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I flip over and adjust the lounge chair so I’m half-sitting. This position is better for sipping my cocktail, which is already surprisingly depleted. The fruity flavors and melty ice cubes make it way too easy to drain the last of the drink.
Outsourcing my mom-problem actually isn’t a bad idea. But Photoshopped images aren’t going to cut it. I need actual photos of me and a guy here at the Hanu Bay Resort. That’s what my mom wants. That’s what will cheer her up.
Within a few minutes, I’ve pulled up Honolulu’s Craigslist page. I type up my request quickly, so I don’t have time to talk myself out of it.
The rum-buzz that has blossomed in my head helps with the no-overthinking thing.
The fact that sunlight warms my entire body also helps, and I’m finally starting to feel relaxed, not stressed.
It’s nice to have that tightness in my shoulders melt, even just a little.
When the entire ad is done, I hit ‘Post.’ Then, I read the paragraph of text to myself to make sure I didn’t make any typos.
Well done, Hazel. Not one blooper.
The ad sounds perfect. Brilliant.
This is so going to work.
Everything is fine.
Better than fine…
Great.
I feel really great. Sleepy, too…
I rest my head against the padded lounge chair, then pull my hat’s brim down low over my eyes.
The screen of black straw makes me immediately sleepy. With the fuzzy buzz of rum in my head and warm sunlight bathing my entire body, I listen to the lullaby of waves in the distance.
Right now, all I have to do is sit back, wait, and see what happens.
Chapter 4
Jack
“Hello, Honolulu!” Corinne says, mimicking a chirpy voice. Then she looks up from her phone. “I’m serious. That’s how it starts.”
I take a pull of my Corona with lime. “What is this, again?”
It’s now nearing five o’clock. I went for a run to burn off some Jess-is-getting-married steam and then went for a swim in the surf. That didn’t completely cure my funk, but diving under ten-foot waves did help a little. Being active took away some of the sting.
I arrived at the pool area a few minutes ago, ready to relax. This will definitely be my home base for the next six days.
It’s awesome.
The beers are cheap. The chairs are comfy. The view is superb.
The ocean stretches beyond the ribbon of white sand that borders the resort. Across the pool from me, that beauty from the lobby lies stretched out on a lounge chair, her hat pulled low over her face.
Man, her body is fine.
Her legs glisten with tanning lotion. Her bikini is the modest, vintage kind that covers up too much, in my opinion, but it looks cute on her like she’s some Hollywood actress from the fifties.
“Weren’t you listening?” Corinne shakes her head. “I told you; this is the hilarious Craigslist ad Brett just forwarded me. He found a used surfboard, by the way.”
“Only one? Thought he was gonna look for two.”
