Life's a Beach

by Jamie K. Schmidt

  “I’m not going to stay here on your friend’s yacht all alone.” She started putting on her clothes. He was already fully dressed.

  He gave a half laugh. “It’s okay. He won’t mind.”

  “I’m going back to the resort with you.” Amelia tugged on her shoes.

  “I’m not going back to the resort.”

  “Where’s the funeral?”

  “New York,” he said.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Come with me.” He led her up the stairs to the deck. She saw a man in a butler’s uniform nod to them as they passed.

  Dude pointed to a much larger yacht that was coming in their direction. She shielded her eyes and saw that there was a helicopter on top of it.

  “Who are you, Dude?”

  His shoulders slumped. “I’m Samuel Kincaide.”

  Chapter 18

  Della was an absolute wreck. Chris had had a second heart attack and passed quickly. She hadn’t been prepared.

  “I thought he was going to get better,” she sobbed into Samuel’s shirt as he helped her with the arrangements.

  The funeral was exquisite, and people from all over the tristate area showed up. Chris had been well liked, not only by the people he’d made millionaires, but pretty much by anyone he had ever come in contact with. After a few hours Samuel left Della in good hands with her relatives and took his bourbon to a corner of the reception that didn’t have stockbrokers talking shop. As he wandered the hotel, he compared it to Palekaiko. It was an orderly, well-oiled machine. Palekaiko wasn’t. But that didn’t make Palekaiko a failure. If Tetsuo could turn a profit in Hana, maybe Samuel would be able to make Palekaiko a worthwhile investment. Or a new career choice. Outside the hotel, snow was falling in thick clumps. It had been pretty for about an hour. Then he remembered why he’d always tried to take vacation in January.

  Sitting down on a flawless chair in the lobby, he texted Amelia. It would be about noon there. He hoped she was having a nice lunch and enjoying the beautiful weather.

  I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to ease you into that.

  It was an eternity before she texted back.

  I was hoping you’d tell me your name.

  Are you pissed off at me?

  A little. We need to talk. Are you coming back to Maui?

  Not before you leave. But I can stay in New York for a bit to see you.

  I’m not going back to New York.

  Can I come see you in Connecticut? I didn’t like how we ended it.

  Is it ended?

  Is it? he texted back.

  Holy shit, the cops are here!

  Samuel wasn’t too pleased that neither Kai nor the resort answered his next few calls. He went back to the reception area and found his brother. Marcus didn’t have to be here, but he had liked Chris and said he wanted to be there for Samuel.

  “Can I talk to you for a moment?” he asked, breaking in on his conversation.

  Marcus frowned at him for interrupting. “I’ll be right back,” he said to the well-dressed woman he had been talking to. “That was rude. I hope this is worth it,” Marcus said as Samuel led them out to the lobby.

  “Amelia just texted me that the police are at the resort,” Samuel said.

  “She’s talking to you?” Marcus smirked.

  “Focus. Why are the police there?”

  “Let me see if I can get Holt on the phone.”

  Holt apparently picked up on the first ring.

  “Is there something I should be aware of?” Marcus said.

  Judging by his brother’s expression, Samuel decided it wasn’t life-threatening.

  “Did the yakuza make another move?” Samuel asked.

  Marcus nodded and held up a finger. “Put Joely on the phone, please. Joely, you are now head of housekeeping. I’m sorry you had to be dragged into this. I know you had nothing to do with the prostitution ring that Rosalie was involved in.”

  Samuel slapped his palm to his head.

  “We’ll talk about the increase in your salary and your duties when I come back to the island next week. In the meantime, do what you can with the staff you have. Put Amelia on the phone for me.” Marcus shoved Samuel away. “Hello, darling. I’m going to need you to start a few days earlier.”

  “What?” Samuel barked.

  “Can you see about hiring some more housekeepers?…The fortune-teller? Does she have experience?…Fine. Just don’t have her hawking her services to the people in their rooms. If they come to her outside, fine. Clear all background checks with Holt. I appreciate you taking point on this. I’ll make it up to you with some extra vacation days. Mahalo.” He put his phone back in his pocket. “Problem solved. Now, can I get back to my conversation with the district attorney?”

