Page 67 of The Seashell of ’Ohana

“I suppose.” I sighed defeatedly.

Kate would be with Lee and Stella with Isaac. I would end up being the fifth wheel. And I didn’t like going to functions where I was forced to make small talk.

“You’ll be fine,” Stella stressed. “You have us.”

“Thank you,” I said. “I love you both very much.”

As usual, Stella liked to put her own twist on things when our topic became serious.

“No sweat. I have to be nice to you. You pay me.” She snorted. “Oh, wait. I do.” She cackled. “It’s a good thing I’m trustworthy, or else you would never know if I was stealing from you.”

Stella was joking, but Kate and I exchanged a wary glance. Not because we didn’t trust Stella, but at the alarming thought of something happening to her. Kate and I ought to know how to manage the accounts, too. I put that in my mental notes.

Steve had been the one who had overseen our family finances. He’d shown me how to pay the bills, where our stocks and mutual bonds were located, not that we had much. We had been starting to save. Had he passed away suddenly, I would’ve been in a bind.

I tossed my empty paper cup into the trash and leveled my eyes at my sister. “Did you tell Bridget she gets to be the flower girl?”

Kate stopped arranging the tea bags and the wooden sticks. “I did. She’s too excited. She’s already practicing walking straight and pretending to scatter rose petals.”

“How cute,” Stella cooed. “And Tyler will be the ring bearer, I assume?”

I shrugged, lowering my head as if my feelings were hurt. “I have no idea. No one has asked.”

Kate lightly smacked my arm. “Of course, Tyler will be the ring bearer. We haven’t even set the date yet. Then we’ll talk.”

“Fine. I forgive you. Anyway, enough talking. We have deadlines to meet.”

The wind chimes tinkled a soft, beautiful melody, and customers walked in. While I went to the backroom, Kate greeted the couple.

Chapter Twenty-Six — Charity

The drive to Romanos’ place was up a hill and curvy, but the expanded view of the ocean took my breath away. To the left of the ocean were the big hotels, and all the way to my right were beautiful homes with the same view.

“How do you know the Romano family?” I asked Lee.

Lee’s bright eyes reflected in the rearview mirror. “Their family and mine go way back.”

I should have known. Lee knew everyone with large pockets.

The curvy road straightened, and the palm trees lining either side, like the tunnel tree, led the way to a security booth.

Lee gave the man inside the booth our names, then the gate slid open. I had imagined what the mansion would look like, but this place was bigger than Lee’s. It looked more like a castle with a private street and entry.

Five luxury vehicles were in front of us, waiting for the valet. When we got out of the car, we hiked up several steps to the massive glass front door. Security guards with guns were stationed inside and outside by the doors. Several men dressed in dark suits greeted us, checked off our names on his tablet, then let us in.

An elegant brass chandelier dangled from the high ceiling. Staircases curved upward to the second floor. A check-in table where women dropped off sweaters or purses was stationed to the right.

I was glad I had decided on a long black satin dress with a high slit up to my thigh, or I might have looked underdressed. All the women wore expensive ballgowns and had sparkling jewelry adorning their necks, ears, and fingers.

I followed Kate, admiring how her strapless black gown hugged her curves and swished around her ankles. She was gorgeous. And Lee, walking beside her, was clad in a dark tailored suit, looking classy. A million-dollar couple.

We gathered inside a large room. Guests mingled and clumped in small groups. Some held flutes of champagne, and others held martini glasses. An older woman dressed in a red gown, with honey brown hair, came up to us.

“Lee, how have you been, darling?” she said.

When she kissed his cheeks from left to right, I’d caught sight of her large diamond ring on her left hand.

“I just got engaged,” Lee said. “This is my fiancée Kate and her sister, Abby.”