YOLO_You Only Live Once

by Sue Seabury

  “So, did you know it’s Kat’s birthday tomorrow?” Josie nuzzled her shoulder.

  “I did not. Happy Birthday.” Pete’s voice carried. “Sounds like another excuse for a party, if we needed one.”

  Kat raised her chin at Josie who made wide eyes, pretending she didn’t remember her own birthday had just passed. “As you say, Pete,” Kat said. “We don’t need any excuses. Every day’s a party here.”

  “Still, we should do something special.” Pete’s brow furrowed in concentration. “Maybe a trip to the rainforest?”

  “Great idea!” Josie cried.

  “Oh, and I know!” Pete matched her exuberant tone. “We’ll follow it up with a stop at a little place I know that makes ice cream in the wildest flavors you can imagine. Pumpkin. Rice and beans. Even garlic.”

  Pass on the garlic ice cream, but something exotic that could only be had in Puerto Rico sounded like a perfect way to celebrate.

  “Then surfing,” Josie threw in.

  “Or paddleboard,” Kat countered.

  “Why not both?” Pete said. “Cathy, you still owe me that lesson. I didn’t forget.”

  Kat ignored Josie’s jealous eyeballs. “If it’s lessons you want, Hugo’s your man.” Her eyes went to him. Maybe there’d be some way to convince him to come with them to the rainforest tomorrow. . . ? “Or maybe them.” Kat indicated the PTAs.

  “I’m sure you’ll do a fine job,” Josie’s sharp eyes darted toward the dancing women.

  Kat shrugged. “Then hopefully a drink on the cliff at sunset.” She turned to Hugo. “You ordered up that perfect sunset for me tomorrow night, right?”

  He gave her two thumbs up.

  Kat drained her glass and set it down with a thunk. “Now that we’ve got tomorrow all planned out, how ’bout working on tonight? I feel like dancing.”

  Watching Ramsey out of the corner of her eye, she danced on her own. She didn’t feel self-conscious. Too drunk for that.

  Hugo’s eyes were on her. She felt emboldened, did a spin, and hit one of the columns supporting the roof. “Whoa.”

  Hugo was right there, holding her wrists to steady her. “You look . . . warm. Maybe you would like to sit down for a minute, and I will bring you some water.” He led her to a seat and walked away. Kat kept her hot face pointed at the table.

  Hugo returned with a tall glass of ice water. He brushed her arm. She looked up.

  He pressed a fist to his heart, then walked away.

  Kat stood as she gulped at the water. Hugo was already safely behind the bar. “I think I’ll go for a walk,” she said. “Any idea which way Sloane went?”

  Her question was general and got shrugs in reply.

  “The beach perhaps?” Hugo looked down the path leading there.

  Kat headed down it. If it was a signal to meet him there, she wasn’t going to screw it up.

  28

  Ten minutes passed and he didn’t show. Ah, well.

  The sun felt hot. A walk would cool her, help clear her woozy head, and loosen up her sure-to-be-sore limbs.

  The shoreline curved. Around a bend she found Sloane, sitting on a tree trunk, making a pile of sand with her feet. Clearly Kat was meant to make peace with this witch— er, woman.

  “Hi!” Kat called, heartier than she felt.

  Sloane looked up, then drooped. Kat chose not to take it personally.

  “These sideways trees make the most perfect benches!” she said, again with the faux-enthusiasm.

  Sloane shrugged.

  Kat tried again. “It’s strange how they grow like this though, don’t you think?”

  “They get knocked over in hurricanes.”

  Oh. There were alot of sideways trees. Kat’s throat felt like it had a lump in it. She swallowed. “I was looking for you.”

  “Why?”

  “Just wanted to make sure you were okay. You seemed a little . . . It feels good to walk on my own two feet again.” Kat gave her a bright smile.

  Sloane’s expression stayed glum. “What’s everyone else doing?”

  “Oh, um, they’re still recovering.” From what, Kat didn’t specify. “Hey, listen. I know you were upset about the horse, but you were just blowing off steam about—”

  Sloane shot her a mistrustful glance from the corner of her eye.

