What a Girl Wants (27 page)

She held her hand up. “I want to explain.” He nodded and leaned against the dresser. “I’ve never reneged on a promise to a friend or to myself. I try hard to live up to my commitments, and be true not only to myself but to the people I care about. Watching my mother and her numerous husbands and lovers, as well as my uncle and the women who paraded in and out of his life taught me that not living up to emotional obligations, is not only a betrayal to oneself and anyone you’ve made promises to but to the people around you who are affected.

“Look, I’m not naïve, nor do I want to play any games. You were right. Sex does change a friendship. There
is
more between us now. I also know that what we’ve been experiencing is not real life. I’ve been thinking about it more than you’ll ever know.

“I…well…I have no problem continuing with us when we get back to our lives.” She grabbed the hand towel on the dresser and wiped her sweaty palms. “Our lives in New York. That’s all I can give you at this moment. There’s some stuff going on with my family. I do want to share it with you when we have more time. But back to this England thing. To stay true to what I said about not reneging, I can’t relocate anywhere just yet. Am I making sense?”
Whew
. Even her inner voice breathed a sigh of relief at letting that all out.

He spread his arms wide. “Come here.”

She didn’t think the legs that had turned to jelly would take her into his arms, but they did. Holding each other, neither said a word. His musky scent comforted her and turned her on at the same time.

He slid his hands to her shoulders, taking one step back from her. “You made a lot of sense. You’re absolutely right about there being more between us now.” He smiled. “That’s a good thing. Can you promise me something?”

She swallowed hard. “If I can.”

He held her face in his hands. “Don’t make a decision yet. Give it some more thought. And take as much time as you need.”

“I can do that.”

“Good.” He kissed her neck. “Man, you smell as good as you look. You always do, babe.”

She ran her hands through his hair and smiled at him. “Right back at you.”

“As much as I’d love to get you naked,” he glanced at his watch, “we’ve gotta hit the road. Luckily, we have tonight and all day tomorrow.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

“In every conceivable manner, the family is a link to our past, bridge to our future.”

—Alex Haley

Three hours later, it was gray, windy and raining outside, but inside the Donovans’ condo, it was bright with candlelight and warm with the laughter of a boisterous family. Maddie’s cheeks still hadn’t cooled down from the surprise she’d received after Alex had escorted her into the living room, where, among purple balloons and streamers made out of leis, she was greeted with a resounding
Happy Birthday
cheer.

No doubt, the three glasses of red wine she had drunk while enjoying the homemade feast contributed to the flush. Alex had told her that his mother would not hear of celebrating her birthday in a restaurant. From knowing his parents for a few years, Maddie knew his mother considered restaurant food—specifically Italian restaurant food—to be blasphemous.

Mrs. Donovan glowed when everyone had ooed and awed over her delicious spread—lasagna, meatballs, sausages, a variety of salads and homemade garlic bread.

Maddie scraped the remaining chocolate icing from her plate, pierced her fork into the last bite of birthday cake and whispered next to Alex’s ear, “You know I don’t do birthdays.”

Alex pushed his chair out, stood, and collected the empty wine glasses. “And I don’t do seven-foot inflatable Amazons.” He shrugged, smiling. “Guess we’re even.”

Rolling her eyes at him, Maddie finished eating the last bite of cake.

“Something wrong with the cake?” Mrs. Donovan asked, coming in from the kitchen.

“Loved it,” Maddie answered, directing her next comment to Alex. “It’s so fresh I could slap it.” She rose, picking up the cutlery. “Everything was delicious. Thanks again.”

“Madelina.” Mrs. Donovan took the cutlery out of Maddie’s hand. “Don’t worry about that. Jenna and Kristina will take care of it. This is your day. You sit and visit.”

“Ma,” Alex said. “I keep telling you. You can’t Italianize Maddie’s name. Doesn’t work.”

“Says who?” his mother answered. “Works for us. Right, Madelina?”

Maddie smiled. “Sure does.” Mrs. D. had christened her Madelina the moment they’d met.

Alex kissed his mother’s cheek. “Apparently Ma still drinks in the afternoons.”

His mother, who wouldn’t even take a sip of root beer, untied her apron and swatted him with it. “You need a haircut.” Alex took the glasses to the kitchen. Mrs. D. winked at Maddie. “Alessandro must be talking about his father’s side of the family. Those Irishmen.”

“I heard that,” his father shot from the living room, sounding like his son.

“Ma, give him a smack for me,” Jen said, wiping her kids’ chocolate-smeared faces. “He sent the boys a drum set a few weeks ago. One day I will return the favor, little brother.”

“Jen, I got something better than a smack.” Kristi fished an envelope from her purse, took six photographs out and gave them to Maddie. “Need new screensavers at work?”

Maddie burst out laughing. “These are priceless.”