  “What do you mean, you want Amelia to start early?”

  “I promised her I wouldn’t mention anything to you. You should talk to her.”

  “You can’t give her a job. We’re selling the hotel.”

  “I don’t think that’s the way to go with this, but I’ll back your decision. You have to tell her, though. And this time don’t be a chickenshit. Do it before you sign the papers with Tetsuo.”

  —

  Amelia’s first day as concierge was more like being a hotel manager, and she decided she liked the responsibility more than the extra money and the title of junior concierge that Tetsuo had offered her. And she no longer had to worry about finding housing for her aunt, thanks to Marcus Kincaide. Zarafina had decided to help out by signing up as a member of the housekeeping staff, pulling a weekly salary along with her fortune-telling. She would be housed with the rest of them in the staff buildings. Their new rooms were no bigger than a studio apartment in Manhattan, but they were free—or at least part of their compensation package.

  It was an interesting first day as far as first days went. She got to see Rosalie taken out in handcuffs and a few of her girls put in squad cars. Joely was manic about what to do next. Holt was very concerned that this had happened on his watch and wanted to assure her that it wouldn’t happen again. Amelia finally told him and Joely to take a walk on the beach or something. She sent Kai on a coffee run to stock up, with the threat that if he went to OfficeMax, she would make him go parasailing with his brother-in-law. Hani, Makoa, and she handled everything until the night crew came in.

  It was only then she realized she’d never answered Dude’s question.

  No, she texted back. It wasn’t over between them.

  Chapter 19

  A few days later, Amelia was booking windsurfing lessons with Mike when her sister, Stacey, called the resort line.

  “Guess what? Mom and Dad, me, and a few friends just booked a two-week stay at your hotel.”

  Amelia’s face froze. “That’s great.” Just the type of pressure she needed when starting a new job.

  “And guess what?”

  “What?”

  “The head of my department is coming with us, and if he likes the hotel, he’d like to have the annual conference moved there from now on. Can you set something up to impress the hell out of some marine biologists?”

  Molokini. “I’ll get right on it. When are you coming?”

  “Next month—we’ll be there for Valentine’s Day. Do you think you can book something special for Mom and Dad?”

  “That’s in a couple of weeks.” She would not panic. She would not give in to fear. She didn’t even know if Samuel was going to sell to Tetsuo. “Can you email me the names of everyone in your party and give me the low-down on likes and dislikes and what everyone wants to see and do?”

  “Sure, but I know whatever you pick will be fine.”

  Amelia fought not to bang her head on the desk.

  “Howzit, Amelia,” Mike said, coming up to her. He’d knocked off the “auntie” after she threatened to slap the shit out of him. It turned out that he used to go to Hamakuapoko High School, and so lately he’d been spending more time at Palekaiko than up in Hana. He al
so filled in when needed as a waiter, and he’d volunteered to help organize the nightly luaus.

  “I’m just frazzled,” she said.

  “Why don’t you come out and try windsurfing? The waves are choice.”

  “I have a habit of spending more time with sand in my bathing suit than I do on top of the waves.”

  “Come on,” he wheedled. “It’s the best advertisement to have someone out there screaming and splashing.”

  “Or maybe I can stay up,” Amelia said, coming around the counter.

  “Stranger things have happened, sistah.”

  She cringed a bit, hearing Dude’s—Samuel’s—inflection in that word. She hadn’t heard from him since she sent her text. Now she was second-guessing herself, wondering if he thought the no meant no, she wasn’t interested, instead of no, they weren’t done yet. Amelia really hoped she would hear from him before Tetsuo came and gave them all their walking papers. And yet Kai and Hani had been working their asses off setting up deals with AAA and Travelocity. She just wanted to ask the Kincaides how much additional revenue they would need for the resort to be profitable and worth taking off the market. If they gave her a number, she would make damn sure they hit it.

