by Reina Torres
Leaning in toward Hi‘ilani as if the men had super hearing across this kind of a distance, Ku‘uipo shook her head.
“Remind me again… what lucky pile did you step in to end up with all of this.”
Hi‘ilani gave her a wide-eyed stare of innocence. “Whatever are you taking about?”
Ku‘uipo nudged her friend with her shoulder. “Don’t you play coy with me, young lady.”
“Young lady?” Hi‘ilani’s eyes narrowed with her laughter.
Ku‘uipo watched in shame as the men turned to look at them.
“Stop!” The command lost some of its authority as Ku‘uipo laughed as she was pushing the word out.
“Come on, you not only have a hot man who would do anything for you, but you also have a whole group of hotties like your very own Military Beefcake Calendar. For a little bit I was jealous of you, but I can only imagine what hell you must live through having all of that to yourself.
“The humanity!”
Ku‘uipo covered her heart with her hands with a dramatic flair.
“It was really great to have all of you come tonight. A lot of the food was from the bride’s mother. She was really grateful for all the help in finding her soon-to-be-son. And if it wasn’t for all of you pitching in tonight, I would be up for hours decorating the Pavilion for the wedding.”
A sudden thought popped into her head. “I did tell all of you that you’re invited to the wedding, right?”
Hi‘ilani laughed. “Several times.”
“I’m a little too excited I guess.”
“I would be too.”
Hi‘ilani pulled her further aside as Jackson and the others headed for the cars.
“Um,” Ku‘uipo tried to turn back toward the parking lot, “I think you’re headed the wrong way. Your hot man is headed toward the car. Aren’t you worried that he’ll leave you behind?”
Hi‘ilani gave her a look as they stopped at the end of the porch. “Don’t worry about that. He knows that I wanted to talk to you before we left.”
Gesturing back toward the lobby doors, Ku‘uipo laughed. “We did a lot of talking tonight on the lawn. Wasn’t that enough?”
“Are you trying to be dense?”
“I’m trying to understand what you’re talking about.”
Hi‘ilani grabbed her shoulders and turned her just a little bit so they were both looking at the front drive. Jackson was standing beside the rental car and Train was standing a few feet away, looking up at the sky.
“You know what you’ve been doing to him all night, don’t you?”
“To who. Efrain?”
“Yes, Efrain. I think you’re the only one who calls him that. We stick with Train.”
“Why?” As soon as the question left her lips, she wanted to take it back. “You don’t have to tell me.”
Smiling, her friend took a moment to speak. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
Ku‘uipo shook her head. “You guys are leaving. Maybe if he comes back for the wedding-”
“Actually,” Hi‘ilani smiled at her, “that’s why I wanted to talk to you.”
“Umm… okay?”
“We’re going to be heading back to their hotel, but Train wanted to stay if you wouldn’t mind some company.”
“He wants… he wants to stay?” Turning around, she looked out into the front parking lot and saw the whole group of guys standing around, talking.
But he turned to face her as if he knew she was watching. He lifted his hand to wave to her and then lowered it to his side.
“We’ll leave a car here for him so he can head back… whenever.”
Ku‘uipo elbowed her friend and turned to stare. “Exactly what are you hinting at?”
Looking wounded, Hi‘ilani batted her eyelashes at her old friend. “If you have to ask then it’s been longer than I thought for you.”
Eyes wide open like a stunned owl, she leaned in toward Hi‘ilani until they were almost nose to nose. “I am not going to have a booty call with your fiancé’s hot friend.”
“I didn’t say ‘booty call,’ I said keep you company.” Nodding, Hi‘ilani looked back at her. “But you never know how things will end up until you get to know him.”
Ku‘uipo had to think about it for a moment and then she looked back at her friend. “So, this from the woman who fell for a handsome soldier who broke her heart. Baby, I don’t need that kind of trouble.”
“Trouble?” Hi‘ilani’s cheeks colored, even in the half-dark of the porch. Ku‘uipo saw her friend’s somewhat cryptic look. “You’re right.”
“I know. I cried on your shoulder a time or two.”
“And you swore you were through with soldiers.”
“And,” Hi‘ilani shot back, “I was wrong. Jack is everything I thought he was originally. He just held back because he became a member of the D- What I meant was, he held back because he thought it would be easier on me not to worry about his missions.”
“And he was right but wrong at the same time.” She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to put that look of hurt and worry back in her friends’ eyes. “Okay, look. You’re happy now and I’m glad it’s because you’re happy with him.” She couldn’t help how much she wanted to say her next words but hated how exposed it made her feel. “If Efrain wants to stay and keep me company, he’s welcome to hang out, but I might have to put him to work.”
Opening her eyes, Hi‘ilani’s smile shone like a lantern. “Hey, Train!”
He looked up and Ku‘uipo saw the glow of something that looked like hope in his eyes. “Yeah?”
Waving him closer, Hi‘ilani gave Ku‘uipo a wink and started walking. She met Train near the middle. The two shared a few words and then he held up something like the Boy Scout sign. Hi‘ilani jogged the rest of the way over to the cars and jumped into Jack’s arms.
