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KAYLA
My hands shook as I reached across the check-in counter and accepted the key card the woman handed me. She smiled with her painted lips. Shiny black hair had been pulled back, accentuating her brown eyes. “Mahalo.” A small white nametag on her pink floral blouse read Tammy.
Swallowing, I nodded at Tammy and whispered back to her, “Mahalo.”
She studied my face as if she sensed my panic. Stepping to the side of the counter, she reached out and touched the back of my hand. “Ma’am? Are you alright? Can I get you something?” She was the first one to ask me if I was okay. I hadn’t been feeling well for a while.
Was that a sign that I wasn’t doing the right thing? Did I look like I was going to throw up? Because I certainly felt like it.
I smiled tightly. “No, of course, I’m fine. Thank you.” I worked my tongue to swallow again, but gave up with my mouth dry with nerves. How was I going to leave a good first impression when I was so anxious I could barely stand up without wobbling?
From somewhere, I pulled up energy and made myself smile so I could make my way to my room, pulling my luggage along beside me.
The coral pink carpet with navy blue fleur de lis designs spun around me and I focused on the ceiling and the walls. Who chose such atrocious colors? When I blinked and things refocused, they looked better and even soothing with an ivory base. I followed the carpet lines down the hall away from the lobby.
My room... I mean, our room was numbered at 168. I stayed on the first floor and looked for my room number. 160. 162. 164. 166. There it was. 168. I stood outside the door and took deep studying breaths. Smoothing my hair, I straightened my shirt and glanced over my outfit to make sure I was presentable. I couldn’t hide my flushed skin, but I didn’t have to admit to anyone that my shaky legs didn’t want to hold me.
I stared at my room key with an aerial picture of the island Kauai on it. After a moment, I somehow made my hands slide the key in until the light above the lock glowed green. I turned the handle and pushed in, expecting to find someone but thankful a quiet empty room was all that greeted me. Air-conditioning hummed in the background.
Goosebumps trailed my arms. I was cold. How was it possible to be so cold in the middle of the tropics? Was I in the tropics? Everything was blurring together and I wasn’t sure I was in Hawaii. I dropped my bags inside and left them by the door, closing it behind me. Crossing the room, I turned off the small air-conditioner sticking from the side of the wall.
The room was set up as a junior suite with a small kitchenette, a bathroom, a balcony with a full slider, a set of closets, a King-sized bed with a Navy blue coverlet, and a table. I leaned against the nearest support which happened to be a chair and glanced down at the top of the round table.
A yellow Post-It with hand-printed block letters had been stuck to the surface.
Change into beach clothes and come to the balcony.
Beach clothes? Did that mean I was supposed to get into my swimsuit? Or just change out of my comfortable clothes? I was over analyzing everything. Plus, who did he think he was? He was bossing me around. We would have to talk about that. I wasn’t into being bossed around. The only person who was allowed to boss me around was Dylan and even then he had to get my permission first.
I changed into my swimsuit, stopping to rest every few minutes, and threw on my beach cover which was really just a wrap I tied in a halter-dress style behind my neck. The soft blues and purples tie-dyed together soothed me and I focused on the soft swirls when things got too intense.
My stomach rumbled again. The scone hadn’t lasted that long. The ache could be from hunger. My dizziness could be from hunger. It wasn’t unheard of for people my age to get low blood sugar. You didn’t have to be diabetic to need to keep on top of eating. Maybe I should grab something to eat before going to the balcony. Was he waiting out there? The curtain was drawn and I hadn’t had the guts to peek outside yet.
I lingered over my phone. Did I take it? No. I needed to leave it behind. I would be too tempted to call Dylan when I needed to be focused on my potential husband.
Was Sheldon outside? I stood in front of the curtain, hesitating to take another steadying breath. Pushing the curtain aside, I opened the balcony door. Glancing up, I gasped.
A trail of white and yellow-dusted hibiscus flowers sprinkled the cobblestone pathway. Little Post-Its with black arrows had been stuck to the rocks, mixed with the flowers. The entire trail led toward the beach and the sky which looked like it was on fire with its brilliant colors and clouds streaking together. Palm trees created striking silhouettes against the fiery sky.
Stalling, I bent every few steps and picked a hibiscus flower from the ground and smelled it. The scent was my favorite. The unknown ahead of me prevented me from truly enjoying it. Every smell was heightened and I was tempted to breathe out of my mouth as my stomach continued turning over.
As I crested the hill leading down to the beach, I stopped, taking in the scene. A small round table had been set up about eight feet from the water’s edge. A white linen tablecloth fluttered in the soft breeze as it wrapped around the table’s legs. A lantern glowed a warm orange color that didn’t compete with the setting sun off in the distance. Pinks, oranges, and purples danced across the water and framed a man standing at the gently curling waves.
His dark hair moved in the breeze off the water and his white shirt lapels blew open. The man’s back was to me. I appreciated the curve of his calf muscles and the black lines of his board shorts. There was something in the tilt of his head and in the straight line of his back that was familiar. Unsteady, I stopped, closing my eyes and licking my lips.
After another moment, I kicked off my shoes and dug my toes into the soft sand. The warmth from the day had settled deep in the grains and I soaked up as much as I could while the sand shifted beneath me. The waves slapped the beach, soothing and balanced. I swayed to the natural music and tried to hear for any other sounds of people. But the crash of water and the breeze rustling through the fronds above me hid every sound of others. I was grateful.
I liked the idea that I was all by myself, even only for a minute. Just me. By myself. I mouthed reassurances to myself. “You got this, Kay. You can do it. There’s no reason to be nervous. This is a good thing.”
But I wasn’t alone. I’d made the choice to come to Hawaii on my honeymoon. As the chills hit me again, I desperately wished for Dylan. Maybe I should go back to the room and text him. He would know what to say to make me feel better. I had so many doubts. The thought was more appealing than I wanted to admit. What if I did? What if I ran away and didn’t go through with it? The app wouldn’t let me get away with leaving. I’d already checked in and the app was already reminding me to get started on tasks. I’m sure there was one that was about introductions and playing get-to-know-you games.
I opened my eyes and focused on the table set with plates alongside umbrella drinks and the soft glowing lantern. My stomach roiled again. I stepped closer and closer, until I stood right next to the table. Silky linen caressed my legs in the breeze and I shivered as another wave of chills covered me.
A scent reached me and I studied the plates more closely. The sight of my favorite spicy tuna on seaweed salad made me narrow my eyes. The fish odor didn’t help my nausea and I was filled with the overwhelming desire to pitch the table into the ocean.
Instead, I focused on the contents of my plate. How did he know? The bright colors of my favorite drink with its garnishes of pineapple and cherries drew my eyes. I glanced at the other plate filled with shrimp kebabs and Caesar salad. How many times had I seen a table set just like that? A margarita sat at the other place setting.
I was too dizzy to understand what the plate’s contents meant. Something wasn’t right and I gulped for fresh air, even though I was surrounded by an ocean and sky so full of fresh, it was scary. I grabbed at the edge of the table, the glass and plates shaking and tinkling as I jostled its surface.
He must’ve heard the ruckus from where he was, because he dropped his head and turned around. I got a flash of ripped ab muscles, finely etched pectoral muscles, and a light dusting of dark hair on a well-tanned chest. My mouth watered and then dried up like the sand I stood on.
The bile rose up in my throat and I clutched a hand over my mouth.