Chapter One
Julie stood on the tarmac with a small crowed of other people, watching the plane taxi to a stop. She was excited to its occupants. Her parents were arriving today from San Francisco. Last week she had received a phone call from them, offering to come down and help with the wedding plans.
She knew that she had dropped a major bomb on them by announcing their engagement last month. She had made comments about dating someone, but never told them a name in case they told Danny before she could have. She'd spent more than a few nights on the phone with her parents, telling them about her new fiancée.
That was not the only thing she needed to tell them. She unconsciously rubbed her slightly rounded belly. Yesterday she had seen her doctor again and was informed that she was about two and a half months along. The morning sickness was nearly as bad as she imagined it to be. She stayed nauseated most of the day, throwing up at different smells and tastes. She hadn't told her parents about the baby yet because she didn't want them thinking badly of Steve or that was the only reason that he was marrying her. She would find a time soon to tell them about it.
Ten minutes later she saw them step off the plane and make their way down the steps. Both were nearly sixty, but still agile and full of life. Her Father, Carl Williams, was shorter than the average man. He was balding, his short blonde hair faded with age. But his sharp blue eyes were sparkling with humor. Nancy Williams was taller than her husband by a few inches. She still kept her greying brown hair in a fifties style.
"Mom!" Julie hugged her tightly, the smell of the leis filling her senses. She hugged her father. "I missed you so much!"
"We missed you to dear." Nancy Williams smiled. "I was so sad that you couldn't make it last Christmas."
"Sorry again mom." Julie guided them towards the baggage claim. "We have a great dinner planned for tonight."
She took them on a short tour of Honolulu before heading to her apartment so they could unpack and relax.
"So where is he?" Nancy Williams asked. She gave her daughter a sharp look.
Julie fought the urge to squirm in her seat. She scanned the restaurant for the tenth time in as many minutes. She happened to see Danny's girlfriend, Jane Michaels, standing by the doorway. Smart woman. "He'll be here, they probably got hung up at work."
"Does this happen often?" Nancy continued. "If he doesn't consider you as a priority –"
"You said he was a cop, right?" Carl interrupted. He gave her a knowing smile. Sometimes his wife was too pushy.
"Yes, the head of the state police unit. He's also Danny's boss." Julie explained. She smiled noticing them walk over to the table.
"Sorry we're late." Danny spoke first. He hugged Nancy and shook hands with Carl.
Julie slipped her arm through McGarrett's, smiling like she was showing off a prized trophy. "Mom, Dad, this is my fiancé, Steve McGarrett. These are my parents, Carl and Nancy Williams."
A heavy silence fell over the table. Her mother gave him a stern once over. Her dad spoke first, extending his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to you all as well." Steve greeted as they all sat down.
Danny introduced Jane as his girlfriend.
They made awkward small talk till the waitress came over and too their orders. After they placed their orders, Nancy asked. "So do you have family here on the island, Steve?"
"No, my sister and her husband live on the mainland." Steve said. "They live in Los Angeles. They will be arriving the week of the wedding."
"How did you too meet?" Nancy asked McGarrett. She had asked her daughter the same question some time ago. But she could tell that she had not gotten the whole story at the time.
"I met him my first trip here." Julie jumped in before someone else could. "He outwitted my stalker and saved my life."
"How romantic." Jane murmured, smiling.
Steve shifted the focus away from himself. He felt some of the residual tension of the last month starting to flare at his left side where Danny was sitting. "It wasn't just me; Danny played a huge part in it."
The tension eased slightly. McGarrett decided it was his turn to be asking questions. "Are you a military man?"
Carl appeared startled at first, and then smiled. "Army, thirty years before I retired. How did you know?"
"The way you carried yourself." Steve told him. "I was in the Navy."
Julie smiled, glad that the ice was breaking.
The food arrived before her mother could fire another question. The waitress set a plate of steaming food in front of Steve. The smell of the sizzling fish caused Julie's stomach to roll. She clinched her jaw and took a few deep breaths to calm her stomach.
"You ok?" Steve murmured quietly.
She nodded.
Danny and Jane picked up the conversation and they all chatted the evening away. They told stories on each other, reminisced and caught up on events. The easy familiarity of family over rode the initial awkwardness of the first meeting
"Julie was such a tomboy, but girly at the same time." Her mother was saying.
Carl laughed at a memory. "One time, I think it was an Easter Sunday, she got mad at some boy and climbed a tree to get away from him. She climbed that time bare foot and in a dress."
McGarrett laughed, trying to picture that in his head. He looked at the time and realized that it was nearly closing time. That explained the looks the staff were giving them. He voiced this to the others. Having paid the tab an hour ago, they stood up to leave.
Steve walked Julie and her family to their car. "Good night everyone."
Her parents nodded and smiled as they got into the car. Julie felt like she was being watched like a teenager on her first date. She wished that she could go home with Steve. "Good night Steve."
He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow."
Julie gave him a quick hug before getting into the car.
McGarrett watched them drive away before heading to his car. He heard a noise from a nearby stand of trees and looked over. Danny and Jane were leaning against her car, kissing. Steve smirked and got into his own car, wondering how hung over Danny would be at work the next day.
As Carl and Nancy readied themselves for bed, they discussed the evening. For his part, he liked McGarrett. "What do you think?"
"Hard to tell from a three-hour visit." She answered. She wondered if he was a bit too old for her, but decided to keep it to herself for now. "But I like him. And they seem to really love each other."