We’re standing on opposite sides of the door, and leaves swirl outside, past his legs, red and brown and gold, huge maple leaves, leaves bigger than my face, my hand.

His gaze travels over me. “You look beautiful.”

I’m wearing game-day clothes—jeans and a turtleneck and boots. It’s Mom wear and far from sexy. “I don’t look beautiful.”

“You do. But then, you always look beautiful to me.”

I bite the inside of my lip, my heart hammering with staggering force. “When did you arrive on the mainland?”

“Today.”

“I didn’t think you’d ever leave the rock.”

The corner of his mouth tugs, a reluctant smile. “I guess I was wrong.”

My heart swoops low, and I touch the door frame, trying to figure out if this is right, if this is true. If maybe it’s night and I’m asleep and dreaming. Because this wasn’t supposed to happen. This was never going to happen. He didn’t leave Hawaii, and he wasn’t going to come here….

“Who’d you come to see?” I whisper.

He gives his head a shake. “You’re such a silly girl.” He takes a step toward me, draws a tendril of hair from my eyes, smoothes it back from my cheek. “Who do you think I came to see?”

“Me?”

“You’re my girl, aren’t you?”

Tears fill my eyes. I blink. Concentrate on the neck of his sweater. “What about work?”

“It’s slow season for us right now. I took a couple weeks off.”

I blink, and tears fall. “Why didn’t you come sooner?”

He wipes away one of my tears and then another. “It took me a while to save up the money. Had to pay off some bills and take care of rent so I’d have a place to come home to.”

“You’re only here for two weeks?”

He laughs now. “You’re still such a princess.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.” But then he cups my face and lifts it and kisses me. “But that’s okay. I love everything about you.”

I kiss him back. I can’t help it. But the kiss finally ends, and I smile, touch my finger to his mouth. “So what are you going to do in Seattle for two weeks?”

He shrugs, hunky shoulders shifting. “I guess I’m having an adventure.”

An adventure. With me.

I bite my lip again but can’t hide my smile of pleasure. “You say all the right things.”

His expression gentles. “I say nothing I don’t mean.”

I’m still standing there, staring at him, feeling like that caterpillar who has turned into a butterfly. “Do you want to come in?”

“Are the kids here?” he asks.

“They’re at their dad’s.”

“You’re all alone?”

“Yes.”