Read Online Courageous Love: A Christian Romance Novel (The Hawaii Love Series, #1) by Kelsey MacBride - Free Book Online

your bag, your wallet, and your phone, right now.” The large man pressed down heavy on Michelle’s shoulder to get his point across. Michelle struggled with whether to scream for help, hoping that someone inside the station might hear her, or just remain silent. But she knew her odds of survival were slim if she played the helpless victim. Just as she opened her mouth to scream, the bus to Haleiwa pulled up in front of the bench.
    “Are you alright?” the bus driver asked as the doors pulled opened. Michelle shook her head, the men still flanking her on either side. The huge Samoan bus driver got up from his seat and marched down the steps to help Michelle on as she scurried away from the two men. “Leave her alone.” The bus driver glared at the men as he towered over them. “And don’t bother any more of my passengers or you will have to deal with me personally!” He turned away and loaded Michelle’s bags onto the bus as the two men slithered off down the road and away from the bus station.
    “Thank you,” said Michelle sheepishly, feeling like a helpless damsel in distress.
    “No worries, ma’am,” said the bus driver. “Those two are always causing trouble and looking for new ways to do it. Are you sure you’re okay?”
    Michelle sat a few rows back from the driver as he took his seat. “Yes, thank you, I’m fine.”
    “Well,” he said, belting himself in and closing the large bus doors, “sit back and relax ’cause you’ve got a few hours before we arrive in Haleiwa.”
    Michelle smiled politely at the bus driver and settled herself comfortably on the uncrowded bus. Placing her purse on the seat next to her, she thought again about calling Tracy, but she was too exhausted to talk. Instead, she texted Tracy that she had arrived safely and again thanked her for taking care of Mene. Michelle replaced her phone in her purse and rested her head against the seat. The busy downtown area passed by her window as she watched the sun in the distance. The route to Haleiwa was via Interstate H1, H2 and the Kamehameha Highway, all of which went through the middle of the island. She wouldn’t see the coast again until she arrived on the North Shore and her hometown of Haleiwa. From there she would have another mile long trek into the rural area off the shore where Trinity Ranch was located. She figured she would arrive at the farm around dinnertime, about an hour or so before it got dark. Sitting back, she closed her eyes, trying not to think about her close encounter or how her father would greet her. Instead, she took a deep breath, cleared her mind of everything, including the mysterious, handsome man she had bumped into at the airport, and focused on the one thing she needed, and that was to get some rest.
    ****
    D aniel’s stomach growled loudly. He got up from the balcony and decided to venture into the city for dinner rather than just ordering room service. The hotel lobby was small but festive. Brightly colored light fixtures hung from the ceiling and bamboo fans kept the island air moving. Daniel walked past several potted palms and found the concierge desk. He began rifling through brochures trying to determine where to go to quench his appetite.
    “First time on our island?” asked the concierge.
    “Yes,” Daniel said, placing the brochures on the granite countertop. “As a matter of fact, it is.”
    “Well, what do you want to know about? I’ve lived here my whole life and am happy to help you out.”
    “Actually,” Daniel said, knowing he could find his own way around downtown Honolulu, but wanting to know more about Haleiwa and the mystery girl he was in search of, “I’m headed to Haleiwa tomorrow. Do you know anything about that?”
    The concierge smiled warmly and began filling Daniel in. “Ahhh, the North Shore as we call it. Yes, I know plenty of Haleiwa. It is a big tourist attraction. Not only for its great surf but because it has old world charm and new world conveniences.