Page 16 of Try Easy

Declan laughed. “You bet he does.”

Bones glared at Declan. “Watchu doin’ home?” he asked.

The color drained from Declan’s face and he glanced at Keoni, concerned. “You didn’t hear?” he asked.

“Hear what?”

Declan shifted from one foot to another, then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a red envelope. He handed it to Keoni, who held it reverently with both hands before opening it and reading the card inside.

“I’m surfing in the Duke,” Declan said.

Keoni wet his lips and cleared his throat, then handed the invitation back to Declan. “Congratulations,” he said.

“Yeah, well,” Declan muttered, looking down at the curb. “It shoulda been you,” he said.

Bones defused some of the tension in the air with a hearty laugh. “You bettah be glad they didn’t invite Keoni to surf the Duke, or you woulda had no chance, cuz,” he said.

Declan laughed along with Bones, nodding. He tucked the invitation back in his pocket. “You girls are coming to watch the Duke, right?” he asked.

“What’s the Duke?” Lou asked.

“It’s a surfing contest,” Bones said. “The whole island comes out to watch. Everyone will be there. Right, Keoni?”

Keoni nodded. His jaw was clenched so tightly that a muscle ticked in his cheek.

“You’ll come, won’t you?” Declan asked.

After a moment, Keoni nodded again. “I’ll be there,” he said, reaching out to shake Declan’s hand. “I hope you win.”

“Thanks.”

They shook hands again, then hugged briefly.

“I gotta go,” Declan said. “My car’s here.”

Lou looked down the sidewalk to see a white Rolls Royce parked at the curb.

“Laydahs,” Keoni said.

Declan waved and left. Keoni watched him get in the car.

Bones clapped a hand on Keoni’s shoulder and said something in a low voice that Lou couldn’t hear. Keoni shrugged his hand away with an unintelligible response.

Chuckling, Bones went to the passenger door and held it open for Penny. “You ready?” he asked.

Penny nodded and climbed in, leaving Lou no choice but to sit in the back with Keoni.

Lou got in the back, then slid over as Keoni got in beside her. He leaned his head back on the seat with a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. Lou could feel the tension rolling of his body in waves of heat. She wished she knew him better, so she could comfort him, but once again, all she could do was stare.

Keoni glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “It looks worse than it feels, eh?” he said.

Lou glanced away, realizing Keoni thought she was staring at his bruises. He’d said something about Waimea Bay, which rang a bell in Lou’s memory. She’d seen a movie about surfing that had been filmed at Waimea Bay. The waves had been monstrous.

“Did you do that surfing?” she asked.

“No,” Keoni said with a grimace. “I did this wiping out.”

Lou laughed. Keoni’s eyes narrowed on her, and she realized too late that he hadn’t been trying to be funny.

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