Page 4 of Knot Your Sunshine (Snugverse Romcom #2)

Chapter three

Mia

Did I really just do this?

I tap the confirmation email open, certain I've just fallen for an elaborate phishing scam. My fingers tremble slightly as I copy the reservation number and navigate to the airline's website. I paste it into the search field and hit "Find my trip," holding my breath.

The page loads. Slowly. Too slowly.

Then there it is:

Passenger: Mia Everly - Destination: Honolulu, Hawaii - Class: First - Departure: Tomorrow, 3:45 PM - Arrival: 1:05 PM HST - Seat: 2A

My mouth drops open. It's real. It's actually, legitimately real.

Holy shit.

A sound escapes me, half laugh, half wheeze, and I clap my hand over my mouth. Because seriously, what kind of person accepts a first-class flight from a complete stranger who slid into her DMs with nothing more than a voucher code and a vague promise?

But damn if I'm not in the mood to be exactly this unhinged right now. Maybe I'm not in a place to be in a relationship, as Alex so kindly implied, but I'm definitely in a place to talk business. On a tropical island. Which will definitely last more than just a day or two, which means...

The salon.

My stomach swoops as reality crashes back. I can't just leave. The summer walk-in season is our busiest time. And I know Mrs. Rivers has her daughter's wedding next week. And Dona needs a touch-up before her company retreat. And what about—

No. Stop spiraling.

I hit Grandma's number before I can talk myself out of it, pacing between the shampoo stations as the phone rings. Once. Twice.

"Hello, sweetheart! How's my little pumpkin?"

Her voice wraps around me like one of her hugs. "Hi, Grandma. I'm good. How are you? How's the garden?"

"Oh, I'm grand. Just destroying Margaret at Scrabble, as usual." I hear shuffling, probably her stepping away from the game. "And the tomatoes are coming in like they've got somewhere to be. I swear, I've got enough to feed half of Lakeview. Maybe I should start a roadside stand."

"You should," I say, a smile tugging at my lips despite my nerves. "You'd make a fortune."

"Don't tempt me. I've already got the sign designed in my head." A beat of silence. "So, what's going on? You sound... different. Wound up."

I take a deep breath, gripping the phone tighter. "What would you say if I told you I got offered a business opportunity? In Hawaii. And I was wondering if you'd be willing to take over the salon for a while.

"What?" The excitement in her voice is immediate. " Hawaii? What kind of business opportunity?"

My heart pounds as I force the words out. "Well, I'm not entirely sure yet. But I suspect it's about my hair oil. The person who contacted me probably wants to discuss a distribution deal or something. Maybe wholesale, maybe... I don't know. They sent me a first-class plane ticket."

"A first-class ticket?" She practically squeals, and I have to pull the phone away from my ear. "Honey, that's amazing! When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow." The word comes out as a squeak.

"Tomorrow? Oh my—" She pauses, and I can practically see her processing, probably already mentally reorganizing her week. "Well, it's short notice, but of course you're going!"

"But the salon… would you really be okay stepping back it in while I'm—"

"It would be my absolute pleasure!" She cuts in, and I can hear the smile stretching across her face. "Mia, sweetheart, these hands have been itching to get back behind a chair. You know retirement's driving me stir-crazy."

"Are you sure? It's summer walk-in season. That could mean twenty people a day, easy. Your back—"

"Is perfectly fine, thank you very much.

Besides, it's perfect. No appointments to juggle, just good old-fashioned walk-ins like the old days.

Besides…" Her voice softens, shifting to that warm, soothing tone.

"Sweetheart, when's the last time you took a real break?

You've been running yourself ragged for years. "

She's right. The last time I took more than a day off was... I literally can't remember. Maybe that weekend two years ago when I got the flu? But even then, I'd planned the inventory from my bed.

