Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Kai
Wednesday
“Are you coming with us or are you going out with those boys again?” Auntie Kiki gave me a look over her tea cup as we ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
“They asked you out again? Amazing.” Auntie Cookie clapped.
“Yes. But I’m not trying to abandon you. I can cancel our plans. I’m grateful for this trip.” My belly twisted. The last thing I wanted was for the aunties to think I was ungrateful.
“Go. You’re young. Have fun.” Auntie Kiki waved me off.
Oh, good.
“What are you doing today? Would it tempt me?” I grinned. I still kept thinking about the guys holding me last night.
“We’re going on a bus tour of all different music venues. It should be quite fun. We go to a place, hear some music, have a drink, get back on the bus, then go to another. We won’t be back until late, because it includes dinner and a show, but you can come,” Auntie Mimi said.
Day drinking with the aunties while listening to country music? I think I’d rather go to the zoo.
“You can wear your boots and hat. You’ve only worn them once. You look so cute, and,” Auntie Tiff added, “hockey boys are nice, but maybe you need a country music singer.”
“No, I already told you, an oil baron or a rancher,” Auntie Cookie said. “Though the barrel racing girls are pretty if there’s any around.”
So true. We had rodeos on the island. Sometimes I went with my cousins.
“I actually met a singer in the hotel bar the other night. His name is Jackson.” I showed them his profile.
“He’s cute, probably well-off.” Auntie Tiff giggled.
“He was meeting someone. I was chatting with her in the bar for a while, until I met Ashton and Steven.” I took a sip of coffee.
“You know, I don’t need a famous or rich alpha.
All I want is somebody who’s nice, believes in me, and supports my career choices.
” I sniffed. I thought I’d had that with Logan.
But I was wrong.
I think I was at that point where I wasn’t mourning losing Logan, I was mourning all the things that came with a relationship. The cuddles, someone making me coffee, somebody there when I got home, texts throughout the day–all those little things.
But not him. Nope, nope. Not one bit.
I really hoped they got some kind of intestinal parasite–all of them.
My lab group had done some digging and it looked like Logan’s mom was right. He had lied to me about staying in Hilo for his doctoral program and had accepted a spot at a university on the East Coast.
Leigh had even found his old prep school girlfriend’s socials. Apparently, she’d made some posts about him when he’d gone home for part of winter break.
He’d known that he would be getting back with her. Yet he’d let me plan this whole trip to Bali, which had been something that we’d come up with late one night, when there’d been nonstop rain and we talked about doing something fun for our last spring break of undergrad.
That asshole.
“I know.” Auntie Kiki patted my hand. “It’s more about stability than money.
While I know you can support yourself, getting through your PhD and achieving your dreams might be easier with a stable pack.
We do worry about you. But you’re also young and just off a breakup.
As long as they treat you nice, who cares? ”
“Here, here. Though personally, I wouldn’t mind finding some alphas to show me a good time and treat me nice?” Auntie Cookie raised her glass and waggled her eyebrows. She was a beta and her beta husband had passed away some time ago. While she loved him very much, she seemed lonely.
“There we go, why don’t you focus on finding Auntie Cookie a sugar alpha instead of setting me up?” I ate my last bit of waffle.
“We love you,” Auntie Mimi said.
“I know. I love you all too, that’s why I put up with this.” I checked my phone. There was a text from Steven.
Steven
Are we still on for today’s date? Does the zoo still sound good?
If you’re not feeling it, we can go to the indoor mini golf place or do some bowling.
There’s a really cool bar full of plants by shops and a farmer’s market.
I thought we could go there after, if you still want to do that movie?
Maybe we can buy things at the farmer’s market and bring them home to cook?
We could go out or we could order in. There's a Thai place we like. You have options.
I looked up plant bar Nashville and found it. Oh my goodness, that place was adorable. The farmer’s market was also open late. Making dinner out of farmer’s market finds sounded great to me.
Me
I think the zoo, the plant bar, the farmer’s market, and a movie sounds like the perfect day–unless we run across some cute restaurant we’d rather eat at.
I was feeling cute today. I wore a lavender romper and slippers, but I’d change them for some more comfortable sandals so that I’d be good walking around the zoo but still cute for the plant bar.
Auntie Kiki’s eyebrows rose as her glasses slid down her nose. “Them?”
“Yes. We're going to go to the zoo and a plant bar, then to a farmer’s market. Maybe watch a movie. Country music and bars are nice, but the guys are really taking the time to figure out fun things for us to do,” I replied.