  “Okay, let me change into my suit.” She hadn’t taken lunch yet, so she might as well take the time now. She told Makoa on the way out, “Mike’s going to try to teach me to windsurf. I’ll be back after my pride has taken a good beating.”

  “Have fun,” he said, and gave her the shaka.

  She went back to her room to change, dancing a little jig after the door closed. The place was hers, all hers. Of course, it was really tiny. But who cared? It was hers.

  Amelia did not change into the skimpy black bikini that Dude—damn it, Samuel—had bought her. She didn’t want Mike to get any ideas. She might not be auntie age, but he was still way too young for her. On the way to the beach, she passed Hani.

  “Did the contractor get us the quotes for the elevators?” She’d done a poll of the employees and discovered they all thought this was the number one priority.

  “Yeah. I’m seeing if we can do a little better. But no one’s really returning our phone calls,” Hani grumbled.

  “That’s Tetsuo’s doing, I bet.” She rubbed her temples, where a headache was starting to pound.

  “You should talk to him,” Hani said.

  “It’s not really my place.”

  “What have you got to lose?” he asked.

  “My job.” Then again, if Samuel and Marcus sold the hotel, she’d lose that and more too. “Ugh. I’ll think about it.” Right now, splashing in the Pacific sounded like a great way to get some stress relief.

  —

  “Okay, don’t try any funny stuff your first time out,” Mike said as he walked the windsurfing rig down to the water. “No aerials or flipping.”

  “I don’t think you have to worry about that.” Amelia would be happy with not having to be rescued.

  “Swim out with me,” he told her. “I’m going to get on the board first.” He stepped in the footholds and let the wind take him out. “You’re going to haul yourself up and just sit on the board.”

  “Haul?”

  “Yeah, just sit on the board.”

  “Got it.” She decided he didn’t mean it as Haul your fat ass up here.

  He dropped the sail and waited.

  Or maybe he did mean it, she decided a minute later after realizing she couldn’t quite get her posterior on the board. So she just hung over it. The position reminded her of being put over Samuel’s lap. Amelia was glad no one could see her blush.

  “Throw your leg over. I got us. We won’t overbalance.”

  But he’d spoken too soon. A second later they were both in the water.

  “Okay, change in plans,” Mike said. “I’ll hold the board and you get on first.”

  That seemed to work out better. With Mike maneuvering the board and helping her by shoving her onto it, she was able to sit on it.

  “Eventually, once you’re comfortable, you can grab the boom, and if it’s facing the wind, it will lift you onto the board. But we’ll go over that once you get a little more familiar with how it works.”

  “Couldn’t I have just stepped on it and gone sailing out like you did?” Amelia thought that looked like the easiest way to do it.

  “Yeah, that’s how you’re going to start. But I want you on the board with me so I can show you how to work it in the wind. Now stand up.”

  “Are you high? You saw what it took me to sit on this thing.”

  “I’ll hold it steady, wahine.”

  She whipped her head around, but it wasn’t Dude. It was just Mike.

  “Get on your hands and knees and just push up,” he said.

  “Shouldn’t we have practiced this on the beach?”

  “Where’s the fun in that? You can do this.”

  “Fine,” she grumbled, and got slowly to her feet. Mike steadied her the best he could.

  “Okay, wave to the beach,” he said, giving the shaka.

  “Why?”

  “They’re filming this.”

  “What?” She whipped around, lost her balance, and ended up in the water. “I give up.”

  “You can’t. We’re going to put this on YouTube. For advertising.”

  Amelia groaned. “Why me?”

  “You’re the only one who didn’t tell me no.”

  “Great,” she said.

  He hauled her onto the board and she stood up.

  “It’s a big board. You’re not going to fall off again. Bend over and pick up the sail.”

  “Me? Shouldn’t you do it?”

  “Just try it.”

  Amelia leaned over, trying to keep her balance. “I can’t reach it.”

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake…” Mike picked it up and handed it to her.

