A/N: Nope, this story didn't go to fanfiction heaven. I was abroad in Italy for the past couple weeks. Enjoy the chapter, give me tips and sorry for the shortness!

Chapter 2: The Will

"So why did you want to come here again?" James asked the next morning as he pulled up in front of Kirk and Kate's.

"A friend suggested it." I replied sticking to the lie I had already created and stepped out of his convertible. Not a very easy task mind you, since I was in high heels and the road was made completely of gravel. Downtown Hawaii was not as civilized as I had imagined. On the way over to the shop we had to make an abrupt stop for chickens in the road. That's right chickens; wild chickens roaming the streets.

Anyway, I wobbled my way to the door and was about to fall over but James grabbed my arm.

"Thanks." I told him and leaned against him to steady myself. As I leaned I inhaled the scent of Old Spice and immediately hated myself for it. The little voice inside my head scolded me and asked me what had I been thinking sniffing another boy who is in fact not Jesse.

I managed to gently ease off of him and balance myself in the gravel.

"Did you know that Kirk was the guy who died last week?" James asked.

Feigning surprise I said, "No I didn't know that."

We stepped inside the store and instantly I was greeted with a fantastic rush of cold air from the AC. In the shop, seashells, hula girl bobble heads, beach towels that said Kauai on it, and other stuff adorned the walls. I had clearly stepped into a tourist trap.

"James! So good to see you!" A small thin and tan woman said from behind the counter. She walked up to him tossing back her golden locks and gave him a huge hug.

"Hi Lena. This is my friend Suze. Suze this is Lena, Kirks niece." He politely introduced us.

"Hey nice to meet you. Sorry about your uncle…" I replied uncomfortably.

She smiled at me sadly and muttered thanks. She then completely dismissed me and turned to James to talk about his future in San Diego. It was rude of her to blow me off like that but instead of being irritated I took it as an opportunity to wonder around near the check out counter. Kirk had told me to look for a red dresser behind the cash register in a hidden drawer.
I instantly spotted the red dresser but I needed to get Lena and James distracted enough to take a look for the drawer.

James cleared his throat causing me to stop looking at the register but at them. "Lena would you mind getting Suze and I some water?" He asked.

"Sure no problem. Give me a minute." She answered and went into the back. The phone rang while she was back there and I heard her answer it.

"I thought she'd never leave…" James muttered as soon as she was out of hearing range.

"Excuse me?" I said.

James ignored me and for a moment I thought I had misheard him. He went behind the cash register only to start fiddling with the red dresser.

"No freaking way!" I hissed to him. I could not believe it. Another mediator? Did we all originate on the west coast or something? I mean, in New York I had never met another mediator, yet here I am on the other side of the country and I've met 4. Five if you count James.

"What? Kirk didn't tell you?" James asked still searching.

"No! He told you?" I asked practically oozing anger from my pores.

"He came and saw me shortly after bumping into you. I guess he wanted to make sure his wife got the will. Finally!" James pulled out a piece of paper from the drawer. "What should I do with it?"

I, still fuming, did not answer.

We stared at each other in silence and listened to Lena say goodbye to whomever she was talking to.

He shoved the paper at me and shut the drawer and came out from around the counter. I rolled up the paper and stuck it next to the cash register in almost plain view just as Lena walked back in.

"Here's your water." Lena said and handed us both a plastic cup.

"Thanks Le." James replied for the both of us.

After gulping his water down he said, "Well, I'll come by later and visit you. Suze here needs to get back to the hotel."

"Yes I do. I'll see if I can make it back over here before I leave to buy some souvenirs." I added, lying through my teeth. I knew I wouldn't be back to Kirk and Kate's.

After saying goodbye to Lena, I found myself in James' car again. Instead of looking at the scenery like before, I concentrated on other things. Like how the wind was frizzing my hair and making it stick to my lip-gloss. Oh and how James is a liar. Or at the least someone who with holds information. I don't think that's called a liar but I think that's the best word I know.

"Suze its kind of obvious. I mean you've been in paper so much and you can be pretty aggressive at times." James stated breaking the silence and my thoughts.

Aggressive? That's not really what you want to be described as by a cute guy.

"I am not aggressive!" I screeched.

