That's Amore! (3 page)

Leila winced. "We'll be right there," she replied before her mother decided to come looking for her.

Beside her, Jason dragged both hands down his face and cursed beneath his breath, his disappointment and frustration obviously as strong as her own. Knowing how her mother had gotten into the annoying habit of entering the cottage at any time without knocking, Leila should have locked the door. But dammit, her mother would have seen the rental car out front. She should have known her daughter would want a bit of private time with Jason after being apart for three weeks.

Then again, it wouldn't surprise her if her mother had deliberately dropped by to make sure there was no fooling around going on.

Finding Jason's T-shirt, she tossed it at him. "Hurry and get dressed," she whispered urgently.

He slipped the shirt over his head, made an adjustment to the front of his pants,
then
followed her out to the front room to greet her mother. When they walked into the kitchen, Leila bit back a groan of dismay. Jason looked like a disreputable rogue. In his haste to get dressed he'd put his shirt on inside out, the flowers on the lei around his neck were crushed and failing apart, and his thick hair was a disheveled mess. Much like
her own,
no doubt.

And her mother's sharp, assessing eyes didn't miss a thing.
"Aloha,
Jason."

Her mother's tone was pleasant and welcoming, despite the reservations she had about their impending marriage.

Jason closed the distance between them and placed a kiss on her cheek, as he always did. When Leila had once asked him why he was always so incredibly affectionate with her mother when she didn't return the sentiment, he'd told her that no matter what her mother thought of him, he genuinely liked Nyla Malekala and knew she had a good heart beneath the layer of reluctance she harbored in accepting him as a son-in-law. He was also certain that one day her mother would warm up to him, and maybe even hug and kiss him back.

That was a day Leila wanted to see for herself, as well.

"Hello, Nyla," he said with a smile. "It's nice to see you."

Her mother narrowed her brown eyes and scrutinized the inside-out shirt and his tousled hair. "Maybe a bit too soon though, eh?" she said, her meaning unmistakably clear. "It seems to me there was some
hana 'mai
going on back there in the bedroom."

Fooling around.
Leila sucked in a breath, unable to believe her mother would say something so outrageously bold. "Mother…" she said in a low, warning tone. She was a grown woman, and what she did with Jason was her own business and not something she cared to discuss with her mother.

Nyla waved to the container on the kitchen counter. "I brought you some chicken soup since you haven't been feeling well. But it appears you're feeling just fine now that Jason is here."

Leila rolled her eyes at her mother's very parental tone. Honestly, the worst part of her nausea seemed to hit the hardest in the mornings, but with her family believing she had a flu bug, she kept to the pretense. "I
am
feeling better, now that Jason is back."

Jason turned to her, his gaze searching her face, which she was certain was still nice and flushed from their encounter. Hardly the pale, drawn look of a person who'd been feeling ill.

Apparently not caring that her mother was in the room, he reached out and tenderly brushed the backs of his fingers along her warm cheek, then tipped her chin up for him to better inspect her features.

His brows furrowed in concern. "You've been sick?"

"You didn't know?" her mother cut in, her tone infused with disbelief.

Jason didn't even glance Nyla's way, his gaze focused and intent on Leila. "No, I didn't know," he
said to her. "Why didn't you tell me?" He sounded hurt that she hadn't confided in him.

She offered him a placating smile. "Because you had so much going on back in
California
, I didn't want you to worry about me."

"Don't you think that's for me to decide?" he asked gently.

Leila's heart melted. That was one of the many things she loved about Jason. He was so incredibly caring, and he wasn't afraid to openly express those feelings. And because of those traits, she knew he was going to be such a wonderful, loving father to their child.

"Well, seeing that Leila is obviously feeling much better," Nyla said, cutting into the private moment between them. "We'll be having a family dinner at the house in half an
hour,
and I expect you both to be there."

Nyla's gaze shifted to Jason, and her lips pursed. "And maybe you'd like to run a comb through your hair and turn your shirt right-side out before you arrive, or else you'll have some explaining to do to Leila's father," she added pointedly. "

Jason glanced down at his shirt and grimaced in realization. Then he looked back at Nyla with a boyish grin. "Yes, ma'am, I'll be sure to do that."

CHAPTER THREE

Family dinners
with the Malekalas used to be an intimidating affair for Jason. Now, seven months after officially meeting everyone, he enjoyed all the different personalities and the lively interaction between family members—not to mention the awesome, authentic, home-cooked Hawaiian food he was quickly growing accustomed to.

Sitting across the dinner table from him and Leila were her two burly brothers, both of whom he'd quickly befriended once they were assured that his intentions towards their baby sister were completely honorable. They were good guys who only had Leila's best interest at heart—despite the fact that he wasn't of Hawaiian descent. Jason felt as though he had at least two allies on his side with Mani and Paulo, even if the duo enjoyed giving him a hard time and made him the butt of many jokes.