Tim rushed over to look at the pictures. “Dude.” Tim placed his hand over his heart. “I’m crushed. Never told me about your cross-dressing days. I wouldn’t have judged. Much.”

Alex came back from the kitchen and picked up the pictures. “Let me see those.” Shaking his head, he shot both his sisters a look that clearly said he was going to get even. The pictures showed a little boy wearing a grass skirt, a flowered crown on his head and a lei around his neck.

His parents explained that the pictures were taken during a family vacation to Maui. Jen had dressed four-year-old Alex, bribing him with gum so he’d dance for the camera.

Peter, Jen’s husband, joined in the ribbing and soon they were talking over each other, pulling out embarrassing memories. Of course Tim was egging the sisters on, grabbing this opportunity to take the piss out of his friend. Maddie observed the scene wistfully, wondering what it would have been like to grow up with siblings. Kristi was twenty-three and single and Jen was eight years older than Alex, married with three children—a five-year-old daughter, Alexandra, and three-year-old twins, Caleb and Joey.

She listened as the kids ran around giggling while the adults continued the rowdy teasing. Maddie let out a low sigh of longing as she watched Alex’s father scoop Caleb into his arms and twirl him around while the other two kids hopped up and down, arms outstretched, awaiting their turn. Maddie hadn’t known her grandparents and her only uncle wasn’t the hug-and-twirl type. She wondered if her father was. Or if his parents were.

She knew this was typical dinner banter for the Donovans—loud with a lot of hand gestures. Felicia was an excellent cook and housekeeper—now those were traits Maddie wished she had inherited from her mother—but dinners were quick and quiet. Her mother ate only enough to keep her weight one pound above anorexic. During Felicia’s marriages, Maddie had never bonded with any of the husbands because the “children should be seen and not heard” philosophy was put into full force each time. Meals were silent, and when she got older, she ate in another room.

Maddie brought the dishes into the kitchen and busied herself there. As much as she enjoyed their company tonight, birthdays did not hold happy memories for her. For reasons never explained to her, both her mother and uncle never celebrated theirs, and Felicia had always seen Maddie’s birthday as a reminder of her own aging.

As a child, Maddie had given up asking for a birthday party. By the time she made a few friends it was always time to move, and she never felt right accepting gifts for an occasion that wasn’t celebrated by her own family. Oh, sure, she received the obligatory cards from her mother and uncle, but except for that, it was a day like any other. No special meal. No cake. She got used to that. She prided herself on maintaining a positive outlook. She was determined to never be a victim to the circumstances of her past.

She turned the kitchen faucet on. She rinsed the dishes and at the same time rinsed away the wave of melancholy rising inside her. Even though her birthday was not celebrated in the traditional sense by her family, she always looked forward to hearing from her mother and her uncle. This year there had been nothing. Neither her mother nor Uncle George had sent her an e-mail, text message or phone call. She even left her cell phone on so she wouldn’t miss their call.

Stacking the dishwasher, she also stacked away the regret to be dealt with later. She intended on relishing what she did have—good friends, a good job—instead of what she didn’t have—a good relationship with her mother, and a father
¾
yet.

Tonight cemented her determination to find her father and any other siblings and relatives out there. She wanted to learn more about the man who had given her half her DNA, and also form a relationship with her paternal family. Her family might not be like the Donovan family, but that was okay. Traveling, she met people from different walks of life and she’d learned there were all sorts of familial ties and relationships.

“Hey, sexy.” Alex came up behind her and took the dish out of her hand. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he kissed her neck, lighting up her insides like birthday candles. “You don’t have to do that.”

“You’re tickling me.” Before her internal candles shot up in flames, she stepped out of his embrace and turned to face him. “Watch it. Someone could walk in here—”

He pulled her back into his arms. “You need to loosen up, babe.”

That made her laugh. “Touché.”

He leaned his forehead against hers. “They know I’m crazy about you—”

“What?” She stepped back. “What do you mean? What did you say about us?”

He took her hand. “I didn’t have to say anything. I told you my mother’s perceptive. They’ve always liked you and now they know we’re more than friends. It’s all good. Now come here, I didn’t give you a proper birthday kiss yet.” He pulled her to him. She dissolved into his slow, sweet, tender kiss. “
Aloha au `ia `oe
,” he whispered against her lips.

“And what does that mean?”

Smiling, he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “You’ll figure it out.”

“Like I figured out what ‘
a hui hou’
means?” She leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. “And it doesn’t mean ‘Have a nice day’.”

“It doesn’t?” His face reddened a touch with a crooked smile. “Imagine that.”

“More like, ‘See you again soon’.”

He looked away, shuffling his feet.

Aw, poor guy. She wouldn’t torment him anymore. With a playful poke to his ribs, she said, “Won’t be hard to find out what Aloha—”

“Uncle Alex. Uncle Alex.” Alexandra ran into the kitchen and tugged his pant leg. “Is it time? Pretty pleeeeeeease wiff chocolate and sprinkles and Skittles on top. Can we do it now?”

