True Abandon

by Jeannine Colette

  “It’s the night marchers,” Kal shouts into the bonfire. “They’re here for your soul!”

  All of sudden, two large hands grab onto Jax’s shoulders causing him to leap up into the air with a yelp.

  “Gotcha!” Benji laughs and does a ridiculous dance around the fire. He has a small drum in his hands as he gives Kal a high-five. I never even saw Benji get up and walk into the woods. He is one sneaky little man.

  Jax is smiling and grabbing his chest. “You didn’t happen to tell them I’m afraid of the dark, did you?”

  I bite my cheek to control my laugh. “I may have mentioned that in passing. They have an uncanny ability to mess with people.”

  “Thanks.” He gives me a shove.

  Benji comes back around and shakes Jax’s shoulders. “We got yah good!”

  I stand up as Kal walks around the fire and stops next to me.

  “Trish, can I have a word with you,” he asks.

  “Sure.” I stand and follow him just a few feet away. I stick my hands in my back pockets. “What’s up?”

  He looks at Jax. “I thought you didn’t date.”

  I lean in to Kal and speak low. “We’re not dating. We’re just friends.”

  He scratches his head. “You were torturing him two days ago and now you’re sharing a beer.”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Yeah. I see that.” With a slight nod, he gives me a crooked smile. “Just be careful, okay? You’re a good girl—we want you to be happy.”

  “Thanks, Kal. That’s…really sweet of you.”

  He walks away, so I resume my seat beside Jax who is looking at me, pensively.

  “How’s the burn?” Isaiah’s question gets Jax’s attention.

  “Pretty good. Trish brought me some lotion, and I didn’t feel a thing.”

  “My Tutu made it,” Lani chimes in as she takes a seat on the sand. Jason sits behind her, and Lani leans into his chest with her long, slender legs stretched out. “She won’t tell anyone what’s in it though.”

  “Thank her for me.” Jax tilts his beer toward Lani.

  “Will do.” Lani grins. “Trish takes hula lessons from her.”

  “You know how to hula?” He’s looking at me, and it’s hard not to notice the way his teeth skim his lower lip.

  “Just a little.” I take a long drink and stare at the bonfire—a large hole in the sand with a fire sitting in the center. I stare at the flames burning strong as his body inches just a whisper closer to me.

  My eyes glance at the square of his jaw and follow to the contour of his cheeks and the outline of his lips. They’re poised, completely intrigued. I try to look away but I don’t know which fire I’m more drawn to – the one in the sand or the one burning in the man sitting next to me.

  Kelli makes a loud noise, drawing attention to herself as she sits beside Lani and Jason. I take another sip knowing I may need a good buzz to deal with her when she realizes who Jax is.

  “I saw you had all these tattoos,” Isaiah says to Jax. “What’s up with the dragon?”

  “It represents the best and worst of humanity.” Jax taps his beer and grimaces. “Best and worst of me. We all have two sides of the conscience on our shoulder. Mine is—”

  “Climbing over your shoulder and breathing fire onto your heart.” I finish his sentence.

  He jerks his head back and gives me a dazed look.

  “What about the elephant?” Lani points to his shoulder. “Is that a never forget thing?”

  Jax gapes at me with an incredulous stare as he answers, “The dragon is the evil, and the elephant is the reminder of what was good.”

  My mouth parts, with a small gasp, at his words. I swallow as I feel the heat of the fire radiating off his skin and shooting straight to my heart.

  His chocolate eyes are melting as they gaze into me with a look so sincere and determined, I may melt along with him.

  We’re sitting side by side, but the moment feels more intimate. Like any second our souls will collide if I don’t douse myself in the ocean.

  “What about da eye?” Benji chimes in. His Pigeon accent breaking the brief moment Jax and I shared. “It’s kinda sexy.”

  “My body is a shrine to one woman,” he replies. He holds out his arm and shows it to the crowd. “She has the most magnificent eyes. I dream about them.” His gaze holds mine, and I stop breathing. “Her mouth is on my ribs, and her profile is on my hip.”