  Too direct. “I mean, I am justso grateful to Hugo, the way he’s made everything so easy for us. Imagine, if this were back home, we would’ve had to sign a million waivers before we got to go riding.” Kat shook her head as if signing papers were the most exhausting activity imaginable. “Thanks to him, this trip has been so relaxing. No paperwork, no worries, all fun.” Kat nodded like she’d heard lawyers did to see if the jury is with them.

  Sloane wasn’t nodding. All she did was sniff and pile more sand with her feet. She smoothed the top of her mini mountain.

  Just like Carver used to do. Kat had once bought him a masonry trowel, so intent was he on making perfect walls for his sandcastles.

  Sloane’s feet stopped. Kat was just about to compliment her on the mound when she stomped on it.

  Kat recoiled.

  “I’m thirsty.” Sloane walked off, purposefully, but her soft tone gave Kat hope that she’d dropped the idea of a lawsuit. If karma counted for anything, she would.

  Kat debated running up to warn Hugo to make her drinks on the house, but surely he could figure that out on his own. She walked a while longer on the beach.

  Her head clearer, she went back to her room. Josie had one towel around her body and another wrapped turban-style around her head, singing the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe.”

  “Having a good day, huh?” Kat said.

  “The best! This place is awesome! I can’t wait to do everything we planned. Pete said you found a beach with turtles too! I wanna do it all!” She did a few jiggly Posh Spice dance moves. “Hey, there’s a live band tonight and the big guy said more dancing! You might wanna get cleaned up.”

  Since she couldn’t stop her heart from pounding at the thought of getting a dance with Hugo, Kat shut herself in the bathroom and turned the shower on. If they did dance, he’d want to “stay professional,” and she respected that. She would limit herself to one drink, two tops. And food first, so she could keep herself in control.

  To prove she wasn’t trying too hard, she went with a turquoise racer-back knit sundress. Kat expected Josie to say it was too casual, but she was absorbed with her own wardrobing choices. Kat willingly debated the pros and cons of each one. They were sixteen all over again.

  “Pete says he likes blue, but it seems too innocent.” Josie fluffed the short skirt of a light blue strapless dress with smocking the only thing supporting the upper half.

  “Night comes early here,” Kat said. “The pale color might look washed out. Maybe something bolder. That fringed maxi is pretty sexy.”

  “But it’s so long.” Josie swished the multi-colored fabric. It reached her ankles, but the hem was slit into ribbons all the way up to mid-thigh.

  “That’s what makes it sexy.”

  Josie picked up a black waterfall dress and frowned. It tied at the neck and draped in two pieces that wrapped around the front. There was a tie at the waist, but the wrap style allowed it to flutter open fairly high on the leg. “Why didn’t I pick turquoise? Everyone here wears tropical colors.”

  “It’s still beautiful.You are beautiful and will look fantastic in any of them. When’d you buy all this stuff anyway? I don’t remember any of this from our shopping spree.”

  Josie smirked. “Ordered a few things online with Jerkface’s card.”

  “Josie!”

  “What? He owes me.”

  Kat didn’t want to talk about exes. “So, which one, fringe or waterfall?”

  Josie eyed Kat’s dress. “Yours is really pretty. And it’s bright so it won’t wash out.”

  “Yeah, thanks. I like it. Very comfortable. Lots of air circulation so I can dance all night.” Kat did a few Spice Girl dance move
s of her own. Then she caught Josie’s expression in the mirror.

  “I want it,” Josie said.

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No. C’mon. I’ve got a guy on the line.”

  Kat’s mouth went dry. “So, you really like Pete?”

  Josie shrugged. “He’s okay. And if not him, I’ll take either of the two hotties running this place. Yolo, baby!”

  Kat wouldn’t fight about a guy, but the thought of Josie playing a game of tease with Hugo made her blood simmer. Not that Hugo was likely to be pulled in, but still. She also wasn’t about to step aside so Josie could stomp on Pete’s heart. Kat was sincerely interested in him, or at least, sincere in wanting to get to know him better.

  Kat tugged on the shoulder straps. This was the only dress she hadn’t worn yet. “I’ve already sweated it up.”

  “No you haven’t.”

  “Josie. Seriously. You look fantastic in anything. How about the pink dress you picked out for me? Short and sassy.”

