Page 19 of Maliea's Hero

“Yes, but these are yours,” she insisted. “Nani and I will split the grilled cheese sandwich.”

“I’m hungry, Mama,” her daughter said. “Can I eat all of it?” she asked, already nearly done with half of the gooey, cheesy sandwich.

“My treat,” Reid said. “You’ll save me from insulting the chef by eating all that. He has a reputation for making the best burgers on the island—hell, on any of the Hawaiian Islands.”

“I’ll pay for our food,” Maliea said.

“Too late. I already did,” Reid said and took a big bite out of his hamburger.

Maliea’s stomach rumbled loudly. She was so hungry her hands shook in her lap. She’d fed Nani the last of her granola bars and splurged on chocolate milk for her at a convenience store on the drive over from Honolulu. It had satisfied Nani, but there hadn’t been anything left for Maliea.

And, wow, the fries smelled so good.

“I’ll pay you back.” Maliea lifted the burger in both hands and sank her teeth into the bun and thick beef patty, juice dripping down her chin.

Before she could stop herself, she moaned.

“Right?” Reid laughed. “The best hamburgers ever.”

“Yes,” she said around the big bite of food in her mouth. Then she remembered her manners and chewed thoroughly before swallowing. She didn’t talk again until she’d consumed three-quarters of the massive burger. She laid it on the plate and drank from her water glass.

Reid chuckled. “Were you hungry?”

Heat rose up her neck into her cheeks. “I guess.”

Nani picked at the potato chips on her plate, having eaten more than half of her sandwich.

“Are you finished?” Maliea asked.

Nani nodded and yawned. “Can I go play now?”

Even tired, Nani didn’t want to miss an opportunity to play on a really cool play set. The one at their apartment complex wasn’t nearly as interesting. Also, her apartment didn’t have the view Burger Bar afforded from its location on the beach.

“You can play for a few more minutes,” Maliea said. “Then we have to leave.”

“Do we have to?” Nani stared up at Maliea, disappointment turning her usual happy smile upside down.

“Yes, ma’am.” Maliea waved her hand at her daughter. “Now go, or you won’t get to play at all.”

Nani skipped off the patio out onto the sandy playground.

Maliea’s gaze followed her daughter. Once Nani was busy swinging, Maliea turned to Reid.

His gaze was on Nani, his lips pressed into a tight line. A shadow seemed to have fallen over him.

“Do you like children?” Maliea asked.

Reid’s gaze shifted to the empty plate in front of him. He pushed it to the side before he answered, “Yeah, sure.”

She sensed more to his answer than the two words. “Do you have children from your marriage?”

For a long moment, he said nothing.

The way he shut down made her regret asking the question. Apparently, it hit a cord with him.

She was about to tell him not to answer the question when he spoke.

“I have a daughter.”