To his right was Leila's
kupunawahine,
her Nana, a sweet, older lady who lived in the house with Leila's parents. She'd been distant and wary of him at first because of Nyla's vocal objections, but over the passing months he'd managed to sway her with his charm and the fact that he genuinely enjoyed talking with her. He'd spend hours listening to the stories she'd tell about Leila's ancestors, and Hawaiian folklore and legends, all of which he'd found incredibly fascinating. It seemed Kalani never had any interest in Nana's stories, and that had only worked to Jason's benefit in winning over the older woman.

At the head of the table sat Leila's father, Keneke, who'd openly disapproved of him in the beginning of his whirlwind engagement to Leila, but appeared to be gradually coming around in accepting him as his daughter's soon-to-be husband. Keneke offered him a begrudging respect and seemed resigned to the union, probably because Jason had shown no signs of letting her family drive him away.

Then there was Nyla, a very beautiful woman who shared Leila's lustrous, long brown hair and deep brown eyes. The two had similar features and there was no mistaking they were mother and daughter. But where Leila was sweet, vivacious and trusting, her mother was far more guarded. Nyla was by far the toughest family member to crack, but Jason was determined to do so before Saturday. He had to, for Leila's sake as much as his own.

As he took a bite of the most flavorful sweet and sour pork he'd ever tasted, he cast a quick glance at Leila sitting beside him. Despite her mother's claim that she'd been feeling unwell for the past week, Leila showed no signs of being sick—other than the fact that she was absently pushing food around on her plate to make it appear that she'd eaten more than she really had. Still, her complexion was infused with color, and she'd been cheerful and full of smiles since he'd arrived that afternoon.

"So, how was business back in
California
?" Leila's father asked, redirecting Jason's thoughts back to the here and now. As a businessman himself, Jason had learned that Keneke understood and respected the dedication and drive it took to make a company grow and prosper.

"Things are good," he replied as he served himself a second helping of sweet potatoes. "I wrapped up all the contracts I had open, which frees me up for the next two weeks for the wedding and to help Leila get her belongings packed up and shipped to
California
."

"And when do you plan on taking Leila back to the Mainland with you?" Nyla chimed in, her tone not nearly as pleasant as her husband's.

Everyone's gaze fell upon Jason with too much interest, making him feel like the villain in a bad movie. "After our honeymoon."

Nyla pursed her lips, and that familiar resentment sparked in her gaze. "She's never lived away from home before."

From
Hawaii
.
"I know," he said quietly, and fought the twinge of frustration rising to the surface.

Nyla was especially good at handing out guilt trips whenever the opportunity arose.

Beside him, Leila sat her fork down on her plate with a decisive click. "Mother, this is my choice, too," she said, and placed a hand on Jason's arm in a show of support, which he appreciated. "I want to be with Jason, wherever that may be."

"Mark my words, we'll never get to see you," Nyla argued defensively. "Once you move, you'll be too busy with your own lives to visit on a regular basis."

Leila sighed at the never-ending debate. She didn't respond, probably because she knew there was nothing she could say that would satisfy her mother.

As everyone at the table grew silent and concentrated on finishing their meal, Jason sought to break up the tension that had settled over the dinner table. "Sooo, how are the wedding preparations coming along?"

"The bachelor party is all set up," Mani said, as if celebrating the last of Jason's days as a single guy was the most important part of getting married. "Tomorrow night you're all ours, Bro."

"Ohhh, yeah," Paulo added with a sly grin.

Jason couldn't help but wonder what the duo had planned for him, and suspected it was going to be a wild, raucous night. He didn't really want a bachelor party, but Leila's brothers had insisted, and he didn't have the heart to refuse what they perceived as the ultimate male tradition.

"I can't wait," he muttered.

Paulo and Mani just laughed.

Leila glanced from Jason, to her brothers sitting across the table, giving them a pointed look. "On a more important note, you boys and dad have an appointment to get fitted for your tuxes tomorrow afternoon,
before
the fun begins."

"We'll be there," Paulo promised, obviously taking his duties as a groomsman very seriously.

"How many guests have R.S.V.P.'d so far?" Jason asked. They'd opted for a small, intimate wedding, with just close friends and family in attendance, instead of a huge affair.

"About fifty, which is pretty close to everyone we invited." Finished with her dinner, Leila put her fork and napkin on her plate. "The luau menu has been confirmed with the caterer, along with the wedding cake. The flowers for the ceremony and gazebo are ordered, but Nana insists on making our Hawaiian wedding leis."

He smiled warmly at the older woman. "Thank you, Nana. That means a lot to us."

She nodded. "It's a Malekala custom, and my gift to the both of you. I will make the Maile lei for you to wear," she said to him.

He tipped his head curiously. "What's a Maile
lei
?"

Before Nana had a chance to answer, Mani piped in. "It's sort of equivalent to having a noose around your neck that signals the end of your bachelor days."

