Page 26 of One Night in Hawaii

“Ryder loves to bark,” I said, laughing. “He’s flirting. I don’t think she minds.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t.”

“So, she’s engaged, huh,” I said, hoping to get him to open up a bit more about his life back in New York.

“Yes, to a guy I don’t like,” he said. “Much like she didn’t care for my fiancée. In our world, it doesn’t really matter who we like or don’t like.”

“What do you mean?”

He sighed and looked out over the cove. “You’re going to think I’m obnoxious.”

“I already thought that,” I joked. “Tell me anyway.”

“My family is very wealthy. It’s a generational wealth thing, which means my parents are used to a certain standard of living. They expect us to live up to their standards as well. That includes everything from the way we dress, how we interact with people, and who we marry.”

I was beginning to get a better picture. “Meaning you and Penelope both have to marry the right people.”

“Yes,” he said. “Not to say we don’t get a choice and the marriages were arranged for us, but there is a much smaller pool for us to choose from. If my parents disapproved of a woman I dated, it was made clear and basically they put their foot down. I don’t know why I listen to them. I’ve made my own money. I don’t need the family money, but dammit, Penelope and I are good little soldiers. I guess I feel lucky Ashley stood me up. My parents aren’t happy about it. They orchestrated the whole relationship along with her parents. Penelope is in a similar situation. She came with me on my defunct honeymoon to get away from her fiancé.”

“Is he a bad guy?” I asked with concern.

“Not bad, but I know she could do better. They fight a lot. My sister can be a little high maintenance, but I think she still deserves better.”

“And do you deserve better?”

“I don’t know,” he said, shrugging. “I would like to think so, but honestly, maybe I don’t. I don’t know if I would make a very good husband. My life is all about my calendar and my company. I don’t do stuff like this.”

“Snorkeling?”

“Snorkeling, vacationing, lounging on a beach without my iPad in my hand,” he said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“You have all the money you could want, but you don’t use it to see the world?” I asked with surprise.

He slowly shook his head. “No. I don’t have time.”

It was so crazy to me to think of anyone having the money to do whatever they wanted, but not taking advantage of it. He could go anywhere and see anything and he chose to stay inside his gilded cage.

“Thank you,” he said.

“What?” I asked with confusion.

“Thank you for dragging my ass out of the house. You’re forcing me to have a good time. You could have just let me wallow.”

I smiled. “You’re welcome.”

Inside, I felt like a total jerk. The guy had no idea I wasn’t doing this out of the kindness of my heart. I had to tell him about the money. As we lounged on the beach, enjoying the soft sand beneath us, I couldn’t help but think about what it would be like if I met him without being paid to hang out with him. Unfortunately, I didn’t think he would be interested in hanging out with me at all. I wasn’t his type.

“We should probably go back,” I said. “Ryder is going to make Penelope crazy.”

“She can handle it.”

We swam back over to where Penelope and Ryder appeared to actually be talking. I was surprised, but not really. Ryder had a way of getting anyone to talk to him. He was like an annoying brother. He kept talking until he wore someone down.

“Hey, I was just telling Penelope about Kona Brewing,” Ryder said. “You guys want to get drinks and dinner?”

“Sure,” I said, shrugging. “Archer?”

“I don’t know what that is, but sure, I’ll go.”

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