AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I did.”
I take a breath, a complete breath, for the first time in I don’t know how long—maybe two years. I lock up my phone and hide it away in my purse. The weight of a hundred book-filled-backpacks has been tossed from my shoulders with that one simple action—blocking Kyle. “Why didn’t I do that?”
He doesn’t answer my question, and I’m grateful. It wasn’t meant for him. Besides, I don’t need anyone psychoanalyzing me.
Instead, I pull in another full and refreshing breath and ask my date a question. “You’re Hawaiian? You aren’t just visiting for the wedding?”
“I’m a local. My mom is Samoan, and my dad is from the States. But I’ve lived in Hawaii my entire life. There aren’t just Hawaiians anymore. We are a culture of many cultures. Japanese, Portuguese, Samoan, Chinese, and more. But I am a local.”
A local. I can’t help it. The thought makes me smile. “Growing up in paradise, huh?” I walk beside Kal to the parking lot on the side of the resort. The lot that says: For Employees Only. Though I’d bet money the man doesn’t work here.
“Yep. It’s the best,” he says.
“Where do you vacation when you live in literal paradise?” I laugh at the thought. “What can compare?” Maybe he goes to places like Paris or Rome. Equally romantic, but completely different.
“Why would I leave?” he says, stopping in front of a tan Jeep with black trim.
“You don’t?” I ask, which is ironic seeing how I rarely vacation. I travel, sure—to see family, for work conferences. But vacation, nope. Kyle talked me into this one, had me pay for it, and then I found him with his other girlfriend. He didn’t even try to hide Carma.
Kal opens up the passenger door for me, a grin playing at his full lips. “I have never left the state of Hawaii. I’ve never wanted to. I never plan to. It would take a miracle to get me to go.”
I’m watching him, and my head dips with his words. “For real? You’ve never left? Like not once? How old are you?”
“I’ve traveled to different islands. But that’s it. Hawaii is my home. It’s part of me. There’s nothing better.”
Hawaii is the twenty-fourth state I’ve traveled to. While I haven’t traveled for vacation, I found discovering new places interesting, and my brain has kept a tab of such things.
I duck, climbing into his car.
Kal holds the door, peering in at me, a crooked grin on his lips. “How tall are you, anyway?”
I exhale and snag my seat belt. “Five-nine.”
He nods as if he guessed as much.
“How tall are you?” I say unable to stop the small mock in my tone.
“Six-three. My dad was tall.” He huffs out a short laugh. “We’ll be the tallest couple there tonight, Miss Meg Miller. Samoan’s aren’t the tallest of creatures.”
He shuts my door and I process all his words. Was. His dad was tall? Does that mean he’s passed away? I wait for him to walk around and file into his side of the car. I wait a whole two seconds after he’s joined me in the cab.
“Tell me about your family,” I say, curiosity not allowing me to be quiet.
He slides a glance my way, then peers forward, starting the car.
“Okay. I have two sisters. Malia and Leilani. Malia’s married with two kids and living in New Jersey.” He makes a face at that last part—letting me know without words how not-awesome he thinks New Jersey is.
I simper. “How can you knock it? You’ve never been.”
“And I don’t plan to go. It snows there.” His lip curls.
I laugh, real and true. I can’t even stop it. His disgust is just so amusing. “You’d hate where I live then.” Before he can ask where, I say, “And your other sister?”
“Leilani. She was much smarter than Malia. She married a man who appreciates Hawaii. They live on the big island now. No kids yet.”
Wait. Rewind. My brain rushes back to New Jersey and kids. “You’re an uncle?”
“Yeah. It’s pretty great. Sugar them up, take them to the beach, then send them back to their parents. At least, when I get to see them. They only come out three to four times a year.”
