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The mere fact that my father expected me to suddenly develop disgust for Lei because he had slept with other women before me, how absurd was that? Of course, my father was missing important pieces of the puzzle. For example, Lei also knew many men had seen me naked on the Internet. But that didn't change our relationship or his feelings for me.
Sometimes I really wondered how a person's worth could be determined by such things.
"Let's face it– they don't really have a handle on anything that could do any real damage. Alexander can still talk about the streams, but that's about all he can share with my parents. At best, he could do some free publicity for me."
Of course, my face would be unveiled, but did that really matter anymore?
Lei squeezed my hand. "And that's why I'm proud of you. Right after the wedding, I would never have expected such a statement from you. But now, look how far you've come. I'm sure we're not just celebrating your birthday today."
If you wanted to put it that way, today was also the day we had officially committed to each other, and probably also when it had become clear that I could only grow from everything that had happened.
"So, tell me about the festivities."
"It's supposed to be a surprise party."
"That I know of? Bad planning."
"Kaia insisted on having it on the beach. With a barbecue, some guests, and live music. The whole nine yards. She also said she wouldn't let anyone in who didn't come with a gift."
Although this was really too much of a good thing, I couldn't help but roll my eyes with a grin. Kaia had undoubtedly been in her element with the preparations, which meant I was all the more excited to experience this party.
But the first thing I would focus on was getting some rest into my body.
* * *
A few minutesin the whirlpool eventually turned into a full body massage in the spa area by a competent staff member whose hands deftly pinpointed every tension and made me feel like a completely new human being even in the resting phase afterward.
The warmth, the pleasant scent, and the soft background music, which resembled the sound of the waves outside on the beach, made me so sleepy that I just closed my eyes and enjoyed.
Maybe it was wrong to be in a state of absolute contentment so soon after an argument, but I certainly wasn't going to let my family and the words that had been spoken ruin this day.
Lei had declined the massage and had gone to find Kaden after checking with me to make sure it was okay for me to spend some time alone.
You would think that after all the weeks we had spent together I would have gotten used to this behavior by now, but it always caught me off guard.
"Are you comfortable?" the employee asked quietly. Probably because she wasn't sure if I was asleep or not.
A smile played on my lips. "I'm great. That was really fantastic."
"Wonderful. There are fresh clothes waiting for you in the dressing room. But feel free to take a moment. And if you start feeling dizzy, let me know."
I nodded before opening my eyes. They were adjusting slowly to the dim light. How long had the massage taken? Actually, I could have stayed on the table for half an eternity, enjoying my mere existence, but in the end I got up and wrapped myself more tightly in the robe on my way to the locker room.
A small pile was waiting for me. Something that looked like a dress or a jumpsuit, new shoes, and a card that simply said, "Happy Birthday"– no indication of who it was from. However, it was likely to be Lei or Kaia, so I dressed and picked up my personal items.
From the spa area, it was a short walk to the suite that had magically appeared for us upon our arrival at the resort. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the luxury– there was just something about being treated like the most exclusive guest on the entire property.
After closing the door behind me, I realized that someone had played birthday fairy here, too. On the table in front of the inviting couch was a huge bouquet of flowers– red roses that gave off a beguiling scent. Next to it was a bottle of champagne, two glasses.. This was clearly Lei's work, I didn't need to look at the card to see that.
He had already given me a bouquet of flowers tonight and placed one on the breakfast table as well. Right next to the huge selection of pastries from a local bakery that had the best selection of sweets in all of Hawaii.
I turned when the door opened behind me. It wasn't Lei walking in but Kaia. "Are you ready for the beach party of the year?"
Even if it hadn't been about me, with her big grin and that twinkle in her eye, I probably would have said yes without hesitation.
* * *
Kaiaand I strolled across the grounds. We reached the boardwalk that led along the beach to a platform in the ocean. Dozens of paper decorations were tied to the railing, a DJ was playing music, and the beach was already filled with hotel guests and other visitors.
