Page 14 of Duty and Desire

Except I knew thinking about it would not be enough.

I had to see this for myself.

I shut the laptop down, closed it, and carried it into the bungalow. Aulani gave me a quizzical glance and I smiled.

“Don’t worry, I won’t be in your hair. I’m going out for a while.”

“That’s fine. I have my key from Mr. Roger. I’ll lock upwhen I leave.” That twinkle in her eyes told me she knew exactly what I was up to.

I grabbed the keys for the buggy and crossed the bridge. It wasn’t until I sat on it that I realized I had no idea where to find Nick.

What am I going to do, drive around the island searching for him?

Yeah, likethatwasn’t weird as hell.

I mulled over what I already knew about him. I’d seen him on a beach, at the ferry point, behind a counter at a tourist stand… And if I did find him, I didn’t want him to notice me.

I was only doing this to prove—or disprove—Aulani’s theory.

It took me an hour to track Nick down. I’d revisited all the places I’d seen him, but with no success. Then it occurred to me the one place I hadn’t retraced my steps to was Kai’s bar.

But why would he be there?He didn’t tend bar with Kai, that much I knew for certain.

It was a long shot, but worth a look.

I pulled up in the parking lot and switched off the engine. I needed to do this as surreptitiously as possible: running into Kai would involve becoming embroiled in a conversation, thus drawing attention to myself, and that was the last thing I wanted to do, especially if Nickwasthere.

Maybe my next book should be about a secret agent.Lord knew, I felt like one right then.

I stuck my head around the doorway. Kai stood with his back to me, talking with a bar patron. From what I could glean, they were discussing football. Half the tables were occupied, and I scanned each one, searching for Nick.

The irony of the situation didn’t escape me. I’d become Nick’s stalker.

Then I saw him, seated under a parasol at the far end,overlooking the lagoon. He wasn’t alone. A young woman sat facing him, and they appeared to be engaged in a deep conversation.

Maybe this is the girl Aulani spoke of.

She was pretty, with long, straight hair caught up in a ponytail. She looked like a tourist: sunglasses, shorts, a pink top, and sandals. When she took Nick’s hand in hers, it was an affectionate gesture.

Nick glanced in my direction, and for one heart-stopping moment, I thought he’d seen me. Then I saw where his gaze alighted, and my heart jerked into action.

A broad-shouldered, well-built man sat with his back to me. He wore jeans and a jacket, which seemed a little incongruous when compared to the rest of the bar’s patrons. I couldn’t see his face, but it was obvious he was watching Nick.

Is this the stalker?

Nick gave him a brief stare, his face contorted, then returned his focus to the woman. That expression told me one thing.

Nick wasn’t happy to have the guy there.

I withdrew, anxious not to attract either Nick’s or Kai’s attention. I climbed back onto the buggy, turned the key, and drove out of the parking lot.

There was only one way to proceed.

I had to talk to Nick. Aulani had wondered if he knew about this guy, and I had my answer to that question. But that unhappy stare had gotten me wondering.

Could I help him?

I’d gone from writer to white knight in a heartbeat.

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