Alex hoisted his niece up onto his shoulders. Giggling, she leaned her head down and gave him a big sloppy kiss on his cheek. Alex wiped his face.

“Hey.” Alexandra put her hands on her hips. With her dark hair and dark eyes, Maddie thought she was the spitting image of her uncle. “You erased my kiss.”

An
“Oh, shit”
look crossed his face. “Never. I was rubbing it in so it will last a long time.”

Too damn adorable. As if Maddie needed more reasons to keep falling for him—and miss the hell out of him when he left. Dammit.

Alex set his niece down on the floor. “Okay, tell your mom and Nonna we’re ready.”

Ten minutes later, Maddie found out what Alexandra had been talking about. His niece and nephews helped her unwrap the basket filled with Godiva chocolates, licorice, Skittles, M&Ms, hot chocolate pouches and cookies—a gift from Alex’s parents and sisters. Tim gave her a framed picture he’d snapped of her on their outing to the volcano. She was grateful for the whole evening and at the same time she was overwhelmed, had to fight the urge to run out and lock herself in her hotel room. They told her the kids had had fun making the birthday cards and blowing up balloons. They made it seem as though it had been more for them than for her.

After everyone said goodbye, Tim headed out to one of the local bars and since it had stopped raining, Alex suggested they walk back to their hotel.

Holding hands, they strolled along the beach. There was a cool twilight breeze and the ocean murmured against the shore. The moonlight glistened on the water like a newly waxed floor in a candlelit room. Hawaii’s natural beauty and mystique somehow made her own internal world, her own petty problems, seem smaller.

Note to self—insert that thought in article.

“I envy you,” she said. “You still keep in touch with friends you grew up with. Even with the teasing and loud discussions, your family is tight.”

He squeezed her hand. “Must have been hard to make friends moving around so much.”

“Not once I figured out what to do.”

“Which was?”

“Keep ’em laughing. You know, the new kid’s not bad. She’s pretty cool and funny. Helped get through that initial awkward phase, especially when we moved in the middle of a school year.” She gave him a sideways glance. Moonlight had caught his hair, giving it a navy sheen. She injected a cheerful tone into her voice. “Letting the other kids in on my pranks was a surefire way to make fast friends.”

He let go of her hand and draped his arm around her shoulder. “You drove the teachers nuts, didn’t you?”

“I drive
you
nuts, don’t I?”

He pressed his lips against her temple, and she felt his smile against her hair. “It’s all good, baby.”

“Even when you get frustrated with me because I don’t take things seriously and my impulses land you on the shower floor, butt naked and bleeding?”

He chuckled, nodding. “Even then. Don’t ever change.”

She wanted to answer that he did want her to change, though. Change continents. Okay, she had promised him she’d think about it, and tonight was not the night for serious decisions.

“That’s why I value your friendship so much,” she said instead. “And Tim’s and Reece’s, of course. You’re the longest friendships I’ve ever had.” The cool breeze sent shivers up her arms. “I’m glad we didn’t meet in high school, we would have lost touch.”

Alex halted his steps, set the basket of gifts down and faced her. His expression was thoughtful. “We’ll never lose touch.” He enveloped her into his arms.

She inhaled the sea and his citrus, sandalwood scent with breathtaking happiness. “Thanks for tonight. I was a bit embarrassed, but everyone made me feel so comfortable and…special.”

“Because you are. And it’s not over yet.” He let her go and reached into his pocket. “I wanted to give you this in private.” He put a small package in her hand, placing a finger against her lips, stopping her objections. “Yes, I should have. I wanted to. Enjoy.”

With trembling fingers she ripped the package open and found a long, slim, black velvet box. She bit her lower lip and swallowed hard as she opened it. “Oh, Alex.” She lifted the platinum chain with the silversword pendant from the box. “I feel like such an idiot.”

“Hey.” He lifted her chin and kissed her. “Not the reaction I was expecting.”

“I thought, well, you know…the
‘a hui hou.’
I overheard you tell Natalie at her shop—”

“Yeah, I know. I wanted this to be a surprise.” He took the necklace from her hand. She lifted her hair. He clasped it. “Stunning, like you.”

Touching the pendant, she wondered about the timing of this purchase. It was before they had consummated their relationship. What did it mean? They’d always exchanged birthday and Christmas gifts, but never anything like this.

Stop it. I know the guy has strong feelings for me. I have them too. Don’t think. Don’t analyze. Don’t be Alex.

Pulling a wide smile, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You’re something else, Donovan. I’ve wanted to bop you over the head because of that
‘a hui hou’
comment.” She caressed the back of his neck, feeling the silky strands of his hair. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

She pressed her lips against his, pouring her gratitude and desire into a long kiss.

He broke away first. “Let’s go.” His voice was hoarse. “Time for your
other
birthday gift.”