Hawaiian Masquerade (Destination Billionaire Romance) Read online

  Lexi stepped closer and held out her hand as well, letting the cat know she was safe. Derek took her fingers and placed them on the cat’s back, smoothing over it with his own. “Are you a cat whisperer or something?” Lexi asked, and then she laughed at herself.

  “Nah, I know Mango. He’s been hanging out here freeloading ever since I first hiked this trail.” Derek reached into his pocket and retrieved a baggie with pieces of bread and bacon. When he dumped it in front of the cat, Mango mewed and gobbled up the food.

  “Did you give him that name?” Lexi asked.

  Derek looked down at the ground. “I know it’s dumb, but he likes it.” He scratched around the cat’s ears once more and straightened.

  “I think it’s cute that you have a friend on Stray Cat Beach.”

  “Two friends if I count you.” Derek nudged her shoulder.

  “Two then. That’s a good number.” Lexi ran her fingers through Mango’s fur, hoping that the heat she felt inside wasn’t showing on her cheeks.

  “I brought a snack for us, too. You wanna sit on the beach for a few minutes?”

  “That sounds nice. My legs are tired.”

  Derek led her across the rocky shore to the sand rippled by the waves. He sat down right at the edge of the waterline and kicked off his shoes so that the water creeping up the sand washed over his feet. Lexi followed him and wriggled her toes into the cool sand, enjoying the shivers sent up her spine. She unhooked the CamelBak, rolled her shoulders and leaned back onto her forearms. Derek offered her a granola bar and rubbed an apple on his shorts until the red surface gleamed. He took a bite and offered it to her. Lexi glanced at the fruit, a sense of intimacy swirling through her brain at the thought of touching something that had touched his lips. She took the apple and bit into the crisp flesh. As sweetness lingered on her tongue, it felt like they were definitely more than two strangers on a beach. Lexi found herself watching Derek’s mouth, the way his neatly trimmed mustache accented the perfect divot in his upper lip.

  “So, what do you think of your first Hawaiian hike?” Derek asked, as he reclined in the sand. His leg brushed hers and sent little zips of adrenaline through her body.

  Lexi closed her eyes and turned her face to the sun, which played hide and seek with the clouds. “Mmm, I could get used to this.”

  “I think the island is slowly seducing you,” Derek said. When Lexi turned to him with wide eyes, he chuckled. “Not like that. I can see the stress melting off you right here.” He traced a finger across the back of her shoulders, and the movement felt like he’d struck a match across her heart. She leaned toward him, focused on that sexy scruff lining his jaw. Lexi swallowed and reached out to touch him. Derek’s eyes flicked to her lips, and he smiled as her fingertips brushed his jawline.

  “I feel different today.” She studied his face, the flecks of green in his brown eyes.

  “Me, too.” Derek leaned forward, closing the distance between them to a breath that was charged with raw power.

  A horrible screeching interrupted Lexi’s almost kiss with Derek. “Ack! Charles, I chipped my nail!”

  Derek pulled back, his brow furrowing at the middle-aged woman behind them. She traipsed through the sand toward them, her focus on her manicure.

  “Sorry, dear.” A heavyset man, most likely her husband, followed behind carrying a large tote with beach gear.

  Derek looked at Lexi and rolled his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something when the woman started screeching again.

  “Charles! This was the worst idea ever!” She stomped toward Lexi who scrambled to get out of her way. The woman stopped and held up her hand to examine each nail studded with glitter. Her fingers dripped with diamonds and gold. “I’ll never get this sand out of my nails,” she growled.

  “Now, honey. The spa at the hotel can fix you up. Let’s go.” He took her hand, both of them oblivious of the romantic moment they’d just slaughtered. He led her toward the little paddleboat waiting to take them back to the catamaran idling on the ocean.

  The woman continued muttering about her nails, her hair, and her designer clothes until the merciful roar of the ocean overtook her diatribe. Lexi looked after her and shook her head. “Wow.”