“They’re good together.” She nodded. “I’m glad.”
“She’s the best thing for him. The best part of his life.”
She turned and looked at Efrain. “Really? What makes you say that?”
Efrain stood there beside her, watching as Jackson and Hi‘ilani walked over to the passenger seat. He opened the door and waited, standing there, until she was buckled up. Leaning into the open doorway, Jackson kissed her.
It wasn’t just a little peck or a smooch. No. Jackson’s kiss was full of promise.
Promise of what they were going to do when they get back to their hotel.
Feeling heat flush the skin of her cheeks, Ku‘uipo turned to look at Efrain. “So, they’re abandoning you here?”
He shrugged in reply. “You can call it what you will, but I asked to stay back.”
It was good to hear it in his own voice. For one embarrassing moment, she’d wondered if Hi‘ilani was joking about it.
“So, what do you want to do… now that you’re staying back?”
“I want to do whatever you’re doing, because then I get to see a little bit more of what you do here and maybe you might get to see a little more about what I do?”
“Oh? You’re going to break out a rifle and subdue Miles for being a lazy schmuck?”
Snapping to attention, Efrain gave her a salute. “Ma’am, yes, ma’am!”
She poked him in the chest, hard enough to rock him back. “No ‘ma’am,’ or I’m kicking you out now.”
There was a moment of panic in his eyes and then a moment later, it was replaced with a spark that reminded her of a torchlight in the dark.
“I promise not to say that again.”
“Scout’s honor?”
His shoulders shook with laughter. “Saw that?”
She shrugged and gestured for him to follow her. “Of course, I did.”
He kept up with her, walking side by side. “I am pretty noticeable.”
She rolled her eyes and kept going through the lobby and back out onto the lawn.
A few heads looked up and a few looks were exchanged, but thankfully no one said a thing. It w
as a good thing, really. If they had, she might have lost some of her courage.
Spending time with him opened up all kinds of space inside of her life. It was a strange sensation.
Until she’d met Efrain, she’d thought that her life was full. Now, she felt that extra space like a whole new form of oxygen pumping through her veins. It was a heady feeling and one that gave her strength.
But strength for what reason was her worry.
When they drew near enough to the beach that she could hear the soft sweep of the surf rolling over the sand she turned and looked at the pavilion.
Train came to a stop beside her and then followed the direction of her gaze. “So, this is…”
“The pavilion. The wedding is happening tomorrow and this is where they’re going to have the reception.” Taking a step to the side, she looked up and twisted the bottom of the hanging light.
With a click, the working light came on and he got his first real look at the space.
“Wow.” He didn’t just say it. He felt a little awed by the space. “Look at those columns.”
He saw her smile out of the corner of his eye. “They’re pretty amazing, aren’t they?”
Train heard the excitement in her voice and turned to look at her. Sure, the columns were amazing, but the look on her face was dazzling. There just wasn’t another word to describe it.
“When the hurricane came through, it was crazy. Some buildings didn’t show any damage, but there were others,” her voice hushed and he could feel the tension rolling off her, “other buildings, homes, places of worship that were torn apart. Trees…” again, her words faded off, but this time he heard the rasp of her indrawn breath.
Reaching out, he took hold of her hand and gave it a squeeze.
Ku‘uipo blinked and then looked down at their joined hands.
For a moment they just stood there together, and then when she was able to breathe freely again, she began to speak.
“Trees that were hundreds of years old were toppled and died while some of the most delicate blooms were untouched. One of the old trees that was broken was on this property. It had provided shade for generations and generations, but it was gone. It’s life and purpose ended.
“Over the years I’d come back to this property, like so many others. I came to Kaua‘i from Oʻahu from time to time and I’d volunteer to help clear the damage. And there was another company. Another hotel company who built most of what you see here. They restored the main part of the lobby and made it look like it was back in its heyday. Then they added the buildings with the rooms before the money ran out.”
Smiling up at him she nodded. “The lagoon was added to the National Registry of historical buildings and when word got out that we were going to section a damaged tree to make the posts in the pavilion, families reached out to offer the trunks of trees that had fallen on their land to complete it.”
“Sounds like people wanted to honor the history here.”
“They wanted to honor the history of Kaua‘i, and that’s exactly what we did.”
Train moved forward into the space, tugging her along with him. “Is this where we’re working tonight?”
Nodding, she gestured to a pile of greens at the center of the space. “Sadly, that’s the plan.”
“Sadly?” He gave her a curious look. “What does that mean?”
“One of my interns has been a big no-show today, and it’s frustrating. He wasn’t ever really interested in the program. He looked good on paper, but since he started working here, he’s been hard to reach and distant.
“And by distant, it means that he doesn’t really show up all that much.”
“And this was his job?”
Nodding. “It can be a one-man job, but I think it might be fun to work together.” She paused and he waited to hear what she had to say. “Or, we could go for a walk on the beach if you’d rather not do too much.”
“Too much?” He laughed. “We do PT all the time. I think we’re all kind of addicted to it by now. It helps keep us big and strong.”
