She smiled and I’d never seen anything more beautiful. “Let’s go.”
Hand in hand, we met Paul then sprinted behind him down several hallways to an exit that led to a grassy area where carnival game booths were set up. The area was already full of people. He radioed someone then let out a sigh of relief. “Riley and Gavin are slowly making their way here now. You didn’t miss anything. They’ll be coming up that path. The plan is for your sister to win at one of the booths, then he’ll propose. That’s what you should watch for.”
I shook his hand vehemently. “Thank you, Paul. I mean that.”
“You’re welcome.” He stepped away and faded into the background.
As we waited, Jade looked around. “This is spectacular.”
“And fitting. Riley loves carnivals. You have no idea how many times she had me try for the big bear. I’d tell her that our money was better spent on hotdogs or slushies, but she always won in the end.”
Jade put an arm around me. “Because you’re a softie.”
I hugged her. “For a select few.”
Dominic appeared beside us. “Glad you made it. I was beginning to doubt you would.”
“Dominic,” Jade said before I had a chance to speak. “Thank you for inviting me. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this.”
He smiled. “I’m glad. You two look good together.”
I met his gaze. “We are good together. Thank you. It means a lot to me that you made sure she was here, Dominic.”
He motioned to his wife as she approached. “Abby, come meet Jade.”
Abby shook Jade’s hand and said it was a pleasure to meet her. When she turned to me, she said, “Riley will be so happy you’re here. We all are.”
“Even if you came by the slowest transportation possible,” Dominic said. “I’m surprised you didn’t swim over.”
Lacing my hand back with Jade’s, I said, “You do know that you’re the reason I had to take the ferry, right? Someone closes down the airport whenever he comes to the island.”
“You should have said something,” Dominic growled. “Many of the guests came over by helicopter for that reason.”
He really didn’t see his impact on those around him. My gratitude toward him almost held my tongue, but I believed he would want to know. I decided to use an analogy. “You, Dominic, are a super-yacht dragging an anchor across coral without ever looking under the waves. You need to walk among regular people with me. If you do, I know you’ll build your own buoy system.”
“I prefer to fly.”
Okay, maybe I needed to just say it. “I’m talking about how the airport shuts down when you arrive and depart. That forces everyone to scramble because their flights are canceled. Build yourself a private airfield. That way you won’t affect other people’s flights.”
“I could do that.” He put an arm around his wife’s waist. “Why hasn’t anyone suggested that?”
Abby shook her head and went red. “Dom, we’ve been coming for years, and I didn’t even think about the impact of our presence.” She made a face and said, “I was a schoolteacher. I pride myself on still being down to earth, but I guess I’m as bad as you, Dom.”
His head snapped back. “As bad as me? Since when am I the low people measure themselves against?” He referenced Jade. “If I was so horrible, would I have flown Jade here?”
Abby gave him a hug. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say it that way. I’m just embarrassed that I also didn’t think—” She froze. “Wait. Dominic Corisis, did you fly Jade up here without asking Kal if he wanted you to?”
Dominic gave his wife what I could only assume was a practiced blank stare.
I jumped in. “That’s what brothers do—we watch out for each other. I was just thanking Dominic.”
“He was,” Dominic said to Abby.
She smiled up at him. “I give you grief, Dom, but you know I wouldn’t change a thing about you. You’re just lucky things worked out this time.” To Jade, she said, “Would you like to meet Judy and Leonardo, our children? They’re not far.”
“Absolutely.” Jade looked to me. “If that’s okay.”
I nodded, wanting her to find her own footing with this new branch of my family tree. “I’ll be right here.”
As I watched them go, I caught a glimpse of my mother walking with an older gentleman. His head was bent toward her. She was laughing at something he’d said and . . . flirting with him? Although she was moving slowly and likely in some pain, I’d never seen her happier. “Tell me about Hamilton.”
“He’s Gavin’s father,” Dominic said.
“I know that. Is he a good person?”
“His background check is clear. The most I could dig up on him is that his focus was all business until recently. Two funerals, both for friends of his, appears to have shaken him up. He sold his company and bought a huge property with a playground for the grandchild he’s impatient for. He’s upfront about wanting some.”
I laughed. “My mother is the same.”
“I heard he invited her to stay with him while she recovers from her next surgery.”
“Hold on, my mother is moving in with him?”
“For now, at least.” He nodded toward them. “He does seem to really care for her.”
There was no denying that my mother was glowing, and Hamilton had something to do with that. “How did things go when she met you?”
Dominic’s expression tightened. “It’ll take time, but I don’t believe she’s afraid of me.”
“Good.” I watched her stop and say something to Hamilton. The smile they shared went a long way to reassure me. “She does look happy.”
Dominic lowered his voice. “Like you, the welfare of my family matters more than anything else. It’s not easy stepping back and watching someone you care about put themselves in a position where they might be hurt.”
“I’ll kill him if he’s not good to my mother.”
“I’m right there with you.”
“Same with Gavin and Riley . . . she loves everyone. If he hurts her . . .”
“Not only will I bring the shovels, but the cleanup crew to erase the evidence.”
I laughed, gave him a look, trying to judge how serious he was. It was hard to say. Oddly, I felt a little better. I glanced at Dominic again. “Hey, thanks for the talk the other day. It really helped me. I’ve made some progress. More importantly, I’m confident that I can make it happen.”
He cleared his throat. “If you want I can—”
“No.” I smiled at him. “But thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He waved. “Your mother just spotted you. Ready to meet Hamilton?”
“I am.”
We started off walking together, but when I looked to the side, Dominic was gone. My mother greeted me with a huge smile and a hug so tight I thought she might snap her arms. “Kal, you came.”
Still hugging her to me, I said, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I’d be here. I should have. I needed some time to figure things out.”