Page 104 of Try Me

Aloha

Pearl

Pearl jumped off the bus,taking the last two steps in one leap. They’d had to change tires after they’d had a flat on the bumpy road that cut through the pineapple plantations. The contestants were nervous and their patience was stretched to the limit.

Pearl surveyed the crowd on the beach, her fears mounting. Half the population of Oahu had come out to see the show. There were locals and tourists, businessmen and beach bums. The spectators were male, female, young and old. More viewers would watch from their living rooms. Most of them would tune in to see the Duke, but some would watch for her and the other women in the exhibition. Young, impressionable girls were in the audience waiting to be inspired.

A shiver ran down her spine as she felt her mother’s presence in the crowd’s energy. A movement on the waves caught her eye. There was a group of surfers sitting on their boards in the lineup. The water was supposed to be cleared before a contest, but that wasn’t always easy to do. No one owned the waves. Even though signs had been posted all over the island that the beach would be closed for the competition, it was hard to keep people out of the water. She’d seen security guards escort angry mobs of would-be surfers from the waves by security guards in California.

Pearl’s mouth went dry as she recognized the golden-blond hair of one surfer. She knew those broad shoulders and that strong back, and she’d woken up next to that princely profile.

“What the hell is he doing?” Pearl cried. She hadn’t meant to say it aloud. She hadn’t meant to call attention to Declan breaking the rules.

“Relax.” One of Pearl’s competitors came up beside her on the beach. “That’s Declan Bishop,” she said.

“I know who it is,” Pearl said, balling her fists as she watched the back of Declan’s head. “He’s going to get DQ’d!”

“You’re all wound up for nothing,” the woman said. “They won’t disqualify Declan Bishop. He’s the reason everybody’s here,” she said, pointing to the gathering crowd, the television crews, and the helicopter hovering over the waves like a giant bug.

A tingle raced down Pearl’s spine as she watched Declan link hands with the others, forming a line on the horizon. A cold fist clutched her heart as Pearl realized what she was witnessing. Throwing leis into the surf was a tradition to honor the dead who’d lost their lives to the ocean. She’d participated in similar services for her mother.

Pearl watched as Declan paddled back to shore. He caught a wave to carry him back, and she saw immediately that something was very wrong.

Declan wobbled on his board, then fell and went under the water. Pearl scanned the waves, holding her breath as she searched for him. The seconds ticked by, but Declan didn’t surface.

Pain crippled Pearl as she relived losing her mother. She couldn’t lose Declan, not now. Not when she’d just allowed herself to love him. She shouldn’t have let the money bother her, she realized. It didn’t matter how she went pro as long as she accomplished it. She’d let nothing stand in the way of her goal before, but she’d thought about turning Declan down because he was too generous? She was a fool.

He had been under too long. He wasn’t coming up. Ice filled Pearl’s veins at the thought of losing Declan. All her worries about balancing love and a career seemed silly. She could have it all, couldn’t she? As long as she had Declan, she could have everything she’d ever wanted. She couldn’t lose him.

“What’s that asshole doing now?”

Pearl turned to see Nate McKenna beside her. She’d been so absorbed with watching for Declan that she hadn’t noticed him.

Slicing her gaze back to the water, she sighed in relief as Declan surfaced.

“Declan’s in trouble,” she said. “I’m going to him.”

Nate’s hand shot out to stop her. “You can’t,” he said. “The exhibition is about to start.”

Nate’s lip was split and swollen and he had the makings of a black eye. A flicker of amusement broke through the haze of Pearl’s worry.

She glanced back at the women who’d gathered around the bus to receive instructions for the exhibition. She should be with them. Her heart tore in half as she turned back to watch Declan collapse in the sand, back bowed. She couldn’t stand to watch him suffer, she loved him too damn much.

“Pearl,” Nate said, grabbing her shoulder. “Don’t lose focus. Bishop is fine. He’s just being emotional.” He looked down at her with a pitying gaze. “He isn’t good for you,” he said.

Pearl knew in her heart that it wasn’t true. She’d never dared to believe a man could be good for her before. Not until Declan.

“If you go out there, you might miss the exhibition.” Nate’s grip tightened when she tried to pull away. “Bishop is fine. The two of you are over, remember?” His eyes bore into hers, and he tried again. “If you go out there, we’re done,” he threatened.

Pearl glared up at him, then brushed his hand away. “Go to hell,” she said, her voice calm despite the raging storm she felt inside.

Without waiting for Nate’s response, Pearl turned and raced across the sand to Declan. Her medical training kicked in as she knelt beside him. She skimmed her hands over his body, searching for noticeable injuries. No blood. No broken bones. Strong, but erratic pulse. Glassy eyes.

She quickly diagnosed that Declan was having a panic attack.

A few of the other contestants jogged over, but Pearl waved them off. “Give him some space,” she said. “Give him a minute.”

Applause broke out in the crowd, and people shouted. Pearl looked to the waves and saw a surfer gliding across the water. He looked like an ancient Hawaiian warrior, so tall and regal cutting through the waves as if he owned them. Keoni, the man Declan seemed to worship, was giving the audience a spectacular show. It was the distraction she needed to get Declan away from the prying eyes of the crowd.

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