  She pulled it out of the closet. Josie ran a discerning finger down it. “I’ll try it.”

  Josie was an inch shorter than Kat, and curvier. It looked better on Josie.

  “You can keep it,” Kat said.

  “If it brings me luck tonight, I will.”

  “Let’s go.”

  Kat took deep breaths to calm the butterflies, but by the time they reached the patio, the butterflies felt more like large, heavy birds gripping her innards with sharp claws. The band was warming up and someone had decorated. Garlands of flowers intertwined with lights lined the space, and extra-large bouquets of bright red hibiscus sat on every table.

  Josie squealed. “Oh my gosh. This is so awesome.”

  “Just wait ’til you taste Hugo’s cooking.”

  Josie squealed again.

  Queenie was there with the Cigarbellies, minus Pete.

  “Hey.” Queenie waved them over. “We’re gonna get the boys to push the tables together to make one long one.” Queenie made a phallic gesture.

  “The boys?” Kat gave the Cigarbellies the eye.

  “Hugo and Ramsey,” Queenie said to Kat. To Josie who was craning her neck, she said, “Pete’s off collecting more flowers. Seems to think he’s hosting some kinda beauty pageant tonight or something.”

  Josie pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

  Queenie cracked invisible gum. “He might need a hand.”

  “You think?” Josie’s head swiveled like a submarine periscope.

  “He went that-a-way.”

  “Thanks!” Josie motored off.

  “Oops. Should I not have done that?” Queenie said.

  “‘Sokay.” Kat shrugged.

  “That bad, huh.”

  Kat looked at Josie’s rapidly retreating figure and sighed. “Nope. Fair’s fair.”

  “I was thinking more along the lines of a revenge screw and a sugar daddy, but philosophy’s cool too.” Queenie handed her a glass. “But I think that’s enough for now.” She clinked her glass against Kat’s.

  Kat returned the clink, but only took a small sip. Self-control was the name of her game tonight. “Where are Hugo and Ramsey anyway?”

  “Good question.”

  They appeared, carrying wood planks. After pushing the tables into a large square, they laid the planks on top. Queenie yodeled for bar service; the Cigarbellies did too. When Ramsey went to take care of them, Kat lent a hand to Hugo spreading tablecloths.

  “We match,” Kat said, nodding at his turquoise blue sarong.

  His eyes ran over her. She felt warm yet goosebumps covered her skin. Professional, she reminded herself. “Where’s Coraly?”

  Hugo’s eyes rolled heavenward. “Home, or maybe still at the clinic. She broke a glass and cut her hand.” He shook his head. “I don’t think she’s going to work out.”

  Kat relief was so great, she almost laughed. She remembered Coraly was injured just in time. “That’s too bad.”

  Hugo shrugged.

  “You went to a lot of trouble for one meal.”

  “With the beveled edge, it’s safer to put these planks down.”

  “Meaning you’ve learned by experience how to reduce the number of broken glasses.”

  Hugo laughed. “Exactly.”

  “This is a beautiful set up.” Kat held out her arms. The little girl inside was dying to ask if it was for her birthday; but if it wasn’t . . .

  “Remember, ‘beauty is the promise of happiness,’” Hugo said. His eyes told Kat everything she wanted to know.

  Kat had almost worked up the nerve to ask him to dance with her later when a crash of a cymbal and a screech from Queenie claimed her attention.

  Queenie had apparently startled the drummer when she asked if she could try out his seat without letting him get up first.

  As soon as the drummer was righted, the bustling PTAs showed up and surrounded Kat and Hugo and demanded he explain the potential meal choices.

  “I’ll get you some menus,” he said, then turned to Kat. “Excuse me.”

  Kat returned to the side table where she had left her drink and took a sip.

  Josie and Pete could have brought back the whole jungle by the time they returned, but they only had a few flowers. They looked so happy together. If Pete could switch to Josie so easily, it was obvious his interest in Kat had only been superficial. Kat was grateful to Josie for opening her eyes to her own insincerity regarding Pete.