Paulo nodded in agreement and added to the explanation. "Hawaiian custom has it, that as the bride walks down the aisle toward where you're standing, the noose, or in this case, the Maile lei, gets tighter and tighter around your neck. If she makes it all the way to you without you passing out, then your marriage was meant to be."

With a dead-pan expression, Mani finished the tale. "However, if you pass out before she gets there, that's it, Bro," he said with a sad shake of his head. "It means you're not man enough to marry your bride, and
there's no second chances
."

Jason stared at Leila's brothers in horror. He knew the Hawaiians had some strange and different customs, but this one was just plain bizarre. And scarey. "Uh, maybe we should skip the Maile leis," he suggested, resisting the urge to tug at the collar of his shirt.

Mani leaned forward and grinned. "Feeling the pressure already, huh?"

Jason glanced at Leila, who was looking at him with wide, guileless eyes. "How important is this Maile lei to you?" he asked her.

"Very.
And I have all the confidence in the world that you won't pass out before I make it to your side." She shot her brothers a look that said the gig was up.

Mani and Paulo burst out laughing, and that's when Jason knew that the joke was on him.

"Man, you are so gullible," Mani said, hooting with laughter. "It's just so much fun pulling your leg."

Obviously, the rest of the family had enjoyed the charade, as well. Keneke had a smirk on his face, and Nyla seemed to be holding back a grin, but laughter glimmered in her eyes. Even his own fiancée appeared amused at his expense.

Jason was just damn grateful that the story wasn't true.

Nana patted his arm consolingly. "Now that the boys have had their fun with you, I'll tell you what a Maile
lei
really is. It is a traditional wedding
lei
, which was used by our Hawaiian ancestors during the marriage ceremony to bind the hands of the bride and groom to symbolize their sacred union."

Relief poured through Jason. "I like
that
custom." And he especially liked that Nana had come to accept his marriage to Leila as the sacred union it was. He held out the same hope for Nyla.

"So, there
hasn't been any normal wedding glitches
?" he asked Leila, surprised that everything had gone so smoothly.

"Well, just a minor one. Those candy leis I ordered as our wedding favors aren't here yet. When I called the Internet
company
,
domeafavor.com
, they said that they were running a bit behind but assured me that the wedding favors would be imprinted and here before Saturday."

"Good enough." He kissed her cheek and smiled at her. "I appreciate you getting everything done and finalized while I was away. You've done an amazing job putting the wedding together."

She returned his smile, though she suddenly looked very tired and weary. And emotionally exhausted. "I was happy to do it."

Jason truly believed Leila's statement, but it was apparent that the stress of the past few weeks without him had taken its toll on her. Dealing with her mother's resistance while trying to plan a wedding and reception was tough enough, not to mention catching the flu on top of everything else.

Fortunately, in another few days it would be over and their lives together would finally begin. Hopefully, with her parents' blessing.

After dinner
Jason headed outside with Mani and Paulo while Leila stayed behind to help her mother clear the table and do the dishes. Unfortunately, her mother was giving her the silent treatment after the exchange between them at the dinner table about her moving to the Mainland with Jason.

Leila put away a container of leftover sweet and sour pork in the refrigerator and released a long, low breath that did nothing to ease the tension coiling within her. It was important to her that her mother came to accept her choices, especially now that there was more
at stake than just her relationship with Jason. Now there was a baby involved, a grandchild, and Leila desperately wanted her child to grow up in a loving environment, free of the resentments her mother currently harbored.

With that in mind, she turned toward her mother and addressed the issue at hand. "Mom, I really wish you'd stop punishing me for wanting to marry Jason."

Standing at the sink where she was washing the dishes, Nyla stiffened at what she obviously perceived as an accusation. "I just don't want you to make a mistake you'll regret later."

That was an impossible notion, Leila knew. With all her heart and soul, there was no doubt in her mind that she was meant to be with Jason.

Grabbing a terry towel, she began drying the clean plates her mother put on the dish rack and gave their conversation an unexpected twist. "Was marrying Dad a mistake for you?"

"Of course not," her mother said with a disapproving frown. "But that's different."

Leila was well aware of the
differences
her mother was referring to, and strongly disagreed. "It's no different, Mom. Jason might not be a native, but he's a kind, caring, hard-working man who'll take good care of me and our family. He has many of the great qualities Dad does, and most importantly, I love him."

That declaration didn't seem to sway her mother in the least. "You've changed since you've met Jason. You're no longer the proper, modest girl you once were."

Leila
grit
her teeth. Yes, her mother had raised her to be sweet and demure when it came to men, dating, and relationships because that's what her own mother had taught her. And for years Leila had been that mild-mannered, accommodating woman, until things had turned serious between herself and Kalani and she'd realized how unbalanced their relationship was. She'd been too passive and too eager to please, and knew she'd end up being a submissive wife if she'd married him—eventually feeling stifled and very unhappy.