  “I wish rich people like that couldn’t come to Kauai. They don’t deserve it,” Derek spat. “All this beauty wasted when there’s so many who would appreciate it.”

  Lexi felt like she needed to say something in agreement, but she was surprised by the venom in his voice. She took a breath and said, “I never understood why some people take a vacation when all they really want to do is complain.”

  “If that woman gave half the money she spent on her nails to someone in need, the world would be a different place.”

  “Well, we don’t really know. She might do that and more,” Lexi said.

  “No, someone like that doesn’t give a red cent to anyone. She almost knocked you down while she was crying about her nails.”

  Lexi pursed her lips. Not all rich people were like that. She hated the idea that Derek would lump her in with that woman just because she had money. “It’s sad. I guess all we can do is try to do better. I never want to become someone who doesn’t appreciate the beauty around me.”

  “You’re like a different continent than that rich witch.” Derek folded his arms. “Money ruins people. She might have been a nice person once upon a time. Or maybe not.”

  Lexi forced a laugh and looked the other way, pretending to watch the ocean that suddenly looked angry as the waves pounded at the reef. Derek’s accusatory words about money repeated in her mind, and her heart sank. It wasn’t going to work. This dream, this idea of finding a part of herself she’d never been allowed to indulge in before would always be interrupted by the nickels and dimes of life. She’d tried to convince herself that she could have a normal life and enjoy all the benefits of being wealthy at the same time, but Derek’s statement made it clear that hers was a false hope. She dug her toe through the sand.

  “Hey, are you okay?” Derek’s fingers grazed the side of her arm. “Talk about bad timing to break a nail.”

  Lexi couldn’t ignore the way her heart leapt in her chest every time he touched her. Why did her money—or lack of money—have to be the deciding factor in every relationship? She pursed her lips together. “Oh, just feeling like life was trying to catch up to me for a minute there.”

  “Sorry, I tend to go off. Living in Hanapepe, I see the real island life, you know. There’s a lot of people on this island who work really hard and deserve a chance.”

  Lexi nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

  “Anything you want to talk about?”

  “Probably not today. I don’t want to ruin this memory. Thank you so much for showing me your world.”

  Derek smiled, but his eyes held concern. “That was only a tiny piece of my world. There’s so much more I could show you.”

  They hiked back out from Hanakapi’ai, and although Derek pointed out several spectacular views and knew the names of the trees and some flowers, Lexi could only hear the angry roar of the ocean.

  When they skidded down to the base of the trail, Derek took her hand. “Care for another coconut water on the house?” He smiled at her cautiously, as if trying to read her thoughts.

  Derek was handsome, but the way he’d talked about rich people was ugly and hurtful. True, the couple on the beach was a ridiculous example of spoiled ignorance of the world, and Lexi tried to tell herself not to be offended. She wasn’t like that woman, but Derek’s generalized statement had blanketed her and Jordan and a few of their wealthy business associates whom Lexi revered. One man had befriended Jordan when he was first starting out and gave him valuable advice: “Don’t ever take more than you need. Just because it’s easy to make money doesn’t mean it’s yours to keep.”

  He lived by his words, and it was evident to Lexi and Jordan when they volunteered for his numerous foundations for refugees, illiterate children, single parents, and child
ren of abuse. Burke Enterprises donated heavily to those foundations, and Lexi had even spearheaded their foundation for healthier living. Burke’s Higher Steps taught low-income families how to improve their physical, emotional, and mental health so that they could have opportunities they wouldn’t have if they were impeded by those issues. When Lexi thought of the hours and millions of dollars her brother had freely given to that foundation, her back straightened and she remembered her pastor quoting the scriptures. Judge not, that ye be not judged.

  Lexi licked her lips. “Sure, I’m thirsty, but after that I’ve got to run.”

  “Yeah, me, too.”

  The coconut water didn’t taste as sweet as the first time, but Lexi thanked Derek once more before she left. He held fingers to his ear like a phone, and she waved before turning to walk to her Jeep. On her drive home, she felt bad that she’d left so abruptly, but she didn’t know what else to do. If Derek hated rich people, what would he do when he found out he’d been dating one?