"Thank you so much, Grandma." I close my eyes, pressing my free hand to my chest. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Oh, nonsense. You'd figure it out. You always do." She clears her throat. "Now go pack. And pack something nice, first class means fancy people. This is an adventure, pumpkin."

I laugh, and it comes out watery. "Yes, Grandma. And sorry for stealing you from your Scrabble domination."

"Oh please, I was winning by fifty points. Margaret keeps 'finding' Q words she can't define. Got so bad I caught her trying to palm a blank tile." She snorts. "The woman has no shame. Anyway, love you, pumpkin."

"Love you too, Grandma."

I hang up and immediately open the salon's Facebook page. My fingers hover over the screen for a moment. Once I post what I have in mind, there's no turning back.

I start typing:

Hello, my beautiful curl family! Surprise announcement!

The legendary woman who started it all, my incredible grandmother, will be taking over walk-ins at Curl Up & Dye while I'm away on a little island adventure.

(Big things might be coming, stay tuned!) You're in for some serious old-school magic.

I'll be back soon with a tan and hopefully some exciting news!

I hit post, then immediately close the app before I overthink it. The salon falls quiet around me, save only for the soft sounds of traffic outside.

Hawaii. Tomorrow. First class.

I'm actually doing this.

A grin spreads across my face, so wide it makes my cheeks hurt. I spin in a circle, arms out, laughing at the absolute insanity of it all.

And it turns out, I know exactly who’d love to come along…

* * *

The FaceTime ring echoes through my bedroom as I throw another sundress into my suitcase.

"Mia!" Elena's face fills the screen, her emerald eyes bright with her usual warmth. Behind her, I can see the familiar cream walls of the Beaumont pack villa's dining room. "Perfect timing! We just finished eating and—wait, are you packing?"

"Hey, El. Yeah, about that..." I toss a bikini into my suitcase, trying to sound casual. "Remember that email last week about the salon?"

Her perfectly shaped eyebrow shoots up. "The buyout offer you ended up ignoring? What about it?"

"Well, someone else reached out, also from Hawaii. They'd like to talk business with me..." I fold a cover-up that doesn't need folding. "And they're flying me out. First class."

"Wait, what? You're flying first class to Hawaii?" Elena's voice jumps up an octave, and she nearly drops the phone. "When?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" Her eyes go wide. "Mia, that's insane! Amazing, but insane!"

Silver hair pops into frame behind Elena. "Did someone say Hawaii? Hi, Mia!"

"Hi, Rose," I say to Elena's mom, unable to suppress my smile.

"Mom, Mia's going to—" Elena turns back to me, then to her mom, then back to me. "Hold on, everyone needs to hear this." The screen shakes and tilts as she props the phone against something. "Guys! Mia's going to Hawaii tomorrow!"

The dining room erupts in a chaos of movement and voices.

I watch as the Beaumont pack converges on the phone like moths to a flame.

James's blond hair appears first, his blue eyes sharp with curiosity and that hint of mischief that never quite leaves them.

Dorian leans in from the left, his dark hair charmingly messed up, wearing a crisp white dress shirt, probably from whatever meeting he had today.

Then a large hand appears, grabbing the phone entirely.

"Mia, hey—" The screen shows Cole's short brown hair and approximately half his forehead. I can't help but laugh.

"Cole, I can only see your hairline."

"What?" The view swings wildly, ceiling, chest, someone's elbow, before finally settling on his rugged jaw and those hazel eyes that always look ready for action. "There. Better. You're going to Hawaii? Why?"

"To talk business." I busy myself folding a shirt I've already folded twice. "Probably something to do with my hair oil."

Dorian's face squeezes into frame beside Cole, and I swear I can almost smell his cologne through the screen. "Who invited you?"

"Uh..." I rub the back of my neck. "I guess some company representative? They didn't go into much detail. Just said someone would pick me up from the airport and bring me to the Oceana Deluxe Resort. Said everything would be clearer once we met in person."

There's a beat of silence that stretches just long enough to feel slightly awkward.