  “I got it.” And then she and the rig toppled over.

  It was kind of fun, especially seeing how mad Mike was getting and trying not to show it. “Another change in plan,” Mike told her, getting on the board like it was on dry land instead of rolling waves. He picked up the sail with one hand and then pulled her onto the board.

  “Stand up and put your feet into the foot straps.” He steadied her as she did that. “Now, hold on to me.”

  Amelia used him like a ladder, and once she was up, he arranged her feet. With his arms around her, he showed her how to hold the sail, and then they were off. She whooped in triumph. Of course, he was steering it and keeping them balanced and doing all the hard work, but she was windsurfing!

  “Lean back a little,” he instructed.

  They caught the wind and accelerated.

  “Whee,” she yelled.

  Mike explained to her how to steer and to use the wind to her advantage. “Once you master this, we’ll go jumping waves.”

  “I think I’ll stick to this for now. I need to go back to work.”

  “Book me lots of appointments.”

  “Roger dat,” she said, and when they got close enough to shore, she hopped off and walked up to the beach. Out of habit, she glanced over at Dude’s palm trees. His hammock was empty. She sighed, hating that she missed the hell out of him.

  —

  “You should just call him,” Joely said over sandwiches. It was slow, and Kai was covering the desk while she dried out a bit before putting her uniform back on.

  “I don’t even know what to say.”

  “How about ‘When are you coming home?’ ”Joely said.

  “I think at this point, ‘Please don’t sell my home’ would be more constructive.” Amelia picked at her sandwich, eating the Hawaiian sweet roll first before attacking the Spam salad. The water had made her ravenous.

  Kai came over and sat down with them. “Everything is on schedule for our first luau. Mostly the parents of the kids are coming. We comped them tickets to the show, but we’re charging them twenty dollars for all-you-can-drink wristbands.”

  “Better make sure
we have transportation home for them too.”

  “We also have a few free rooms for those who would like to stay over.”

  She high-fived him.

  “I wish the Kincaides were here to see it,” he said.

  “Have Mike and his friends videotape it and put it up on YouTube.”

  “Good idea.” Kai sprang up and went down the beach to talk to Mike.

  “Mike’s a good-looking kid,” Joely said, putting her used plate and silverware on the tray that would eventually get picked up and brought back to the kitchen.

  “Kid being the operative word.”

  “I think he likes you.”

  “He called me ‘auntie’ when we first met.”

  “Ouch.” Joely shuddered.

  “Speaking of male admirers, what’s going on with you and Holt?”

  “Nothing,” she said, her jaw slack. “Why? Is there talk?”

  “Makoa thinks he follows you around with his eyes.”

  “Makoa matchmakes like an old woman.” Joely snorted.

  “How’s Zarafina doing?” Amelia asked. She hadn’t seen much of her aunt since she’d started working housekeeping.

  “She’s good. No complaints. She’s a hard worker. The other two we hired might have to get some remedial training in how to make the beds. I’m not asking for hospital corners or to have a quarter bounce off the sheets, but I’d like to see them be a little less sloppy.”

  “Do what you need to do,” Amelia said.

  Later that night, Amelia watched the luau with Kai. She was more nervous than the dancers. She studied the audience while Kai observed the show. It was easy to spot the parents, but what she hadn’t expected to see was Tetsuo Hojo at the VIP table.

  “Kai, why is Tetsuo with the principal and the other educators?”

  “He gives a lot of money for civic programs.”

  “Oh, great,” she groaned. “I hope he doesn’t try to sabotage us.”

  As if he’d heard his name, Tetsuo looked right at her and saluted her with his glass of wine.

  After the show, she tried to keep busy, but Kai and Hani took care of everything. Makoa and Holt made sure everyone got to their destinations safely, and Tetsuo made a beeline for her.

  “Congratulations, Ms. Parker. I have to admit, when I first heard about this program I was offended. But when the principal told me the reasoning behind it, I had to see for myself. It was very respectful, and the kids did a wonderful job.”