  He’s now focused on my mouth. I bite my lower lip in a nervous response and stare at his. I remember the way they felt when we kissed—soft, yet powerful.

  “Damn man, that’s love,” Jason chimes in. “You’re making me look bad.” He leans forward and snuggles Lani whose interest is beyond piqued.

  “My face on a man’s body would be just about the sexiest things ever. Would you do it?” She twists around to face Jason who has a frightened expression on his face.

  We all laugh at his predicament.

  Benji rises and rolls his shirt up to show off a muscular bicep, “I’ll get you tattooed on me, Lani. A real man isn’t afraid to put a beautiful woman on his body.”

  Lani scrunches her face and gives a shake. “No, thanks. I don’t want to know what you do with that arm, let alone be one it.”

  Benji kicks up sand as her response gets another good laugh from the group.

  Kelli crosses her ankles and just out her chest. “I would totally tattoo a guy on my body. Some people get birds on their skin—I’d rather have a man on my flesh.”

  My jaw drops jokingly at the insult. “Hey! I happen to like my tattoo!”

  “I don’t like a tattoo on a lady,” Isaiah admits. His low voice comes out like a melody. “A goddess doesn’t need artwork.”

  We all give a little whistle and woo at his comment making the sweet man blush.

  “I think it’s beautiful,” Jax’s drawl steals our attention. “Especially on a woman’s back. And when it means something, like a phoenix rising from the shadows, it’s even sexier.”

  My lip quivers at his words. The vibrations shoot right through me and settle in my core. He leans in, his forearm brushing mine, and I swear there’s a spark of electricity from the contact.

  “Where are you from?” Kelli asks, once again, pulling us from our moment.

  Jax clears his throat. “Originally from Virginia. Was in L.A. for a few years. Now, I’m kinda in between places.”

  “Trish is from Virginia.” Kelli lowers her head as if to study Jax.

  Jax looks away and then back to me. The corners of his brows are lowered. I give him a slight nod to let him know she knows about our past.

  “What’s your last name?” Her chin is raised.

  Jax matches her response. “Davis.”

  Her face falls in recognition as her eyes shoot straight to me. I close mine to avoid the shell-shock stare she gives me.

  “Trish, I thought you were from New York?” Isaiah asks.

  I pull my knees into my chest. “Originally Virginia, then Connecticut, New York, and now, here.”

  Kal chimes in, “You and Kelli left New York City—the bright lights, happening places. Why?”

  “The men suck,” Kelli states. Her attention focused on one person and he’s sitting right beside me.

  “Yeah,” I add as I take another swig of my beer draining it to the end.

  Kelli snarls. “She’s all talk. She had a great guy there. Kevin. He wanted to marry her and everything.”

  I shake my head. “No, he didn’t.”

  “Did too,” she insists. “He asked her to move in. She couldn’t do it, though. Some asshole in high school broke her. Destroyed every good relationship she’s had since.”

  “Kelli—” I warn.

  “Right before we left to come here, the fucker gets hurt and his sister emails Trish asking her to go to his side. The nerve, right? And you know what she does? She runs to him. He must have really struck a nerve because the next day she said she was ready to move wi
th me to Hawaii. Let’s all pray he doesn’t try to follow her here. That would be really fucked up.” There’s nastiness in her tone. Our laid-back friends are staring at her, unsure of where her hostility came from.

  “Jax is musician,” I burst out in a desperate attempt to change the topic. I can feel his stare burning into my side, but I ignore him.

  “What do you play?” Jason asks, taking a hint.

  “Guitar.” Jax is way too nonchalant.

  “Have we heard any of your stuff?” Jason is either very interested or he wants the vibe Kelli just set to be gone, quickly.

  Not knowing how the conversation went from A to B, Jax tries to go with the flow. “There’s one song that’s getting traction, but you probably haven’t heard it.”

  “What’s it called?” Isaiah leans his elbow one knee.

  Jax answers like it’s something to be ashamed of. “Die a Happy Man.”

  “I know that one!” Lani jumps to her feet. “If I ever, ever got together with you, I’d die a happy man.” Her voice is more melodic than when Shayna Waimer tried to sing it this morning.

