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And yet, I scroll and scroll until I get to that first adventure. In Kal’s Jeep. He’s driving and I’m riding. The one selfie I took of the two of us. I stare, wishing I could see his eyes. Wishing this were a photo of me in his arms.
But there’s a reason it’s not.
Right?
My throat burns with a lump that’s formed, and my eyes sting with tears that are desperate to leak out. Those tears betray everything Spontaneous Meg said this week would be.
I shove my phone into my pocket and splash cold water on my face. I’m wasting time. Precious, precious time. I have hours left with Kal, and I’m in the bathroom trying not to cry.
This isn’t how Spontaneous Meg would spend her last night in Hawaii. There’s no wasting Hawaii. If Kal taught me anything, it’s that.
So, I straighten my shoulders and make my way back to Kal’s childhood bedroom. He hasn’t moved, and I’m so tempted to take a picture of him now. One for me to keep and love and remember. But then—that isn’t the plan. I can’t bring Hawaii home with me, I remind myself for the second time in five minutes. There’s no reason to make this harder.
Gently, I lie back down, back into position, my head and hand on Kal’s broad chest. His right arm wraps around my back and I snuggle closer into him, breathing in his sunscreen and shower gel. He rolls a little, wrapping his left arm over top of me. I am cocooned in his arms—not a bad place to live, eat, breathe, and die.
“Are you really leaving tomorrow?” he says, his voice gruff from lack of use.
I peek up at the scruff on his chin. “I have to. My plane—.”
“Plane tickets can be changed.”
My heart thumps—loud and wild. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it breaking free to the outside of my body.
He tightens his hold on me, nuzzling his nose and lips at my temple. “Don’t go, Meg.”
I swallow. Certain that I’ve gone crazy. “My curriculum map meeting isn’t until July.”
July. One whole week away.
Kal blinks down at me now.
“I could maybe stay until then.”
“Stay,” he says, sealing the deal with a kiss.
27
Meg
“Come on, Makani,” Kal groans, folding his hands together, pleading, staring at his friend from across the resort desk. “There has to be something.”
Kal’s puppy-dog eyes are a million times more convincing than my own, so I let him do the dirty work. Changing my plane ticket, while time-consuming, was doable. Finding a place to stay in Lana‘i, that’s another story.
“I’m sorry,” Makani says. “I have nothing. She would be sleeping in a closet. We are booked. You know we are. We fill up months in advance. As well as every other resort on Lana‘i. You know that, Kal.”
Kal wipes at the sweat beading at his neck. “Yeah. I know. Thanks for looking.”
“Thank you, Makani. You’ve been lovely,” I say, my hand on my bag. I’m supposed to be leaving today…but I’m not. I also have no idea where I’ll be sleeping tonight. And yet, I’m not having an anxiety attack. Instead, I want this man to know that I’ve appreciated his kindness.
Makani grins at me. “You as well, Miss Meg. I’m glad that you and Hawaii have decided to get along.” He winks at me.
Kal walks me out to his Jeep, tossing my bag in the back. “There is another option.”
“I’m not staying with you. You’ll hypnotize me, and I’ll never get home to my classroom.”
“Okay,” he chuckles. “A third option.”
“I’m all ears,” I say, picturing myself sleeping in a tent on the beach. It could be worse.
