Page 3

Magnolia Steel

A country isn’t the only thing I’m leaving behind.

Violet.

Our goodbye is going to sit with me for a long time. Not because I question leaving—but because she made it so damn hard to go. She held on, her fingers digging in, her cheek pressed to mine.

I didn’t cry as I was leaving. Neither did she. But I haven’t stopped feeling it since––the ache of being loved to that degree and the quiet grief of walking away from it. That chapter’s closed, but even knowing I made the right choice, it still hurts.

There’s a hollow ache in my chest as we pull into the Sebring driveway. This is the trade-off. Not a loss but a shift. I’m stepping into the rest of my life.

The front door barely clicks open before Malie’s arms are around me, her cheek pressed to mine.

“You’re home, lo’u afafine,” she whispers.

Lo’u afafine. Not palagi.

“ Lo’u afafine ?”

“My daughter,” Alex says, translating the Samoan words for me.

Something inside me wobbles, then settles. It’s as though my heart has found a place to rest.

Not tolerated. Not temporary. Chosen .

Emotion rises in my throat. “I’m so happy to be here. For good, this time, Tinā .”

Her breath catches, and she presses a hand to her chest, eyes glistening.

She pulls me in again, holding tight. “You are ours now. Always.”

And for the first time in my life, I believe it.

Alexander pulls me in tight, a bottle of wine in his hand. “Welcome home, Magnolia.”

“Thank you.”

He lifts the bottle of wine. “I think we should celebrate the best decision Alex has ever made.”

Elias barrels in like a human golden retriever, all joy and zero brakes. He scoops me up in a bear hug that lifts me off the floor. “My teine is home!” he says, spinning me in a full circle before setting me down with a grin that lights up the whole room.

“Be bloody careful with her, Elias. That’s my missus you’re slinging ’round like a sack of spuds.”

“I reckon she’s all right. I’m just giving my teine a proper welcome back.”

It’s chaos. Beautiful, ordinary chaos. Voices overlap. Someone turns on the music. Malie’s already offering me food. Alex is laughing with Elias in the background, and I stand there for a second, trying to take it all in.

Alex’s hand lands on the small of my back. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” I nod, swallowing the emotions caught in my throat. “I’m finally home.”

Malie waves me toward the kitchen. “Tears are allowed but only if you’re holding panikeke in one hand and a proper drink in the other.”

Panikeke—Malie’s famous banana fritters. Sweet, golden, bite-sized pieces of heaven.

“Yes, please,” I say, already reaching for the plate she’s loaded down with enough fritters for a small army.

Malie gives me a sly smile. “This table is getting bigger now. That’s how I like it. More room for the people we love.”

I glance toward the dining table, extra leaf locked in place, and a new chair added. It almost knocks the wind out of me.

My seat at the table.

Not borrowed. Not temporary. Not squeezed in with a folding chair and an apology.

Mine. Because I belong here.

We settle in—bowls passed from hand to hand. Family style. I like that a lot.

The room hums with laughter and clinking forks, but across from me, Elias slows. His fork hovers over his plate, forgotten for a moment. “I miss Violet. A lot.”

I glance up, catching the sadness in his eyes. “She misses you, too. She told me to tell you that. Twice, actually.”

At the end of the table, Malie perks up, setting down her glass. “Who’s Violet?”

Elias shifts in his seat. “A woman I met in the States.”

Malie’s eyes gleam with curiosity. “Simply met, and that’s it?”

Alex chuckles into his drink. “Attached at the hip would be a better description. They were inseparable.”

Actually attached somewhere else would be more accurate.

“Who is this woman, Elias?” Malie asks, fully invested now, her eyes flicking between her son and me.

“Violet is my best friend,” I say, giving Malie a little context so she knows Violet isn’t some fling or passing fancy. She’s someone who matters.

“Ohhh?” Malie lifts her brows, curiosity piqued. “Tell me about this Violet.”

