decided to grab a bite to eat. As he poured cereal into a bowl, his mind drifted back to his landlady.
Alana .
Even thinking her name made his heart skip a beat. It was corny to even think of it in those terms, but it was the truth. It was understandable he would be attracted to her. She was tall and curvy, but there was also a sweetness about her that drew him in. He wondered about the family she often referenced but never saw visit. She seemed like such a happy person, always wearing a smile, those blue eyes sparkling at him…
He drew in his breath and ordered his body to take a rest. It had been a long time since he had been this interested in a woman. She was just his type, but she was off limits. He wasn’t ready to get tangled up with his landlady. No matter how much he wanted to.
* * * *
Alana was cutting up the pineapple she bought the day before for the Santini brothers when she heard the car in her driveway. She knew the sound of that engine, knew the way the person parked.
Colin .
She wiped off her hands as the front door opened and closed. Not many people had access to her house, but Colin always had a key. A girl had to have a best friend and basically, he was hers. From the time they were in kindergarten they had been fast friends. Usually, she didn’t have a problem with him dropping by unannounced. Today, though, she wasn’t in the mood, especially since she had a bad feeling why he had decided to come over.
“Alana, love?”
“In the kitchen, Colin.”
He turned the corner and she inwardly cringed. He looked like he had been run over by a truck.
“So, I guess you and Sara are broken up, again.”
He sighed and walked into the kitchen. She knew it was hard on him. Being the boyfriend to a woman who didn’t want to acknowledge your relationship because of her conservative Chinese family couldn’t be easy. Sara came from a very wealthy family and for some reason she didn’t think they would approve of Colin. She used Colin for a lot of things, mainly sex and to make herself feel better. It tore Colin to shreds emotionally and Alana was stuck picking up the pieces every time. She ached for her best friend. Alana hated Sara and that was saying a lot. Alana didn’t use that term to describe her feelings that often.
“This time, I think we are really through.”
She would be happy if it were true. But she knew it wasn’t. It was a mantra she’d heard so many times before.
“Whatcha doing there?” he asked.
She looked down at the knife and pineapple. “Playing bridge.”
He chuckled, although it didn’t sound happy. “Did I ever tell you you’re a little sarcastic for your own good?”
“Many times, but I have also told you that I only do it with you and other people I love. Let me finish this up and then we can decide what to do tonight.”
“I didn’t say I was spending tonight with you.”
“It’s five on a Friday, you’re in a rotten mood and I’m not letting you hit any damned clubs in Honolulu tonight. You’ll do something you’ll regret. Then, I will have to deal with that. I don’t have time for that. How about we do dinner in?”
He smiled. “That sounds good.”
“And you can drink as much as you want and stay over.”
She packaged up the fruit while Colin made himself coffee.
“I might want some of that,” he said without turning around.
“Too bad. It’s for the Santinis.”
“Santinis? There are more of them?”
Before she could answer, she heard her SUV pull into the drive and then over to the cottage she rented Marco.
“Yes. They’re here to visit.”
She picked up the container and headed to the door. She felt him on her heels and turned around and put her hand on his chest. If Colin saw her with the lieutenant, he would know she was interested in him.
“No. You stay here. I’m not going to deal with you and them.”
He frowned but there was a bit of sparkle in his eyes. She sighed and headed out to
Alana .
Even thinking her name made his heart skip a beat. It was corny to even think of it in those terms, but it was the truth. It was understandable he would be attracted to her. She was tall and curvy, but there was also a sweetness about her that drew him in. He wondered about the family she often referenced but never saw visit. She seemed like such a happy person, always wearing a smile, those blue eyes sparkling at him…
He drew in his breath and ordered his body to take a rest. It had been a long time since he had been this interested in a woman. She was just his type, but she was off limits. He wasn’t ready to get tangled up with his landlady. No matter how much he wanted to.
* * * *
Alana was cutting up the pineapple she bought the day before for the Santini brothers when she heard the car in her driveway. She knew the sound of that engine, knew the way the person parked.
Colin .
She wiped off her hands as the front door opened and closed. Not many people had access to her house, but Colin always had a key. A girl had to have a best friend and basically, he was hers. From the time they were in kindergarten they had been fast friends. Usually, she didn’t have a problem with him dropping by unannounced. Today, though, she wasn’t in the mood, especially since she had a bad feeling why he had decided to come over.
“Alana, love?”
“In the kitchen, Colin.”
He turned the corner and she inwardly cringed. He looked like he had been run over by a truck.
“So, I guess you and Sara are broken up, again.”
He sighed and walked into the kitchen. She knew it was hard on him. Being the boyfriend to a woman who didn’t want to acknowledge your relationship because of her conservative Chinese family couldn’t be easy. Sara came from a very wealthy family and for some reason she didn’t think they would approve of Colin. She used Colin for a lot of things, mainly sex and to make herself feel better. It tore Colin to shreds emotionally and Alana was stuck picking up the pieces every time. She ached for her best friend. Alana hated Sara and that was saying a lot. Alana didn’t use that term to describe her feelings that often.
“This time, I think we are really through.”
She would be happy if it were true. But she knew it wasn’t. It was a mantra she’d heard so many times before.
“Whatcha doing there?” he asked.
She looked down at the knife and pineapple. “Playing bridge.”
He chuckled, although it didn’t sound happy. “Did I ever tell you you’re a little sarcastic for your own good?”
“Many times, but I have also told you that I only do it with you and other people I love. Let me finish this up and then we can decide what to do tonight.”
“I didn’t say I was spending tonight with you.”
“It’s five on a Friday, you’re in a rotten mood and I’m not letting you hit any damned clubs in Honolulu tonight. You’ll do something you’ll regret. Then, I will have to deal with that. I don’t have time for that. How about we do dinner in?”
He smiled. “That sounds good.”
“And you can drink as much as you want and stay over.”
She packaged up the fruit while Colin made himself coffee.
“I might want some of that,” he said without turning around.
“Too bad. It’s for the Santinis.”
“Santinis? There are more of them?”
Before she could answer, she heard her SUV pull into the drive and then over to the cottage she rented Marco.
“Yes. They’re here to visit.”
She picked up the container and headed to the door. She felt him on her heels and turned around and put her hand on his chest. If Colin saw her with the lieutenant, he would know she was interested in him.
“No. You stay here. I’m not going to deal with you and them.”
He frowned but there was a bit of sparkle in his eyes. She sighed and headed out to
Similar Books
