Page 53 of Resorting to Romance

“And you two went dancing?” Kala asks, clasping her hands together, her eyes crinkling at the edges with her big smile.

“Nah. I messed that up,” Ben answers for me. “I asked him out not knowing he was into Mila. Well, I thought he was, but he denied it. Then he left early, ditching Gemma. After I heard about him and Mila, it all made sense.”

I shake my head. What a mess.

“I love the idea of the two of you together.” Kala smiles this particular smile of hers at me. It’s familiar and warm, and it makes me want to book a flight to Hawaii, just to spend one hour in the middle of my ohana—the four most important people in my life.

Kala turns to my mom and says something I can’t quite decipher. Then my mom looks into the camera and says, “She’s alucky woman, Kai. You are a strong man. A fierce protector and provider. A man of integrity. I hope she is worthy of you.”

Man of integrity. Well, in some ways, what I’m doing is because of who I am. I can’t let Mila face her ex alone. Integrity might be a stretch here, considering I just lied to my closest friend, my parents and my baby sister. And I allowed Ben to carry on in the charade, even though he has no idea he’s complicit.

Why can’t this be more simple? If only Mila and I could just act like we’re dating when Brad is around. It seemed like a cut-and-dry solution when I opened my big mouth a few days ago. Now, I’m not so sure.

Add to that the way I’m more aware of her all the time ever since we started this pretend relationship, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to need a long vacation somewhere isolated and unreachable when we finally come clean—like the South Pole, or deep in the Amazon jungle where some cannibal tribe can put me out of my misery. They can place my dehydrated head on a pole as an example to all men who think they’re being chivalrous and kind when they’re actually lying to an entire community. Not that men in the deep Amazon fake date. I’m relatively sure they don’t.

I snap myself out of thoughts of half-naked men chasing me through a jungle with poisoned spears just in time to hear my family saying their goodbyes.

“Love you!” Kala shouts last.

“Love you too. All of you. Aloha.”

I click the camera icon on my phone screen and set my cell on the counter.

“Well. Well. Well. Telling the fam. That’s big, bro.”

“Not big. I just wanted Kalaine and Bodhi to hear it from me. It’s still new.”

Ben grins like the Cheshire Cat.

“Back to work. Stevens is coming in to do that tour. You need to … do whatever you do to get ready to go out with him.”

“Exactly nothing. I do nothing to get ready. I just ride along and he does all the talking. I’m the muscle, he’s the brains.”

Oh, the things I could say right now.

Ben rests his arms on the counter and stares at me. I turn away from him and walk to my cubby of an office. And then I shut the door.

In one week, my sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law will be home and I’ll have to pull off a burgeoning relationship with Mila in front of them. What have I done?

SIXTEEN

Mila

I am a drifter without you,

you anchor me when all the world

is spinning around.

~ Unknown

The inn phone rings at the reception desk midday. We have caller I.D. and my breath catches when I see the name on the display.

Brad.

He said he’d give me space to decide about Noah. I’m not completely surprised that he isn’t waiting for me to be the one to call. For one thing, Brad never was known for his patience when it came to getting something he wanted. He wasn’t mean or selfish about it, just insistent and relentless. I used to see those qualities as admirable. And, on one hand, and in certain circumstances, they are. But when it comes to my son, Brad should know better. I need time. He bowled me over by showing up unannounced. I shouldn’t have to answer to him so soon. And our next interaction shouldbe on my terms.

After the fourth ring, I take a big breath, release it in a whoosh, and pick up the phone.

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