Page 91 of One Night in Hawaii

He stepped out of the shower and slung a towel around his waist. I couldn’t resist touching his wet chest. My hands pressed against his skin. “You look fucking hot with this tan.”

He grinned. “You like it?”

“I do. Are you sure you want to go on a hike? I think I could think of a few other things we can do.”

“Naughty, naughty,” he teased. “Save it for later. We’ve got plans for the day.”

“But I have my own plans.”

“I’m sure you do,” he said and gave me a kiss. “But you’re just going to have to hold all of that until later.”

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Ihad spent weeks planning the perfect proposal, envisioning a magical moment surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of Oahu’s remote hiking spots on the north shore. I wanted the setting to be just right, a place where our love would be etched into the memory of this special day forever. But sometimes, life had its own plans, and nature had a different idea.

As we hiked along the rugged trail, the anticipation building with every step, dark clouds began to gather in the sky. The winds picked up, and the distant rumble of thunder echoed through the air. I looked at Shiloh, her eyes filled with excitement and joy, completely oblivious to the approaching storm. I didn’t want to worry her, but it was evident that our plan was in jeopardy. She was used to the random thunderstorms that rolled through out of nowhere and disappeared just as quickly. To her, it was just another day.

Once again, my plans were thwarted. I was beginning to wonder if it was a sign. I wasn’t supposed to propose. Fate was telling me to hold off. We weren’t supposed to be engaged. But dammit, I really wanted to do it.

“We might want to turn back,” I suggested, trying to hide my disappointment.

Shiloh glanced up at the sky, her expression turning thoughtful. “You think the rain will hold off?” she asked.

I hesitated, not wanting to crush her enthusiasm. “I’m not sure, but it looks like it might get worse,” I admitted reluctantly.

As if to emphasize my point, a few drops of rain began to fall, slowly at first, but soon the sky opened up, unleashing a torrential downpour. We hurriedly sought shelter under the cover of some trees, hoping the storm would pass quickly. But it seemed as if the rain had other plans.

“Shit,” I muttered. I didn’t turn back. I had worked up the courage to get the proposal done today. I didn’t want to wait.

“It’s fine,” she said. “This happens all the time.”

With the trail now muddy and slippery, continuing the hike was out of the question. We had no choice but to abandon our plans and head back to the car. My heart sank as I realized that my carefully planned proposal would have to wait for another day.

As we trudged through the rain, our clothes soaked and our spirits dampened, Shiloh turned to me with a smile. “Well, this wasn’t exactly what we had in mind, was it?” she said, her laughter ringing through the air. “Your first job as a tour guide has been a bit of a failure. I’ll stick to being the tour guide.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle, grateful for her positive outlook even in the face of a ruined plan. “Definitely not,” I replied, taking her hand in mine. “But you know what they say, life is full of surprises.”

We made our way back to the car, and as we drove, I noticed a little dive bar by the side of the road. It seemed like the perfect place to take refuge from the rain and warm up. With Shiloh’s adventurous spirit, I was sure she’d find the charm in this unexpected turn of events.

“Want to get a drink before we have to head to Ryder’s?” I asked her.

“Sure,” she said, shrugging.

We stepped into the cozy dive bar, the warmth and laughter of the patrons embracing us like an old friend. The atmosphere was inviting, and we settled into a corner booth, the rain still beating against the windows. It was clear other people were taking refuge from the freak storm in the bar.

As we waited for the storm to pass, we ordered some drinks and settled into a booth. The disappointment of the ruined proposal began to fade, replaced by the joy of simply being in each other’s company.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Fine.”

“I’m sorry I teased you about hiking,” she said. “We’ll try again tomorrow. It was a pretty place and I have honestly never been there. I’d like to see it again when it’s not raining.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I’m sorry it went to hell.”

“It’s Hawaii,” she said. “It happens.”

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