That's Amore! - Janelle Denison [11]
To his right was Leila's kupunawahine, her Nana, a sweet, older lady who lived in the house with Leila's parents. She'd been distant and wary of him at first because of Nyla's vocal objections, but over the passing months he'd managed to sway her with his charm and the fact that he genuinely enjoyed talking with her. He'd spend hours listening to the stories she'd tell about Leila's ancestors, and Hawaiian folklore and legends, all of which he'd found incredibly fascinating. It seemed Kalani never had any interest in Nana's stories, and that had only worked to Jason's benefit in winning over the older woman.
At the head of the table sat Leila's father, Keneke, who'd openly disapproved of him in the beginning of his whirlwind engagement to Leila, but appeared to be gradually coming around in accepting him as his daughter's soon-to-be husband. Keneke offered him a begrudging respect and seemed resigned to the union, probably because Jason had shown no signs of letting her family drive him away.
Then there was Nyla, a very beautiful woman who shared Leila's lustrous, long brown hair and deep brown eyes. The two had similar features and there was no mistaking they were mother and daughter. But where Leila was sweet, vivacious and trusting, her mother was far more guarded. Nyla was by far the toughest family member to crack, but Jason was determined to do so before Saturday. He had to, for Leila's sake as much as his own.
As he took a bite of the most flavorful sweet and sour pork he'd ever tasted, he cast a quick glance at Leila sitting beside him. Despite her mother's claim that she'd been feeling unwell for the past week, Leila showed no signs of being sick—other than the fact that she was absently pushing food around on her plate to make it appear that she'd eaten more than she really had. Still, her complexion was infused with color, and she'd been cheerful and full of smiles since he'd arrived that afternoon.
"So, how was business back in California?" Leila's father asked, redirecting Jason's thoughts back to the here and now. As a businessman himself, Jason had learned that Keneke understood and respected the dedication and drive it took to make a company grow and prosper.
"Things are good," he replied as he served himself a second helping of sweet potatoes. "I wrapped up all the contracts I had open, which frees me up for the next two weeks for the wedding and to help Leila get her belongings packed up and shipped to California."
"And when do you plan on taking Leila back to the Mainland with you?" Nyla chimed in, her tone not nearly as pleasant as her husband's.
Everyone's gaze fell upon Jason with too much interest, making him feel like the villain in a bad movie. "After our honeymoon."
Nyla pursed her lips, and that familiar resentment sparked in her gaze. "She's never lived away from home before."
From Hawaii. "I know," he said quietly, and fought the twinge of frustration rising to the surface.
Nyla was especially good at handing out guilt trips whenever the opportunity arose.
Beside him, Leila sat her fork down on her plate with a decisive click. "Mother, this is my choice, too," she said, and placed a hand on Jason's arm in a show of support, which he appreciated. "I want to be with Jason, wherever that may be."
"Mark my words, we'll never get to see you," Nyla argued defensively. "Once you move, you'll be too busy with your own lives to visit on a regular basis."
Leila sighed at the never-ending debate. She didn't respond, probably because she knew there was nothing she could say that would satisfy her mother.
As everyone at the table grew silent and concentrated on finishing their meal, Jason sought to break up the tension that had settled over the dinner table. "Sooo, how are the wedding preparations coming along?"
"The bachelor party is all set up," Mani said, as if celebrating the last of Jason's days as a single guy was the most important part of getting