Elias leans back in his chair, smiling. “She’s smart and so damn funny. A straight shooter—calls it like she sees it––no sugarcoating. But kind. And she’s a real stunner. I mean stop-you-in-your-tracks kind of beautiful. Yet she doesn’t act as though she knows it.”

Malie’s expression softens, warm and knowing. “Sounds as though you think a lot of this woman.”

“She’s special,” Elias says, shrugging. “But she’s got her life in the States. I’ve got mine here.”

Malie hums, eyes flicking between the two brothers. “The thing about distance—it doesn’t stand a chance when two hearts refuse to stay apart.”

A shadow of something wistful passes through Elias’s eyes. “I’m not sure she’s interested in anything like that.”

“She is,” I say, no hesitation.

I bite back a smile, hearing Violet’s voice in my head—deadpan, sarcastic, and definitely ready to rip me a new one for daring to speak on her behalf. She’d tell me to mind my own business and stop pretending to be a matchmaker.

“Really?”

Did the idea never occur to him?

“Yeah, really.” I tip my head. “How could you not pick up on that after all the time you spent together? She barely let you out of her sight. For Violet, that’s basically the equivalent of wearing a neon sign that says, ‘I’m into you.’”

He freezes, lips parted as though a comeback was forming but got lost in translation. For once, Elias doesn’t have something quick to say.

“Love across oceans isn’t for the faint of heart,” Malie says, “But when it’s meant to be—when the person’s worth it—you find a way. Look at these two. Miles, messes, time zones––none of it stopped them.”

Alexander nods. “Your mum is right, son. Distance is tough, but it doesn’t have to be the end. Hell, I nearly lost Malie because I didn’t speak up soon enough. If you have something real and good, you don’t wait for perfect timing. You jump.”

Alex grins, catching Elias’s attention. “Violet’s no ordinary girl, mate. She’s clever, funny, and miles out of your league. Better step up before you miss your shot.”

“Oh, we’re doing back-to-back Sebring romances with Southern belles now?” Leilani raises a brow. “What is this, a franchise?”

“If she’s anything as you described, she’s not one you let go of without trying,” Malie says.

He leans back in his chair, stunned. “Hell. I wasn’t aware she felt that way. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have walked away so easily.”

Malie has a calm authority about her, one that only a mother can manage. Firm but loving. “Well, now that you know, it’s only fair she does, too. Don’t sit on that kind of truth, Elias. It has a way of slipping through your fingers if you wait too long. Ask your brother.”

Alex’s phone vibrates, and he glances down with a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “It’s Kye. He and Krishna want to meet for dinner tomorrow night. Says his missus is dying to meet the woman who has the power to tame The Wall.”

Malie studies Alex, and something in her expression shifts—perhaps her Malietoa senses are kicking in. “You’re still close with Kye?”

Alex nods. “We’ve stayed in touch.”

He glances at me, and I see it—only a flicker but enough. The hesitation. The weight of something he’s been carrying in secret. A truth sitting heavy in his chest.

He clears his throat. “There’s something I need to share with all of you.”

The room quiets in an instant.

Leilani’s eyes go wide. “Okay, this is giving serious baby announcement vibes. You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”

“Leilani,” Malie scolds, shooting her a look. “You can’t just blurt that out.” She hesitates. “Wait… are you?”

“Sorry to disappoint but no baby.” Alex reaches for my hand beneath the table, his grip warm and tight. “I’ve decided to go back to rugby.”

A beat passes. And another. Conversation stalls as everyone around the table glances from one face to another, trying to make sense of what Alex has said.

Alexander’s brow furrows. “I don’t think we understand your meaning exactly.”

Alex’s fingers tighten around mine. He takes a breath, steadying himself.

“My ankle’s solid now. Stable. Getting stronger every day.

I’ve been cleared by my doctor for full-contact training.

I started working out again before we left the States.