  9

  Derek chopped so hard Monday afternoon that he got blisters on both of his thumbs.

  “Dude, slow down!” Pika hollered. “You don’t have to kill the coconuts, just skin ’em.”

  Derek dropped his machete and massaged his hands, wincing where a blister had already burst.

  “Come here and let Mama Kima take care of you.” Pika’s mother motioned to Derek.

  He climbed down from the pickup and held out his palm.

  Kima tsked as she rubbed her specialty ointment made from coconut oil and herbs into his skin. “Your hands show your heart. What’s happening to Derek?” Kima tapped his chest.

  “I don’t know. I kind of lost my temper at some snobs up at Hanakapi’ai.” He cursed himself for ruining the trust that Lexi was building in him. He was about to kiss her; they were a breath away. Instead he felt like he’d kissed his foot—or worse, Pika’s.

  Kima tsked again. “You boys.” She patted Derek’s hand. “Too much anger isn’t good for the soul. Who decides who the Great One loves the most?” She paused, and Derek felt the intensity of her question. “You?”

  Derek’s shoulder slumped. “No, we’re all children of God.”

  Kima patted his cheek. “That’s my boy. We’ve missed you at church. You come again, ya?”

  “I’ll think about it.” He held up his hands. “Thanks for the ointment.”

  Derek brooded over what Kima said until Pika kicked him out of the truck and told him to “go take a picture of a turtle or something.” The advice was good, but even the idea of a few extra hours with his camera didn’t excite him the way Lexi had that morning.

  Rich people had always rubbed him the wrong way. Growing up, there had never been enough money to do anything. He and his mom barely scraped by, and in high school, instead of hanging out with friends, playing sports, or even taking a photography class, Derek had worked as a cashier at the supermarket to help pay the rent that increased every year.

  The rich kids had taken every opportunity to laugh at his thrift store clothes and scoff at him when he couldn’t afford to take work off for the senior trip. Derek knew that he shouldn’t project those old feelings of hurt and hatred onto others, but every experience he’d had with a rich person had been negative. When he’d first moved to the island, he’d taken a job at a hotel where he was bossed around by people just like that woman at Stray Cat Beach. It drove him nuts. They worried about their nails, their tan lines, and their tiny dogs, but they never noticed the real life going on around them.

  He looked around the ramshackle home he lived in, a gift from his kupuna. It was seventy years old and a relic. For most of the past year, it had also been a money pit. Pika had moved in with him six months ago, and the rent paid to keep the lights on, but the patches on the roof weren’t enough to last another rainy season.

  Derek ran fingers through his hair and felt as if he were walking along the edge of Waimea Canyon. He had just a few months left to make his photography business successful enough to go full-time. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to afford to invest any more in his business. With his house falling down around him, that meant getting a regular job, moving, and having to pay rent. He might be able to sell the land for a decent price, but the thought of selling a piece of his heritage burned the back of his throat. Derek determined again to change his future.

  Could someone like Lexi ever be in his future? He didn’t want to mess up a chance with her before they’d even learned more than the basic details about each other. There was so much left to say. Eventually, he did something that made his fingers shake: he sent a text to Lexi.

  Hey, I’m really sorry about losing my cool on the beach. You’re right. I don’t know those people. I’m going to try to do better. I hope I didn’t scare you off.

  Derek hit send and turned his hands over to inspect the blisters that had risen up angry and filled with tension, just like him. He gasped. There was only a faint outline of the blister; the liquid had receded and the burning had disappeared. With a little time, his hands would be smooth and whole again. He smiled. Mama Kima was right. His heart felt better, like there still might be a chance with Lexi. He’d just have to wait and see.

  10

  Lexi was completely bummed out after the most romantic moment in the history of the Burkes was interrupted by a broken nail. The almost kiss was what she blamed her bad mood on, not Derek’s outburst. His spiteful words had torn out the bridge spanning between them. It wasn’t burned, and the timbers were still there, but Lexi didn’t know if it was worth trying to rebuild the tenuous connection.

