her eyes catching a fisherman land a nice sized fish, everyone on the boat shouting with excitement.
“I hope we’re going to fish. I think I’ll totally out-fish you,” she said with a wink.
Smoke laughed. “I’m hard to beat on anything, Ms. Ito,” he told her.
“Funny, because I say the same thing about myself. We might just have to make a little wager before our lines hit the water.”
Smoke threw back his head and laughed. “There must be something about me that makes people want to gamble because I’ve gotten a lot of bets thrown at me lately.”
She was surprised when they turned up the hill instead of heading toward one of the hotels. Maybe he wanted to explore the town before they settled into their room. She loved taking the golf carts around, but she was anxious to walk the town as well. It had been years since she’d been back.
“How are those bets going for you?” she finally asked him when she was able to rip her gaze from the view. There really were no bad places on the island to view.
“Not so well,” Smoke said. “If I lose one more, I might have to take a nice long look at my life and see where I’m going wrong.” That made Amira laugh. They kept on climbing.
“Are we going to Mt. Ada? Is that where we’re staying?” Amira asked. She was excited. She’d dined at the beautiful home that had been owned by William Wrigley, who’d bought the island in 1919. He’d then built the mansion in its current location because he said it was the first place on the island the sun hit in the morning, and the last place it hit before setting at night. It was magnificent. In 1980 the place had been turned into a bed and breakfast. While Amira had never stayed there, she’d dined there a few times with her grandfather. The views were magnificent from the mansion.
“We aren’t staying there, but yes, we’re dining at Mt. Ada,” he told her. “I’ve never been to the island, so I spoke to a trusted advisor who told me where I needed to go.”
They pulled up to the mansion and Amira’s heart raced. The day had started out well, and it was getting better by the second. Smoke parked the golf cart then assisted Amira up the steps to the restaurant. Smoke had made reservations for a balcony table that overlooked Catalina Harbor and gave a great view of the famous casino. It wasn’t a casino where people gambled, but a gathering place where many rich and famous people had partied in the past and was still a grand place where exclusive events were held.
They were assisted quickly, and soon Amira was sipping on a mimosa. Her eyes were constantly drawn to Smoke, but he’d brought her to the one place she could sit and look at the sea for hours on end. All of her worries magically melted away when she was on the island she felt made dreams come true.
“Thank you for bringing me here. I’ve said it once, and I know I’ll say it a dozen more times.” She stopped as she reached over and took his large hand in hers. “It truly is magical and being here with you is wonderful. I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to come back without Gramps, but he’d be so happy I’m here with you.”
“I would’ve liked your grandfather. I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet him.”
The menu included fun items from the Chicago Cubs owner who’d been the first to make the island into the quaint paradise it was to that day. Her favorite names were The William Wrigley Salad and The Philip Knight Wrap. She chose a shrimp cocktail and a seafood basket for her lunch, while Smoke settled on a cheeseburger with all of the trimmings and four appetizers. She found it amusing the amount of food the man could consume while remaining mouth-wateringly ripped.
“Did you know this was the personal home of Wrigley and his wife, Ada, which is why it has the name it does. It sits four hundred feet above the Pacific Ocean, giving beautiful views of the entire town, the harbor, and the sea.”
“I learned a little about it, but I’m sure there’s a lot you can teach me,” Smoke said with a laugh. At least he wasn’t getting annoyed with her childlike excitement.
Right then the bell chimed, and she clapped. “That bell tower was created