Nothing crazy but enough to get back into rhythm.

” A pause. “David’s asked me to come back to the team. ”

Malie’s smile falters, her concern evident as she places her fork down. “But, Alex... your duty as CEO? The family business?”

He sighs. “I tried, Tinā. I really did. I wanted to make it work because I know what it means to you and Dad. But every day in that office is like trying to run through wet concrete. I’m not built for boardrooms and spreadsheets. My brain doesn’t work that way.”

He doesn’t say the word, but we all hear what’s to blame––dyslexia.

“I spend every day trying to decode emails and reports and contracts, and I’m failing. Not because I’m lazy but because I’m not wired for it.”

There’s a raw edge to his voice now, and still, no one interrupts.

“I’m not cut out to run the Sebring empire. But I know who is.” He turns toward Leilani, eyes certain. “It’s you, Lei.”

Leilani blinks. “Me?”

Alex nods. “You’re sharp and strategic. Your instincts are on point. You’ve already got your hands in everything. Everyone respects you. The staff adores you. I think deep down you’ve just been waiting for someone to hand you the reins.”

She lets out a breathy, surprised laugh. “I always assumed it would be you. Or one of the boys.”

Alexander nods, studying Leilani. “Is that what you want?”

She glances around the table, as if expecting someone to object. But no one does. “I never let myself hope for it—not really. I thought the job was always meant for someone else. But yeah… I want it.”

Alexander raises his glass, pride unmistakable in his voice. “It’s settled then. Our baby girl is the new CEO of Sebring Hotels.”

There’s a half second of stunned silence—and then everyone around the table lifts their glasses.

“To Leilani!” they say in unison, voices overlapping with laughter and love.

She clears her throat, her eyes glassy. “Well, damn. Guess I better buy a blazer.”

Laughter ripples around the table. Even Malie lets out a chuckle, her earlier concern softened.

A new era begins for Sebring Hotels… with a woman in charge. And not just any woman—Leilani.

I glance her way, and she catches my eye with a grin. I can’t help but smile back. Because working beside her, building something side by side—not just as sisters-in-law but as women rewriting the narrative—that’s a future I’m proud to be part of.

Alex’s whole posture shifts. The rigidness is gone. And it’s beautiful to see.

Just as the mood begins to settle, Alex clears his throat. “Leilani… you were right about something.”

She lifts a brow. “That comes as no surprise.”

“Courtney has been working with Tyson McRae and Celeste.” His voice goes hard. “They were behind the texts that ended things between Magnolia and me.”

The room stills.

Leilani blinks. “Dufuq?”

“Leilani! Language.” Malie says.

Alex continues, “It was Courtney feeding them information while pretending to be employee of the year.”

Leilani slaps her palm against the table, making the silverware jump—more sass than fury. “I told you. I warned you. I knew she was off. I’ll be at your place later to unload all the I-told-you-so I have stored in the boot of my car.”

Alexander frowns, brows drawing tight. “Courtney? That’s hard to believe. She’s been solid for years.”

“Her loyalty is gone. She betrayed me for money.”

Malie shakes her head, surprised. “After all these years—after how good we’ve been to her? She’s known you since you were a boy. How could she do that?”

Leilani’s voice is pure steel now. “That kind of betrayal doesn’t get a second chance. She’s gone. I don’t care how long she’s been around—loyalty is everything, and she threw it away.”

Alex nods. “Let me do it. It’ll be my final act as CEO.”

Leilani looks at him, nodding. “All right. You can have the honors. You deserve that much.”

Alex leans back, eyes cutting to me with a grin that’s all heat and pride. “Happy to—with the help of the newest Sebring by my side.”

We may not have said the vows yet. But in all the ways that count, we’re building this life together. One choice, one reckoning, one clean break at a time.

And when that reckoning comes?

I’ll be right beside him.

Ready.

Willing.

And absolutely thrilled to help him fire that bitch.