“That’s our first order of business. Today, we’re going to find your local watering hole, a local surf shop you can give your business to, and your favorite market.”
“What about my home?” he asked.
“That’ll depend on whether you want to buy a house, a bungalow, or property to build on. I saw you reading the pamphlet on properties, so once you have some places nailed down that you want to go see, we’ll take a separate tour just for those.”
“You’re very good at this.”
“It’s my career. I hope so,” Kallie said with a smile.
She gazed into his eyes a second too long and felt her heart stop.
“Well, let’s get going then,” she said. “Your new happy life awaits.”
Chapter 17
Ash
The past few days spent on the island with Kallie had been fantastic for Ash. He loved watching her light up with all of the things she found that she knew would suit him perfectly. Over the past four days, Kallie had managed to help him find two new surf shops he liked, a lively marketplace he could see himself frequenting regularly, a fish market to find fresh seafood, and a bar with a table in the corner that overlooked the ocean. Bali kept getting more and more perfect, but he knew it wouldn’t be anything without Kallie by his side.
Which was why Kallie getting so excited about everything gave him hope.
She was lively and full of humor. The two of them laughed and rode around the island, and she even let him treat her to food. He found his new favorite taco place that way, and immediately it had become his and Kallie’s “spot.” They had dined there four times already. Kallie was putting her mark on his new home and she didn’t even know it.
Which made it all the more pertinent that he convince Kallie to stay with him.
Ash enjoyed every second of the time he’d spent with his beautiful companion. Though it ached him that they were in separate rooms. When they parted ways for the night, all he could do was think about her. Think about her body lying alone in that bed and how only one door that connected their living spaces separated them. It was torture, restraining himself. But he knew he had to walk the line Kallie was most comfortable with if he would ever convince her to stay with him.
To stay in Bali and not return to the States.
“Okay,” Kallie said. “Today, we find you a home.”
“I see the taskmaster’s back,” Ash said with a grin.
“We’ve checked off everything on our list except that one. So that’s what we tackle today.”
“Do I sense another trip to that taco hut?” he asked.
“Oh, that’s a given. I’m eating there at least two more times before I leave.”
Ash’s stomach dropped at her statement and he jumped into emergency mode. He had to find a way to make her want to stay. If there was any time to turn on his charm, today was the day.
And hopefully, it reaped him good results.
“Once we can find you a place to purchase—or land to build on—then we can officially begin setting up your new life,” Kallie said.
“Then we should get a move on,” Ash said.
“The first place is his massive house I’ve found. It sits on the beach and is surrounded by a beautiful landscape that’s mostly untouched by the tourists. It’ll cost a very pretty penny to purchase it, but I think you’ll like it once you see it.”
“Then lead the way,” he said.
The two of them hopped into a cab and rode all the way out to the coastline. Ash looked at all of the rice paddies as they passed by and took in the beautiful sky that towered over the water. This was the place for him. He knew it now more than ever. And riding alongside Kallie with her thigh pressed against his only solidified his want to have her at his side. He didn’t want to go another second without Kallie’s touch. Or her warmth. Or her voice.
Or her love, if he could somehow garner it.
“Look. There it is,” she said.
Ash’s eyes peered out the windshield and he was stunned by what he saw.