Page 28 of The Best Wrong Move

I roll my eyes as we make our way back through the townhouse, then out the front door.

“Thank you,” I whisper to him when we’re safely out of earshot. “That was perfect.”

“It’s my pleasure.” He places a hand against the small of my back to lead me. “That guy never deserved you anyway.”

When we get out front, there’s a black Escalade idling by the sidewalk, a driver behind the wheel.

“I didn’t realize you had a car waiting!” I nudge his arm gently. “I hope the driver isn’t going to be mad it took so long.” I shoot him a nervous glance, hoping we’re not about to get an earful from his Uber driver.

“Oh, he won’t be mad,” he tells me. “He’s used to this.”

He opens the back door for me.

“Hey, Charlie,” Dom says to the driver.

“Hello, sir,” the driver says, not turning around, but his eyes look calm in the rearview. This doesn’t feel like an Uber situation. “Still going to Cliff’s?”

“We are. Thanks for waiting,” Dom tells him before shutting my door. Then he walks around to the other side and climbs in next to me.

“Is this some type of ride share that’s based here in Hawaii?” I ask, looking for a windshield sticker. Seems pretty high-end.

“It’s a private service,” Dom says. Then he melts me with his eyes before squeezing my knee, topping it off with a sexy side grin. A tidal wave of desire pumps through my body at his touch, but disappears when he shifts his hand off my knee again. My heart sinks when I remember this is all just a show. Every last bit of it. And now that we’re in the car, there’s no need for any more contact between us. “I figured we’d have some drinks tonight, so I didn’t want to have to worry about driving later. Charlie is going to wait and take us back after, too.”

“Wish we had a ride-share service like this back in New York,” I tell them.

I see the driver’s eyes crinkle as he smiles in the rearview mirror at us, but he doesn’t say a word.

After a short drive, we pull up to Cliff’s. I’d been right about the bar having a classic tiki vibe. We sit down at a long table outside while we wait for Dom’s group of friends. The owner is his buddy, Cliff, who switches between chatting with us and bantering happily with other regulars, taking their orders and welcoming them in.

So far, no one has recognized me, and if they have, Dom’s proximity is making them keep a safe distance for now. Everyone just seems happy to be here, and swept up in their own conversations.

As I’d hoped, there’s a lot of young Chris Hemsworth lookalikes, with surfboards lined up against the wall near the door, but also a lot of relaxed-looking tourists and locals vibing to live music together in the open air. Surrounded by high-top tables, a row of open-flame torches lining the teak wood deck, the rhythm of continuous waves lapping the shore under a glowing moon mingles with the sound of an older musician in the corner strumming away on his guitar. The sky is in full bloom now, showing off its map of bright white stars, while the air is thick with the smell of plumeria and hibiscus flowers, scattered across the sand from a nearby row of trees.

I smile to myself while taking it all in.

I did it.

I’m here.

A blinding sense of appreciation sweeps through me, admittedly for the first time since I arrived.

Maybe it’s unfettered access to the ocean, or the fact that I’m more than a stone’s throw away from my ex and no one seems to recognize me, thanks to Dom. Whatever the reason, I feel myself starting to relax and unwind. In a good way. In thebestway. Just the smallest hint at a time.

Chapter 18

Soon after we sit down, a group of four rowdy-looking thirtysomethings walk in and start waving at us.

“That’s them,” Dom announces as they make their way to our table.

I try to calm my nerves while they circle, each finding a seat.

Two guys that look to be around Dom’s age introduce themselves and their wives one at a time. Everyone looks fresh-faced and glowy, with deeply tan skin. The two women instantly welcome me with warm hugs, and Cliff arrives to set two big bowls of fresh guacamole and chips on the table. The guys start bantering with Dom while the two girls instantly want to hear how I met him.

“Dom is the last bachelor among them,” a girl named Isla tells me. Then she raises a bushy pair of eyebrows at me and nudges my elbow, leaning in like we’re about to share a secret. “Though, if you ask me, he’s probably the best catch among them. Minus my husband, of course.” I laugh and steal a glance at Dom, who’s engrossed in a deep-sea fishing story with one of the guys.

I tell them he’s the owner of my vacation rental and that’s how we met. They both glance sideways at each other.

“Dom owns many, many rentals, and he’s never brought any of the renters here to meet us.” Isla gives me a sweet smile. “In fact, I don’t think he even knows how many he owns at this point. He’s totally hands-off when it comes to those things.”

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