Stranded in Paradise

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Author's Note

  Friday, December 17

  Saturday, December 18

  Sunday, December 19

  Monday, December 20

  Tuesday, December 21

  Wednesday, December 22

  Thursday, December 23

  Friday, December 24

  Saturday, December 25

  Sunday, December 26

  Wednesday, December 29

  Friday, December 31

  Saturday, January 1

  Author's Note

  Other Books by Mercy

  Acknowledgments

  Find Me Online!

  Mercy Amare

  Stranded in Paradise

  The Kihanna saga.

  Book three.

  Copyright © 2014 by Mercy Amare

  Cover designed by PS Cover Design

  Edited by Laura Heritage

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, store in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any forms or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, without express permission of the author, except by a review who may quote brief passages for review purposes.

  If you are reading this book and you have not purchased or won it in an author/ published contest, this book has been pirated. Please delete and support the author by purchasing the ebook from one of its many distributors.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, place, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  This book is dedicated to anybody who has ever wanted to write a book, but doesn’t have the courage.

  I BELIEVE IN YOU.

  Stranded in Paradise is book 3 in The Kihanna Saga. If you have not read the first book (The Fab Life), or the second book (I Hate Goodbye) you probably will NOT understand what is going on. Be sure to pick up the first books before reading Stranded in Paradise!

  Friday, December 17

  8am

  Roadtrip.

  Gabriel, Toby, and I are leaving for San Diego today. Dad, Veronica, and Gabe’s parents, Libby and Jack, are flying down tomorrow morning, but the three of us decided that we wanted to have a road trip. We were supposed to be at school today, but there is an investigation going on since they found Jacqueline Hoff’s body inside the school, so we got an early Christmas break. Really, I think we couldn’t stand spending another night in Mountain View. But what they don’t know is that it doesn’t matter where we are… The stalker is coming with us. He or she made that very clear after Jacqueline’s memorial yesterday when I found a note that said: I can’t wait to go to Hawaii with you. I haven’t told Gabe and Toby, mostly because I don’t want to ruin their fun. I want to keep this to myself for as long as I can.

  I watch Reynaldo, our butler, pack the last suitcase in the SUV. Veronica comes to give Toby and me a hug and tells us to be careful, and then we get in the car and leave. Gabe and Toby joke with each other as we hit the interstate. I can see the relief on their faces — two whole weeks without having to worry about my stalker… Or so they think.

  It’s about an eight hour drive to San Diego from Mountain View, but Gabe is driving, which means we will probably be there much sooner than eight hours. He has a lead foot.

  “So why doesn’t our family do Christmas like a normal family?” I ask Toby, and then take a sip of my energy drink.

  “Kihanna, you’ve been here for what… almost five months now? Have you realized now that there is nothing normal about our family?”

  It’s true. Mom and I had a pretty normal Christmas routine. We’d put up the tree the day after Thanksgiving. There wouldn’t be gifts for me under it until Christmas morning, because my mom liked to shop on Christmas Eve. She said the best sales were on that day, and I didn’t complain. She was an awesome gift giver. On Christmas morning we would exchange presents, have breakfast at IHOP, and then watch Christmas movies all day long while we ate junk food. At night we would go to the theater and see a new release.

  I sigh sadly, thinking about her. I so wish she could be here for this trip. I hate that her life was stolen from her. Cancer sucks.

  “This trip will be fun,” Gabe promises. “It always is.”

  While I love every moment I spent with my mom, I regret not having time with my dad before this year. I missed out on so much. I know that my mom regretted keeping me a secret from my dad too. Though everything happens for a reason, and it’s pointless to wonder what if.

  “I can’t believe I’m going to Hawaii,” I say, excitedly. “This lifestyle is still surreal sometimes.”

  “Hawaii is awesome,” Toby says. “I’ve been a lot of places — London, Paris, Sydney, and Beijing to name a few, but Hawaii is my favorite place to travel. Maybe just because it’s part of our family tradition. In Hawaii we are actually a family. Mark and Jack don’t even bring their cell phones or computers. It’s just two weeks of fun.”

  I try to imagine my dad not using his phone or checking his email, but I can’t. He runs a multi-billion dollar company, so time off isn’t really something he can take very often. I can see why everybody looks forward to this time of the year so much.

  “So what are we going to be doing on the ship?” I ask.

  “There is plenty to do on the ship,” Toby answers. “Usually Gabe and I spend the day by the pool, picking up chicks.”

  “But not this year,” Gabe says.

  Good answer. If any girl even tries to flirt with my boyfriend, I will hurt her.

  “I haven’t told you guys yet, but I think Victoria is going to come,” Toby tells us. “Her parents are considering it. If they let her, she’ll be flying with our parents tomorrow to San Diego.”

