1. Kai
Chapter one
Kai
Sometimes, life throws you curveballs and laughs at the irony.
I never expected to return to the small town of Foggy Basin, but here I am.
Portland was fun for a month, then I went on to Seattle and made my way to Vancouver in British Columbia at the beginning of summer.
I might have stayed there longer, loving the weather and the people, but an opportunity popped up.
When I got a flat tire on a side quest going north on the California interstate, I had no idea one of my favorite fashion designers, Ezra Strum Designs, has a shop in Foggy Basin.
I was so distracted by a certain hunky farmer, I didn’t see Ezra or his shop until later.
He was there in vivid color with his rock star partner at the small town pride, and I wish I’d stayed longer. Which is why I’m back.
That same cowboy-hat-wearing man I was into might have also been a draw.
When I reached out about the coincidence of my being in the town at the same time, we struck up a friendship.
Now we message a few times a week and I’ve started helping him with social media for the shop and his brand.
He mentioned he has a free couch in the apartment over Beauty and the Boutique, and now I’m driving into town again.
On one hand, it’s good there’s no parade today, so Main Street isn’t blocked off, but the rainbows all over had brightened it up.
The dashboard of my rental car—a hybrid instead of the electric one I started with, since I don’t like relying on when I can charge—tells me it’s over a hundred degrees out.
I’ve been on the coast in the Pacific Northwest through spring and half of summer, so I’m bracing for the heat when I park on the wide street and open my door.
As expected, the hot air hits me like a physical blow, but it’s not as humid as the heat in Hawai’i, so I know I’ll be fine once I’m in air conditioning, which I assume they must have to survive this.
I also need the bathroom as I haven’t stopped in over four hours since my southern Oregon gas fill-up.
A bell rings over the door as I push it open under the bright yellow Beauty and the Boutique sign and am met with much cooler air.
Bright, modern, and stylish, it’s the opposite of what you expect coming from the quaint, old town.
There are racks of clothing and tables with beauty products, the scent of expensive cologne, a corner with lingerie and at the check-out counter is the person I am expecting to see.
“Kai?” Ezra smiles brightly and sashays over to greet me in a flowy, blue, boho romper I recognize from his recent fashion show. His blond hair is the kind of artfully messy I know takes effort.
“That’s me,” I confirm and let Ezra pull me into a hug before stepping back. His subtle makeup is perfect and I tell him so. “Love the day look.”
“Thank you,” he gushes. “Yours too!”
“Psh, I’ve been on the road all day,” I tell him while also preening. After years on social media, I live off compliments.
“Oh my gosh, you must need to bring in your luggage and freshen up? Olly, can you guys come out here?” Ezra calls over his shoulder and a hot man with tattoos comes through a curtain followed by a middle-aged woman with wild hair.
“This is my partner and his aunt, Tessy. She works in the shop sometimes, so you’ll see her around. ”
“I recognize you,” I say to Ezra’s man. He’s a famous musician who also pops up on Ezra’s social media. “You’re in Arcade Lake, right?”
“Used to be, yeah,” Olly replies, and I wonder if I stepped in something sensitive. I’m thankful he’s smiling as he offers a hand. “Nice to meet you. Kai, right?”
“Yep, Kai Hale. Or Hale underscore Kai online,” I add, always in promotion mode.
“You’re cute as a button,” Tessy comments and pulls me into a grandmotherly hug, making me miss my own grandma as I’m enveloped in the scent of lavender and fresh cookies.
“All the available men and women in town will be clamoring to meet you.” I don’t tell her I’m gay and the women don’t interest me, but I’m glad she was inclusive.
“Ezra says you’re from Hawai’i. Did you fly into Sacramento? ”
“No, he drove south from Oregon, remember,” Ezra corrects and puts a gentle hand on my shoulder. “I’m going to show Kai upstairs to the apartment. Would you grab his stuff, Olly?”
Olly nods and I hold up the key fob. “White one, right outside. Thank you!”
Without another word, he marches out into the heat in his black jeans and shirt like it’s not a scorcher. I will have to show off my summer wardrobe while staying here.
“Tessy, can you man the store?” Ezra asks, leading me to the back area they came out of.
“No, but I can woman it,” she says with a cackle at her joke. “That’s what you pay me the big bucks for.”
“Like you need the money.” Ezra rolls his eyes in an affectionate way and leads me out to the stairs and up to my new home for now. “The fold-out couch is here and the bathroom is past the kitchenette on the right.”
“Much appreciated.”
Closing myself in the updated but simple restroom, I take care of business and look in the mirror while I’m washing my hands. As much as Tessy said the townspeople will want to meet me, and I first came to the town during a pride celebration, I do worry about my reception.
Ezra assured me there’re so many queer people in the small town now that it’s a little safe haven, but I still wonder how they’ll take my loud personality and clothing. It’s only temporary. If it’s not for me, I can try San Francisco or LA again. Hell, maybe figure out a way to go to New York.
As much as I miss my family, and the island, I plan to keep growing my brand and making a niche for myself. This is another step in that direction.
Hearing voices and rustling through the door, I exit to find Olly and another young man hauling my suitcases in. If I travelled light, I could have taken the train from state to state. I don’t travel light.
Ezra is directing them to set my things down on and around the coffee table. “Oh good, you get to meet my new intern, Avery. And he’s going to be your roommate!”
“Oh?” I turn to look at the guy, who is around my height, has brown hair and dark eyes like me, and looks about my age, except he’s pale where I have a permanent tan from my Hawaiian heritage and he’s got face scruff. In short, he’s hot. “Hope you don’t mind me couch-surfing?”
“I hear you’re from Hawai’i, so I feel like there’s a surfing joke in there,” Avery quips and I can tell I’ll like him. “I follow your socials.”
“Awesome! Send me a DM and I’ll follow back,” I tell him, shaking his offered hand. “How new are you?”
“Brand new. I just moved to Foggy Basin, myself. It’s a lot hotter than Olivia Cove on the coast.”
“I bet. Hotter than Hawai’i and the Pacific Northwest where I’ve been for half the year. But I was here for a day in spring,” I add.
Ezra chuckles, “Still can’t believe you stumbled across this little place and we didn’t cross paths.”
“It was a memorable day,” I tell them, thinking of the fun I had in a farm kitchen with a repressed cowboy.
“I was here for their Pride as well,” Avery explains. “They lulled us with the great weather and flowers in bloom.”
“Our first Pride!” Ezra says with a clap and I find their positivity infectious. “But there’s so much more to Foggy Basin.”
“How about a place to eat?” I ask, and my stomach grumbles as if to punctuate my words. “I finished my road snacks hours ago.”
“Ooh, yes, let’s get food and drinks down the road to celebrate you both being here!”
After a quick freshening up, Avery and I go downstairs and back into the shop to find Ezra and Olly making out with Tessy nowhere is sight. Ah. So they’re that kind of couple. I’m not jealous or anything.
We leave and Ezra flips the sign to closed before locking up. “We don’t really worry about our cars and houses being broken into, but the shop has so many important things.”
Nodding and following along, I think back to the way Hayes’ blue truck and house didn’t need to be unlocked. Will he be at the restaurant? Did he ever come out? I don’t know if I’ll see him while in town, but I know that I want to. If for nothing else than a good time.