Free Her Hawaiian Homecoming (Mills & Boon Superromance) by Cara Lockwood

a halo of white flowers in her jet-black, waist-length hair. The small coffee shop was bustling even at two in the afternoon, the window-seat benches filled with people of all stripes. A handsome guy in his midtwenties, wearing board shorts and a tank top, opened the door, holding it for her.
    “After you,” he said, taking in her sundress, his eyes lingering on her legs. She ignored him. She didn’t need complications right now. She saw Kai talking to his sister, Jesse, at the register and waved.
    “Allie!” He motioned her over. “Come in. Say hi to...”
    He hadn’t even got out Jesse’s name before the tanned, petite brunette had launched herself over the counter and clobbered Allie in a huge hug. “ Why are you never on Facebook?” she scolded. “Seriously—we need to catch up! It’s been a thousand years!”
    Allie had forgotten about Jesse’s bubbling enthusiasm for everything. She and Kai had the same mom and different dads, but they both had their Irish mother’s warm, hazel-colored eyes. She was two years younger than Allie and Kai, and what Allie remembered was a fierce little girl who wanted to climb every tree they did.
    “This is a great place,” Allie said, meaning it as she looked around at the warm koa-wood tables and the easy conversation happening across the various nooks in the small but surprisingly open shop. Pastries of every kind called invitingly from behind a glass counter, and the air smelled like coffee and vanilla.
    “Thanks,” Kai said, standing a little straighter, clearly taking pride in his establishment. “I never imagined having a life other than surfing, but my finance guy said it’s good to diversify.”
    “That’s only because surfing is probably going to kill you,” Jesse scolded. “ This guy liked to surf the big waves. Like seventy feet!”
    “Seventy...?” Allie’s mouth dropped open in shock. Kai had always been fearless, even as a toddler, but somehow she couldn’t quite imagine his muscled body handling such serious surf.
    “That was on a slow day,” Kai said, half teasing, half not. He pointed to the espresso machine. “Care for a cappuccino? On the house.”
    “Well, I...” Allie hesitated for a split second, but before she could even properly answer, Jesse had bounced over to get started.
    “You don’t want him making one. He doesn’t know how,” Jesse explained.
    “I do so!”
    “You’re only here a couple days a week,” Jesse teased, as they bickered warmly like the siblings she remembered. “During the slow times. Ask him where he is in the morning, during rush time?”
    “Hey! I surf mornings!” Kai protested. “Got to keep giving those young kids a run for their money on the circuit. I just come in here to supervise, make sure you’re not sleeping on the job.”
    Jesse snapped a dishrag at him, and Kai just laughed. In a few moments, she handed Allie a lush cappuccino.
    “This is the second time this week someone put coffee in my hands.” Allie inhaled the rich aroma and then took a sip. It was the richest, most delicious thing she’d ever tasted. Nothing bitter about it, just dense, lush goodness.
    “This is amazing,” Allie said, dumbstruck that she actually liked coffee without a sugary shot of vanilla or caramel.
    Kai grinned, ear to ear. “Made from one hundred percent Kona Estate coffee.”
    “My grandmother’s coffee?”
    Kai nodded.
    “Wow, this stuff is really good.” Allie took another sip, relishing it.
    “The best Kona on Hawai’i,” Jesse said.
    “Your grandmother’s coffee made this place,” Kai seconded.
    Allie felt a shudder of guilt as she glanced around at all the happy patrons in Kai’s shop. They all seemed to like the coffee so much, and she could understand why. It was delicious, like none she’d ever tasted. But she had no intention of growing coffee, at least, not with her share. What would happen to Kai’s shop, to these patrons drinking her coffee, if they sold the land? Developed it