  I look at him, shocked for a minute. Toby isn’t exactly a relationship kind of guy, so it’s weird seeing him into a girl… Especially one of my best friends.

  “I personally plan to spend the whole cruise in a bed with Kihanna,” Gabe says.

  I can’t help but blush. Gabe and Toby talk about sex twenty-four seven, so I should be used to this by now. But I’m not. It makes me uncomfortable when Gabe talks about us having sex in front of my stepbrother.

  “I am not spending the whole time locked in a room,” I tell him. “I am the whitest girl at our school, so I plan on coming back with a tan. Besides, I’m not having sex with you until January. I’m so not going to hurt your ribs.”

  He rolls his eyes. “My ribs feel better. Well enough for sex.”

  I ignore his comment. He might be okay with hurting himself worse for sex, but I’m definitely not. It’s my fault he got hurt in the first place.

  Gabe glances at me, and then back at the road. He grabs my hand with his. “Hey, don’t even think about the past month. Just think about this trip. We have a two week vacation from all the bad crap, and I very much plan on enjoying it.”

  I force a smile. Faking is unfortunately something I’ve gotten good at. But nothing can calm the nervous pit in my stomach. I can’t help but feel like something is going to go bad today. I just hope I’m wrong.

  11am

  Flat tire.

  We have a flat.

  Of freaking course.

  When we stopped at a gas station we notice the tire was low, and when Gabe went to put air in it he notice there was a small hole in the tire. So now, Gabe and Toby are trying to put the spare tire on, and it’s quite humorous… Not the fact that we have a flat, but the fact that they have no idea
what they’re doing.

  I knew I should have paid more attention when my mom showed me how to change a flat.

  After about ten minutes, they finally manage to get the tire off. Then to get to the spare we have to take out all of the luggage. It’s in a compartment in the floor.

  “Why didn’t we just fly with our parents?” Toby asks as the last suitcase is out.

  He opens up the compartment and on top of the spare tire is a note. I grab it off and read it.

  I figured you were missing me, so I thought I’d give you a parting gift. Can’t wait to see you on the ship, though regrettably, you won’t be seeing me.

  Gabe grabs the note from me and reads it. He passes it to Toby.

  “Did you know about this?” he asks me.

  I nod my head shamefully. “I just… didn’t want to tell you guys. Both of you were so excited, and I just wanted you to at least have today. I didn’t think it would start so soon into the trip.”

  “Seriously? This again?” Gabe is mad. Though I can’t blame him. “I’ve told you that I am in this with you. You have to stop excluding me and pushing me away, or else you’re going to give your stalker exactly what he or she wants.”

  “Exactly,” Toby says. “It is my job as your older brother to protect you.”

  I roll my eyes at him. “Toby, you’re like two months older than me.”

  “Doesn’t matter. I’m still older, but even if I wasn’t, it wouldn’t matter. I want to be here for you. We’re family.”

  “And I’m your boyfriend,” Gabe reminds me. “I better know about every note that you get from now on.”

  “Okay.” I grab the note and put it in my suitcase. I have been keeping all of the notes for clues and for evidence. Someday I will be brave enough to turn this person in. But not now.

  While Toby and Gabe put the tire on, I head inside to grab us some more energy drinks, and then we are back on the road. It only took them thirty minutes total to change the tire… Not bad for their first time. Though if it weren’t for Google, we’d probably still be trying to get the tire off.

  The further south we get, the warmer it gets. We roll down the windows, crank up the music, and I rest my feet on the dashboard. The trip is not as carefree as it was when we started. The air is thick with tension, but I try to ignore it. I sing along with the radio, and we all joke around. But no matter how much we try to pretend, we all know that we can’t escape. This person would follow me no matter where I went. I just wish that I could’ve had this little bit of time for a break. It’s obvious that my stalker’s ultimate plan is to kill me. Too bad they won’t let me enjoy what little time I have left.

  “I’m sorry,” I say as I turn down the radio. “I should have told you guys. I know that. But I hate this. I just wanted to pretend, even if only for a few hours, that everything was okay. I know it is stupid, but I just wondered how life would be if we didn’t have to worry about watching over our shoulders constantly.”

  “It’s okay,” Gabe says. “Just don’t keep things from me. I want to be here for you, no matter what that entails. Besides, I should’ve known something was up.”

  “I just don’t get how this person is following us to Hawaii,” Toby says. “Do they not have a family? Or is their family going on the cruise too?”

  “That’s it!” Gabe says excitedly.

  “What?” I ask.

  “The cruise guest list,” he answers. “I can hack the guest list. That is how we will figure out who the stalker is.”

  “Don’t you think they would have registered under a different name?” I ask.

  “Maybe. But maybe not. It’s worth a shot.”

  “Okay,” I say, but I don’t get excited. I have pretty much given up hope of ever figuring out who this person is, so until we figure it out I am not going to get excited.