  When Derek texted her with an apology, it sounded sincere. What grated was that he didn’t understand why his words cut so deeply. She felt some guilt over that, because if she was transparent with him from the start, Derek would know that Lexi probably had more money than everyone on Ke’e Beach combined.

  She groaned as she fell onto her bed, and the silky softness of the duvet cover brushed against her skin. A high-quality designer brand with a unique pattern of coral flowers on white with splashes of turquoise throughout the blanket cost six hundred dollars. Purchasing new bedclothes hadn’t seemed excessive at the time, but when she thought of it from Derek’s perspective, she felt greedy and stingy. She wasn’t either, though. The one tie that remained to her work life was Burke’s Higher Steps. She’d started the foundation, and while it was self-sufficient now, Lexi continued to help out. She loved to brainstorm new ideas to help more families and continue to spread the word of how a few small lifestyle changes could change someone’s whole life. What would Derek think if he knew that Lexi had personally donated six million to start Higher Steps?

  She shouldn’t have to flaunt her charity expense record to win someone over. She wasn’t her money. She was Lexi Burke, a thirty-two-year-old educated woman, a daughter who missed her parents every day, a sister who worried about her brother—she was just Lexi. She chewed on her bottom lip, mulling over how to answer Derek.

  Whenever Lexi was stumped, she thought of her best friend, Gracie. She was a ray of sunshine, always full of life and reaching for ways to shower joy on others. Lexi checked the time to make sure it wouldn’t be the middle of the night in New York. It was close, so she dialed quickly, hoping to catch Gracie before she turned in for the night.

  “Lexi? Is this my Hawaiian sista?” Gracie squealed. “How are you?”

  “Missing your happy voice, that’s how,” Lexi replied. “This radio silence I inflicted on myself has to end now.”

  “Goodness, I know. It was all I could do not to call you every day.”

  “I know. I’m glad I insisted, ’cause I talked to Jordy the other day and it’s like he’s on another planet now.”

  “Someday your good sense will rub off on that man of steel.”

  Lexi laughed. “So what are you up to?”

  “Stretching before bed, you know the drill.” Gracie’s voice dropped a few notches.

  Lexi could imagine Gracie, a
ballerina of exquisite talent and ability, bent over with her forehead on her feet or lifting one foot above her head in a perfect split with pointed toes. Gracie was a little younger than Lexi, but she’d already been dancing on the professional stage at a grueling pace for over fifteen years.

  “I saw the reviews for your last performance,” Lexi ventured. “I’m sorry that one critic had bugs on his toast for breakfast.” Gracie didn’t laugh, and the absence of her giggle left Lexi speechless. “Gracie, are you okay?”

  “No, I’m a wreck. I’m too old. I’m too tall. My feet are tired. I need to lose five more pounds. No one loves me.” Gracie’s complaints came out in quick bursts. “My agent told me that maybe it’s time to explore something different, to end on a good note. There aren’t many roles that I haven’t already played, and the ones that are left are being filled by younger ballerinas.”

  “There’s some truth to that, but what do you want to do?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe take some time off. Regroup.”

  “Gracie girl, you have to come visit me!” Lexi bounced up on her toes as she watched the ocean from her kitchen window.

  “Now that would be a dream come true,” Gracie replied.

  “Then come. You can get away for a week to find your center.”

  “How will that help me decide what to do?”

  “How long until the next audition?” Lexi asked.

  “Four weeks. If I want to try for the lead, I’m already behind.”

  “You sound stressed. Where’s my happy-dancing-feet friend?”

  Gracie laughed, but it sounded hollow. She sniffed and cleared her throat. “I don’t know.”

  “That’s it. I’m booking you a flight. I have all the time in the world right now, and I’m going stir crazy. Come visit me. You can practice here just as easily as you can in Manhattan.”