Fawn raised her eyebrows. “Wow.”
The doorbell rang. “That’s Mano!” Panic flared in her chest. “I should change—this is ridiculous. I look like a peacock.”
Fawn propelled her toward the door. “You’re gorgeous. Go knock him dead.”
“More likely I’ll die from embarrassment,” Annie muttered. Her knees trembled. She scooped up Wilson and hugged him under her chin. He squeaked, then settled down in her arms. “Come with me.” She pushed Fawn ahead of her down the hall.
“I’ll get the door. Breathe deep.” Fawn hurried to the door and flung it open. “Hey, Mano, come on in. Annie is ready.”
Mano stepped inside. His gaze went past Fawn and connected with Annie, and his smile faltered. His eyes widened. “Annie?” He cleared his throat. “You, uh, you look nice.”
Nice. So much for Fawn’s assurance she would wow Mano. Annie forced a smile and dropped Wilson onto the sofa before picking up her handbag. It was going to be a long night. Holding her head high, she went past him toward the car. A feeling as dismal as rain settled in her gut. She wished she could back out of this laughable situation. Only she wasn’t laughing. She realized she’d hoped Mano would take one glance at her and look as dazed as if he’d been hit by a tsunami. Instead he was surely laughing at her. He silently held the car door for her, then climbed in on his side.
“Your dad’s here.” Mano ran his window down as Edega got out of his car and walked toward them. Annie did the same.
“Where are you headed?” Edega asked, stopping beside Annie’s open window.
“Out to dinner.” Too late she realized she hadn’t even thought about what her father was going to eat. Some daughter she was.
Edega frowned. “Did you transcribe those notes for me?”
“I’m sorry, Father, there wasn’t time.” She reached toward the door handle with the intention of going back inside.
Fawn waved from the door. “I’ll do it, Edega.” She winked at Annie. “And I’ll spring for dinner. How does pizza sound?”
Annie grinned as her father’s expression brightened. She rarely let him eat pizza. It was bad for his cholesterol. It was quite a sacrifice on Fawn’s part too. She thought pizza was of the devil. “Mahalo,” she mouthed to Fawn. Fawn’s smile broadened, and she looked as satisfied as Wilson after a big meal.
Edega’s eyes narrowed. “What did you do to yourself, Annie? You know I hate paint on a woman’s face.”
Her smile waned. She looked away from her father’s accusing stare. “Um, it’s nothing,” she mumbled. Didn’t he realize Gina wore makeup too?
“You go in and wash it off. You can’t go out in public looking like that.”
Before Annie could slink away to do as her father ordered, Mano put his hand on her wrist. “I think she looks wonderful,” he said. “Have a good evening. We need to go if we’re going to make our reservations.”
Edega’s eyes widened. His mouth flopped open like a hungry sea turtle, then he pressed his lips together and seemed to gather his thoughts before he began to speak. Annie couldn’t hear what he said, because Mano ran both windows up as he backed out of the driveway. “I’ve always liked your dad, but he’s gotten so autocratic lately. He never used to be like this.”
“He’s changed since Mother died. I keep thinking he’ll get his feet under him and be the father I used to know. Besides, he’s right this time. I told Fawn I look like a clown.” She willed the words back. Her face burned. The last thing she wanted to do was call attention to the fact that she’d tried to make herself prettier for him. What must he think of her? She turned her head and stared out the window.
“I think you look great.” He negotiated the narrow road to the restaurant. It had started to rain.
She’d thought she wanted his attention, but now she wasn’t sure. What would he think if he knew the real Annie? She’d disappointed her father and Leilani so many times. She couldn’t bear to see disappointment in Mano’s eyes. “Did you find Tab Watson?”
“No luck. I thought I’d look more tomorrow. I checked at the bar, but he wasn’t due in today.” He pulled into the Kilauea Lodge and Restaurant. The place looked a little like a Swiss chalet with stone pillars flanking the wide steps. It sat on a small hillside against a rain forest. The rain was coming down in torrents now. Mano drove past the steps to the parking lot and stopped. He got out and opened Annie’s door while she was still fumbling with her seat belt.
“You’re getting soaked.” She glanced up at him helplessly. “I can’t get this stupid thing to turn me loose.”