  Feeling liberated, she swayed to the music. Without really listening, she picked up on the PTAs complaint: they wanted to know why they hadn’t been consulted about the set-up of this “luau.” When Hugo pointed out there were still individual tables, the PTAs complained they didn’t want to be left out.

  Hugo came to refill Kat’s glass.

  “Just water, please.” That first drink had gone down too easy. She wouldn’t have another until at least an hour passed, or maybe none at all. “I don’t know how you do it.” Kat pulled her head toward the PTAs.

  “They’re nervous about the storm.”

  “That still a problem?”

  Hugo set the tray down. “Looks like we might get lucky, but can’t say for sure yet.”

  “I’m sorry.” Kat rested her hand on his. It was so warm and that electrical sensation was strong as ever.

  He placed his free hand on top of hers. “Knowing you appreciate my efforts makes it easier for me to put up with the rest.” He let go and picked up the tray. He was gone before Kat’s breathing returned to normal enough to be able to speak.

  Kat ate more pulled pork and papaya salad than was decent. She shouldn’t have had room for the cheese flan with guava coulis, but she did.

  Josie and Pete were hellbent on making the evening as festive as possible and kept the drinking games going. The Cigarbellies contributed by telling risqué stories about a recent trip to Vegas. Queenie’s anecdotes were over-the-top hilarious. One involved a bachelorette party to a strip club where the groom happened to be working part time to help pay for the wedding, and another friend being offered fifty dollars to polish a man’s head with her rear end. And the stories got more improbable as the evening wore on. After a few of Ramsey’s drinks, the PTAs unwound and got into the spirit and told a few funny travel stories of their own. Kat laughed and took it all in. All these people had done so much authentic living. When would it be her turn?

  Hugo retrieved a platter across the table from her; their eyes met.

  For the first time in years, she knew exactly what she wanted for her birthday.

  Once dinner was done, the music got louder and dancing began. While waiting for a lull at the bar, Kat drank her second rum punch faster than she meant to. Finally an opportunity presented itself. She hustled over.

  “Will you dance with me?”

  Hugo’s hand paused for a microsecond in its rhythmic circle, then he folded the cloth and set it aside. “It will be my pleasure.”

  She exhaled.

  He lifted his face
; his smile was forced.

  Her breath got jammed in her throat. She had misread him.

  His fingers grasped hers. Too late to back out. At least the band was playing an upbeat, fast song. They could just boogie side by side, no real touching.

  When they got out onto the floor, however, the music changed to a slow number. She held her arms firm to not accidentally lean on his bare chest. Hugo was equally stiff.

  Despite their rigid stance, he managed to move gracefully. Kat imagined she did too. “We’d make a pair worth watching on Dancing with the Stars.” Nerves made her babble.

  He laughed. “I don’t know about that.”

  “Sure, your bod would be draw enough.” What was she saying? She wasn’tthat drunk. Barely felt a buzz.

  To cover, she laughed, then let go of his hand for a moment to gesture at his chest. She lost her balance when he pulled simultaneously. Both her hands ended up on that silky-smooth yet firm chest.

  “You know, you have to share. There aren’t enough men to go around.” Sloane was next to them, elbows out, the resemblance to a sandbox bully unmistakable.

  Hugo stumbled. Kat’s cheek hit the hard muscle beneath the soft skin. She tilted her head up. His gaze was far, far away.

  She took a step back and let go. “Absolutely.” It was better to humor Sloane than have Hugo risk a lawsuit.

  “I will be happy to,” Hugo said with another forced smile. “In just a moment. Let me just take care of one thing at the bar.”

  By the time he was done there, the music had changed to something fast again. Sloane only got two minutes of Hugo’s time, and barely a touch from his fingertips.

  Kat felt an ungenerous flutter of revenge at the way things turned out for Sloane, and a warm blossom of pleasure at the knowledge that Hugo would have danced longer with her if he could have.

  She didn’t let it stop her from dancing on her own. Pete nabbed her for half a song, but Josie looked so unhappy, Kat spun over and grabbed Josie’s hand and gave it to him. That felt good, too.

  When the dance ended, Josie ran over to Kat. “Happy Birthday, Best Friend Forever!” Josie threw her arms around Kat’s neck and planted a wet kiss on her cheek.