The snort of laughter that she gave him was a bit emasculating.
“What’s so funny?”
She walked toward the center of the space and he followed closely on her heels. Reaching down she picked up a big coil of something that looked like braided straw and settled it across her body from her shoulder to her waist like a bandolier.
Reaching out a hand he grabbed the back of the coil and held her still until he could catch her eye. “What’s so funny?”
“The fact that you need to say that you’re strong.” She giggled. “Anyone who takes one look at you knows that you’re strong. It’s kind of impossible not to notice.”
“Well, I live on a base with thousands of strong soldiers. I’m constantly surrounded by the fittest people that I know, but when I’m around you, I kind of want to say it.” He leaned down and picked up one of the palm fronds and hefted it in his hand. “I want you to notice it. Notice me.”
Walking to one of the columns, she picked up a step stool and carried it to the corner of the open-air structure. “Oh, believe me, Efrain,” she gave him a look over her shoulder, “I notice you.”
He looked at her and the cool breeze from the ocean rushed between them, swirling under the roof, making rustling sounds with the individual blades of the palm fronds.
“So, let’s get started. I want this place to look picture perfect before tomorrow.”
“Ah, I like the way you think.” She set the step stool up and climbed to the top, bracing a leg against the column. “I’m going to wrap this raffia braid around the top of the column and then we’ll be able to wrap the branch in place in a circular pattern around the column.”
Nodding, he reached up and set a hand on her hip to hold her steady.
He felt the little tremor that went through her body at the touch. “Sorry, I should have said something before I touched you.”
Shaking her head, she looked down at him. “I’m okay with it. You’re a sweet man, Efrain.”
“And you’re a sweetheart,” he gave her a wink.
Rolling her eyes, she wrapped the raffia around the top twice. That was when he noticed that there was some kind of lip at the top of the column. “Is that for decorating purposes?”
“Yep,” she made a knot at the top, “it keeps the whole decoration thing anchored at the top. I’ll never forget having to duct tape something against wood this pretty. It’s like a crime against nature.
“When we had the pavilion constructed from those old trees, we had the feature added in to keep the aesthetics just right.” She untucked the palm frond from under her arm and held it so that the bottom of the frond was above the line of straw braid. A quick half hitch and the base was secured.
Holding the frond against the column with one hand and holding the raffia rope with the other, she tried to use her elbow to balance as she lowered herself down a step.
He let his hand lightly coast over her lower back, not putting any pressure on her, but ready to help if she became unbalanced.
With her at the helm and his duties restricted to handing up materials and being her safety net, one column took less than fifteen minutes. As they finished the first half, a couple of interns showed up to help after finishing the clean up of the party. The added help made the job finish even faster.
After thanking the others, Ku‘uipo and Train remained standing by the pavilion, watching as the wind lifted the tips of the blades.
“If it looks a little bare,” she explained to him, “it’s because it is. This is just the base for the decorations. Tomorrow, when the crew comes in, they’ll take fresh cut flowers and weave them in and around the fronds. If we tried to do it any sooner all it would do is wilt.
“I can’t wait for your group to see all of it completely decorated. Between the chapel and the pavilion. It’s going to look like we stepped back in time. Classic ‘Romance in Paradise.’”
“I bet you’re going to l
ook fantastic.”
She shrugged. “It’s my job to dress up and be the hostess.”
He looked at her and it was only too easy to imagine her in a white dress with flowers in her hair.
Flowers held in her hands right there in that very spot.
It didn’t stagger him, that sudden thought. It didn’t even scare him a little.
After all, a man who could watch as many movies as he did couldn’t help but be a little romantic, and no one really had to know that he was much more romantic than that.
“How about that walk on the beach for just a few minutes,” he smiled at her, “I’ve heard that the moonlight on the water is incredible.”
“It is,” she held out her hand and he could see that she didn’t do it lightly. “We can go for a little walk and I can point out some of the best parts of the Hawaiian skies. Then,” she sighed, “I need to get back and get my beauty sleep for the wedding.”
“You’re gorgeous right now, Ku‘uipo.” He took her hand and drew her into his embrace. “I want to take you walking out on that beach and hopefully we can find a place where your interns can give us some peace and quiet.”
“Quiet?” Her laughter was music to his ears. “I’d love to see that happen.”
He shrugged and tugged her closer to his side. “How about a little preview?”
She didn’t ask, ‘Of what?’
Ku‘uipo certainly didn’t feel inclined to question anything.
No, when she gathered the front of his t-shirt and tugged his chin down so she could press a kiss on his lips, they were both gilded in the silver moonlight.
And work was officially over for the night.
Eight
Getting to bed was one of those necessary evils. The party had been fun. Seeing everyone smiling and enjoying themselves was a big boost. It helped to dispel the anxiety about the next day. Photographers, reporters… those were bad enough. The bride would probably be nervous, her mother crying. Heck, someone could break a nail and everything would melt down! It was all going to be coming to a head when Hilarie Bismark walked down the aisle and said her vows with her fiancé.
This was what she’d been waiting for.
