Page 51 of Resorting to Romance

“She was upset. But I made a snap decision. And then I realized I broke one of our rules.”

“Fine.”

“Fine? You don’t even know which rule I broke.”

“I’m assuming you told her the truth.”

“I did. In the moment it was either lie to her and damage a lifelong friendship, or come clean with her.”

“That’s fine. I’m glad she knows.”

“Really?”

“Of course. You trust Chloe. This is your thing. We’re fake dating for you—to protect you. I’m just pitching in. If you want to tell someone, tell them. I know Chloe is your best friend. It makes sense.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem. Hopefully that’s the biggest hurdle we’ll face.”

The words, “Yes. Hopefully,” are what I say. But in my heart, I have a feeling we’ve only barely started clearing the hurdles we’ll be facing with this charade of ours.

FIFTEEN

Kai

My family is my strength and my weakness.

~ Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

“Hey, big brother!” Kala’s face fills my phone when I click the green button with the video camera icon on it.

“Hi. I’m at work.”

I turn the screen to scan the watersports shack as if my sister doesn’t know what my work looks like. My mistake becomes evident before I even finish panning the phone.

“Heeeeyyyyyy! Hi, Kapule Fam!” Ben’s face smooshes toward the screen, he’s literally five inches from my cell—okay, maybe eight—beaming at my family like a clown on laughing gas—which sounds incredibly creepy, and also describes Ben to a T right now.

My family waves at Ben. Their warm smiles fill my phone screen when I turn my cell so my face is now the one in the little picture-in-picture.

“How’s Kai really doing?” Kala shouts as if Ben isn’t so far into my personal space he could be my Siamesetwin.

I shudder at the thought of me and Ben attached at the hip.

“You’d have thought he was a lost puppy when you first left,” Ben chuckles, his voice booming next to my ear. “But I made him go out dancing … That was before …”

I shoot Ben a look. He makes his classic zipping motion, thankfully off camera so my family doesn’t see him.

Kala asks, “Before what?”

Ben looks at me, wide-eyed. Then he answers Kala. “Before he adjusted and …” Ben looks around the shack. “... started bringing Shaka to work. Yeah. Shaka. He’s bringing your dog to work.”

I stifle a groan at Ben’s attempt to cover how he nearly leaked everything to my entire family.

“What?!” Kala has the sweetest smile on her face. “Are you serious?”

Bodhi’s next to her grinning with an I-told-you-so smile on his face.

“Kai, you’re bringing Shaka to work,” Kala nearly coos.

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