There抯 a large swell forming offshore that must be a surfer抯 delight.
揇id you spend a lot of time at the beach growing up??he asks, reaching down for a smooth rock tucked in the sand.
揧eah.?I grin. 揃ut in San Diego, the beach is hard to miss. And if you抮e having a bad day, a drive up the Pacific Coast makes everything better.?
揇amn. I forgot how much I enjoyed visiting this place,?he says absently.
I meet his blue eyes which almost match the ocean.
揧ou used to be here a lot then??I pause. Duh, his family owns the Kona farms. 揑抦 sure you have. I forgot it抯 your family抯 farm.?
揧eah. My grandparents retired out here before I was born. As much as my grandpa ever could retire, anyway. Here, he could oversee the farms and still enjoy some quiet. I think I was eight the first time I came here. We used to spend every other Christmas and Thanksgiving here, and even as a young man, I spent a lot of summers here. Hell of a place to make memories.?His voice lowers as he stares at the ocean. 揓ust wish they抎 all stayed good ones.?
What does that mean?
I抦 afraid to ask.
I won抰 push him if he doesn抰 want to talk about it, but it抯 an odd thing to just drop in a conversation without explaining it.
I follow his gaze to the ocean, indifferent and sparkling with sunlight. Silver-blue waves crash impatiently against the beach.
揝o much like California…but so different, too,?I say.
揧eah. I抳e seen plenty of damn nice beaches. After a while, they all start to look the same.?
揙h, I抦 sure. You抮e梬ell, so you. Billionaire traveler man.?I laugh gently. 揃ut not all beaches look the same棓
揥hat does being a billionaire have to do with it??he asks point blank.
Oof. I hope he didn抰 take that as an insult.
揑 just meant it抯 only natural you抎 see the world. Sorry, I didn抰 mean anything by it…？
揃esides Hawaii and a couple trips to Southeast Asia, most of the beaches I抳e seen were during my time in the Navy. The ports showed me a good sample of the world. And with the built-in duties, it was a more realistic picture than the image I got staying at resorts and lavish houses with my parents.?
揧ou served? Oh, I had no idea. Why would someone like you enlist??I regret how it sounds, but not the question.
揕ancaster family tradition. I wasn抰 going to be the one to break it. That抯 Destiny抯 job.?
I smile. 揑 don抰 know. She likes seals, and you could probably see like a dozen different species from a cruiser. Then again, she hates beaches, right??
Oh, crap. I抦 not thinking.
The easy smile on his face disappears.
揌ow did you know that??he asks, his tone hardening.
?she told me. Was it supposed to be a secret??
揘o,?he mutters slowly. 揇id she tell you anything else??
揘ope.?A chill sweeps up my spine. Is Destiny抯 disdain for the beach related to whatever tragic memories he mentioned earlier? 揑 mean, I know she goes to the shore back home to watch the seals.?
揟hose piles of rocks and overcast skies Washington calls beaches are nothing like this,?he points out.
揊or sure. Um, you mind if we sit down for a minute? I need a coffee.?
He scans the scenery around us. 揟here抯 a stand for smoothies and frappes up the beach a little ways. Think they抳e got hot drinks too. I抣l buy you a cup.?
揘o way. I came prepared.?The curious look he gives me makes me laugh. 揓ust sit!?
I drop down on the sand and pull out my secret weapon梐n ornate brew pipe. It抯 like a regular pipe except it has a cup at the end, just enough to collect a long shot of espresso. It just needs the light I pull from my pocket.
Cole sits beside me, looking around frantically before he whispers, 揈liza Angelo, don抰 tell me that抯 a crack pipe??
I bite my lip and glare at him.
揧ou抮e surprised? Isn抰 it every girl抯 dream to go to Hawaii and get high with her boss? You wouldn抰 mind, would you??I nudge him in the side playfully.
揈liza棓
揜elax, bossman. This thing makes coffee.?
揅offee??He throws it back like a curse. 揌ow the hell do you plan on brewing with that contraption? Where will you even get coffee from??
揑t抯 a brew pipe. Relax. Also, it抯 already loaded up. I抦 always packing bean,?I say wistfully.
He looks at me like he抯 wondering if he should have me committed.
揧ou still need heat with that abomination, don抰 you??he asks, snorting loudly.
揝ee this 'contraption?'?I say, holding it up. 揑t抯 called a lighter.?
揑抳e seen a lighter before, Badger Hellion. Just never paired up with a pipe that ridiculous.?
揥hat抯 ridiculous about it??I ask, but he shakes his head. 揅抦on, Cole. I thought you of all people would be open-minded when it comes to the latest coffee gear.?