Delicious Do-Over by Debbi Rawlins Page A

aviator-style dark lenses.
    Hell, Rick totally understood. He’d have given her a third look. And that was another thing he liked about her. She had a head-turning body, great hair, perfect face and she took it all in stride. Maybe her strict upbringing had something to do with keeping her centered. Whatever, she sure had her act together.
    He’d forgotten that he dropped her off in front of the entrance and then found a shady place to park. He only remembered when he saw her hesitate at the curb and look around as if she were confused, and he flagged her down.
    She smiled as she climbed into the Jeep. “Interesting store,” she said. “I’m going to have to go back and pick up a few things for my family before I leave.”
    “I’m sure you’ve noticed that there’s one on just about every corner in Waikiki. Thirty-seven of them within a one-mile radius to be exact. Another twenty-seven around Honolulu and on the other islands.”
    She laughed. “What did you do, drive around and count them?”
    “Nope.” Rick started the engine. “I tried to buy stock.”



7
    L INDSEY HAD CALLED both Mia and Shelby right up to the time she and Rick reached the hotel lobby. She’d even tried calling both rooms directly. If they were there, they weren’t answering. Though she doubted they’d be wasting such a beautiful day in the room. Shelby had texted something about Mia seeing the guy she’d met during spring break at the bar. Maybe they’d found each other again. Still, she didn’t want to take Rick to the room and risk having anyone walk in on them.
    They got to the elevator, and she pressed the call button, her mind skipping around for a way she could explain that she needed some privacy without him thinking she was ditching him. It looked as if she were going to have to just spit it out. She took a deep breath and glanced over at him.
    He smiled. “I’m not going up with you.”
    “You’re not?”
    He removed his sunglasses and hung them off the neckline of his shirt. “Go get your shower, talk to your friends.” He touched her hair. “Take your time, Lindsey. I’m not going anywhere.”
    “What are you going to do?”
    “Get a room, if they have one available. If not, I’ll try the hotel across the street.”
    For a horrifying instant she thought he’d given up on taking her to his place. “I thought we were going to the North Shore.”
    “We are, but it’s a two-hour round-trip, so it makes sense for me to have a room here.” He rubbed his shadowed jaw. “I can shave, shower, keep a change of clothes for when we’re in Waikiki.”
    “I hate for you to spend the money,” she said, knowing that he was trying to make things easier for her. “But with the three of us sharing two rooms, I can’t really—”
    “I know.” He nudged her chin up and brushed a kiss across her lips. “We’ll meet at the pool when you’re ready. You have my number.”
    She nodded, and heard the elevator ding. “I’ll be at least an hour.” She took a step backward, then moved aside for a family to enter the car, without breaking eye contact with him.
    It was silly. They were only going to be apart for an hour or two, but she already hated the thought. She boarded the elevator last, then turned to face the lobby. He was still standing there watching her as the doors slid closed. At the last second he winked, and her stupid heart fluttered like a nervous butterfly.
    This was amazing. He was amazing. Last week she’d harbored a cautious hope that he’d somehow magically show up. At every turn she’d warned herself against disappointment. The chances were slim that he’d have the opportunity, much less want to see her again. But this was so much better than she had imagined.
    “What floor?”
    Lindsey blinked at the scowling teenage girl with the dyed pink stripe through her hair. From the tone of her voice, the question had been asked more than once.
    “Seven. Thanks.” Lindsey ignored the other two kids