"I'm sure," Kenna said, this time smiling all the way. "I want you to wear it. After Mom … " Kenna swallowed hard. "Like I said before, it'll help knowing there's a piece of her here with us."
Kenna flicked a meaningful look at Tyke, her expression saying so much in that split second.
What if they didn't find that ring?
The guilt in Tyke's stomach ramped up a few thousand notches. Kenna's mom, who had treated Tyke like one of her own, had made him promise if anything happened to her that he'd take care of Kenna. Look out for her. Love her.
Jesus, what she would think of him now. He was just full of disappointments.
And he'd be another disappointment if he didn't get that ring back.
Sam's expression softened. "Do you mind if I see it? The ring. It's been so long. I remember how beautiful it is with the bright sapphire in the middle and shimmering diamonds around it."
Panic rose in Kenna's expression. She shifted her weight and cleared her throat.
Shit. She was gonna blow it. And if Sam freaked out that someone took the ring, then she'd go all G.I. Jane wanting to find the thief, which would be counterproductive to Tyke's intention of being hush-hush. Plus, it would distract Sam from the happiness she should be feeling.
Kenna sighed. "Sam, you should know there's a chance that-"
Tyke stepped forward. "Kenna doesn't have it."
Kenna's eyes expanded to a size that could've rivaled the full moon overhead.
Sam passed a look between them like she didn't understand.
"Uh, well … You see … " Kenna started.
"Tonight," Tyke said. "Kenna doesn't have it with her tonight. She was actually just telling me about how she's keeping it locked up safe until the wedding. She doesn't want anything to happen to it before your big day. She's excited. She's been gushing all day about you wearing that ring."
Sam beamed. "Really?"
Kenna looked at Tyke with a confused expression, then turned to her friend with a tight smile and nod. "Sure did."
"That means so much, thank you!" Sam pulled Kenna in for a huge hug and then leaned toward Tyke for one. He put his arms around her thin body.
"I'm so glad you two are here," Sam said.
Once Sam was a safe distance away, Kenna spoke. "Why didn't you let me tell her there's a chance-"
"Because there's not," he cut her off. "I'm gonna find it in time."
She tipped her chin up to look him in the eyes. The sadness in her light-blue gaze pierced his heart like a million pitchforks. "What if we don't? What am I going to tell Sam?"
We. He ignored that and instead focused on what mattered more.
What it would do to Kenna if that ring were lost forever.
"Don't worry about it," he lied. "I'll find it." He had to.
"You're not doing this alone."
"Don't start, Kenna," he said. "If there's a pattern here, and it is a theft, this could get dangerous. I don't want you anywhere near it. You could get hurt."
"You know better than to think I'm just going to-"
Yeah, he did know better. But he wasn't going to put up with it. He might have once upon a time, but not now.
He stepped up to her, brushing his chest against hers. She gasped and blinked up at him. He looked down at her lips, because what the hell, he was a masochist. He could grip the back of her neck, dip to her level, and have his mouth on her in seconds. He wanted to. Even just to shut her up. Or just to remember how well they fit together.
"I have a lead on this case," he said instead, "and I'll solve it a hell of a lot faster without you slowing me down. This is what I'm good at. Let me do my thing so we can both get what we want."
Her throat worked as she swallowed. "What do we want?"
"You want your ring back."
"And you?" Her eyes glazed over, the blue turning rich and deep. "What do you want?"
She couldn't look at him like that. Like he was her savior. Like he could fix it and make it right again. That wasn't him anymore. He didn't fix shit for her. He only messed it up.
No, this time he'd come through.
"I want to get you the ring back," he replied.
Her smile was sweet. Like she had ultimate faith he could do it.
He didn't hold any illusions. No matter how much he'd missed her and no matter how bad he wanted her back, it wasn't going to happen. It couldn't.
"And then we both can get on with our lives," he said. "Apart."
The eagerness in her eyes died, and she stepped back with a firm set to her jaw. "Right. Well, I'm not backing down. I'm going to find my own damn ring, without your help. I haven't needed you for the last decade, and I sure as hell don't need you now."
Ouch. He deserved that. Didn't mean it hurt any less, though.
"I meant what I said, Kenna. This'll be over a lot faster if you just let me do it."
"Feel free. But know that I'll be doing the same. So as long as we're in agreement that we're each doing our own thing … "
His back teeth locked down. Arguing was useless. She'd do the opposite of what he wanted anyway.
Great. Just like old times.
…
"Come on, Bryan," Kenna said, standing at the door to her hotel room. "Is this really necessary?"
"Some guy broke into your hotel room," he said. "He could do it again. Yes, it's necessary."
The luau ended, and as Kenna was walking toward the resort with the rest of the wedding guests, Bear had caught up with her and insisted on following her to her room.
"I doubt he'd return to the scene of the crime," she said. "And so soon."
His expression suggested he agreed with her but wouldn't admit it out loud. Instead, he said, "Open the door so I can sweep the area."
"This is so silly." She pulled her key card out of her wristlet. "Really. I think you're overreacting." Though, as she said it, she couldn't help but feel relieved. The thought of coming back to her room alone, after someone suspicious had been in there, worried her. She hadn't given it much thought until now. The fact that Bryan was here put her at ease, despite her anger toward him and their past.
As soon as the card slid into the lock, and she turned the latch, he spoke.
"Stay here until I say otherwise, understand?"
She hesitated, her lungs seizing at the realization that the man could be in there right now.
"Kenna," Bryan said, dipping his chin to search her eyes. "Do you understand?"
She swallowed. "Yes."
"And if anything seems out of sorts, I want you to scream as loud as you possibly can and run, okay?"
She shivered a little at his direct tone and the meaning of his words. "O-okay."
He marched into the room, letting the door slam behind him, leaving her standing alone in the hallway. She glanced to her left at the line of tan carpet and white walls with coral doors. To her right was another row of painted doors leading in the direction of the elevators, which she could hear dinging every few moments. A woman in her mid-twenties in a short black dress and heels walked with a man Kenna assumed was her boyfriend. They held hands, laughing, greeting Kenna on their way to a room a few doors down. The guy had an arm around the woman's waist, snuggling his nose into her neck as she fished her room key out of her bag. Once their door opened, they disappeared inside, and silence overtook the hallway.
A few more silent moments passed, and Kenna's heart rate sped up. The longer she stood there, the longer her imagination ran wild. Bear could be dangling from the balcony while a bunch of gangsters stood watching. Or worse, they could have thrown him off by now.
It also occurred to her that if the suspect did come back to her room, and wasn't in there yet, she was a sitting duck in the hallway by herself.
Screw this.
She quickly reinserted the key into the lock and reached for the handle. Before she got the door open, it swung open, and Bryan appeared.
"Thought I told you to wait out here for me," he said.
She breathed a sigh of relief. "You're okay."
"Of course I'm okay. What did you think was gonna happen?"
"Honestly? I thought gangsters might have thrown you off the balcony by now."
An amused grin lit his face. "Gangsters?"
She shrugged. "Who knows what's lurking around here."
"I can say for damn sure if it was a bunch of gangsters, I would've taken care of them."
"Not if they outnumbered you."
"Especially if they outnumbered me." His eyes sparkled, and his grin broadened. He was enjoying this. "It's all clear. Come on in." He held the door open so she could enter.
She moved to the middle of the room and peered around. "You're sure you didn't miss a spot?"
He was behind her, his breath dancing across her bare shoulder. "I never miss a spot. I'm very thorough."
The implication was clear enough, but a traitorous thrill ran through her nonetheless. There was a time when he'd known all of her spots. Even ones she wasn't aware of.