  “I know that one,” Kal nods a finger. He snaps his fingers a few times as if tryin to remember the words. “It’s four a.m., I’m thinking of what was said. The devil in disguise, I need to comprehend. How could I have let him get into my head? I’m gonna make it right. And I won’t stop till I get back with you.”

  Lani and Isaiah clap, at Kal’s bellow – which was really beautiful. He gets up and keeps on singing. “It’s this one man’s stand to change the Maker’s plan and forget all the pain we created in the rain. I won’t give-up the fight. I’ll die making it right for you.”

  My Hawaiian maniacs get up, Lani first and then followed by Jason and Benji, and start dancing around the fire, joining in when they know the lyrics. Isaiah even breaks out his ukulele and remains seated playing the chords to Jax’s song.

  They sound like wolves howling at the moon. Jax has a shy smile on his face as he watches from behind his beer while these beautiful people who enjoy life sing his words.

  Friends, booze, and a song. It’s a simple life. It’s perfect.

  “We have to talk.” Kelli is kneeling beside me. Her death-stare is aimed at Jax who hasn’t noticed her presence.

  Stepping away from the campfire, I follow her toward the ocean where the sound of the waves drowns out our friends’ laughter. Her arms are crossed, and her brown hair whips in the wind. I grab my own with two hands and pull it to the side of my neck.

  “I know you’re surprised I didn’t tell you he was here,” I start. “I’m just trying to wrap my head around things. A lot has happened in the last few days.”

  “This is perfect!” She speaks loudly over the crashing current. “You’re a fucking genius.”

  I tilt a brow. “How so?”

  “You have him exactly where you want him.”

  I scrunch my face into a contorted grimace. “What?”

  She gets closer to my ear. “This is your chance to get back at him. Mortify him the way he did you.”

  I shake my head. “That’s not what this is. I’m trying to move on—”

  “Move on?” she screeches. “Are you fucking kidding me? If I Google teenage-blonde-virgin-gives-boyfriend-ride-of-his-life, your face appears. Yours Trish. That guy made a sex tape with you and now it’s plastered all over the internet.” Her arms spread big and wide.

  “Kelli. Please. Quiet. I’m trying to put it in the past.”

  “I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Are you that weak that you’ll let him walk back into your life like nothing happened?”

  It may be pitch black, but with the glow of the fire, I know she can see the seriousness in my eyes. “He’s not back in my life.”

  “Good.” She relaxes her shoulders, satisfied with my answer. “This is your chance to make it right. I don’t know how exactly, but the ball’s in your court.—it’s payback time.”

  “Trish,” Jax’s voice booms over the wind. “You guys okay out here?” He’s a few paces away. Thankfully, due to the waves and the wind, he can’t hear our conversation.

  “Yeah, we’re coming,” I shout to him and then turn back to Kelli. “We’ll talk about it at the apartment. Just me and you and drinks.”

  She looks over and Jax and then nods her head. “Yes. We’ll plan.”

  I open my mouth to argue with her and then close it. She means well, but when she gets her mind set on something it’s hard to snap her out of it.

  Good thing I won’t let her do anything stupid.

  Or me, for that matter.

  chapter SIXTEEN

  “Your guests will enjoy cocktails in the Kalanina Room as well as the adjoining terrace.” I’m giving Eric Duvane, the guest in the Maui suite, a tour of the event he is here to kickoff for his company. “We’ll have high-top tables set for fifty—”

  “A hundred,” he interrupts.

  “Yes, but we only provide tables for half of the party to encourage mingling.”

  His smile is debonaire. “Fewer places to hide—I like it. Though, I wouldn’t say this crowd is the getting-to-know-each-other type. They’re more like competitors. Primarily city dwellers we’re luring here with a free trip to Hawaii.”

  I look down at the leather binder in my hands with all of Eric and his company, Black Dog Entertainment’s, plans. “May I make a suggestion?” Looking up, I ask, “Why not move the event onto the great lawn? If you’re bringing these people to Hawaii, why not show them the landscape?”

  “I didn’t think it was an option. Our concerts get very loud.”

