Gentle Persuasion (17 page)

She could relate to the internal maelstrom. Inwardly, her thoughts churned in a mad rush of decisions and possibilities: Cole, Paris, her mother, her career. And silly as it seemed, she suddenly wished that instead of a Parisian snowstorm within the glass, she could witness a swirl of sand settling along a beach with sea turtles and waves.

* * *

A
FEW
HOURS
LATER
,
Ophelia stood before her mother’s door, a gift bag in hand. After ringing the doorbell, she nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. While she normally sported a mature French twist, she had chosen to let her hair down for a change. She had become accustomed to the feel of it, sweeping against her shoulders, and she found she liked the sensation. At least she still wore the business-casual navy slacks her mother preferred to see along with a navy-and-white-striped long-sleeved shirt.

As she heard movement behind the door, she quickly dropped her hand from her hair and straightened to the appropriate posture. The knob turned, and her mother stood in the doorway, bestowing a rare smile.

“There you are.” She leaned forward to kiss the air by Ophelia’s left cheek and then the right before she stepped back and gestured for her daughter to enter.

“How was your return flight?”

Ophelia stepped over the threshold gingerly, always feeling that she had to move cautiously in her mother’s home for all the glass sculptures and crystal bowls on display. She felt her throat tightening in a familiar reaction to the heavy scents of perfume and cleaning products.

Her mother’s house was much like a visit to the Guggenheim with its pristine white walls and lighted displays.

“It was fine.”

Lillian began moving through the front foyer and hall while Ophelia followed her toward the loft’s spacious living room.

“Can I get you something to drink? I have Perrier or some chilled champagne, if you prefer. We should drink to your success, after all.”

“The Perrier will be fine, thank you.”

She waited as her mother disappeared to the kitchen and shortly returned carrying two flutes of sparkling water. She wasn’t entirely sure if this could be considered a familial visit or work appointment and was therefore uncertain how to address her mother. She finally opted for the maternal title.

“I brought you something back, Mother.” She extended the handled bag with its sea-green tissue paper.

“A gift? How sweet of you, darling.”

She breathed a sigh of relief that she had chosen the correct form of address. Her mother set the bag aside without opening it. Ophelia frowned in disappointment. She only hoped Lillian would be pleased with the item she had purchased at the artist’s village in Holualoa—a small sculpture of a dolphin crafted from polished koa wood.

Turning her back toward the gift, Lillian moved to the couch and gestured for Ophelia to join her on it. They sank down together but unlike her own plush corduroy couch, her mother’s was an uncomfortably firm ivory brocade. She sat upon it gingerly, fearful of spilling even something so harmless as the Perrier on its flawless exterior.

“So tell me about your trip and how you managed to convince the irrationally stubborn Dane Montgomery to return.”

Ophelia kept her posture perfectly straight as she took in her mother’s curious expression. Even in her own home, her face had a look of calculation to it.

“I fear it had little to do with my skills,” she demurred. “Dane needed an influx of capital. Bianca’s signing bonus will provide it.”

“Of course, he’s aware that by signing he commits to at least two years in her employ? Probably more, since she’s agreed to revise the contract and double the bonus.”

Ophelia took a sip of her Perrier, the fizz of the sparkling water tickling her nose. “He read the contract thoroughly. I believe he understands all the—” she coughed slightly into her palm “—details.”

She had been about to say
consequences
— a poor word choice, especially in her mother’s presence.

Lillian took a small sip of her own beverage. “He certainly is a sharp negotiator, doubling his bonus and pocketing the $10,000 incentive. I hope his skills as a tour guide were supreme, considering that tidy sum for a week’s time.”

Ophelia thought about her experiences on the islands—from the sacred stillness at the Place of Refuge to the conversation and food with the Inoas, her tour of the plantation and the cultural festivities at the luau. She hardly thought she could put a price tag on all that she had seen and done, but she didn’t say so to her mother.

“It was the trip of a lifetime,” she summed up, instead.

“I should hope so, considering I footed the bill for it.”

Ophelia gulped down another swallow of Perrier and coughed as the carbonation burned the back of her throat.

