Page 19 of Beauty and the Beach

“Starved.”

“I know a place around here that serves the best moco. It will break da mout.”

“What’s that?”

“What’s moco?” Right. Makoa almost forgot that she wasn’t a human wahine. “It’s awesome that’s what it is. It’s whatever you want served with eggs, rice and gravy.”

“Sound like the perfect comfort food.”

“It is, sistah. I’m gonna take you to Dakitchen. My two favorites are the Polynesian Paralysis Moco which is fish Tempura, kalua pork, eggs, onions, mushrooms and gravy over fried rice.”

“Wow. My mouth is watering.”

“Then there’s the kanak attack combo moco which has teriyaki chicken, teriyaki beef, katsu, and the rest of the stuff as well.”

“I can’t decide. You get one and I’ll get the other and we can share.”

“Choice.” He nodded. She was perfect. He was worried she’d want a salad or more sushi, which he would have been all right with, but what he really wanted was to share some moco with his girlfriend.

He had a girlfriend. On an impulse, he picked her up and whirled her around.

“What was that for?” she asked, breathless.

“Because I love you,” he blurted out.

He saw the shock register on her face, followed by the dismay. Makoa didn’t know what to do, but she cleared her face with a pleasant smile. She rubbed her arm and didn’t say anything else.

“I didn’t mean to make it weird,” he said, after they walked in silence for a few feet.

She still limped, but it was getting better. He’d offer to carry her, but she’d probably punch him.

“Did you mean it?”

“Yeah, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“We’ve seen each other three times. I just got your phone number. I don’t even know your last name.”

“It’s Chay. Makoa Chay.” He hugged her. “Don’t freak out.”

“I’m not freaking out,” Ana said loudly and then looked around in embarrassment. “Okay, I’m freaking out a little bit. You just have to understand. No one has ever said that to me. Outside of my family.”

Makoa scoffed. “What kind of idiots do they have in Alaska and California?”

She gripped his hand. “I dated a guy for two years. Two years and the best he could come up with is that he really liked me a lot.”

“Sounds like a po'o 'olohaka.”

“Does that mean a commitment-phobe mama’s boy?”

Shrugging, Makoa said, “Close enough.”

“I really like you,” she said and then winced. “And now I sound like him.”

“Good, because I really like you too. I’m not asking you to move in with me. My bathtub’s not big enough and I’d worry about you off Kaanapali with the sharks we get. Maybe if I was rich like Dude and had a yacht that would work.”

“You know a rich dude with a yacht?”

“Yeah, I’ll introduce you if you’ll go to a wedding with me.”

---