Page 86 of The Billionaire's Paradise

Out on the water, Cal helped Kimo pull Mrs. Mulroney onto the front of Kimo’s board before the three of them returned to shore.

“The minute I’m back at college, I need to organize a team to go tag that shark,” said Tilly excitedly. “We can learn a lot from that kind of post-traumatic stress in a marine animal.”

“I only hope that shark has a good therapist,” said Leilani. “It’s gonna take years to unpack that shit.”

By the time Cal and Kimo reached the shallows, Mrs. Mulroney was lying flat on her back on Kimo’s board, armssplayed, hair slicked to her head like a Victorian shipwreck survivor.

Cal helped her up and steadied her as she stepped onto the sand—soaking, furious, and trying very hard to remain dignified.

“Don’t speak,” she said to no one in particular. “I’ve had a near-death experience and a very personal encounter with marine life. I need a towel and a very stiff drink.”

Rashida handed her a towel.

Angus stared at her, wide-eyed. “You… actually touched a shark.”

“It touchedme,” she corrected. “I was the victim here.”

Mr. Banks gave a thoughtful nod. “I once got chased by a penguin in Argentina. Even today I step cautiously into dark alleyways.”

Struggling not to laugh, Tutu took Mrs. Mulroney by the arm. “Come, dear. We’ll cook up a lovely big fish for dinner. That’ll give you some closure.”

Meanwhile, all I could do was wrap my arms tight around Cal’s salty, wet, sunburned neck. “God, that was so brave of you.”

“It was?” he asked, catching his breath. “I guess I didn’t really think it through before I jumped into the water. Butyouknow what that’s like.”

“I do?”

He smiled. “The garbage truck? The day you saved my life all those years ago?” He kissed me on the forehead, light and warm. “I think sometimes you forget how brave you can be.”

By the time we got back to the house, the adrenaline had curdled into exhaustion.

We were sunburned, salt-sticky, and slightly traumatized. Someone—probably Tilly—declared we needed hydration.Someone else—definitely Rashida—suggested tequila. No one argued with either.

Tutu and Kimo left in Kimo’s pickup to fetch a fish from their freezer, one to bring back to the barbecue and celebrate Mrs. Mulroney’s dice with death.

Within minutes everyone else disappeared into their respective en suites for showers and the house fell quiet. It was the kind of quiet that happens after something absurd. Like our collective nervous systems had shut down to reboot.

Cal and I showered together.

We didn’t talk. We just let the water wash the salt and the sea from our bodies, letting the adrenaline slowly wash away. I cradled my head against his neck. He kissed me once behind the ear, slow and warm. I kissed him back and we stood there under the water… together… letting the world fall away for a moment.

Downstairs, things felt almost normal again.

Leilani was slicing fruit in the kitchen. Rashida was choosing ingredients for cocktails. Mrs. Mulroney was enjoying being waited on as Tilly brought her free-flowing tumblers of whiskey to help her get over her ordeal.

I caught Cal’s eye and gave a small smile. He smiled back.

Things were finally back to normal.

And then we heard it.

We all heard it.

Raised voices.

Coming from out on the patio.

We stepped outside and found Angus and Mr. Banks squared off near the edge of the lawn, glaring at each other like two people who realized they weren’t on the same side anymore.