboo fans kept the island air moving. Daniel walked past several potted palms and found the concierge desk. He began rifling through brochures trying to determine where to go to quench his appetite.

“First time on our island?” asked the concierge.

“Yes,” Daniel said, placing the brochures on the granite countertop. “As a matter of fact, it is.”

“Well, what do you want to know about? I’ve lived here my whole life and am happy to help you out.”

“Actually,” Daniel said, knowing he could find his own way around downtown Honolulu, but wanting to know more about Haleiwa and the mystery girl he was in search of, “I’m headed to Haleiwa tomorrow. Do you know anything about that?”

The concierge smiled warmly and began filling Daniel in. “Ahhh, the North Shore as we call it. Yes, I know plenty of Haleiwa. It is a big tourist attraction. Not only for its great surf but because it has old world charm and new world conveniences. This unique blend gives visitors a taste of the past while enjoying the present.”

Daniel leaned in closer as the concierge continued. “The North Shore was actually settled by Kama’aina back in 1100 AD. They first established villages in the Ko’olauloa and Waialua regions near bodies of water like streams, rivers, and bays. These waters made the lands very fertile and settlers were able to grow sweet potato, taro, and other crops.”

“Kama ...?” Daniel stopped the concierge, confused by the native language. “What does that mean?”

“Kama’aina is a native, people of the land,” the concierge explained. “You see?” He pointed to a small sign on the window of the restaurant across the street. The sign read “KAMA’AINA 10% DISCOUNT.”

“Most businesses offer locals discounts.”

Daniel looked across the street, nodded in understanding and then waited for the concierge to continue. “Centuries later, in 1832, the Waialua District was visited by Christian missionaries who settled and built a girls’ school and a mission in Hale’iwa. Benjamin J. Dillingham, one of the area’s wealthiest residents, expanded the area even further by building the Hale’iwa Hotel in the late 1800s.”

Daniel was fascinated and appreciated learning about the history of the area. But he wanted to know more. “What about a family by the name of Clemens?” he asked, unsure if this concierge or anyone on the island would even know who Michelle Clemens was.

“Oh, the Clemens family, sure,” the concierge said. “They are one of the most well-known and respected families in all of our native history.”

Daniel stood at attention, unsure whether this was good or bad. He felt nervous, wondering what he had gotten himself into bumping into this Michelle person.

The concierge went on. “Queen Lili-uokalani, the last reigning monarch of the Hawaiian islands, granted Ron Clemens, the patriarch of the Clemens family, 150 acres of land for medical missionary work. Clemens unselfishly donated it to the Hawaiian people and used the land to develop a cattle farm. Over the years, he transformed it into the largest cattle farm on the island of Oahu and one of the largest in all of the islands.”

Daniel stood still, mesmerized by the rich history of this stranger’s family. The concierge continued. “The ranch was named Trinity Ranch, and Ron Clemens used some of the profits from his successful business to fund a free medical clinic in a remote town on the island to offer medical services to the poor.”

The concierge finished by informing Daniel that although the Haleiwa Hotel was no longer standing, the free clinic and Trinity Ranch were both still running and doing very well. “In fact,” the concierge continued, “Ron Clemens, his son Larry and the entire Clemens family are among the most honored citizens of our island.”

After a few more moments of small talk, Daniel asked the concierge to recommend somewhere to eat for dinner. He thanked him and stepped out of the hotel lobby into the warm Hawaiian evening air. The streets were humming with traffic, tourists and locals. Smells of grilled and smoked delicacies filled the air, and Daniel headed in the direction of Big Kahuna’s Pizza, the local restaurant the concierge had suggested. Even though Daniel could get pizza anywhere, he wanted to see if Hawaiian pizza in Hawaii was the same as it was in California, made with pineapple and ham.

The sounds danced around Daniel as he walked slowly up the main road, taking in the sights and smells. He watched tourists taking pictures by some of the more famous landmarks and smelled the salt air as carloads of surfers and beachgoers headed inland for the night. A girl rode by on a bike, and the sight of her long flowing dark hair turned Daniel’s thoughts back to Michelle.

So, Daniel thought, this Michelle was from a very prominent family. He knew from the tickets that he had accidentally swapped that Michelle was also from California. And he knew that she had taken a one-way trip here. Did that mean that she had no intention of going back? Maybe she lived here and had just gone over there for a visit. Maybe she had studied in California and was now heading home to run the family business. What if she were a doctor? Daniel remembered the free clinic the concierge had mentioned. Perhaps Michelle was in charge of that clinic. Visions of the attractive Hawaiian woman tending to needy and poor children filled Daniel’s head as he walked the Honolulu streets.