  I tap my pen on the binder. “Keep the concert inside, but move the cocktail hour outside before the event. We can string lights between the palm trees and burn tiki torches. The event will be at sundown, and there’s nothing like a Hawaiian sunset. Maybe add some hula dancers and have the music you’re promoting playing on a ukulele. It’ll subliminally get your guests into the vibe of the evening.”

  He nods his head appreciatively. “That’s a great idea. You’re very good at this.”

  I hug the binder and curl a loose hair behind my ear. “I’m just going off the notes. You really should be talking to the event coordinator. She can walk you through all of this.”

  “I know, but I asked you to. Based on your ideas, I see I was right in my decision.” He looks back at me with those piercing, blue eyes, and I feel flushed.

  I take a step toward the veranda and face the water. My dress feels tight in the afternoon heat. I grip my rib cage where the fabric clings to my skin.

  “You have a producer’s brain.” His voice hums in my ear as he takes a spot next to me.

  I point to the lawn area. “That’s where I suggest hosting the party. Show your guests a good time. If it rains, we can always move the event inside.”

  “I take it you didn’t enjoy working as a producer?” His question forces me to face him.

  I blink at him a few times before answering. My hesitation makes me laugh. This is just the thing that would send me into a tizzy. It’s a simple question so I might as well give a simple answer.

  “I loved working in production. I spent three years at Asher-Marks Entertainment as a Production Assistant. Alexander Asher was a fantastic teacher. Well, he didn’t actually teach me. I learned from watching. The fact he started a music company does not surprise me. He’s a man of many talents.”

  “He’s also intimidating as all hell.” Eric makes a mock face of fear, and this time I let out a real laugh.

  “To say the least! The first time I met him, I was so nervous, I spilled a cup of black coffee all over my desk.” I fumble around in the air, mimicking how I acted that day as I tried to clean up the mess I’d made. “Excuse me, Sir. I’m sorry, Sir. It’s my first day, Sir. I was a disaster!”

  Eric’s deep, boisterous laugh follows mine. “Did you really call him sir? He’s like a minute older than you.”

  “He’s easily a decade older than I am, which to
a twenty-two-year-old fresh out of college, is a hundred years. Plus, he has this way about him—like you said, he’s intimidating. Or, he was. I figured out how to communicate with him by the time I left.”

  He holds his hands up in prayer. “Please, give me your secret. I’m still sweating bullets every time my phone rings.”

  I give a wide, closed mouth smile. “Realize he’s just human. He’s made mistakes. Just like everyone else, and I’m sure he’s had his heart broken, too.”

  He raises his brow, leans into me and says quietly, “So, you know his secrets.”

  I lean in a little more. “I know everyone’s secrets.”

  Good God, it sounds like I’m flirting. I just met this guy yesterday and I’m having coquettish banter, not scrutinizing his every word in an attempt to find the lie, the trick, the conniving meaning behind every syllable.

  Eric leans his hip into the stone railing and rests his elbow along the top. “How did you go from working for a production company in Manhattan to being a concierge in Hawaii?”

  Isn’t that the million-dollar question? “Let’s just say I was looking for a change.”

  “Have dinner with me.” It’s not a question. And his non-question has me clutching onto the leather binder and taking a step back. He doesn’t seem to notice. “I’d like to continue to pick your brain for ideas on the event.”

  I flick the edge of the yellow notepad at the front of the binder. “If you’re looking for something to do to occupy your time during your stay, we have a PGA golf course, and clay tennis courts like the French open. I can arrange a tour of the island by helicopter or a massage in a private cabana on the beach—”

  “Dinner,” he states coolly. “I’d like to discuss more over dinner.”

  “Dinner.” I look around the room and try to think of some excuse not to have to go, but I have none. “How is tomorrow at seven? I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

  “Perfect,” he says as his phone starts to ring. He holds up a finger when he answers. “This is Eric. Yes, Mr. Asher. I’m here with Trish finalizing all of the plans. She’s just as professional as you said she’d be. The final list. I have it up in the room. Yes, sir. In five. Okay.”