Page 26 of Enter if you Dare: Part Three

“What news? Good or bad?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Oh, that’s the best kind. I love complicated things. Well, you know where to find me if you need Plan B, C, or even D.”

I laugh. “Thank you.”

He winks and bounces back toward the guests. The men unloading the trees seem to be doing a good job, so I leave Noa to micromanage them; he really can’t mess it up any worse than he has so far. Leni and Khodi follow me to Ares’s Bar, as I need hot coffee fast, since I feel like my face is about to freeze.

Kayla is at the bar, sitting on a stool and watching Vero hang some tinsel, while Brawley stands beside him pointing to something, looking frustrated.

“Hey,” Kayla says when she sees me. “You doing okay? You look a little . . .”

“Stressed,” Leni says helpfully.

“I’m meeting the parents.”

Kayla laughs. “Me too. It will be fine.”

“Valli is not fine.” Leni giggles.

“I’m working on it,” I say when Vero appears at my side, a ball of tinsel in his hands. “What are we working on? Is it a scheme? I love schemes. Brawley says I’m not allowed to, but Brawley isn’t the boss of me.”

“Do you want me to show them how I can make you drop to your knees and call me boss?” Brawley growls.

Vero nods. “Yes, please.”

We all laugh. Vero is excitable all the time, more so than Noa, and can be funny to watch.

“I take it you’re here to get a coffee,” Kayla says, and I nod.

She jumps over the counter, and Ares pops his head out from the back and warns her to be careful, to which she just rolls her eyes. Leni gets a call from Noa and says she’s going to meet him outside. As she leaves, Khodi follows behind her like an obedient puppy.

I wait for Kayla to make my coffee order, and when it’s ready, she tells me not to worry about meeting the parents. That if all else fails, it’s only for a few days. She puts all my coffees in a tray, and I head back outside to find Noa and my sister.

When I locate them, Noa is standing beside Leni, with Khodi on her other side, so close that their arms are practically touching. Nails stands in front of them, looking a little embarrassed.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Nails protests.

“How did you mean it differently?” Noa asks.

“I was trying to say she looked nice. It was a compliment.” Nails’s face turns a little redder.

“What’s going on?” I ask, handing Leni her coffee.

“Nails told your sister that she was”—he pauses for dramatic effect—“and I want to get this right: ‘The most beautiful woman to set foot on the island since the last beautiful woman to set foot on the island.’ And that if she ever wanted someone to show her around, he would be honored to be at her service.”

Leni puts her hand over her mouth to hide her laughter.

“And then, Khodi appeared from behind that tree over there.”

“You were just lingering behind a tree?” I ask Khodi.

“Yes.”

“Anyway,” Noa continues. “Khodi came over all puffed up, looking threatening.”

“I have the utmost respect for you,” Nails says to Khodi. “I didn’t know she was with you.”