Page 44 of Try Easy

“Turn it off,” she gasped, fanning her face. “How do I turn it off?”

“The poi,” Keoni said, handing her a piece of poi-soaked bread.

Lou crammed the bread into her mouth and chewed, then took the bowl and scooped up poi with her hand, trying to put the fire out.

“That’s what the poi’s good for,” Danny said, laughing.

“You could have warned me,” Lou said, glaring at Keoni.

“I tried,” Keoni said, taking the jug and tipping it back as if it was no big deal.

The guys all got another laugh as they passed around the jug, and Keoni led Lou away.

“How about that surfing lesson now?” he asked.

Keoni had been trying to talk Lou into a surfing lesson all week, but she kept putting him off. She was afraid she was going to be terrible at it, and she didn’t want to disappoint him.

“Maybe,” she said.

Keoni got his board and peeled off his shirt with careful movements. Lou stared at his chest where it was stamped with purple bruises.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He touched his palm to his ribs and nodded.

“What the hell did you do to yourself?” she asked.

Keoni smiled. “It was a very good day,” he said.

“Jesus,” she swore. Lou’s gaze flew up to meet his, hostility sparkling in the depths of her eyes. “You could have killed yourself.”

Keoni stiffened. “Whoa,” he said. “I know how to handle myself,” he said.

“You’re no better than Kimo and John,” Lou said. “You think it’s a joke.”

“I know the risks,” he said.

“You just choose to ignore them.”

“What do you care?” Keoni asked, the volume of his voice rising. “In a few days, you’ll never see me again. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I won’t.”

“K’den,” Keoni said.

“Go on,” Lou said. “Go surf. I want to take some pictures anyway.”

Keoni tucked his board closer to his side, staring down at Lou. “Heh,” he said. “I’m sorry, eh?”

Lou’s shoulders sagged, and she glanced up at Keoni with the ghost of a smile. “I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have yelled.”

“That was nothin, hear? You oughta see my mom let loose on my brothers.” Keoni whistled through his teeth. “She could wake the dead, eh?”

Lou laughed at his cemetery joke, even though it wasn’t really funny.

“Go surf, Keoni,” Lou said. “I’d love to take some pictures of you.”

“I’d like that, too,” he said. “It’ll give you something to remember me by.”

Lou raised her camera to her face and watched Keoni walk away. She didn’t think she’d need a picture to remember him.

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