start and realize someone is knocking on our door. As I stumble to answer it, I’m surprised to see daylight. I am alone in the room, so I must have slept through Baggy and Ruthie getting up and leaving, which can’t have been quiet.
I fling the door open and am only moderately surprised to see Kai on the other side. He doesn’t seem taken aback by my appearance, which I’m sure is a hot-mess mix of disheveled bedhead and raccoon-eyed smeared makeup.
“The market is open today. Would you like to go with me?”
I have no idea what the market is, but if Kai wants to take me somewhere, I am there. “I should probably shower first.” I point in the general direction of my head and smile with closed lips, careful not to show my fuzzy, unbrushed teeth or spew any of my dreadful morning breath in his direction.
“I’ll wait by the bar,” he tells me and spins on his heel to head that way.
I shut the door and spring into action. I want to get ready quickly so he is not waiting on me for too long, but I also want to look great and be ready for any adventure he wishes to embark upon. I finally decide to wear a bathing suit with a cute sundress over it.
I take my choices to the bathroom and glance in the mirror after starting the shower. My reflection is downright frightening. The fact that he didn’t go running from this room at the sight of me is amazing. I take the speediest shower I can without skipping shaving, which isn’t an option. I do take the time to rub some magic jelly on my dry knees and elbows. It feels so great on my skin that I decide to douse my entire body in it. Why not? Besides, I smell like a delicious coconut concoction that Kai might blend behind the bar.
I take the time to apply sunscreen on my face. After adding mascara and ChapStick, I pull my hair into a low ponytail and declare myself presentable. Not just presentable, I decide as I catch a glimpse of my swingy skirt in the full-length mirror. I’d give myself a 6.5 today, maybe a 7. I’ll just try not to think of the fact that Kai is a 9.5, possibly a 10.
When I join him at the bar, he beams at me like I am the most beautiful woman in the world, and I instantly forget all the one-to-ten rating-scale nonsense. I look around to tell Baggy and Ruthie that we are leaving, but can’t find either of them. I decide to just go. That is what they would do. Besides, they can call my cell if they really need me.
Kai leads me to the limo that he picked us up from the airport in. “You’re allowed to drive the resort’s limo when you’re not working?” I ask him.
“Nana Lana needed the Jeep today.” I try to picture a grandmotherly type tooling around the island in Kai’s Jeep. His grandma must be even more like Baggy than I had imagined. “Besides, I am working,” Kai adds.
I raise my eyebrows in question, so he continues, “I’m picking up fresh fruit and juice at the market.”
“Oh, you just invited me along to help tote and carry, eh?” I tease him. Going to a grocery to pick up supplies for the resort isn’t something I would have thought I’d want to do on a Hawaiian vacation, but I’d be willing to do about anything with Kai.
“You’ve figured out my evil plan. Gorgeous and smart—I am a lucky man.” I beam at his praise and successfully fight the urge to deny its accuracy.
I get to ride in the front of the limo this time, and I’m thrilled when Kai reaches over to hold my hand in his much larger one. We ride mostly in silence. I enjoy the scenery and the wonderful feeling of connection with Kai. Occasionally he points out something of interest, like the elementary school he attended, but for the most part we are quiet.
When we arrive at the market, I’m surprised and delighted to see that it is an enormous farmer’s market, not a grocery, like I had assumed. The vendors sell everything from delicious fresh fruit to souvenirs of every imaginable size, shape, and type. The tables stretch on for what seems like
I fling the door open and am only moderately surprised to see Kai on the other side. He doesn’t seem taken aback by my appearance, which I’m sure is a hot-mess mix of disheveled bedhead and raccoon-eyed smeared makeup.
“The market is open today. Would you like to go with me?”
I have no idea what the market is, but if Kai wants to take me somewhere, I am there. “I should probably shower first.” I point in the general direction of my head and smile with closed lips, careful not to show my fuzzy, unbrushed teeth or spew any of my dreadful morning breath in his direction.
“I’ll wait by the bar,” he tells me and spins on his heel to head that way.
I shut the door and spring into action. I want to get ready quickly so he is not waiting on me for too long, but I also want to look great and be ready for any adventure he wishes to embark upon. I finally decide to wear a bathing suit with a cute sundress over it.
I take my choices to the bathroom and glance in the mirror after starting the shower. My reflection is downright frightening. The fact that he didn’t go running from this room at the sight of me is amazing. I take the speediest shower I can without skipping shaving, which isn’t an option. I do take the time to rub some magic jelly on my dry knees and elbows. It feels so great on my skin that I decide to douse my entire body in it. Why not? Besides, I smell like a delicious coconut concoction that Kai might blend behind the bar.
I take the time to apply sunscreen on my face. After adding mascara and ChapStick, I pull my hair into a low ponytail and declare myself presentable. Not just presentable, I decide as I catch a glimpse of my swingy skirt in the full-length mirror. I’d give myself a 6.5 today, maybe a 7. I’ll just try not to think of the fact that Kai is a 9.5, possibly a 10.
When I join him at the bar, he beams at me like I am the most beautiful woman in the world, and I instantly forget all the one-to-ten rating-scale nonsense. I look around to tell Baggy and Ruthie that we are leaving, but can’t find either of them. I decide to just go. That is what they would do. Besides, they can call my cell if they really need me.
Kai leads me to the limo that he picked us up from the airport in. “You’re allowed to drive the resort’s limo when you’re not working?” I ask him.
“Nana Lana needed the Jeep today.” I try to picture a grandmotherly type tooling around the island in Kai’s Jeep. His grandma must be even more like Baggy than I had imagined. “Besides, I am working,” Kai adds.
I raise my eyebrows in question, so he continues, “I’m picking up fresh fruit and juice at the market.”
“Oh, you just invited me along to help tote and carry, eh?” I tease him. Going to a grocery to pick up supplies for the resort isn’t something I would have thought I’d want to do on a Hawaiian vacation, but I’d be willing to do about anything with Kai.
“You’ve figured out my evil plan. Gorgeous and smart—I am a lucky man.” I beam at his praise and successfully fight the urge to deny its accuracy.
I get to ride in the front of the limo this time, and I’m thrilled when Kai reaches over to hold my hand in his much larger one. We ride mostly in silence. I enjoy the scenery and the wonderful feeling of connection with Kai. Occasionally he points out something of interest, like the elementary school he attended, but for the most part we are quiet.
When we arrive at the market, I’m surprised and delighted to see that it is an enormous farmer’s market, not a grocery, like I had assumed. The vendors sell everything from delicious fresh fruit to souvenirs of every imaginable size, shape, and type. The tables stretch on for what seems like
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