Chapter Thirty-Eight
Abby
"Are you going to tell me how last night turned out?" Makani asked. We had just finished the lei greeting and were waiting for the performances to start. It was the last luau of the season before the post-summer slump.
"He loved the dinner," I started.
"Yes, and? Did you tell him?"
"I told him. He said it back," I said, smiling.
"Now, see, what took you so long?" she said, scolding me playfully.
"I don't do this sort of thing, Makani. I didn't even know if what I was feeling was love."
"At least you told him. I'm glad you decided not to let him leave without telling him."
"Leave? Who's leaving?" I asked. Makani's eyes widened.
"He's not leaving? You convinced him to stay?"
"I didn't do anything. He just told me this morning that he wasn't going back. He turned down a deal this producer had for him in LA and said he didn't have anything to go back to there. He wants to stay here."
"Permanently?" she asked.
"I hope so. I talked to his dad this morning."
"What? That's major. He wouldn't let you unless he was really serious."
"I guess," I said giggling. "I'm just so happy. I didn't realize how stressed out it was making me, preparing to see him go. I feel like I can just enjoy him now. I can kiss him and not worry that I won't be able to again, you know?"
"I'm really happy for you, Abby. Both of you. I think you guys saved each other this summer."
"Saved?" I scoffed.
"You showed up at just the right time. You both had things you needed to get over, and you helped each other out." I shrugged. I guess you could look at it that way.
"Maybe," I said.
"Maybe? I hardly even know you anymore. I've never met loved-up Abby before." I laughed.
"I could say the same about you. I finally have both my friends back now," I said, referring to her and Keno.
"About that..." she said. I panicked.
"About that what? Did you guys break up again?"
"I guess he technically is my ex-boyfriend if he's my fiancé now," she said.
I squealed, making her laugh. "When were you going to tell me? Where's the ring?"
"I was going to show you today, but Keno took it back because we had to get it resized."
"Oh my God, Makani, congratulations. This is so great," I said, hugging her.
"I guess we both won this summer," she said.
"I'll say. When's the wedding?"
"This winter. We don't have to wait. We were talking about doing this already before the breakup. The only reason we're having a ceremony is because of our families."
"And me. I'd never forgive you if you eloped," I teased.
"You're next," she said, grinning.
"Slow down," I laughed. "We're not in a hurry."
"He's moving here now, so you have all the time in the world," she mused. I smiled.
It felt like a dream. Nate had told me what he was doing, and I had heard him tell his father what he was doing, but for some reason, him going to Joseph and telling him that he was interested in a regular performing position at the hotel was what really sealed the deal for me and made it feel real.
Even better, was he was performing tonight. This was one of his options. He had creative freedom and would get paid to make music. I didn’t know whether he saw himself doing this when he was thinking about a career in music, but this took away the stress of the cutthroat, money-hungry industry that had screwed him over before. Just him and his music the way that he wanted.
I had watched him do this enough times that it shouldn’t have taken my breath away, but it did. I hooted and clapped with the audience when he took the stage. I watched, completely drawn by his presence on stage and his amazing music. I felt happy and smug knowing that the incredible man on stage was coming home with me. They thought they had him, but he was all mine.
Makani, Keno, and I were waiting with drinks for Nate when he came off the stage.
"How'd I do?" he asked, coming up to the bar where we were waiting. I kissed him, handing him a drink.
"Amazing. As usual."
"I heard the good news. You're one of us now," Makani said to him.
"I heard yours, too, congratulations," he said.
"How did you know before I did?" I asked.
"I told him," Keno said.
"Since you're both here, I think it goes without saying that you're both in the wedding party," Makani said.
"How did he ask you? Did he get down on one knee?” I asked her.
"You gotta propose on one knee," Nate said.
"I go to the house, and he tells me he’s waiting for me in the garden. I go out there, and it's completely dark. I can't see him anywhere. I start going back into the house, and suddenly all these lamps turn on and he's standing there. He comes up to me and tells me that I’m the love of his life and he wants to spend the rest of his life with me," Makani said, beaming. Keno stood next to her with his arm around her waist.
"Nice. Did she cry?" Nate asked Keno. I swatted him on the chest. What kind of question was that?
"Oh, yeah," Keno said, laughing.
"You were trying to make me cry?" Makani asked him.
"That's when you know you knocked it out of the park," Nate said.
"Only happy tears, honey," Keno said to Makani.
"How soon before we can expect kids?" Nate asked. Makani blushed and Keno laughed, hugging her to his side.
"Nate, you gotta slow down. At least let us get married first. You know, you remind me of this story I heard-"
"No. Don't. Just don't," Makani said, cutting him off.
"You don't want to hear it?" he asked.
"No," Nate and I said at the same time. Makani kissed his cheek, laughing. He could be a little long winded sometimes; we weren't trying to stay up all night.
We hung out while the luau shut down and said goodbye to Makani and Keno, making our way down to the beach to my place. I smiled making the walk, thinking we'd do this often: take walks on the beach. I had put it all on the line, falling for Nate, and here we were going home together.
There was no more doubt. No more fear. No more anxiety. Only us, and the future.
"I'm really happy you decided to stay," I told him.
"I am, too."
"I think living here is going to be good for you."
"Being with you is going to be good for me," he said.
"I love you, Nate."
"I love you too, babe."
"Are you excited?" I asked carefully.
"I can't wait."