Free Loveable Christmas Angel: Book #3 - Romance and Heavenly Spirits! (Angels with Attitudes) by Mimi Barbour Page B

small area where abarn-like building, that had a stable on one side leaned slightly and was in desperate need of repair.
    From then on, a grove of trees bearing mango and lychees fruit were intermingled with thriving bananas, and gave the appearance of a wild jungle. Desperately needing a gardener’s help, they were being choked from the other lush bushes and weedy looking plants that surrounded them. Palm trees also had a home in the garden, and piles of coconuts were everywhere on the ground. Others, still hanging above, were dangerous if they were to fall on someone.
    Before Leilani could say a word, Mano had produced a large stick and had scurried up one of the close-by trees. Unafraid of the altitude, he knocked at the brown fruit until they came loose and dropped. He’d yelled a warning to Pi and Leilani to step back and now she understood what the little devil was up to.
    “My goodness, Pi. What in the world? You must stop him…”
    “No, we must not. He is perfectly safe and looks like he’s done this for quite some time. I used to do the same at his age. In our village, we used the fruit of the coconut and the milk.” Pi stopped when he saw Leilani watching him. “I know it was a long time ago, but some things never change.”
    Leilani laughed and relaxed. “It’s just hard to picture you as a small boy.”
    “Hey, I was a handsome lad in my time. Did a lot of foolish things.” All of a sudden, he glanced over to the left and his face became very sad.
    “Are you all right?”
    “Pi is fine, we must worry about our little mischief maker, instead of a foolish old man who’s lived his life. Come, we’ll coax him down.”
    He looked upwards and yelled. “Enough showing off, Mano. We want to see the rest of the property, and then we need some lunch.”
    Like all children, the talk of food did the trick, and Mano grinned before scampering to the ground surefooted and agile as a monkey.
    The sound of water became louder as they moved further away from the house. Once through a curtain of overgrowth, Leilani got the shock of her life. “Pi, this is beachfront property. Why there’s a wonderful sandy area and even a dock.”
    “Yes, it’s beautifully natural, a fine place to whittle away the day, eh Mano? Is this where you spent a lot of time?”
    “Tutu and I stayed on the beach a lot before she got sick. We had to do chores first, and then we could play. I like to carve and I find lots of wood here to use.”
    Leilani saw the pride in his eyes as he looked all around. He crossed his arms, and his eyes sent a message to her that was unmistakable. Don’t take me away from my home, or I’ll hate you forever.

Chapter Sixteen
    Leilani needed to talk with Kale… desperately. She had no idea what to do about her situation. She’d tried discussing the future with Pi, and all he would say was for her to follow her heart. It was good advice… sure, but not very specific. She craved to be with a person of her own generation who would understand her point of view. That she had a life back in Canada, a home and a job, and couldn’t be expected to uproot everything to move here and live in a house that she had no right to claim.
    Leilani’s head had been spinning in circles ever since Mano’s silent ultimatum. Thinking to get a better understanding of her choices, a clearer perspective, she went looking for papers in her aunt’s bedroom. Everything was neatly left in a desk drawer and easy to find. Her entire estate was to go to Mano when he came of age and she had made Leilani’s mother his legal guardian. Leilani noted the name of the firm at the top of the will and placed a call, only to be told that the offices were closed until Monday. Fine, she would call them back, but in the meantime, she left a message in case someone monitored the incoming calls.
    Once they returned to the Jordan, Pi took Mano off to see a Christmas special, advertising that Santa was paying a visit to the hotel. It was a treat