Page 90 of One Night in Hawaii

“You’ll see,” she spat before hanging up abruptly.

I stood there for a moment, my heart still racing from the confrontation. I felt a mix of anger and sadness, but deep down, I knew that Ashley’s words were fueled by her own pain and insecurities. It was clear that she hadn’t moved on from the past, and I hoped that one day she would find the peace and healing she needed. She was the one that fucked him over. She was only pissed she didn’t get the money from him that she planned on. She didn’t care about him. She cared about his money.

As I continued folding clothes, I reminded myself that the strength of my relationship with Archer wasn’t determined by Ashley’s bitterness. I knew the love and trust we shared were genuine, and I refused to let anyone else’s negativity tarnish that. In the end, our love was our own, and I was determined to cherish and protect it, no matter what challenges came our way. She never loved him and he never loved her. I would never cheat on him. I couldn’t imagine myself ever looking at another man.

I heard Archer’s frustrated curse echoing from outside, and my instincts kicked in. I quickly set aside the laundry I was folding and rushed to the back door to see what was going on. As I stepped outside, I found my billionaire boyfriend, who was more accustomed to boardrooms and luxury, standing shirtless and wearing a pair of shorts, working on the roof of our new home.

The sight both amused and warmed my heart. Archer was a man of privilege, but he had willingly embraced the challenges of manual labor to help fix up our new house. His dedication to making our home a better place was both endearing and surprising.

“Hey, what’s going on?” I asked, walking toward him.

Archer looked up from his work, a mixture of frustration and determination in his eyes. “This fucking roof is not cooperating,” he grumbled. “I’m a little pissed the home inspector didn’t catch how bad this was.”

I couldn’t help but smile at his efforts. “You’re doing great,” I said, trying to encourage him. “Remember, this is your first time doing something like this. We can hire someone, but honestly, I kind of like watching you getting all hot and sexy.”

Archer’s lips curved into a faint smile, and he wiped the sweat off his brow. “Thanks, babe. I just want to get it right, you know? I want this house to be perfect for us.”

“Let me get you some cold water,” I told him.

He was just climbing down the ladder when I walked back out.

I stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder that was warm from the sun. “The house already is perfect, Archer, because it’s ours. We’ll figure out the rest together.”

He nodded, appreciating my support while sucking down the cold water. “You’re right. I’m not used to this kind of work, but I want to be a part of this, to help create our home. I want to know how to do this. I can take care of you in a monetary sense, but I want to know I can take care of you in all ways. I guess I’m feeling a bit like a caveman.”

“You can pound your chest, club me over the head, and drag me back to your cave any day of the week,” I teased.

“Don’t tempt me.” He finished the water and looked up at the roof. “I’m done for today. I have plans for us.”

“Plans?” I asked.

“I am going to take a quick shower and then I’m going to play the tour guide,” he said. “I have a little something to show you.”

“You’re going to be the tour guide?” I asked with a laugh.

“I am.”

“I don’t know if I can afford your rates,” I joked.

“You can pay me in sex,” he replied.

“Shoot, sign me up,” I said, grinning.

He reached around and grabbed my ass, jerking me against him. “Get dressed. We’re going hiking. I need five minutes to wash away the sweat and then we are out of here.”

“I’ll be ready. Should I pack us a lunch or anything?”

“Nah, this isn’t that kind of hike,” he said.

While he showered, I put on clean shorts and my hiking shoes. “Babe!” I called out while he was in the shower.

“Yeah?”

“Don’t forget we have the barbecue later today,” I reminded him.

“I know,” he said. “That’s why it will be a short hike.”

I thought it was a little strange that he wanted to go on a short hike, but I was happy to do it. We spent our time exploring or working on the house. I hadn’t even been out on the boat in over a week. Normally, I would be jonesing to get out on the water, but we stayed so busy, it was easy to forget about getting under the water.

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