“I trust you thanked Cole properly for coming to your aid as he did.”

This time, Ophelia choked on her water and sputtered as the glass shook in her hands, spilling sparkling water onto her blouse.

“Oh, Ophelia,” her mother chided as she stood to retrieve a towel. Lillian returned to dab at Ophelia’s shirt until she handed over her glass and grabbed the cloth, instead.

“As I mentioned on the phone, I had the situation well in hand before Cole’s arrival.” Ophelia continued wiping at the wet blotch on her top and muttered a silent thank-you that not a drop had reached the couch.

“Mmm,” was Lillian’s only reply to Ophelia’s reminder.

She was too distracted by her personal ministrations to notice at first that her mother had fallen silent.

“Ophelia.”

She immediately looked up at the familiarly patronizing tone.

“You do realize that your time in Hawaii was simply a performance.”

Ophelia frowned. “A performance? Meaning?”

“Meaning, Dane Montgomery was an assignment. Nothing more.”

“Of course. What else would he be?” Despite this flippant response, she felt her cheeks flaming in betrayal of her words.

“From what I’ve heard, the man can be quite...charismatic.”

Ophelia couldn’t help herself. She made a noise, a sound of both wistfulness and disbelief and then immediately cut it off. In part, she was striving desperately not to recall the details of Dane’s kiss, fearing how her blush would deepen. On the other hand, she remembered Dane’s initial hostility toward her.

“I doubt he’s the same man you remember.”

Lillian shrugged, lifting one elegant shoulder in casual dismissal. “Perhaps. I never really met him—I only saw him a time or two at various benefits and social functions. He always had scores of women and starry-eyed sycophants hanging on to his every word. As if every syllable he uttered carried some great insight.” She scoffed. “I think the man is a magician, creating an illusion, a persona. He had great success performing that trick for various companies, and I’m certain he did the exact same thing for himself.”

Ophelia felt a prickling of disappointment at this summation. She didn’t believe the man she had met, the man who had kissed her, was an illusion. But the thought of Dane surrounded by hangers-on chafed at her. She supposed she should get used to the idea, however. Once Dane returned, he would be in great demand socially. Eventually, he was bound to begin dating—

She stopped herself at that point. Her mother was right, in a way. Her time with Dane had been part of her assignment. He must have realized that. Now that her duties were completed, there would be no reason for him to see her as anything other than his recruiter. The thought pained her, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Well, it matters little now.” Lillian leaned back against the cushions of the sofa, propping her elbow on the back and leaning her head into her hand. “How are things between you and Cole, hmm? I suspect he felt rather mopey without you around.”

Though Ophelia had been longing for a topic change, she wasn’t sure Cole was her first choice. Dropping her eyes, she twisted the damp towel she still held in her fingers.

“He’s agreed to move to Paris with me. He wants to get back together.”

She glanced up to find her mother beaming. “He spoke to me about the possibility, and I’ve given him my blessing on the matter. I suppose you told him yes?”

Ophelia looked away. “Well, I told him I’d think about it.”

“What?” Her mother gasped in surprise, the sound holding a tone of disapproval in it. “That was the very reason you broke up with him. If he’s agreed to your terms, of course you and he will get back together.”

“They weren’t terms,” Ophelia said, trying to keep her voice calm. “It was my dream, and he didn’t want to be a part of it.”

“He only needed time to consider his future here, without you. You have to remember, Ophelia, that just because this is what you’ve always wanted, Cole has his own career to consider.”

Ophelia looked back at her mother. “But he’s known I wanted this for years! I talked about it from the day I met him! He knew that if we were going to stay together, eventually we’d be moving to Paris!” She knew her voice climbed toward a petulant whine, and her mother’s steely eyed stare confirmed it. She lowered her gaze to her lap once more. “It just...it gave me a lot to think about.”

Her mother sat in silence for several minutes. “I’m sure it did. But now that you’ve both had a week apart, I think his desire to go with you is simply confirmation that you’re meant to be together.”

Perhaps her mother was right. But then why did this thought pain her so? Before she could consider how to respond, the tinkling chime of the doorbell rang through the loft.