"I mean," I rush to fill it, "it all happened so fast, you know? I got a flight voucher, and when I saw it was legit, I got caught up in the excitement. Didn't think to ask for more details."

James's voice comes from somewhere off-screen. "Wait, so you don't actually know who contacted you? Or if they're even a real person? How did they contact you?"

My cheeks heat. "They sent a very professional... message. Formal, business-like, the works."

Okay, calling a DM with a flight code "formal correspondence" might be a bit of a stretch, but I'm already feeling defensive enough…

"Sounds like a setup to me," Cole says flatly. "What if this is some—"

"Cole, guys, come on. Give her a break." Elena manages to pluck the phone from Cole's grip. "Nobody spends that kind of money on a first-class ticket unless they're serious."

The tension in my shoulders eases slightly, and I realize I've been holding my breath.

Rose leans into view, her eyes actually sparkling. "I think it sounds thrilling, Mia. A mystery meeting in a Hawaiian resort... it's like the first act of a romance novel."

"Mom!" Elena groans, but she's fighting a smile.

"It's fine, Elena," I say with a grin. Then I take a breath, preparing for what might be a huge ask.

"And actually, the reason I'm calling, besides sharing the news, is I was kind of hoping you'd come with me?

" I bite my lip. "You, your mom, and the guys, of course.

I know it's last minute, but when I told you about that salon offer last week, I sensed you'd love an excuse to visit Hawaii, and the flights leave from Lakeview Regional, so. .."

"Well, it does sound amazing…" Elena's voice is thoughtful, and I can see her mentally working through possibilities. Rose practically vibrates with excitement next to her, eyes wide on the screen. "Would that work for everyone?"

"Absolutely no pressure," I start. "I know tomorrow is crazy short notice—"

"Well," Cole interrupts. "I'm on vacation leave this week actually. Summer scheduling at Lakeview FD means half of us are gone at any given time."

James appears in frame again, already scrolling through something on his tablet. "My second-in-command can handle the Beaumont Lakeview bakery branch. He's been wanting more responsibility... Might be good to test him."

"And I can work from anywhere." Dorian grins, that easy, old-money smile. "Was planning to take some time off anyway. Hawaii sounds infinitely better than staycationing in Lakeview."

Rose practically bounces on her toes. "Oh, this is perfect! I've been dying for an adventure. So we're going?"

Everyone looks at Elena, whose expression now carries a smile that transforms from thoughtful to genuinely excited.

"Well," she says slowly, drawing it out for dramatic effect, "I did just close my bakery for renovations this month, so... let's go to Hawaii!"

"Yes!" James fist-pumps. "I'm packing sunscreen now."

"The strong stuff," Cole adds, already in protective mode. "Island sun is no joke. SPF 50 minimum."

"I'll bring extra," Dorian says. "Just to make sure we're covered."

A laugh bubbles out of me, and suddenly my eyes are stinging. "You'll really come?"

"Of course," Elena says, her face filling the screen again, close enough that I can see the affection in her eyes. "Mysterious meeting, best friend who needs backup, trip to Hawaii, and somehow we're all miraculously free? It's like the universe is telling us to go."

I press the phone to my chest for a second, feeling my heart flutter against it like a caged bird. When I flip it back, they're all still there, waiting.

"Flight's at 3:45 PM tomorrow. Terminal Two at Lakeview Regional."

"Perfect, we'll meet you there at two." Elena's smile is soft. "This is going to be amazing, Mia."

"Thank you. All of you. Seriously."

The call ends, leaving me staring at my reflection in the black screen. My half-packed suitcase sits open on the bed, clothes spilling out like colorful little promises of adventure.

I tuck my passport next to the pile and start sorting outfits with actual purpose now. And somewhere, in the back of my mind, I start rehearsing the pitch that's been living in my head for years.

Maybe being unhinged isn't such a bad thing after all.