Page 52 of Resorting to Romance

“I have to.”

“You have to, huh?” Bodhi goads.

“The dog is relentless. I’m not leaving him home to destroy my place. I have no choice.”

Ben rolls his eyes in sync with Bodhi.

“You softie!” Kala beams. “I knew you loved my dog. It was only a matter of time before you admitted it.”

“Yeah. Yeah. So, tell me what’s new with you two.” I greet my parents. “Aloha, Makuahine and Makuakane.”

My mom and dad say hi and fill me in on things going on in their life in Hawaii. Kala and Bodhi remind me it’s their last day on Oahu. Tomorrow they leave for Portugal. They bring me up to speed about their surfing, which is unnecessary because I’ve been watching their YouTube channel for updates religiously every night before I fall asleep. I don’t confess that little detail to them, especially not in front of Ben.

“Only one more week, big brother. Then we’ll be home.”

My mom clucks her tongue slightly at my sister’s use of thewordhome. Of course Oahu is home. I’m just glad Kalaine feels like my place is another home for her.

“I’m so happy for you,” I tell Bodhi and Kala. “And proud.”

“Oh!” Ben says, butting in as if he belongs in a conversation between me and my ohana. “Kai taught Noah to surf.”

“Noah, Mila’s Noah?” Kala asks.

I nod. And I can’t help but smile at the memory of that morning—all the memories, including the walk Mila and I had to the shack after Noah ran ahead of us, and the way it felt to hold her when she hugged me.

“Yeah. You should have seen Noah,” Ben goes on. “He was nearly coming unglued with excitement …”

I let Ben ramble as if he were the one in the water teaching Noah. It is exciting whenever someone local learns to surf. It’s more special than teaching a guest at the resort because we’ll have the privilege of watching an islander continue to mature as a surfer over time. And the people here matter.

While Ben raves about the video Noah showed him and Jamison, I run through options as to what to tell my family about Mila—or not tell them. If I keep our supposed dating life a secret, no one will go absurdly crazy over me finally dating. But Kala and Bodhi are bound to hear rumors when they come back. I don’t want to be in the position Mila was with Chloe. It’s better if I’m the one to leak everything. At least I can maintain some control over the narrative that way.

Ben’s still rambling, while my family stares on patiently, warm smiles on all four of their faces. They don’t have to work with this ball of charismatic energy day in and day out. Well, Bodhi does. But he’s always been more chill than I am. He finds Ben amusing. Which he is, but in small doses. Besides, Bodhi gets a reprieve from life here whenever he and Kala leave for another surf trip.

“So,” I cut in.

Ben looks at me with a half-smile on his face. “Bro, I wasn’tfinished.”

“Okay.”

“No. No. Go ahead. It’s your fam. You talk.”

Suddenly, I wonder if I’m thinking clearly. Should I tell them? My throat feels tight and my mouth a little dry.

“Well, it’s nothing really. I just wanted to say I’m dating someone. Casually. Not that it’s a big deal. I’m a grown man. I can date. I just … wanted you to know.”

Bodhi wags his eyebrows and smiles at me. Kala starts jumping around and squealing, and my parents exchange a look with smiles that are so sweet I have to look away. I got their hopes up. It feels wrong to lead them on.

I remind myself why I’m carrying off this farce in the first place. Mila needs me. I can patch up the damage after we “break up,” whenever that is. I’ll just say it didn’t work out, and we’ll all move on.

“Who is it?” Kala asks, her giddiness bubbling straight through the phone and into my heart like an arrow.

Bodhi looks down at her. “Pretty obvious, isn’t it?”

“Mila?” she asks him.

“That’s my guess. I’d put money on it.”

“Yeah, bro!” Ben shouts from right next to me. “You nailed it. It’s so perfect, right? I saw it coming too.”

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