"Ok fine…you're not aggressive. But the point is, I figured you where one. Plus it was clear that you where lying to me earlier when you said why you wanted to go to Kirks." He said.

Great. Nice secret keeping Simon. Whatever, I won't see him again. I am after all, leaving tomorrow afternoon.

"Well! You could have told me you knew sooner!" I retorted.

After my outburst, I kept quite until we got back to the hotel and kept busy thinking more. James knew I was a mediator when I went down to the bar last night. He also knew that I was a mediator when he asked me why I wanted to go to Kirk & Kate's earlier.

"Sorry I didn't tell you Suze." He said reading my mind. He got out and opened the door for me.

"Yeah. I am too." I answered curtly.

"Well good to know you aren't mad at me." He laughed, clearly oblivious to my hostile tone. "Now go on. You're going to be late for your spa day with your mother." He said and gave me an unexpected hug that pined my arms down. I was angry with him but not angry enough to knee him in the gut.

"How do you know about that?" I asked with my voice muffled because my face was pressed against his chest thanks to my amazing height of 5'2 and his height of 6 feet.

"What, the spa day? I work here remember?" He answered releasing me. Then he ruffled my hair and got back into his car and drove off.

.OOOOO.

Shortly after James abrupt departure, I found myself in the Hyatt's spa.

"I'd like hot pink please." I said and handed the color over to the lady at my feet. I was sitting next to my mother and watched as she picked out a light shade of purple for her own feet.

Both of us had our feet in tubs full of warm lavender water with rose petals in it. I could seriously get used to this. I mean, cute bartenders, pedicurists, and fruity drinks all available to me 24/7? I think Andy is going to have to drug me if he wants me to go back to Carmel tomorrow afternoon.

"So Susie. Why are you and Jesse fighting?" My mother asked out of the blue.

I almost spitted out the diet Coke I was drinking onto poor Mandy.

"What makes you think were fighting?"

"Well honey…for one thing you haven't asked to use my cell phone to call him this whole trip."

"Mom. Jesse and I are fine. We are just taking a little break. We are still together but we both decided to give each other some space." I replied not wanting to discuss this with my Mom. She just wouldn't understand what I was going through. I mean, how could she? Here she was, the happiest I've seen her in a long time with a great guy, granted I didn't need the stepbrothers but still. I haven't seen the two of them argue over anything before. They're just happy, like newly weds 2 years after the fact.

"Ok Susie. If you ever need to talk about it…" She said after hearing the sound of my voice. That's the best thing about my mother. She doesn't harp like other moms do.

"So you and the cabana boy…" She said a moment later.

I let out a moan and wanted to stab myself with the metal nail file Mandy was using on me.

"I don't like him like that. He's pure eye candy mom. Like Hugh Grant or some other old guy is to you. Eye candy!" I said.

"Well, I figured honey. You aren't like that." She was laughed at me.

Good to know I can bring some comical relief to the table.

.OOOOO.

I walked out of the spa feeling completely refreshed after a manicure, pedicure and mini-massage. I was so refreshed and relaxed that I barely noticed James. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him talking to Kirk. I spun around to get a full view, almost knocking over a piece of pottery that decorated the lobby.

I heaved a sigh and felt the tension come back into my shoulders. I walked over to the two of them already knowing why Kirk hadn't moved on.

"She didn't find the will?" I asked Kirk.

"No. Lena did. And since it does not benefit her father, who is Kirk's brother, she hid it so Kate won't find it." James answered for him.

"Well…I guess its time to do things my way." I replied. My way consisted of more drastic measures that usually wind up with me being in trouble or with me threatening people. Something that I am quite good at.

"Do it better then you did before. Or I'll be back." Kirk warned and shimmered away.

I hate ghosts. I really do.

"What time is it?" I asked James turning my attention to him.

"It's about 4:30. You free after you have dinner at 5:00?" He asked.

"How do you know when I'm having dinner? Wait, I know. You work here." I answered for him. "And yes. I'm free. Meet me here at 7:00. I'm assuming you know where Lena lives?"

He nodded in reply with a big grin making his green eyes shimmer.

"Well. Meet me here in the lobby at 7:00 o'clock ok?" I asked.

"Aye aye sailor."

Boy, I was in for a long night.