“I like her.” Mason jerks his head toward Kalani, who is whippin’ his buddy Brady’s ass at sports trivia.

I chuckle, taking a drink from my cup. “That’s ’cause she’s perfect.”

“Ah, fuck man, don’t rub that lovey shit off on me.” He makes it a point to shudder and I laugh.

As soon as I took the time to process where Kalani’s new house was, I realized it was on the same beach where my aunt and uncle, and their friends, owned property. Turns out, they just gave one of their vacation homes to their kids to share, so they’re here spending their last free weeks of summer.

“Hey, think she can get us season tickets?”

“Really, Mase?” his friend, Chase, laughs, walking off to grab another drink from the ice chest. “She’s already letting your sorry ass stay at her condo in Hawaii in a few weeks.”

“Hey, I didn’t ask to parade around on an island in a monkey suit while your sister says I do to a jackass.”

I punch him in the shoulder.

“Trust me, dickhead, I know. But, in case you want to know, Kalani already gave us passes.”

“What?” His eyes shoot as wide as saucers.

“And she’s arranged it so we can check out Aloha Stadium while we’re there.”

“Shit, maybe I should marry her.”

When I glare at him, he winks, and takes a drink from his cup. He looks to his side in time to see Brady step away from Kalani and rush up to his twin, Ari, and her best friend Cam, tossing both girls over his massive shoulders.

Mason groans.

“Put her down, asshole!” he tells him, his tone flat, and Brady turns to him.

“Which one, Johnson?” He teases, a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Both of ’em, dickhead.”

I can’t help but laugh.

Mason has a thing for Cam, but won’t admit it. He’s a fool like that.

We watch as Brady walks the girls over to the others, introducing them both to Kalani and Parker.

“What’s the dude’s story?” He nods toward Parker.

“What is it you’re really wanting to know?” I ask without looking away from my girl, winking at her when she catches my eyes on her. She lifts her Polaroid camera and snaps a quick picture of me, sticking her tongue out before turning back to her conversation.

“Am I gonna need to tell him to stay away from my sister and Cameron?”

I sigh. “Nah, man. He’s not interested in anything right now. He’s up to his neck in school shit; summer and early courses even. Focused as a motherfucker.”

“And you don’t think a chick could break through that shit in an instant?”

“Nope. Not right now anyway.”

He lets out a low whistle. “Damn, man. I gotta say, I don’t know how you can handle your girl having an alright lookin’ fucker as a housemate.”

I get it, what he’s saying. Parker isn’t ugly and Kalani is fine as fuck. Their living together isn’t ideal and, admittedly, it makes me crazy sometimes to know that he’ll get to come home to her most nights when I can’t, but it’s not like that.

I’ve thought a lot about their relationship over the last few months, and sometimes, yeah, the insecurities come out, but I’ve decided Parker’s got some shit going on he doesn’t talk about. Something inside him needed the friendship she gave him. That ‘no pressure, no questions’ friendship, full of trust and honesty; loyalty that only she can give someone. And I get that. Respect it even.

I smile at my girl and our friend. “I trust him. And it’s good she’ll have someone there with her when I can’t be.”

“Way to look for the positives.” He chuckles and I roll my eyes. “But good to know.” Downing the contents of his cup, he walks up to the girls and smacks Cam on her ass.

She spins and smiles at him, before jumping on his back. “Let’s go for a swim, big boy.”

He charges for the ocean, Brady and Parker following behind.

I laugh, watching as Mason disappears under the water.

Soft, small hands wrap around my middle. I lift my arm and drag Kalani in front of me, spinning her to face the ocean.

She giggles when I dip my head into her neck.

“I like your family and their friends. Brady’s my favorite.”

“That so?” I growl into her skin.

“Mmm.” She pushes her ass into me. “And I thought your shoulders were big…”

I bite her neck and she laughs. “You better quit it, baby, or you’ll pay for it later.”

“Is that supposed to be a threat, Handsome?” I can hear her smile, prompting my own.

“It’s whatever you want it to be.” I kiss her shoulder, then rest my chin on top of her head. “Heard from Mia yet?”

“Not yet.” She shakes her head against me. “She has to work through her own shit first. She’s in her own head and no one can change that but her. Shouldn’t be too much longer.”

“And Parker? Is he good?”

“Parker… needs someone to need him. So, ‘good’? I don’t think so, but I do think he’s happier now, here, with us.” She sighs. “But she’ll come.”

My brows pull in. “Who?”

She shrugs against me. “The one who needs a hero.” Her words are so simple, so sure. She wants her friend to find what he’s looking for, what she feels he needs. “Whoever that is… she’ll come. And he’ll be ready for her when she does.”

I squeeze her tighter.

“Tell me their story?” She inclines her head toward Ari and Chase, sitting far too close to each other on a beach towel.

I glance toward the water, making sure Mason isn’t about to charge.

“Arianna’s had a thing for Chase since they were kids, but Mason won’t allow it, if Chase is even interested. My dad seems to think he is, but Mason’s his best friend. I’m not sure Chase is willing to risk that.”

“Lose the friendship or lose the girl.”

“Shitty, but yeah. I guess that’s how his mind works.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure…”

I look back to the two, and my eyes narrow, watching as they lean in toward each other. “Mason will kill him.”

“Doesn’t look like either of them care right about now.” She laughs. “These next few weeks are going to be interesting for these guys. All five of them in one house, no parental supervision.”

“Shit’s gonna be a nightmare.”

When she laughs, I reach down to thread my fingers through hers, lift her left hand to my mouth, and kiss the small diamond that rests there. She sighs and melts against me.

“Parker’s leaving tonight.” I whisper, kissing each knuckle. “I get you all to myself for three whole weeks.”

Tilting her head up, she looks into my eyes, then she squeezes my hand.

Because she’s here; she’s got me.

And she does, all of me. Everything I am, everything I have or will have, is already hers.

This girl. This blue-eyed, black-haired girl, who had no one and wanted nothing, chose me. She let me in, let me love her.

And she loves me back just as hard.

She’s my everything and I’m her only.

I squeeze her tighter, pulling her closer.

“I love you, baby.”

She smiles, a big beautiful one she’s only ever given me, and my heart stops. “I love you, Handsome.”

She’s so beautiful.

So perfect.

So… mine.