He glanced up, noticing a billboard for the North Shore. The sign showed a massive wave and a brunette surfer in its center. In front of the sign stood a tall blonde woman and a dark-haired man. They held their hands up in a mock “hang-ten” sign and posed as another friend took a picture of them. Kimberly came to Daniel’s mind, and a pang of guilt shot through his heart. Here he was, getting ready to head back to his fiancée, to plan his wedding, to plan his future ... and all he could think about was this woman he didn’t even know.

Daniel found Big Kahuna’s Pizza and was pleased to find the food was every bit as good as the concierge had described. The atmosphere was pure Hawaiian, the service was fantastic and the pizza was delicious. Daniel settled on the garlic cheese balls and the Sumo Special, a pizza topped with island favorites. He sat back and watched the sun set on the Pacific as the meal filled his belly. The waitress offered to pack up the leftovers, but Daniel explained he was in a hotel.

“That’s okay,” said the young girl. “This pizza is even better cold. I’ll pack it up and that way you’ll have it if you get hungry in the middle of the night.”

He doubted that would happen by the way his stomach felt at the moment, but he obliged and thanked the waitress. A few minutes later, Daniel left Big Kahuna’s and thought of Fred’s words, thankful that he had taken the time to explore some of the island’s jewels. The hotel lights glowed brighter as Daniel approached the entrance, Styrofoam leftover box in his hand. He raised the box and smiled to the concierge as he walked toward the elevator. The concierge gave him a big smile in return and two thumbs up as the elevator doors closed, leaving Daniel alone with his full stomach, leftovers, and his thoughts.

When Daniel arrived at his room, he set the food on the dresser and opened the sliding doors to the balcony. The balmy air mixed with the smell of Big Kahuna’s, and Daniel thought that maybe this was what heaven smelled like. He grabbed a cold water bottle from the mini-fridge and sat on the balcony watching the stars lightly dot the clear sky. After a few moments, he picked up his phone and dialed Kimberly.

“Daniel? Where are you?” Kimberly’s panicked voice rang through the Hawaiian air. “Are you okay? I’ve been trying to call you all day.”

Daniel rolled his eyes, remembering that he had turned his phone off at the airport. With the excitement of the ticket mix-up and the bus delay, Daniel hadn’t even thought about how Kimberly would feel and that she might be worried about him. “I’m so sorry Kimberly,” he began. “Yes, I’m fine, I’m so sorry I didn’t call.”

“Where are you? What happened?” Kimberly asked, obviously concerned.

“I’m still in Hawaii,” Daniel responded, not giving Kimberly a moment to interrupt. “There was a mix-up with the tickets at the airport, and I can’t fly out until tomorrow.”

“A mix-up? What kind of mix-up? Why didn’t you call?” Kimberly went on, badgering Daniel for information.

Daniel explained that he missed his flight because he had the wrong tickets. “I couldn’t get another flight out so I have to wait until tomorrow to see when I can fly out. It might be a few days.” Daniel didn’t tell Kimberly about Michelle, their run-in or their ticket mix-up. And he certainly wasn’t going to tell her he was headed on a scavenger hunt to the other side of the island to track down a strange, attractive woman. Nope, he decided to keep that one to himself. And although he managed to calm her down, Daniel felt uncomfortable not being completely honest with her.

Before he continued, he looked up at the sky and asked God to forgive him for his lie of omission. “So, I’ll let you know as soon as I have my itinerary. And what are you up to?” He tried his best to change subjects quickly.

“A few days? That’s not good at all!” Kimberly was in a panic. “We were supposed to order the invitations together. I can’t wait much longer on those Daniel.”

Daniel could feel Kimberly’s impatience and tried to calm her. “I know honey, I’m really sorry. I’m doing what I can, and I’ll let you know as soon as I have a flight.”

“OK,” Kimberly said, still apprehensive but eager to fill Daniel in on what she had been doing. “Okay, I guess that’s okay. But call me as soon as you know.” She didn’t wait for a response. “So, I’m not sure where to register. I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out if we should have our wedding registry at Ceramic Barn, Ahlstrom’s or The Crystal Table. I know you don’t like to cook, so I figured Ceramic Barn. But I also like modern,” her voice trailed off, and Daniel could almost picture her eyes going glassy and thoughtful. “I just don’t know. What do you think?”