“Ah, that must be him now.”

Ophelia blinked. “What?”

Lillian was already rising to her feet. “Oh, yes, dear, didn’t I tell you? I asked Cole to join us.”

Ophelia felt a stab of disappointment. She had hoped for an afternoon alone with her mother, just the two of them, and certainly she longed for a few hours without Cole. Apparently, it was not meant to be.

* * *

D
ANE
LISTENED
TO
the admonitions from Leilani, taking them all in stride.

“Call us at least once a week so we know how you’re doing and email as much as you can.”

Dane hefted his suitcase into the back of his Jeep. “Got it.”

“I’ll text you photos as often as possible so you can keep up to speed on the progress of things around here.”

Dane slammed the door closed. “I would love that.”

“
Tutu
is going to send care packages of your favorite foods so you don’t get too homesick, but you’ll have to forward us an address as soon as you have one so we know where to mail them.”

“Okay, will do.”

“And I need you to do me a favor.”

“Sure, just name it.”

“You have to tell Ophelia how you feel about her.”

Dane froze. “Run that by me again?”

Leilani placed her hands on her hips. “You heard me the first time. You can’t let her leave a second time without letting her know how you feel.”

“Leilani, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

But he did. He was just surprised that Leilani had noticed when he had worked so hard to keep his emotions hidden.

“Dane, stop. You’re falling in love with her, and you have to tell her that.”

“You’re just a kid, and you’re giving me relationship advice?”

Leilani’s nostrils flared widely. “I am
not
a kid, and if I don’t advise you then who will?”

Dane sighed. As if he didn’t have enough to worry about right now. “Listen, I think Ophelia’s great, but...love?”

Just then, Keahi ambled over with Pele at his side. She carried a brown paper bag that Dane knew must hold containers of snacks and other food for his plane ride. Leilani shifted.

“Keahi, how does Dane feel about Ophelia?”

“He’s falling in love with her,” Keahi promptly replied.

Dane groaned. “You, too?”

Keahi’s eyes widened. “What, is it supposed to be a secret?”

Dane looked to Pele. “Help me out here, Pele.”

The older woman pursed her lips and said nothing. Leilani looked at him triumphantly.

“Fine. Let’s say I did have feelings for Ophelia. Even so, she’ll be leaving for Paris. It’s hardly fair of me to spring something like that on her before she goes.”

Leilani shook her head. “That’s the point, Dane. You didn’t say anything when she was here, and she left without knowing how you feel. You can’t make the same mistake when it comes to her leaving for Paris.”

Dane remained skeptical.

“She has feelings for you, too. It’s obvious.”

A ripple of hope went through him. He looked to Keahi for confirmation.

“Leilani’s right, brah. You’ve fallen for Ophelia, and I’d bet this plantation that she’s falling for you, too.”

“You’ll never know if you don’t try,” Leilani added. “And you’ll regret it forever if she gets away.”

Dane considered these words. “Okay, but I’m not making any promises.”

Leilani clapped her hands together and began jumping up and down. “You guys are gonna make the cutest couple!”

And even though he tried, Dane couldn’t keep from smiling at the thought.

* * *

B
RUNCH
WITH
C
OLE
and her mother was a tedious affair, just as Ophelia had predicted it would be.

Ophelia continually checked her watch, wondering what was happening at the Okina Inn right now and wishing she could have spent just one more week there with her new friends.

“...once we get to Paris, that is.”

Ophelia snapped to renewed attention as Cole mentioned the word
Paris.

“I’m sorry, what was that?”

Her mother sighed. “Honestly, Ophelia, you’ve just sat there like a statue for the last hour.”

“I’m sure Ophelia’s just overcome by the jet lag.” Cole reached out for her hand as he came to her defense. The urge to pull away overcame her, but she resisted, not wanting to draw any more critical attention to herself.

Just then, her cell phone began vibrating. Feeling relieved, she apologized and reached for her phone to check the caller ID on the screen. The name Dane Montgomery flashed across it, and her stomach flip-flopped wildly of its own accord.