Page 56 of Hula Girl

“Things just got more complicated for us, right?” Ford asks with a half wince, half smile.

“More complicated foryou, actually. Because you’re going to be the one to explain all this to my mom.”

I’d thought he’d be nervous at the prospect, but instead, he says, “You met my mom. I’d love to meet yours.”

Dropping my head into my hands, I mumble, “What is happening?”

“Hey, let’s get out of here. Get some air, okay?”

When I look up at him, I see he’s already dropped a wad of cash on the table and has his hand out to me. I take it and when he then wraps his arm around my shoulders, I lean into him, grateful that he’s taking charge at this moment. It’s not that I need rescuing, it’s just that I wouldn’t mind having a partner, someone I can lean on.

And here he is.

21

Ford

The night air has gone cool and I drape my suit coat over Ava’s shoulders as we walk down the dark and now empty streets. I don’t know where we’re going and it’s not entirely clear to me that she knows either.

What I do know is that I like the way she wraps her arm around my waist as I hold her shoulders. Her body against mine is a welcome feeling after the events of the past few hours. This day has been nothing what I expected.

Of course, I only have myself to blame for all that.I’mthe one who claimed to be Ava’s fiancé.I’mthe one who urged her to keep up the story when my father played along.I’mthe one who asked her to see it through.

The only saving grace to this bizarre situation is that there is no one else I’d rather be pretending with. The side of her I got to know a little in Maui showed me she’s fun, sweet, and sexy. Now, it’s fascinating to see this other side of her. She’s obviously a capable professional if she’s been under Randall Miller’s tutelage. He’s not known for suffering fools, which makes it even more surprising that Manfred Khan rose to partnership level in that firm. It makes me wonder what kind of sleazy maneuvering he might have done to get there. Watching Ava more than hold her own with that jerk was impressive.

And now she’s challenged me to make all well with her mother. I like that she’s put me up to this. It means she’s already opening up her world to me.

“Where are we going?” she asks.

I can hear the alcohol in her voice. It’s just a hint of that Old Fashioned, but not enough to worry that she’s incapable of handling herself.

Looking down at her, I laugh. “Why are you asking me? I thought you were leading us somewhere.”

She pulls away and looks around. We’re now on Hill Street, having walked several blocks.

“Oh,” she says softly, almost to herself. “I haven’t been on that thing since I was a kid.”

I follow her gaze to the large tangerine-colored pillars and arch demarcating the entrance for Angels Flight, the historic funicular railway which takes tourists up the steep but very short journey from Hill Street to Olive Street. I know of it, but haven’t been on it and tell Ava as much.

She grabs my hand. “We should go on it!”

I let her pull me toward the gated archway, seeing before she does that it’s closed for the night. Her disappointment when she realizes we missed the chance to ride it is palpable. The sigh she releases is so heavy that I wonder at the significance this thing has for her.

“Who did you ride it with before?” I ask.

“What?”

Her eyes are fixed on the top of the hill and her mind is elsewhere.

“Was it your father? Did you ride this with him?”

That gets her attention and she looks at me. “I, uh, yeah. He liked to show me around all the old Los Angeles sights. This was one of them.”

“Well, let’s go to the top, then.”

“We can’t. It’s stopped running for the night, remember?”

I nod to the stairs on the right side of the entrance. “Come on, honey.”

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