Chapter One

Devon

If there was one thing Devon Brooks feared most, it was being alone. As the youngest of three, he’d hardly had a moment of peace to himself as a kid, which was precisely how he liked it. Even now at age thirty, he worked with his brother Gabriel at the biotech company they started together and lived next door to his sister Laurene. As a new billionaire—thanks to a generous inheritance from their father—his Los Altos Hills mansion was fully staffed. In effect, he never had a chance to be by himself. Which made this vacation in Hawaii a dreadful one for him.

He’d arrived a few days ago, fully intending to spend the days snorkeling and hiking with Gabe and Laurene, not knowing they’d soon be caught up in new relationships. Gabe had flown back to Silicon Valley to be with his new girlfriend Seraphina, while Laurene was out sightseeing with her new boyfriend Noah. That left Devon sitting poolside at a golf and beach club, his only companions a glass of champagne and a book.

“Hi, handsome,” a feminine voice cooed near his ear. The woman it belonged to leaned over from the plush recliner next to his. “Whatcha reading?”

Devon smiled politely. Even though he was in need of company, the last thing he wanted was a woman who was only interested in his money. He’d noticed the pretty blonde eyeing his Patek Philippe watch and diamond Cartier ring for the past ten minutes since he’d sat down. He was surprised it took her this long to speak up. Looking over the rim of his designer shades, he replied, “Some info on the South Pacific islands.”

“Ooh! I’d love to go there someday,” she gushed. “Maybe you could be my tour guide?” She batted her long, fake lashes at him and reached over to run a hand along his forearm. “With muscles like these, you could be my bodyguard, too.”

“I assume you have a lot of assets that need protecting?” He raised his sunglasses back onto the bridge of his nose. “I could recommend someone to you. Someone much burlier than me. I’m afraid I don’t get much of a workout as a handyman.”

Disgust flickered across the woman’s face. She readily pulled her hand back from Devon’s arm and wiped her hand on the towel beneath her body. “I think I’ll be fine.” With a swift turn of her head, she began talking to the man on her other side.

Devon chuckled softly as he resumed reading. It always surprised him how much people—especially women—despised the professionals who kept their wires and pipes working. That was one reason he was glad he’d retired his toolbox five years ago. He’d been happy as a blue-collared worker who earned a decent living from good old-fashioned manual labor, but he was proud to be working in the corporate world now, helping to further cancer research. He was fortunate to be a jack-of-all-trades type of guy with interests in a variety of fields.

Right now though, his interest was solely invested in one thing—the gorgeous dark-haired woman walking toward a cabana on the other side of the pool. Her wide-brimmed hat hid her face, but there was something familiar about the way she walked. She glided along the pavement in high-heeled sandals that showed off a pair of long legs, moving with the grace of a dancer. Her cover-up revealed just enough of the gold bikini that hugged the delicate curves of her body. Devon squinted to focus on the image decorating her slender ankle. His mouth grew dry when he saw the tattoo inked in black of a single dandelion with several seeds flying above it. Could it be?

The woman sat down on a plush recliner next to a female also in her early thirties. Now in the shade, she took off her hat and set it to the side. Her bubbly laughter filled the air, brightening the whole place more than the tropical sunshine on this summer day. As soon as Devon heard it, he knew without a doubt who she was.

Kylie Martin. His old girlfriend. The only woman he had ever truly loved, if you could call a childhood crush love.

Only a few days ago, his sister Laurene had mentioned bumping into his ex on the island of Oahu. Now, here she was, looking every bit as amazing as the last time he saw her a dozen years ago.

Back at Eden Prep, Devon and his siblings had been the middle-class students attending an elite private school, thanks to some scholarships. It’d been a miracle that he had caught the attention of the most popular—and wealthiest—girl on campus. It had helped that he’d stood a head taller than the rest of the boys in their class and he’d driven a cool car, a Mitsubishi Eclipse, that he’d bought and fixed up with his own money. He had managed to impress Kylie for a year and a half—a lifetime in high school years—before she left him for the son of a millionaire.

Devon released a heavy breath. That was all in the past. He may not have been rich enough for Kylie before, but he was now. He owned multiple properties worth hundreds of millions of dollars around the world. His garages housed a dozen supercars, including the Koenigsegg Trevita he’d flown in for this vacation. He could buy an island, for crying out loud. In fact, he was just reading up on one that he was looking to purchase.

Not that he still wanted to win over Kylie Martin. He was long over her … wasn’t he? He had almost convinced himself of this before she looked over the sparkling waters of the pool and spotted him. Their gazes locked, and Devon’s body immediately heated. His heart raced as Kylie cocked her head, studying him. The shock on her face soon gave way to a surprised smile. She recognized him.

In that instant, Devon knew he was a goner. Old memories of their time together surfaced in his mind, along with joy in his heart. Kylie had been so many of his firsts—first date, first girlfriend, first kiss. Being the hopeless romantic that he was, he’d always held a special place for her in his heart. Perhaps that’s why he’d never found another woman to rival her.

This chance meeting couldn’t have come at a better time. With the palm trees swaying above and the roar of the ocean behind them, this was the perfect place for a second chance at love. Devon rose from his seat and grabbed two glasses of champagne from a server walking by. With a bright smile, he strode around the pool to Kylie’s cabana. If things worked out the way he hoped, he wouldn’t be spending the rest of this vacation alone.