  My phone goes off with a text from Victoria.

  Victoria: I get to come! But don’t tell Toby. I am going to tell him my parents said no. I want to surprise him. ;)

  Me: AWESOME! I’ll see you early tomorrow morning!

  I turn around to see Toby frowning. He’s looking at his phone, which must mean Victoria told him that she’s not coming.

  “What the matter?” I ask, trying not to smile.

  “Victoria can’t come.”

  “Bummer,” Gabe says.

  6am

  Get your own room.

  We reach San Diego around six o’clock that night. We’re all just thankful to have made it alive without too much incident. After checking into the hotel, I get on Staying Connected to check my messages. I am surprised to see one from Ty.

  Ty Newman: Hey, Kihanna. I just wanted to tell you that I will miss you while you’re gone. I hope you have fun in Hawaii.

  I know what I did to you was wrong. I don’t deserve a second chance. But you should know that my heart will always belong to you. There will never be anybody else for me besides you. I screwed everything up… I ALWAYS screw everything up… And it will be something that I will always regret.

  I shouldn’t be saying any of this. You’re with Gabe now, and I see how happy he makes you… how happy you make him. And I just want you to be happy. But it sucks that it’s somebody else making you happy.

  Ugh.

  Ty Newman — my first boyfriend, my first kiss, and my first heartbreak. I never should have said yes to him when he asked me to be his girlfriend. I was so unsure of my feelings then. All I knew was that I liked hanging out with him, and I liked kissing him. And I did like him a lot, but not the way a girl is supposed to like a guy. Still, I probably would have lost my virginity to him if he hadn’t cheated on me with Jacqueline Hoff at homecoming.

  That night I rushed into having sex with Gabe, which I kind of regret. I wish we would have waited. Sex is definitely not something that should be rushed. We skipped all the beginning stuff. We skipped the relationship building… Though I suppose now that we can’t have sex we are forced to start at the beginning.

  I try to think of what to say back to Ty. We’ve had the same conversation over and over. I’m not sure what I can say to him that I haven’t already.

  Kihanna Evers: I’m sorry for the way things went down. We both did stuff that we regret. But I promise you that someday soon you will find somebody else. I am just your first love — the first of many. But you and I will always be friends.

  Ty responds immediately.

  Ty Newman: I’m glad that we’re friends. I realize now that being “friends” is better than being nothing at all.

  Kihanna Evers: I like being your friend.

  Ty Neman: Maybe when you dump Gabe you’ll give me a second chance ;)

  Kihanna Evers: I’m going to ignore that comment.

  Ty Newman: You know it’s only a matter of time before he dumps you.

  Kihanna Evers: Maybe you’re right. Nothing is a certain thing. I’m realistic. Gabe probably isn’t my forever. But he is my right now. Most people don’t meet the love of their life when they’re still in high school.

  Ty Newman: I did.

  Kihanna Evers: OMG, no you didn’t. Stop saying that. I’m so not the “love of your life”. I promise, one day you will tell your kids about “that one girl you dated in high school”. You probably won’t even remember my name or what I look like.

  “Who are you chatting with?” Gabe asks, taking a seat beside me on the bed.

  “Ty,” I answer. “He’s confessing his undying love for me, and I’m basically telling him to move on.”

  Gabe points at the screen. “I will so not be dumping you. If anybody is dumping, it will be you dumping me.”

  I roll my eyes. “Whatever.”

  My computer blinks with a new message.

  Ty Newman: Doubtful. Besides, I’m not having kids unless it’s with you.

  Kihanna Evers: I’m going to sign off now. Have a good Christmas break. <3

  I don’t wait for a response. I just shut my computer and turn to Gabe. “So what are we going to
do now? I’ve never been to San Diego before.”

  “Well, there isn’t a lot to do at night if you’re under eighteen, which both you and Toby are so…”

  “You could always go without us. Toby and I can go chill by the pool or something,” I tell him.

  He laughs. “Yeah, right. It’s kind of pointless to go out by myself. I’d much rather stay with you.”

  “Me?” I flirt. “I’m boring.”

  “I can think of something very fun to do with you.” He puts his hands on my waist and pulls me on top of him in one swift move. I am straddling him, and from the look in his eyes I can tell he very much likes me right where I am.

  My heart races as Gabe runs his hands slowly up my sides. I lean toward him and we begin to kiss — soft at first, but as always it quickly becomes intense.

  Gabe flips me over so that he is on top, and I feel his hand reach up my skirt. I am very much liking where this is going. His hand leaves a hot trail up my thigh, and just before his hand reaches the top the door starts to open. He rolls off me, and we both attempt to look normal as Toby walks in.

  “I’m not even going to ask what you two were just doing, because I don’t want to know,” Toby says. “But if you want to do that, maybe you should get your own room.”