Now she had even more to make up to him. He was trying to help her, she knew that. But this time she needed to figure it out herself. She wasn’t sure just why yet, but this felt too personal to let someone else handle.

“Quinn?”

She jumped, startled.

Alani was standing in the doorway.

“Yes?”

“Can you take me to the beach?” she asked, tilting her head to the side in an adorable way.

Quinn took a deep breath and relaxed her expression. “I’m sorry, Alani, but I can’t. Why don’t you ask Pali?”

“He’s at practice,” she said. “Mama is busy on the computer, and Kupuna is taking a nap. I’m supposed to stay quiet.”

Quinn considered it. Why not? What else did she have to do but sit there and get more nervous at her sudden stand against the wrath of Ethan? Perhaps some salty air would take her mind off her now-regrettable act of bravery.

“Does your mom know you were going to ask me?” she said.

Alani nodded. “She said it might do you good to go.”

Great. Now Maria was analyzing her. But she was right.

Quinn needed the fresh air on her face. Heck, she needed it to run through her body and cleanse the sour feeling the phone call had left behind.

“Okay, Alani. I need to change. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll be out.”

By the time Quinn changed into shorts and a T-shirt, Alani had returned with the girl next door. They waited outside the cottage, their appearances total contradictions to one another with their blonde and dark heads tilted together in a giggling conversation.

“This is Junie,” Alani said, then led the way, the girl right on her heels.

Quinn followed, clutching her hat to keep it from blowing off in the strong trade winds. They followed a short trail that led straight from the cottage area to a wide span of beach. Quinn felt a thrill at how close her new home was to the water. At least that would make Ethan happy. If he could ever get past feeling like she’d betrayed him by buying it.

People were in the water, and Alani dropped her towel and ran out as fast as she could, taking on the waves like a daredevil. Her friend followed, falling in right beside her, the two splashing like tiny mermaids in the surf.

Their laughter was like a salve to the soul.

Quinn put her bag down and spread out her towel, then sat and searched the surf for Alani’s pink suit and Junie’s blue one. She found them both, then kept her eye on them, ferociously diligent to be sure neither of the girls disappeared beneath a wave.