Page 84 of One Night in Hawaii

“Your mother and I know we’ve set some expectations that might have been wrong,” he said. “We wanted the best for you and Penelope. We were worried you might be taken advantage of, but I see we were wrong.”

“I would love for you guys to come and visit,” I told him.

He extended his hand. I shook it before pulling him in for a hug. “We’re leaving tomorrow. Please tell Mom I said goodbye. We’ll be in touch.”

“Good luck,” he said.

I walked him to the elevator and then headed upstairs to see Shiloh. She was sitting on the edge of the bed. “How was it?” she asked. “Is everything okay?”

I smiled. “Everything is great. He wished us luck and they plan on visiting later.”

Her eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes.”

She jumped up and gave me a hug. “I’m so happy for you.”

“For us.”

34

SHILOH

Iwas glad to be back home. New York was awesome, but I didn’t think I could ever live there and be happy. It was a little much for me. The people were different. A city was a city, but the people were so much more tense. They were all in a hurry and didn’t seem to care much about the people they walked by on the street.

“I really like this,” I said and ran my hand over the dash of Archer’s new vehicle.

“Do I fit in?” he teased.

The brand-new Toyota Four Runner was a nice vehicle, but it looked like one of the rentals the tourists drove around. “Yes,” I lied. “Pretty soon you’re going to be wearing those wild shirts.”

“Don’t count on it,” he said, laughing.

“Where are we going?” I asked when he missed the turn to Ryder’s house.

“It’s a surprise,” he said, smiling.

We drove a few more miles before he pulled into the driveway of an older bungalow-style house. He shut off the engine and looked at me. “Ready?”

“For what?” I asked.

“To see the house.”

I looked at the house and was a little surprised. It was very different from the luxury home he rented before, but maybe he wanted to live a simpler life. I stood beside Archer, taking in the sight of the beautiful cove and the three weathered houses that lined the shore. The sound of crashing waves filled the air, and the salty breeze kissed my skin. It was a breathtaking view.

“Is this your rental house?” I asked, assuming that one of these properties was the temporary residence for his stay in Oahu.

Archer chuckled, his eyes sparkling with pride. “No,” he said, a hint of playfulness in his voice. “This is our house. Technically, all of them are. This is our cove.”

My eyes widened in surprise as I turned to look at him. “Wait, seriously? All of them?”

He nodded, and his smile widened. “Yes. I thought about buying one of those big fancy homes, but this cove felt so perfect. It spoke to me. It felt like the right place to settle down.”

I was speechless, unable to believe the magnitude of what he was saying. The stunning cove, with its pristine beach and awe-inspiring view, was not just a rental property but a home. His home. Our home. My heart pounded in my chest. I could never imagine owning a home on the beach in Oahu. Even though the homes were older and small, the land and the view were worth millions.

“Should we go in?” he asked.

“You seriously bought these houses?” I asked with disbelief.

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