Steven gave my text a thumbs up, then sent me a photo of him at the gym. Shirtless. My mouth watered. I sent the drooling emoji back.
“We went to the zoo one year because they were having a live music event. It’s really nice,” Auntie Cookie added.
“Are you sure it’s okay?” I still felt a little anxious about abandoning them to go off and do things, even if that was kind of the plan of whichever auntie had set this up.
I hadn’t figured it out yet, but that was fine.
I was still leaning towards Auntie Cookie, who would absolutely set something like this up without running it by Auntie Kiki.
Sure, I could ask outright, but I feel like they wanted it to seem like it happened naturally. Otherwise, they would have told me, since they were pretty blunt about their efforts. I’d let them have that for now.
“It's fine. I’m glad you’re having fun. That’s what this trip is about–you having a good time and not sitting at home being sad.” Auntie Kiki patted my shoulder.
“Thank you. I appreciate you for bringing me along, just like I appreciate you making me go down to the bar to meet those guys.” I looked at everyone. No reaction.
“A hotel bar is a good place to meet alphas with good careers,” Auntie Kiki told me.
We finished breakfast and went back to the hotel room.
I slipped on some comfortable sandals and put the top of my hair up in a ponytail, then attached the dragonfly clip on it that Claire had given me. Also, I wore the necklace.
My mini backpack was stocked with things, like my lactose pills, and allergy medicine, just in case Ashton’s allergies acted up at the zoo like they had at the arboretum.
Steven texted that he was on his way. Excitement shot through me.
Auntie Kiki knocked on my door, wearing a long denim skirt and a western shirt. She gave me a big hug. “We’re going. Don’t worry about us. You’re here to have a good time, so have it. Be safe, make good choices, and don’t be afraid to kick them in the balls if they try anything.”
“Thank you, Auntie, that's all very good advice. I do have car money if I need it.” I hugged her back. “I really am glad that you brought me.”
“I’m sorry for the circumstances, but I’m happy you’re here. Have you heard anything from the banks on your refund?” she asked.
“The partial refund from the hotel hasn’t hit my account yet. I did fill out the travel insurance information to see if they can get me the rest,” I said.
“I still think you should’ve canceled their connections and left them stranded in Manila,” Auntie Kiki smirked.
“I know. But them not being able to get back from Bali will be even funnier,” I replied. “The bank is still investigating, but they might be able to reverse the charge.”
“I hope it leaves his account negative, so he is stranded in Bali with no ticket, and no money.” She thought for a moment. “And worms.”
One could only hope.
Auntie Kiki’s eyes scanned my outfit. “Feeling cute today?”
“I am.” I kicked up my heel and struck a little pose.
They left and I played around on my phone for a while. Finally, I went down to the lobby and saw Claire sitting in a chair, on her phone.
“Claire, how are you?” I asked.
She smiled. “Great. Hey, did you end up meeting anyone in the bar? I looked for you yesterday but didn’t see you. I wanted to check in.”
“I met a couple of hockey players. They’re really nice.” I checked my phone. “I’m actually waiting for them. They’re going to take me to the zoo.”
Her look became amused. “The zoo?”
“I’m an ethnobotany major. There’s a greenhouse near the aviary they thought I’d like, and I do enjoy animals. Yesterday we went to the arboretum.” I smiled at the memory of climbing trees. That was something I’d remember for always.
“I’m so glad you’re having fun with them. What hockey players did you meet? Jackson's friends with some of them.” She looked around, probably for him.
“Steven and Ashton. I think Ashton mentioned that Jackson was friends with someone he knew,” I replied.
“Oh, yeah. Probably Rhett. Pretty sure all the guys on the team are nice. I’m glad you’re having a good time,” she said.
“Are you meeting Jackson again?” I asked.
“I’m actually meeting up with my friends.” Claire glanced toward the door.
A bunch of women who, like Claire, looked straight out of sorority rush videos, came in. She waved at them.
“Have a great time.” My phone buzzed and I saw a text.
Steven
Almost there
“I’m going to wait for my ride.” I waved and left as Claire hugged her friends.
The warm April air greeted me as Ashton’s big truck pulled up. Like yesterday, Steven got out and opened the door for me, which was really sweet.
He gave me a hug. “It’s nice to see you.”
It was warm and soothing, his grass scent swirling around me.