Pali had taken out most of his things, though Quinn was a bit surprised to find a small ashtray peeking out from under the couch. It held ashes that smelled curiously un-tobacco-like. In her opinion, he was a bit young to be experimenting with weed, but it wasn’t any of her business.

Maria said she’d made up the bed with fresh linens, and for that Quinn was grateful. One thing she couldn’t make herself do was sleep on sheets that had been broken in by a teenage boy.

“I’ve stocked the small refrigerator with some staples, and you’ll find coffee in the cupboard. Kupuna made a call to his contractor friend, and I need to watch for him to arrive,” Maria said, then retreated back toward the house.

“Call me when he gets here,” Quinn called out, and Maria held a hand up in acknowledgment. It was Quinn’s house, after all, and she would be paying the bills. She hoped that Kupuna didn’t think he was calling the shots.

She went to the bathroom and carefully set out her toiletries, lining up her makeup on the counter in the order she used it, another trick she’d learned to make her mornings more efficient.

In the kitchen, she checked the pantry cupboard, noting which spices were available in case she wanted to cook a meal. She was tiring of restaurant food, but she had no intention of joining Maria’s family at the table.

There needed to be some boundaries in place.

She was not their friend.

Then she saw that Maria had left a small vase of beautiful lavender orchids on the coffee table. Beside them was a note jotted on a yellow Post-it.

Welcome to Maui. Hope this new friendship will continue. See you at dinner. Love, Maria

Quinn sighed, then went back to unpacking. Finally, there was nothing left to do, and she sat down on the love seat, sinking into the worn but comfortable cushions. There wasn’t a television, but a small stack of books on the side table caught her attention.

She picked up the one off the top.

Rogue Wave.

She flipped it over and read the book description. An explosion sets off a series of massive waves that could obliterate all the islands of Hawaii.

She put it back and rose, going to the lanai. Outside, she sat down at the table and leaned back, closing her eyes for a minute. She was weary. It had been a stressful morning, to say the least. Not every day did she move in with a family who just a short time before were complete strangers. Also, her time was running out. She’d asked for two weeks’ vacation, but after that, she needed to return. To a job that was sucking the life out of her.